Yes, the Corinthian believers divided because loyalty shifted to different human leaders—Paul, Apollos, Peter, and even Christ as a human voice.
Les Feldick explains that the Jewish element felt comfortable with Peter because of his connection to their Jewish background, Apollos drew a group through his charisma, and some simply rejected Paul and insisted on following only Jesus. Paul calls this carnality and asks whether Christ is divided, reminding the church that God, not any human worker, gives the increase.
1 Corinthians 1:12 — This verse names all four loyalty groups in the Corinthian church, making it the anchor for answering why early Christians divided over whom to follow.
The Bible describes the Corinthian congregation as divided by loyalty to human leaders. Paul writes, "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). He then asks, "Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?" (1 Corinthians 1:13). These words show that the divisions were not doctrinal disagreements over salvation, but rather the result of believers attaching themselves to different teachers and leaders. Paul also identifies such partisanship as carnality: "For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?" (1 Corinthians 3:4). He puts human leaders in their proper place: "Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase" (1 Corinthians 3:5-7). Scripture's answer is that salvation and growth come from God, not from the human worker.
Les Feldick sees the Corinthian divisions as a practical problem Paul had to confront. He notes that Paul was the founder of the congregation and brought them out of idolatry, so it was natural for many to adhere to him. But Apollos, with his magnetism and charisma, drew a group that wanted little to do with Paul. A third group, likely the Jewish element, was never comfortable with Paul and clung to Peter because of Peter's connection to their Jewish background. A fourth group insisted they followed Christ rather than Paul. Les emphasizes that these loyalties became serious factions and caused constant bickering in the church. He says the problem was that people were hanging their hearts on a man instead of on the Word of God and the Christ who saved them. He also points out that the "follow Christ only" group meant well but was mistaken, because what Jesus said during His earthly ministry was directed to the Jew under the Law; for the age of grace, God speaks through the apostle Paul. Paul therefore had to defend his apostleship in his letters, especially because Jewish believers thought he was a renegade to Judaism. Les sums up the correct focus: don't set your eyes on any human teacher, but set your eyes on the Word of God and on the crucified One who died and rose again.
In 1 Corinthians 1:12, the Bible names four groups: those who said, "I am of Paul," "I of Apollos," "I of Cephas," and "I of Christ." Les identifies the same four factions in the Corinthian congregation—the followers of Paul, the followers of Apollos, the followers of Peter, and those who followed Jesus Himself. He says that even in a church of perhaps less than one hundred people, these four distinct divisions produced constant bickering and no unity.
Les explains that the Jewish element within the congregation could not get over Paul. Peter was connected with their own Jewish background, so they felt comfortable with him. Paul, on the other hand, appeared to them as a renegade who had turned on his Jewish background, which put his apostleship under constant attack.
Les says it was natural for the believers Paul had led out of idolatry and immorality to adhere to him. But when Apollos came with magnetism and charisma, he drew a group that said, "We don't want that much to do with Paul; we're going to follow Apollos." Paul's own converts, however, remained true to the founder of their congregation.
Some Corinthians said they would have nothing to do with Paul or Apollos or Peter and would follow Christ. Les says this is the same argument heard today when people refuse Paul's epistles. He responds that those believers meant well, but they were "out in left field," because Jesus' earthly words were primarily to the Jew under the Law; for this age of grace, Paul is the apostle through whom God speaks.
Paul's scriptural answer is to ask, "Is Christ divided?" and to remind the Corinthians that he and Apollos were merely ministers—one plants, another waters, but God gives the increase. Les applies this by warning against setting your eyes on a human leader or teacher; loyalty should be centered on the Word of God and on Christ who died and rose again.
Factions Around Paul and Apollos
Les shows that while Paul's converts naturally followed him, Apollos' charisma pulled a separate group away—revealing that personality and eloquence caused the Corinthian divisions.
Jewish Comfort with Peter; the Christ-Only Group
Les explains that Jewish believers preferred Peter because they couldn't get over Paul, and he identifies a fourth group that wanted to follow only Jesus rather than Paul.
Four Distinct Divisions
Les lists the four factions at Corinth—Paul, Apollos, Peter, and Christ—and describes them as one of the main problems Paul had to upbraid.
Paul's Constant Defense of His Apostleship
Les ties the Corinthian divisions to Paul's need to keep defending his apostolic authority, especially because his ministry began among Jews.
Jewish Suspicion of Paul as a Renegade
Les shows that Jewish believers saw Paul as a renegade who had turned on Judaism, which made them resist his authority and contributed to the factions.
Why the Christ-Only Position Misses Grace
Les teaches that the group saying "I just go by what Jesus said" would not get very far because Jesus' earthly words were given to the Jew under the Law, while Paul is God's spokesman for this age of grace.
Divisions Wrecked the Church
Les describes the four factions as causing constant bickering and a loss of unity, and he urges believers to look past any human teacher to the Word of God and the crucified, risen Christ.
Paul as the Wise Master Builder, Not the Foundation
Les notes the divisions forced Paul to defend his apostleship, and he clarifies that Paul called himself a wise master builder who laid the foundation—not the foundation itself, which is Christ.
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 exact four factions among the Corinthians, showing the divisions were over loyalty to different leaders.
1 Corinthians 1:13: Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?
Paul's rhetorical question reveals that Christ cannot be divided and no human leader was crucified for them.
1 Corinthians 3:4: For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?
Paul connects these partisan slogans with carnality, showing they were marks of immaturity.
1 Corinthians 3:5-7: Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
Paul explains that although one plants and another waters, it is God who gives the increase—so human workers should never become the basis of factions.
The four divisions were the followers of Paul, the followers of Apollos, the followers of Peter (Cephas), and those who said they followed Christ. Les says these four factions were a major problem Paul had to address in his first letter to the Corinthians.
Les says these believers meant well but were "out in left field" because Jesus' earthly teaching was directed to the Jew under the Law. In this age of grace, God speaks through Paul, so setting Paul aside to follow only Jesus' earthly words misses the revelation of grace.
The Bible says it is God who gives the increase; one may plant and another water, but human servants are nothing in themselves. Les applies this by telling believers to center on the Word of God and on Christ, not on any human teacher or pastor.
Watch the Teaching: Why Christians Are Divided — 1 Corinthians 3 Explained Verse by Verse