Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 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.
11. For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe ] The aorist here seems to imply some special occasion on which St Paul met his informants, and received the intelligence which pained him. Of Chloe nothing is known.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
For it hath been declared unto me – Of the contentions existing in the church at Corinth, it is evident that they had not informed him in the letter which they had sent; see 1Co 7:1, compare the introduction. He had incidentally heard of their contentions.
My brethren – A token of affectionate regard, evincing his love for them, and his deep interest in their welfare, even when he administered a needed rebuke.
Of the house of Chloe – Of the family of Chloe. It is most probable that Chloe was a member of the church at Corinth, some of whose family had been at Ephesus when Paul was, and had given him information of the state of things there. Who those members of her family were, is unknown. Grotius conjectures that they were Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus, mentioned in 1Co 16:17, who brought the letter of the church at Corinth to Paul. But of this there is no certain evidence; perhaps not much probability. If the information had been obtained from them, it is probable that it would have been put in the letter which they bore. The probability is that Paul had received this information before they arrived.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 11. By them which are of the house of Chloe] This was doubtless some very religious matron at Corinth, whose family were converted to the Lord; some of whom were probably sent to the apostle to inform him of the dissensions which then prevailed in the Church at that place. Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus, mentioned 1Co 16:17, were probably the sons of this Chloe.
Contentions] , Altercations; produced by the divisions, mentioned above. When once they had divided, they must necessarily have contended, in order to support their respective parties.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The apostle cometh to show one reason, as why he wrote to them, so also why in the preceding verse he so zealously pressed unity upon them, because of an information he had received from some of the family of Chloe; for it is far more probable that Chloe was the name of a person, head of a family in Corinth, than of a city or town.
There are contentions among you: what their divisions were about, the next verses will tell us.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
11. (1Co11:18).
by them . . . of . . . houseof ChloeThey seem to have been alike in the confidence of Pauland of the Corinthians. The Corinthians “wrote” to theapostle (1Co 7:1), consultinghim concerning certain points; marriage, the eating of things offeredto idols, the decorum to be observed by women in religiousassemblies. But they said not a syllable about the enormities anddisorders that had crept in among them. That informationreached Paul by other quarters. Hence his language about those evilsis, “It hath been declared unto me,” c. “It isreported commonly” (1Co 5:1;1Co 5:2). All this he says beforehe refers to their letter, which shows that the latter did notgive him any intimation of those evils. An undesigned proof ofgenuineness [PALEY, HorPaulin]. Observe his prudence: He names the family, to let itbe seen that he made his allegation not without authority: he doesnot name the individuals, not to excite odium against them. Hetacitly implies that the information ought rather to have come to himdirectly from their presbyters, as they had consulted him aboutmatters of less moment.
contentionsnot sosevere a word as “divisions,” literally, “schisms”(1Co 1:10, Margin).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
For it hath been declared unto me, of you, my brethren,…. Lest the above advice of the apostle should be thought to be impertinent and needless, and to proceed upon groundless suspicions and jealousies of his, he signifies that he not only had some broad hints of their contentions and divisions, but the whole affair was laid open, and made manifest to him: the thing was a clear point to him; he had no reason at all to doubt of the truth of it; nor could they deny it, the proof was so strong, the evidence so full, being given
by them which are of the house of Chloe. Some take Chloe to be the name of a place; a city so called is said to have been in Cappadocia; but it seems rather to have been the name of a woman. Horace b several times makes mention of a woman of this name, and so does Martial c. Pausanias d calls the goddess Ceres by it, the goddess of husbandry; the word signifying green grass of the field. The person the apostle speaks of was one that very probably lived at Corinth, and was a member of the church there, and at the head of a family of great worth and credit; who being grieved at the growing animosities, and disturbances there raised, wrote to the apostle, and gave him a distinct account of them, desiring him to use his interest to put a stop to them. He mentions this family by name, to show that he had not took up an idle tale, and received reports from anybody, nor from a single person only, but from a family of repute among them; and who could have no other views in the relation of it to him, than the good of the church, and the glory of God: and what they had made out clearly to him was,
that there are contentions among you; about their ministers, as appears afterward, as well as about opinions in doctrines, and ceremonies in worship, which occasioned undue heats, and great indecencies, tending to make rents and schisms among them.
b Carrain. l. 3. Ode 7, 9, 19. c L. 4. Epigr. 22. & l. 9. Epigr. 13. d L. 1. sive Attica, p. 38.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
For it hath been signified unto me ( ). First aorist passive indicative of and difficult to render into English. Literally, It was signified to me.
By them of Chloe ( ). Ablative case of the masculine plural article , by the (folks) of Chloe (genitive case). The words “which are of the household” are not in the Greek, though they correctly interpret the Greek, “those of Chloe.” Whether the children, the kinspeople, or the servants of Chloe we do not know. It is uncertain also whether Chloe lived in Corinth or Ephesus, probably Ephesus because to name her if in Corinth might get her into trouble (Heinrici). Already Christianity was working a social revolution in the position of women and slaves. The name
Chloe means tender verdure and was one of the epithets of Demeter the goddess of agriculture and for that reason Lightfoot thinks that she was a member of the freedman class like Phoebe (Ro 16:1), Hermes (Ro 16:14), Nereus (Ro 16:15). It is even possible that Stephanas, Fortunatus, Achaicus (1Co 16:17) may have been those who brought Chloe the news of the schisms in Corinth.
Contentions (). Unseemly wranglings (as opposed to discussing, ) that were leading to the
schisms . Listed in works of the flesh (Ga 5:19f.) and the catalogues of vices (2Cor 12:20; Rom 1:19; 1Tim 6:4).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
It hath been declared [] . Rev., signified, which is hardly strong enough. The word means to make clear, or manifest [] . Compare ch. 3 13. It may imply that Paul was reluctant to believe the reports, but was convinced by unimpeachable testimony.
Of the household of Chloe [ ] . See on Rom 16:10 for the form of expression. The persons may have been slaves who had come to Ephesus on business for their mistress, or members of her family. Chloe means tender verdure, and was an epithet of Demeter (Ceres), the goddess of agriculture and rural life. It is uncertain whether she belonged to the Corinthian or to the Ephesian church.
Contentions [] . Socrates in Plato’s “Republic” distinguishes between disputing [] and discussing [] , and identifies contention [] with gainsaying [] , “Republic,” 5, 454. Compare Tit 3:9.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “For it hath been declared.” (Greek edelothe gar) “For it has been reported, shown, disclosed, or affirmed.” Paul had valid evidence, as a basis for his corrective letter – convinced the report was not mere gossip.
2) “Unto me of you, my brethren,” (Greek moi peri humon) “to me personally concerning you all,” (Greek adelphoi mou) “brethren of me” . . . Paul claimed a brotherhood of affinity and attachment to the Corinth church.
3) “By them which are of the house of Chloe,” The house or family of Chloe had submitted incontestable evidence to Paul regarding sins and conduct of Corinth church members that merited his writing this sharp letter.
4) “That there are contentions among you.
(Greek hoti erides en humin eisin) “That strifes, clamors, clashes, or splits exist among you.” These sensual contentions and splits had hindered the work of the Spirit in their worship and personal lives, 1Co 5:5.
CONTENTIONS
1. Pride causes it — Pro 13:10.
2. A fool’s lips engage in it — Pro 18:6.
3. To be cast out – – – Pro 22:10.
4. To be avoided – – – Tit 3:9.
5. Danger in it — Pro 21:19.
6. Awaits indignation and wrath of God Rom 2:8.
QUARRELSOME PEOPLE
I consider your very testy and quarrelsome people as I do a loaded gun, which may, by accident, at any time, go off and kill people.
– Shenstone
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
11. It has been declared. As general observations have usually little effect, he intimates, that what he had said was more particularly applicable to them. The application, therefore, is designed with the view of leading the Corinthians to perceive, that it was not without good reason that Paul had made mention of harmony. For he shows that they had not merely turned aside from a holy unity, (58) but had even fallen into contentions, which are worse (59) than jarrings of sentiment. And that he may not be charged with believing too readily what was said, (60) as though he lightly lent his ear to false accusations, he speaks with commendation of his informants, who must have been in the highest esteem, as he did not hesitate to adduce them as competent witnesses against an entire Church. It is not indeed altogether certain, whether Chloe is the name of a place or of a woman, but to me it appears more probable that it is the name of a woman. (61) I am of opinion, therefore, that it was a well-regulated household that acquainted Paul with the distempered condition of the Corinthian Church, being desirous that it might be remedied by him. The idea entertained by many, in accordance with Chrysostom’s view, that he refrained from mentioning names, lest he should bring odium upon them, appears to me to be absurd. For he does not say that some of the household had reported this to him, but, on the contrary, makes mention of them all, and there is no doubt that they would willingly have allowed their names to be made use of. Farther, that he might not exasperate their minds by undue severity, he has modified the reproof by an engaging form of address; not as though he would make light of the distemper, but with the view of bringing them to a more teachable spirit, for perceiving the severity of the malady.
(58) “ La sancte union qui doit estre entre les Chrestiens;” — “That holy unity which ought to be among Christians.”
(59) “ Bien plus dangereuses;” — “Much more dangerous.”
(60) It is remarked by Beza that the verb here employed, δηλοω, (to declare,)has a stronger signification than σημαινω (to intimate,) just as there is a difference of meaning between the Latin words declarare (to declare) and significare (to intimate,) an example of which is furnished in a letter of Cicero to Lucretius, “ tibi non significandum solum, sed etiam declarandum arbitror, nihil mihi esse potuisse tuis literis gratius;” “I think it ought to be not merely intimated to you but declared, that nothing could be more agreeable to me than your letters.” The emphatic word εδηλωθν (it has been declared,) appears to have been made use of by the Apostle to convey more fully to the mind of the Corhlthians, that he had not hastily given heed to a mere report. — Ed
(61) Some have thought that by τῶς Χλόης,(those of Chloe,) the Apostle means persons who were in a flourishing condition in religion; from χλόη, green herbage, (Herodotus, 4:34, Euripides, Hipp. 1124.) One writer supposes Paul to mean seniores, (elders,) deriving the word χλόη from כלח, old age. These conjectures, however, are manifestly more ingenious than solid. It is certain that the name Χλόν (Chloe,) was frequent among the Greeks as the name of a female. It is most natural to understand by των Χλονς those of Chloe, as equivalent to των Χλονς σοικειως — those of the household of Chloe. — Ed
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(11) The house of Chloe.Who Chloe was we cannot tell. Her name was evidently well known to the Corinthians, and some slaves of her household, probably travelling between Ephesus and Corinth, on their owners business, had brought to St. Paul the account of the distracted state of the church in their city.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
11. Declared unto me I left you in Corinth a short time ago a unit; I am told here in Ephesus that you are split into fractions and factions.
Of Chloe The words which are of the house, are in italics, as being not in the Greek but added by our English translators. Chloe seems to have been an eminent Corinthian lady, known to the Church, who, like Lydia at Philippi, kept an establishment, and her people, perhaps her children, were ample vouchers for their report to Paul. It is not probable, as Wordsworth suggests, that Fortunatus and Achaicus were they; for these two were evidently delegates selected by the Church.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
1Co 1:11. Which are of the house of Chloe Grotius supposes Fortunatus and Achaicus mentioned ch. 1Co 16:17 to have been her sons. We may observe, that St. Paul uses twice, in the compass of this and the preceding verse, the word brethren, as a term of union and friendship, in order to put an end to their divisions.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
1Co 1:11 . Motive for the foregoing exhortation.
] comp Rom 16:10 ; Winer, p. 179 [E. T. 238]. What persons belonging to Chloe are meant, was as well known to the readers as it is unknown to us. Grotius and Valckenaer understood “ mortuae Chloes liberos ;” others generally, “ those of her household ;” others, again, “ slaves ,” as undoubtedly such genitives are sometimes to be explained by (Schaef. a [173] Bos. Ell. p. 117 f.); comp Plat. Phaed. p. 60 A. Chloe herself is commonly held to be a Corinthian Christian, members of whose household had come to Ephesus. It seems, however, more in accordance with apostolic discretion to suppose (with Michaelis) that she was an Ephesian well known to the Corinthians, members of whose household had been in Corinth and returned thence.
The name (familiar as a surname of Demeter ) occurs also elsewhere; Hor. Od. i. 23, iii. 9. 6; Long. Past. 7. We may add that Bengel remarks well on (comp Col 1:8 ): “exemplum delationis bonae nec sine caus celandae.” It was in fact the fulfilment of a duty of love .
[173] d refers to the note of the commentator or editor named on the particular passage.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
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.
Ver. 11. Of the house of Chloe ] A godly matron she was no doubt, and a good office herein she did her neighbours: though, likely, she had little thanks for her labour; as likewise Joseph had for bringing his brethren’s evil report to their father, Gen 37:2 .
That there are contentions ] These often breed schisms; as did the contention between Luther and Carolostadius; and many of the ancient heresies sprang from private grudges and discontents, in sui solatium, for a sorry comfort to those that broached them.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
11. ] We cannot fill up , not knowing whether they were sons , or servants , or other members of her family. Nor can we say whether Chloe was (Theophyl., al.) an inhabitant of Corinth , or some Christian woman (Estius) known to the Corinthians elsewhere , or (Michaelis, Meyer) an Ephesian , having friends who had been in Corinth.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
1Co 1:11 . The appeal above made implies a serious charge; now the authority for it: “For it has been signified to me about you, my brothers, by the (people) of Chlo”. (see parls.) implies definite information, the disclosure of facts. , “persons of Chlo’s household” children, companions, or possibly slaves ( cf. Rom 16:10 ): there is nothing further to identify them. “Chlo is usually considered a Cor [139] Christian, whose people had come to Eph.; but it is more in harmony with St. Paul’s discretion to suppose that she was an Ephesian known to the Cor [140] , whose people had been at Cor [141] and returned to Eph.” (Ev [142] , Hf [143] ). “Chlo’s people” are distinct from the Cor [144] deputies of 1Co 16:17 , or Paul would have named the latter here; besides, Stephanas was himself the head of a household. (Verdure) was an epithet of the goddess Demeter, as of Artemis (Rom 16:1 ): such names were often given to slaves, and . may have been a freedwoman of property (Lt [145] ). “That strifes exist among you” ( cf. 1Co 3:3 , 2Co 12:20 ) was the information given; these , the next ver. explains, were generating the (see note on 10).
[139] Corinth, Corinthian or Corinthians.
[140] Corinth, Corinthian or Corinthians.
[141] Corinth, Corinthian or Corinthians.
[142] T. S. Evans in Speaker’s Commentary .
[143] J. C. K. von Hofmann’s Die heilige Schrift N.T. untersucht , ii. 2 (2te Auflage, 1874).
[144] Corinth, Corinthian or Corinthians.
[145] J. B. Lightfoot’s (posthumous) Notes on Epp. of St. Paul (1895).
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
declared = shown. Greek. deloo = to make manifest. Elsewhere, 1Co 3:13. Col 1:8. Heb 9:8; Heb 12:27. 1Pe 1:11. In these three last, signify. 2Pe 1:14 (show).
of = concerning; as in 1Co 1:4.
by. App-104.
contentions = strifes. Greek. eris. See Rom 1:29.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
11.] We cannot fill up , not knowing whether they were sons, or servants, or other members of her family. Nor can we say whether Chloe was (Theophyl., al.) an inhabitant of Corinth, or some Christian woman (Estius) known to the Corinthians elsewhere, or (Michaelis, Meyer) an Ephesian, having friends who had been in Corinth.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
1Co 1:11. , it hath been declared) an example of justifiable giving of information against others,-such information as ought not to be concealed without a reason, ch. 1Co 11:18.- , by those, who are of the house of Chloe) These men seem to have obtained the special approbation both of Paul and of the Corinthians; as also the matron Chloe [sc. seems to have had their approbation], whose sons the Corinthians sent with letters to Paul, ch. 1Co 7:1. They had sent Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus, ch. 1Co 16:17, of whom the one or the other might even be a son of Chloes, by Stephanas as the father, 1Co 1:16; 1Co 16:15.-, contentions) He calls the thing by its own [right] name.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
1Co 1:11
1Co 1:11
For it hath been signified unto me concerning you, my brethren, by them that are of the household of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.-Chloe and her house are mentioned only here. They had probably come from Corinth to Ephesus where Paul was when he wrote this letter and had told him that contentions had arisen among them at Corinth, that divided them into factions and parties.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
it hath: 1Co 11:18, Gen 27:42, Gen 37:2, 1Sa 25:14-17
that there: 1Co 3:3, 1Co 6:1-7, Pro 13:10, Pro 18:6, 2Co 12:20, Gal 5:15, Gal 5:20, Gal 5:26, Phi 2:14, 1Ti 6:4, 2Ti 2:23-25, Jam 4:1, Jam 4:2
Reciprocal: Neh 13:7 – understood Mat 13:27 – whence Luk 16:2 – How 1Co 5:1 – reported 1Co 8:7 – there Phi 2:20 – I have
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
THE UNIVERSAL CHRIST
There are contentions among you. 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. Is Christ divided?
1Co 1:11-13
The one hope of our nation lies in the faithful allegiance to the living Christ. This is a lesson which He Himself inculcated again and againthat all His people must live in His Divine loveas the branch lives by the sap of the trunk, and as the members of the body live by the beating of the heart. And in nineteen centuries of the Christian era all that the human mind has ever known of best and of greatest has been derived from Him. I see no dangers to Christianity except such as arise from the errors of Christians. But, though Christianity can never be finally overthrown, it may be temporarily overthrown. It may suffer a collapse, disastrous, indeed, to those who love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity and truth.
I. If we would uphold the cause of Christ we must learn humbly to study for ourselves His own words and His own clear will.We must take our ideas from Him, and not from the fuglemen of our party. It is quite possible to mistake and to misunderstand Him grievously, even as His own Apostles did. They faithfully record for us their failures. Christ was too large, too Divine, too loving, too universal, too eternal, for their finite souls. If even the Apostles misunderstood Him, do you think there is now no danger that we, who too often suffer so little with Him, do so little for Him, listen so little in solitude to His still small voicedo you think that there is no danger that we should misunderstand Him?
II. The Lord Christ is the universal Christ; the Christ not of one party, but of all; not of one Church, but of all; not of one race, but of all; not of one Christian, but of all. The fatal tendency of Christians is to monopolise Christ, to talk and to act as though Christ were divided, as though they alone could speak of Him with infallible knowledge. It is a deadly error, the daughter of selfishness, the mother of bigotry, strife, and persecution, the source of continual weakness, the disintegration of Christianity into wrangling and squabbling sects. It springs from the stronghold of Satan, disguised as an angel of light. When these Corinthians, the most conceited and self-asserting of all St. Pauls converts, said, I am of Christ, they meant to throw at every other Christian the taunt, You are not of Christ. And how often do we hear Christians talk as though Christ were theirs and no one elses! as though all except themselves were all quite wrong and mistaken. No man, no sect, no church, has a right itself to claim Christ, or His forgiveness, or the merits of His redeeming love as its special and peculiar, still less its exclusive, possession.
III. Why was St. Paul so indignant with those Christians who described themselves, I am of Christ?Why did he think them sufficiently rebuked by the question, Is Christ divided? It is for this reason, that with all the selfishness of the religious mind they were trying to set up a Christian party of unchristian men. They were turning orthodoxy into the factiousness which is expressed in the New Testament by the word translated heresy; they were trying to emblazon the Name of Christ on the ignoble banner of a party instead of on the glorious Semper eadem of the universal Church. They were narrowing the Divine universality of Christ, as though they were the oracles, and orthodoxy should die with them, and the angels had never sung, Peace on earth, and good will towards men. Two men went into the Temple to pray, the one a Pharisee, the other a publican, and which did Christ rebuke? In true Christianity there is nothing of this pettiness or ignorant individualism. Christianity is as universal as our Christ, and he who lives or talks or writes as though it were other than this, whatever may be his pretensions, however loudly he may reiterate, Lord, Lord, has neither learnt the most elementary of Christs lessons, which is the lesson of Christian love, nor acquired the sweetest of the virtues which He inculcated, which is a humble and a childlike mind. Therefore, let not Christ be a Christ claimed exclusively by our sect or claimed solely by ourselves. Let Him indeed be the Lord, the Christ of us individually. He it is Who, amidst the noise and jostling of the world, is our one Friend in all our faithlessness, the One to forgive in all our sinning.
IV. As a plain practical conclusion, I would say, while with contrite hearts and scarce uplifted eyes we may say in our own solitude of trust, I hope that I am of Christ, if only He will pardon the very best of what I am, let us be wary of saying in an arrogant and exclusive sense, I am Christs. Let us be wary of that miserable spirit which degrades the grandeur of Christianity. We are not the only sound or the only orthodox persons. All from whom we differ are neither so deep in darkness nor so flooded with error as our conceit fancies. You cannot ruin Christianity more thoroughly than by stamping it with bigotry and hatred. You have no right to brand with heresy every difference between your brothers creed and your own. There is only one heresy which verges on the pardonable, which ishatred. Wouldst thou be a Christian? Then lay aside the rags of self-righteousness, and thy badges of party, thy envy and bitterness and strife. Ceremonial observances are not religion. Multiplied services are not religion. Long prayers are not religion. Orthodoxy of creed is not religion. These are but parts of religionelements of religion. To this or that man they may seem as religion, but to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep ourselves unspotted from the worldthat is religion. Righteousness and peace and joy in believingthat is religion, and to do the things which Christ saysthat is religion, and all the charities which bind man to man and that blend the nations of the worldthese are religion; and this is religion, to love God with all our hearts, and our neighbours as ourselves; and this is religion, to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with our God.
Dean Farrar.
Illustration
Our condition is full of anomalies; we deprecate divisions; we hold our episcopal government as the best, and wonder why it is not so received. We try a theory which shall explain the success of the Gospel with the fact of our unhappy divisions. But as to the fruits, we are perplexed by what we see. A man goes to an island where the population are lepers; he stays with them, serves them, gives them hope in that lowest depth of trouble. He takes the disease; that was sure beforehand. He will die; that, too, is true. He asks only that others may be sent out to help them; this one is a Roman Catholic priest. In a Fijian island missionaries have extirpated cannibalism. There is fear of a relapse; victims are prepared. A woman crosses the strait, persuades, rebukes in her Masters Name; brings back safe in her boat the lives of the victims and her own life. That was a Wesleyan. Another went to the Dark Continent, where the task of this century lies; was prostrated with fever, came home with zeal unquenched, went out again, and perished by the sword; that martyr was an Anglican Bishop. We do not feel able to discuss their relative positions in the Church of God, nor where error lies. Such grand actions stir the blood and moisten the eyes, and dispose us to praise Grid for His goodness. May He spread the infection of that holy courage!
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
1Co 1:11. The name Chloe does not appear in any other place, and all we can learn of her is that she was a disciple who was concerned about the conditions existing in the church at Corinth. She passed the information on to the apostle which he repeated in his epistle to the church in that city.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Observe here, 1. The apostle declares a reason why in the foregoing verse he pressed his exhortation to love and unity with so much fervour and vehemency! namely, because he had received information that there were contentions and sidings, divisions and parties, amongst them, to the great scandal of Christianity, which was so newly planted amongst them.
Whence learn, That divisions and factions do quickly creep into the best and purest churches. This church at Corinth was a garden newly planted by St. Paul; yet, notwithstanding all his care and personal inspection, these ill weeds of division and dissension grew apace; it was not while men slept that these tares were sown, but while the officers of the church were both awake and watchful.
Observe, 2. What was the cause of these divisions and dissensions that were found among them: it was having mens persons in admiration, factiously crying up one minister above another, naming themselves the followers of this and that man, setting up teachers one against another, and even Christ against his ministers.
Learn hence, That although it is the people’s duty to have a great and high esteem of the ministers of Christ, yet must not their respect degenerate into a sinful admiration of their persons; for the factious affection of one minister above another, is both sinful and dangerous; it occasions enmity and dissension among ministers themselves, and their people also, when the gifts and abilities of one are cried up in contempt of others.
Observe, 3. That these Corinthians did not only sinfully admire the persons of their teachers, but also set up their teachers as heads of several parties, sinfully resting upon them, and glorying in them.
Learn hence, That it is not barely unlawful, but very dangerous and exceeding sinful, for persons to call themselves by the name of any men, though never so eminent, so as to build or pin their faith upon them: we are not believers in Paul or Peter, but in Christ; there is but one head of the church, and that is Christ, and he is not divided: his disciples we are in whose name we are baptized, and that is not in the name of any man, but in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; to build therefore our faith upon any man, is to make him our Saviour, and to put him in Christ’s room and place.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
1Co 1:11-12. For it hath been declared Not out of ill-will, but to procure a remedy of the evil; unto me Whom it concerns to know such things, that I may redress them; of you, my brethren Brethren, says Locke, is a name of union and friendship, and is twice used by the apostle in this exhortation to these virtues. By them of the house of Chloe According to Grotius, these were Stephanas, Fortunatus, Achaicus, mentioned 1Co 16:17; who, he thinks, were Chloes sons, and the bearers of the letter which the Corinthians sent to the apostle, 1Co 7:1. That there are contentions among you A word equivalent with schisms, in the preceding verse: now this I say That is, what I mean is this; that every one of you saith, I am of Paul, &c. There are various parties among you, who set themselves one against another, in behalf of the several teachers they admire. And I of Cephas This seems to have been the boast of the Judaizing teachers: for as they came recommended by letters from Judea, they might be particularly attached to Peter, perhaps having been converted under his ministry: and I of Christ Such spoke well, if they did not, on this pretence, despise their teachers. It seems there were now in the church at Corinth some Jewish Christians, who, having heard Christ preach, had been converted by him, and who claimed greater respect on that account. Chrysostom thought this was said by Paul himself, to show the Corinthians that all ought to consider themselves as the disciples of Christ, and of no other master; otherwise they derogated from the honour due to Christ. The Greeks, it must be observed, valued themselves greatly on account of the fame of their masters in philosophy and the arts. This humour the Corinthians brought with them into the church. For some, especially the heads of the faction, claimed an authority over others on account of the dignity of the persons who had converted them, and to whom they had attached themselves, as their masters in the gospel. But others, who reckoned themselves equally honourable on account of the reputation of their teachers, opposed their pretensions. Hence arose those envyings, strifes, and divisions, which prevailed in the Corinthian church, and which the apostle termed, a walking after the manner of men, 1Co 3:3. Macknight.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Vv. 11, 12. For it hath been signified unto me concerning you, my brethren, by them which are of the household of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. 12. Now this I mean, that each one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.
At the moment of enumerating these different parties, the apostle once again unites all the members of the Church under the one common and affectionate address, my brethren.
Perhaps the markedly express indication of the source to which he owes this news is intended to exclude in this matter the delegates of the Church who are at this time with Paul. Those of Chloe’s household may be the children or slaves of that Ephesian or Corinthian lady (see Introd. p. 21).
The word , contentions, denotes bitter discussions which would easily degenerate into schisms, (1Co 1:10).
Fuente: Godet Commentary (Luke, John, Romans and 1 Corinthians)
For it hath been signified [made known] unto me concerning you, my brethren [as they indeed were, despite their shortcomings], by them that are of the household of Chloe [no doubt one of their number], that there are contentions among you.
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
11-16. Here he alludes to manifestations of party spirit among them, and a disposition to focalize around a human leader such as Paul, Apollos or Peter. As Paul was their spiritual father, though plain, blunt and rough in his speech and manner, endeavoring to sink away into God so they would see Jesus only, many were disposed to adhere to him because of his spiritual paternity and say, I am of Paul. Others, charmed and electrified by the powerful eloquence and irresistible arguments of Apollos, who evidently contrasted with Paul much to the depreciation of the latter, were very strongly disposed to choose him for their leader, while still another class cried out, I am of Peter, because he came with the flattering reputation of the senior apostle of our Lords own choosing, who had walked by His side three years, and been honored to preach the first gospel sermon on the day of Pentecost; and still others cried out, I am for Christ. Of course these were right; hence we see they had not all fallen into these schisms. You must remember that these divisions were only germinal and never developed into organized parties, as about six thousand have since that day. When we see how Paul put his withering rebuke in the very incipiency of these schismatic tendencies, which have since filled the world with religious denominations and here he recognizes Christian perfection as the only remedy for the trouble what an inspiration should this Pauline treatment of the matter give to all Christians to seek perfection, and thus escape from the carnal entanglements of sectarian schisms.
Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament
Verse 11
Chloe; probably, a Christian matron residing at Corinth.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
1Co 1:11-12. Reason for the above exhortation. Paul introduces his charge by an expression of affection, my brothers, even warmer than that of 1Co 1:10. Both Cloe and the relationship to her of them of Cloe, are quite unknown. Paul’s mention of them implies that they were willing for it to be known that they had given this information. This was no small test of their good faith.
Strifes: natural result of divisions.
Each of you. The fault was universal.
Apollos: Act 18:24 to Act 19:1. His complete personal concord with Paul, 1Co 16:12 reveals.
Cephas: an Aramaic name denoting rock or stone, given (Joh 1:43) by Jesus to Simon. Petra is its Greek equivalent, and is so used (LXX.) in Jer 4:29; Job 30:6, where we have a Hebrew form of the same Aramaic word. But, since Petra is feminine, the less exact masculine equivalent Petros (Peter) is used as the Greek name of the Apostle. The meaning of this name gives force to Mat 16:18,
Thou art Rock: and on this Rock I will build my church. This sense is reproduced, though not accurately, in the French version Tu es Pierre, et sur cette pierre etc. In Paul’s epistles the name Peter is found twice, Gal 2:7-8; Cephas, eight times, Gal 1:18; Gal 2:9; Gal 2:11; Gal 2:14; 1Co 1:12; 1Co 3:22; 1Co 9:5; 1Co 15:5. That a party in Corinth, a Greek city called itself by an Aramaic name, suggests that its members were chiefly Jews, and that probably they prided themselves in the name so solemnly given and expounded by Christ.
This verse refers to a matter well known to the Corinthian Christians; but known to us only by difficult and uncertain inference from 1Co 1:10 to 1Co 4:8, and from a few scattered and doubtful references elsewhere. As we come to each reference we will examine the evidence it affords. This evidence we will gather together at the end of DIV. I.; and try to obtain thus a view, necessarily imperfect, of these church-parties.
From this verse we learn that at Corinth there were four parties, calling themselves by four names; and that to one or other of these parties all the church members belonged. That Paul puts all the parties side by side, proves that all were to blame, even the last. That Paul is mentioned first, then Apollos, suggests that the parties arose in the order here given. That Cephas was a party name, is no proof that Peter, any more than Christ, had actually preached at Corinth. The Aramaic name suggests that the party was founded by Jews who appealed to the authority of Peter. Possibly something Peter had said or done (cp. Gal 2:11) may have been misconstrued for their own purposes by unscrupulous partisans. One party had dared to inscribe on its banner, in token doubtless of assumed superiority, the name of Christ.
Fuente: Beet’s Commentary on Selected Books of the New Testament
1:11 {14} 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.
(14) He begins his reprehension and chiding by taking away an objection, because he understood from good witnesses that there were many factions among them. And in addition he declares the cause of dissentions, because some depended on one teacher, some on another, and some were so addicted to themselves that they neglected all teachers and learned men, calling themselves the disciples of Christ alone, completely ignoring their teachers.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Today no one knows exactly who Chloe was. She evidently had a household or business that included servants, some of whom had traveled to Corinth and had returned to Ephesus carrying reports of conditions in the Corinthian church. They had eventually shared this news with Paul. Quarrels and dissension should never mark the church (cf. Gal 5:20).