Four factions divided the Corinthian church: one for Paul, one for Apollos, one for Cephas (Peter), and one for Christ.
Paul learned from Chloe's household that contentions had arisen among the believers (1 Corinthians 1:11). He then named the four slogans: "I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ" (1 Corinthians 1:12). Les Feldick emphasizes that even though the church was small and likely met in Chloe's house, these four distinct divisions were a major problem Paul had to address.
1 Corinthians 1:10-12 — Paul directly names the four factions and appeals for unity among the Corinthian believers.
1 Corinthians 3:3-4 — Paul identifies envy, strife, and divisions as evidence of carnality in the church.
Paul received a report from those of Chloe's household that there were contentions among the Corinthian believers. In response, he wrote: "Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment" (1 Corinthians 1:10). He then named the exact slogans being used: "Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ" (1 Corinthians 1:12). Later in the letter, Paul connected these divisions to carnality: "For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?" (1 Corinthians 3:3-4). The Scripture presents these divisions as a problem to be corrected, not as a legitimate basis for loyalty to one teacher.
Les Feldick teaches that the Corinthian congregation had four distinct divisions. He identifies them from 1 Corinthians 1: some said they followed Christ and His teachings, some said they followed Peter, some said they followed Apollos, and some said they followed Paul. He notes that Paul was a natural focus for one group because Paul had come into that idolatrous city and preached the gospel, producing a nucleus of believers. Les also emphasizes how small the church was — he estimates it at probably no more than about fifty people, meeting in the house of Chloe — yet even that little congregation was divided. He describes the Corinthians as a carnal church, not spiritual like Ephesus or Philippi, and says their divisions were one of their main problems. Paul had to address these factions and repeatedly defend his apostleship, especially because some believers argued that Peter had walked with Jesus for three years and therefore had the real authority, treating Paul as an imposter.
According to both Scripture and Les Feldick's teaching, the four divisions were: those who said "I am of Paul," those who said "I of Apollos," those who said "I of Cephas" (Peter), and those who said "I of Christ" (1 Corinthians 1:12). Les says these were four distinct divisions even within a small congregation. The group that followed Paul was drawn to him because he was the one who preached the gospel in Corinth, while the Peter group insisted that Peter had walked with Jesus for three years.
Les explains that the Corinthian believers were carnal and not a spiritual church like Ephesus or Philippi. Their divisions were a major problem. Even in a group of about fifty people meeting in Chloe's house, there was envying and strife. In Les's words, Paul said they could not have these divisions, and Scripture identifies divisions as evidence of carnality (1 Corinthians 3:3).
Paul beseeched the brethren to all speak the same thing and to be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment (1 Corinthians 1:10). Les points out that Paul also had to defend his apostleship because some believers treated him as a fake and claimed Peter was the true authority. For Les, this defense of apostleship was necessary because Paul was the one through whom God was speaking to believers in the age of grace.
Why Carnal Believers Are Still Blameless — 1 Corinthians 1:8-9
calls a person His own, and we're saved, and we become part of the elect, He will never give up on us. We may fail, miserably, but as the verse says here, verse 9, God is faithful. He'll never forsake us. He'll never leave us. And He's faithful by whom, He says, you were called unto the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Four Distinct Divisions
Les identifies four groups in Corinth: Christ followers, Peter followers, Apollos followers, and Paul followers, and says even a small church of under a hundred had these divisions.
Corinthian Factions and Paul's Apostleship
Les repeats the four factions and says Paul had to defend his apostleship because of these divisions.
Small Congregation With Divisions
Les says the congregation probably met in Chloe's house and may have been about fifty people, yet divisions were still present.
Factions Following Paul, Apollos, and Christ
Les names the Paul, Apollos, and Christ factions, and says Paul declared that these divisions could not continue.
Carnality and Division
Les says the Corinthians' major problem was division, and he points to the text about those who said 'I am of Paul.'
Paulists, Peter, and Jesus
Les explains the factions were like today's 'I don't care what Paul says; I'll do what Jesus said,' and that Paul had to establish his authority for the age of grace.
Peter and Apollos Factions
Les says some separated themselves claiming to only listen to Peter, while others listened to Apollos, and those divisions were not the only problem—moral problems also existed.
1 Corinthians 1:10: Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
Paul's direct appeal against the divisions in the Corinthian church.
1 Corinthians 1:11: For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.
Paul learned about the divisions from Chloe's household.
1 Corinthians 1:12: Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.
This verse names the four factions that divided the Corinthian church.
1 Corinthians 3:3: For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
Paul connects divisions with carnality in the Corinthian believers.
1 Corinthians 3:4: For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?
Paul again points to the party spirit as proof of their carnal condition.
The four groups were those who said "I am of Paul," "I of Apollos," "I of Cephas," and "I of Christ" (1 Corinthians 1:12). Les Feldick describes these as four distinct divisions even in a small congregation.
According to Les Feldick, some believers insisted Peter was the authority because he walked with Jesus for three years, and they treated Paul as an imposter. Paul therefore had to defend his apostleship.
Les suggests it was probably around fifty people and met in Chloe's house. Even that small group had divisions.
Watch the Teaching: Why Carnal Believers Are Still Blameless — 1 Corinthians 1:8-9