United in Christ we stand (1 Corinthians)

The chronological reading list has Paul's first epistle to the Corinthians happening while Paul is still at Ephesus during his second missionary trip.  I am not sure why this is the case.  From the statements within the letter, we can infer that Paul has left Corinth and Apolos has taught there.

Introduction (chapters 1-2)

Chloe brings a report to Paul a lot of troubling news.  The church in Corinth has become radically divided.  They have fallen into various factions.  Some claim loyalty to Paul, others to Apollos, others to Peter, and some to Christ.  

Note, we do not know why the people felt that the teachings of Apollos, Peter, and Paul were different.  So as readers, we cannot take sides.  Nor can we blame Apollos for preaching something different than what Paul preached.  We can infer that the members of the church perceived that there were differences.

Addressing the divisions of the church pervade the book. There are a host of other things that divide the church as well.  These appear to be what are outlined later in the book.  However, Paul's statements in the substantive portion of the book sometimes blur and straddle the line between advice and theology.  Paul is aware of this and identifies in what role he is speaking at several specific places.

Although this book is primarily known today for its teaching on sex, marriage, love, and spiritual gifts, the primary purpose that prompted the writing were the divisions.  So, readers today can and should replace our own divisions with those that Paul addresses.  Thus, "I follow Apollos, I follow Paul, I follow Peter" can be modernized to "I follow Martin Luther, I follow John Calvin, I follow the Pope, or I follow Greek Orthodox.". 

Paul does not say it is wrong to have differences within the church.  In fact, it actually is encouraged, or at least assumed that there will be some differences.  Paul also never says that is wrong for different churches to have loyalties to leaders within the church.  However, Paul's message throughout 1st Corinthians is that these perspectives are all secondary to:

"I follow Christ."

Part 1 - Wisdom of God is foolish to man 

After laying out this purpose of writing, Paul discusses that the wisdom of God seems foolish to man.  This provides a necessary overlay to all the substantive points he makes later on.  In the text, he contrasts the larger elements, but he subtlety makes the point that - members might have their own wisdom about [insert issue, marriage, sex, Holy Spirit gifts], but this is what God says on the matter.  If anyone disagrees, it is because the wisdom of God is foolish to men".

In this mini-essay, he appeals to their own social status to help them understand and for humility.  He states that God predominantly called the "foolish" together to be in the church of Corinth.  If God paid attention to the wisdom of men, then God would have assembled together a church of leaders of men.  Here, God ignored the wisdom of men and used disadvantaged people.  This might seem foolish to us - just like everything that Paul says might be foolish to us.

This also calls for camaraderie at a time of division by reminding them that the majority had similar disadvantaged background.  It was to their own benefit that God ignored the wisdom of men.