Chapter 1 of 1 Corinthians is the beginning of Apostle Paul's letter to the church in Corinth. In this chapter, Paul delivers his apostolic greeting, warns against divisions within his church, and emphasizes the wisdom and power of God. The main points are as follows:
1. Greetings and thanks (1:1-9)
1:1-3 - Paul says he and Sosthenes are writing a letter to the church in Corinth. Noting that he has been called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, he greets the church of God in Corinth, those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus. May grace and peace be upon them.
1:4-9 - Paul thanks God for the church in Corinth. Because they received grace in Christ Jesus, and as a result they were enriched in all speech and in all knowledge. The testimony of Christ is firmly established among them, and they are not lacking in gifts as they await the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul is confident that God is faithful and will establish them to the end so that they will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2. Warning about division in the church (1:10-17)
1:10-12 - Paul exhorts his brothers in the name of Christ. I urge them all to speak the same words, to be completely united in the same mind and spirit, without conflict. Paul heard from Chloe's family that there was strife in the Corinthian church. Some of them were saying, “I am of Paul,” others were saying, “I am of Apollos,” “I am of Cephas,” and “I am of Christ.”
1:13-17 - Paul asks whether Christ is divided. They ask whether he was crucified or whether he was baptized in the name of Paul by any of them. Paul says he is thankful that he baptized none of them except Chrispus and Gaius. This is so that no one can say that they were baptized in his own name. He also adds that he does not remember baptizing anyone else, except that he baptized members of Stephen's household. He emphasizes that Christ did not send us to baptize, but to preach the gospel. The gospel is not delivered through wisdom of words, so that the cross of Christ will not be in vain.
3. God’s wisdom and power (1:18-31)
1:18-21 - Paul says that the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God. As written in the Bible, God will destroy the wisdom of the wise and bring to nothing the understanding of the intelligent. Because the wisdom of the world did not know the wisdom of God, God decided to save those who believed through the foolishness of preaching.
1:22-25 - Jews seek signs, Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified. To Jews it is a stumbling block and to Gentiles it is foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. The foolishness of God is wiser than man, and the weakness of God is stronger than man.
1:26-31 - Paul encourages the brothers to consider their calling. By world standards, there are not many wise people, not many capable people, and not many nobles. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong; God chose the lowly things of the world, the despised things, the things that are not, to bring to nothing the things that are. This is so that no flesh can boast before God. But God put us in Christ Jesus for righteousness, holiness, and redemption. Therefore let him who boasts boast in the Lord.
Likewise, Chapter 1 of 1 Corinthians begins with Paul's greeting and thanks to the church in Corinth, warns of division within the church, and emphasizes God's wisdom and power.