What divisions existed in the Corinthian church?
The Corinthian church had divisions: some thought they were following Christ, some followed Apollos, others Peter, and still others Paul, who had brought them the gospel. There were also lawsuits in pagan courts and other problems, but the most major problem was gross immorality in chapter 5.
Les explains that in 1 Corinthians 5, along with all the other problems at Corinth, the church had divisions. Some thought they were following Christ, some followed Apollos, others said Peter was their man, and still others said Paul brought them the gospel, so they would follow Paul. They also took one another to pagan courts in lawsuits and had other problems. But the most major problem the Corinthian church had was in chapter 5: gross immorality. Verse 1 reports commonly that there was fornication or immorality among them, such as not so much as named among the Gentiles—the pagans the Jews thought were as low as dogs.