"In 1 Corinthians 1–4 we discover that the Corinthian church was divided over Paul, Apollos, Peter, and even Christ. Apparently, they measured the effectiveness of Paul and Apollos by their speaking abilities. Some exalted Apollos over Paul because they believed he was rhetorically more effective. Perhaps they argued that the Holy Spirit was working more powerfully in Apollos. What would you say to the Corinthians if you were their pastor? I suspect many of us would simply say, “Stop being divisive. Show your love as Christians and become united in the gospel. How foolish it is to create divisions over which speaker is rhetorically more effective.” When Paul confronts the problem, however, he probes deeper and reflects on the matter theologically. He argues that their divisions reflect a fundamental misunderstanding of the cross of Christ. If they truly grasped the message of Christ crucified, they would not fall prey to such a secular worldview. By being entranced with the speaking ability of Paul and Apollos and by boasting in them, they were denying the fundamental truth of the cross, namely, that God saves sinners. Their boast in Paul and Apollos was a mask for their own pride. We could continue to reflect on Paul’s response to the Corinthians. My point in bringing up this matter is simply this: how many of us when confronted with such an issue would think theologically and see a failure to understand the cross?"
Schreiner, T. R. (2010). Foreword. In Biblical Theology in the Life of the Church: A Guide for Ministry (pp. 11–12). Wheaton, IL: Crossway.
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