Ministry of Grace Church

For when one says, "I am of Paul," and another, "I am of Apollos," are you not carnal?

Truth to Learn

When preference leads to arguments, we leave the realm of the Spirit and enter the realm of the flesh.

Behind the Words

“Says” is translated from the Greek verb legō, which literally means “to lay forth.” Figuratively, it means “to relate in words” or “to say something.” It is expressed here in the subjunctive mood indicating possibility or probability. So, it could be translated as “one might say.”

The word translated “carnal” is sarkikos, which we have seen several times in the past few verses. It refers to someone who lives and acts like an unsaved person, following the thoughts and emotions of the human nature rather than the Spirit of God. The best Greek texts use the word anthropos rather than sarkikos. If this is the correct reading, then Paul is saying, “are you not men?” In other words, Paul is saying, “are you not acting like natural, unsaved men?”

“Another” is from the Greek word heteros, which means “another of a different kind.” By using this word instead of allos (another of the same kind), Paul is emphasizing the difference in the way these people think about their preachers.

Meaning Explained

Today’s verse sounds very much like the comment Paul made when he started out this section of teaching:

Now I say this, that each of you says, "I am of Paul," or "I am of Apollos," or "I am of Cephas," or "I am of Christ." (1 Corinthians 1:12)

As we have already learned, the Church in Corinth was divided by contentious factions, different groups of people claiming different leaders as the people who they were following. In 1 Corinthians 1:12 four different leaders were identified, but in today’s verse only Paul and Apollos are mentioned. The reason for this is likely the fact that Paul and Apollos were the first two leaders of the Church in Corinth.

Paul, along with Sylvanus and Timothy, started the church in Corinth. After they moved on to Ephesus, Apollos was sent to Corinth where he took over the leadership responsibility of the church there. Paul, by his own admission, was not a great preacher (see 1 Corinthians 2:1-5). Apollos, on the other hand, is referred to in Acts 18:24 as an eloquent preacher. This could easily explain why some people preferred one over the other: Paul, with his simple, straight forward style and Apollos, with his more intellectual and stirring presentation.

There is nothing inherently wrong with preferring one style of preaching over another. However, when we let that preference develop into arguments of who is better or who is the real leader, we leave the realm of the Spirit and enter the realm of carnality. As Paul will point out in the upcoming verses, both of these men were nothing more than God’s servants doing the will of their master.

Application

Doesn’t it seem silly that people should argue over which servant is the best leader? By definition, a servant is a follower, not the master. There can only be one master: God!