1 Corinthians 1:10

Context

1 Corinthians is a letter that Paul wrote to the church he had founded in Corinth. After the greeting and thanksgiving (1:1-9), Paul begins the body of the letter with this verse. In the next verse he says that he has heard from members of Chloe's household about contentions in the church. He then points out that the believers are dividing into factions, each claiming the name of Paul, Apollos, Cephas (Peter), or Christ (1:11-12). The verse opens the section running from 1:10 through chapter 4, which deals with this problem of factions. Many commentators also read it as a statement of the theme of the entire letter.

The Greek word schisma, rendered "divisions" in the KJV, refers to a tear in a piece of cloth; the English word "schism" derives from it. The word katartizō, rendered "perfectly joined together," is used for mending nets (Mark 1:19) and for setting right what is out of place.

Interpretation

• Doctrinal unity reading: Traditions that emphasize confessions of faith, such as the Reformed tradition, take "speak the same thing" to mean a common confession of the truth of the gospel. They stress that the foundation of unity lies in Christ (1 Corinthians 3:11). This reading adds that the verse does not require agreement on every matter.
• Ecumenical reading: Churches involved in the ecumenical movement cite this verse, together with the prayer of John 17, as grounds for pursuing visible unity among denominations.
• Communal and pastoral reading: This reading takes the verse as a warning against factions that form around particular leaders within a local church. Pointing to Paul's rebuke even of the group that claimed his own name (1:13), it sees the verse as a caution against the veneration of leaders.

Questions of Application

The verse is not the subject of major textual or manuscript debate. Its application, however, raises several questions.

The first is whether using "speak the same thing" to suppress questions or criticism within the church is faithful to the context. Those who raise this concern argue that what Paul objected to was not legitimate disagreement but factionalism centered on persons.

The second concerns the scope of unity. Those who emphasize doctrinal unity are wary of union achieved without agreement on the truth. The ecumenical side holds that unity is possible even while differences are acknowledged. In South Korea this divergence also bears on the WCC controversy.

Perspective: Korean Protestant practiceHow this idea is used in Korean churches, kept from the original Korean article.

In Korean Protestantism, which has undergone repeated denominational splits, this verse is among those frequently cited in sermons and writings reflecting on church conflicts and the divisions of Korean Presbyterianism, as well as at interdenominational unity events.

Related Passages

• 1 Corinthians 3:6-7
• 1 Corinthians 12:13
• John 17:20-23
• Ephesians 4:3-6