1 Corinthians 1:13Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

See with what love for Christ he refers the whole proof to his own name. By this he clearly teaches that this honor belongs to no one.

So that they would not think he says all this out of envy, he continually repeats his own name. Notice with what wisdom he does this.

He did not say, "Did Paul create the world? Did Paul bring you from nonbeing into being?"

Instead, he presents what was especially close to believers and showed the great providence of God: the Cross, Baptism, and the blessings that come from them.

The love of God for mankind is revealed also in the creation of the world, but especially in His humiliation on the Cross.

Nor did he say, "Did Paul die for you?" but, "Was Paul crucified for you?" Thus he presents the very manner of the death.

"Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?"

He did not say, "Did Paul baptize you?" since he had baptized many. The point is not by whom they were baptized, but in whose name they were baptized.

Since one cause of their disputes was that they named themselves after those who baptized them, he corrects this and says, "Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?"

That is: do not tell me who baptized you, but in whose name.

What matters is not who baptized, but Who is invoked in Baptism, since He forgives sins.

Having said this, he does not enlarge on what follows. He does not say, "Did Paul promise you the future blessings? Did Paul promise you the kingdom of heaven?"

Why did he not add this also?

Because promising the kingdom and being crucified are not one and the same thing.

The former involved no danger and brought no dishonor, while the latter contained all these things.

On the other hand, the former is also understood in the latter. Having said, "He who did not spare His own Son," he added, "how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?" (Rom 8:32).

And again: "For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved" (Rom 5:10).

Therefore he did not add this. Besides, believers did not yet possess the former, but they already knew the latter by experience.

The former was only a promise, while the latter was a reality.

I too, he says, baptized many, but in the name of Christ.

He speaks of Baptism because one cause of division was that they named themselves after those who baptized them.

But the point is not who baptized, but in whose name he baptizes. Christ forgives sins, not the one who baptizes.

In Baptism we give our pledge not to Paul, nor to Peter, but to Jesus Christ alone, in whose name we are baptized.

Therefore is it fitting to bear the name of Christ's ministers upon ourselves? Is it fitting to attach oneself to one of the Apostles alone?

Why, then, call yourselves and your circle of beliefs by the names of men: Paul, Peter, Luther, Calvin, Avvakum?

The dearest and most consoling name for us is the name of Christ the Savior.

Why then, brethren, are there divisions?

"Where do wars and quarrels among us come from?" Are they not from our desires, from the passions warring in our members? (Jas 4:1).

Are they not from our pride, that offspring of the devil? Are they not from envy, which introduced sin and the ever-increasing falling away from God in the world?

Ah, one must take every possible care, as far as one can, to remove quarrels and divisions. In them lies a spark for great fires.

Happy is the man if he succeeds in extinguishing division at the beginning.

Even more blessed is the one who himself gave no occasion for divisions, quarrels, and schisms.

Such was the holy Apostle Paul. He greatly rejoiced that he had baptized few people, so that his few godchildren could not form a sect under his name.

He says in verse 14: I thank God that I baptized none of you Corinthians, who have divisions and schisms, except Crispus, the well-known ruler of the synagogue in Corinth (Acts 18:8), and the good Gaius, the hospitable host (Rom 16:23).

While Christ is one, God and Son of Man, those who appropriate now one thing and now another from Him divide Christ.

And because they create many churches under their own names, the Apostle Paul adds here: "Was Paul crucified for you?"

For this reason he began with himself, so as not to give occasion to think that he wanted to lower the status of others.

If Christ, he says, accepted death for us, how can one so unjustly attribute His grace and blessing to men, to the dishonor of Christ?

The Photinians were followers of Photinus in the fourth century, who denied the God-manhood of Christ. The Arians were followers of Arius in the fourth century, who considered Christ not God but the Father's "highest creature."

The Novatians were followers of the Roman bishop Novatian in the third century, a supporter of extreme rigorism in Church discipline.

The Donatists were followers of the Carthaginian bishop Donatus in the fourth century, who demanded absolute purity from members of the Church.

The Manichaeans were followers of the dualistic teaching of Mani in the third century. The Cataphrygians, or Montanists, were adherents of Montanus in the second century, who proclaimed himself the incarnation of the Holy Spirit.

Since they called themselves followers of Paul, he says to them: was Paul crucified for your salvation? Were you baptized in his name?

From this one can clearly see their error. Christ was crucified both for them and for all.

In the name of Jesus Christ they received saving Baptism. Therefore they were His servants, followers, sons, and members of His body.

It was therefore irrational for them to say of themselves that some were disciples of Paul, others of Apollos, and others of Cephas.

Having reproved the Corinthians by the questions cited above, the Apostle Paul expresses joyful thanksgiving to God for himself.

He had given them no occasion for divisions, for he himself had baptized almost none of them (1 Cor 1:14).

"Lest anyone should say," the Apostle explains, "that I baptized in my own name" (1 Cor 1:15).

That is, it could easily have happened that, by confusing the ministers of the mystery of Baptism with Him in whose name it is performed, some would imagine that the Apostles baptized in their own name.

Having said by this that we are all united under the one Christ the Lord, and that it is therefore absurd to choose a man as one's head, the Apostle now wants to say that we have all spiritual blessings directly from Him.

Therefore it is absurd to cling to men in such a way, as though expecting everything from them.

He died for us. Through holy Baptism we enter into communion with His death, receive the forgiveness of sins, and exchange the old life for a new life of grace.

At this very moment we become Christians.

One might simply say: how, then, have you forgotten all this?

But Saint Paul expresses all this more forcefully and impressively through questions: "Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?"

Blessed Theodoret presents the Apostle's hidden thought here in this way: "Did not He alone accept death for you all? Did you not receive the grace of Baptism in His name?

Did the invocation of human names grant you the forgiveness of sins?"

But the contrast in the Apostle's words is striking. It should have made everyone start at the opposition between their opinions and the first foundations of faith in Christ the Lord.

After this they could not fail to say to themselves: how did this simple thought not occur to us during our empty disputes?

Now it is clear as day how groundless our reasoning is. The instruction issuing from this had to be complete.

Saint Paul did not continue to speak about this any further.

"It has been clearly proved that the honor which the Corinthians gave their teachers can belong to no one except the Lord" (Saint Chrysostom).