THE KING’S BUSINESS
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of terms, but that made no difference; the factions existed just the same and were worthy of the apostle’s severest censure. Of course, we must always remember that the Judaizing teachers were the constant enemies of the Apostle Paul. But certainly between Apollos, Peter, and Paul we need not suppose that any jealousy whatever existed. To the mind of the apostle it seemed as though the factional spirit in the Corin thian church had “divided” the Christ, con sidering the interrogation of verse thirteen —“Is Christ divided?”—to be an assertion instead: “Christ has been divided by your controversies.” They had, as it were, prac tically broken Christ up into little party Christs—so divided Him up, so portioned Him out that one party sought to claim Him more than another. What the Corin thian believers needed to remember was that not only has the church of Christ “one faith” and “one baptism,” but also “ofie Lord” Jesus Christ. “One Lord”— this is the word that will silence party clamor and factional jealousy, and is the slogan that will bring about denominational union. If any one teacher had the right to pre eminence in the Corinthian church it was Paul, for he was its spiritual father: “I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you. For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, Jet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me” (xiv. 14-16). From his peculiar position as the inaugurator of the second epoch of Christianity, many would be tempted to regard him as the real founder of the Church and to boast of having been baptized into his name. Yet Paul was not crucified for them (i. 13), nor was it into the name of Paul they were baptized (i. 14). Paul baptized in but few instances. Not that he lightly valued baptism, but it was not mentioned in the commission Christ gave to him (Acts ix. IS) as it was in the commission given to
the twelve (Matthew xxviii. 19). “No outward initiation of converts entered into his ministry.” Baptism did not require any particular or special gift as preaching did. Consequently, Paul left baptizing to oth ers. Christ did likewise (John iv. 1, 2). Baptism assumes that the greater work of the preaching of the gospel has been effect ive and fulfilled (Matthew xxviii. 19; Luke xxiv. 47). Compare also particularly Paul’s own experience (1 Corinthians ix. 16, 17; Acts ix. IS, 20; xx. IS, 21; xxvi. 16). Preaching, not baptizing, was Paul’s great work, and yet he refusel to allow his preaching.to be judged by the philosophic and rhetorical standards of that day. When “wisdom of words,” , flights, of ora tory, rhetorical eloquence, such as charac terized the preaching of Apollos (cf. Acts xviii. 24), were considered the highest achievement, Paul said: “But I have used none of these things-; neither have I writ ten these things, that it should be so done unto me: for it were better for me to die, than that any man should make my glory ing void” (ix. 15). To Paul, covering the gospel with many words had the tendency to hide its heart and to render its power void. The preaching of the apostle was not the speculation- of philosophy,- but the fact of a Christ crucified. 2. A Digression (i. 18-iii. 4 ). This digression is made necessary by the apostle’s reference to the manner and sub stance of his preaching as compared, doubtless, with the eloquence of Apollos and the philosophic speculations of the so- called scholarly preachers of that day. In this digression a true and false wisdom— that which is from heaven and that which is of the earth—as to both nature and results, are contrasted. A comparison is made between the true teaching of the gospel and the mere speculations of men. (a) False or Worldly Wisdom (i. 18- ii. S). What great contrasts lie couched in these few verses! The “wisdom of words” and the “words of wisdom” ; the “foolish ness of preaching” and the speculations of
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