What is the meaning of 1 Corinthians 1:15? Setting the Scene Paul opens his letter to a divided Corinthian church where believers are rallying around favorite leaders (1 Corinthians 1:12). Right away he redirects attention from personalities to the gospel, explaining that Christ “sent me to preach the gospel” (1 Corinthians 1:17). Nestled in that flow is the line, “so no one can say that you were baptized into my name” (1 Corinthians 1:15). What the Phrase Says • “So no one can say” shows Paul is pre-empting a potential accusation. • “You were baptized into my name” pinpoints the danger: treating baptism as allegiance to Paul rather than to Christ. Just two verses earlier he asks, “Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul?” (1 Corinthians 1:13). Baptism is instead “into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19) and unites us with Jesus’ death and resurrection (Romans 6:3-4). Why Paul Put Limits on His Baptizing Paul is “thankful” he personally immersed only a few (1 Corinthians 1:14, 16). • It kept the spotlight on Jesus, echoing John 3:30. • It prevented any hint that eloquence or status, rather than the cross, held saving power (1 Corinthians 1:17). • It illustrated the truth of 1 Corinthians 3:6-7—God, not the preacher, gives the growth. Preventing Personality Cults in Corinth In a city enamored with rhetoric and rank (cf. 1 Corinthians 4:18-19), Paul’s restraint: • Cut off the formation of a “Paul party.” • Directed every convert straight to Christ, as in Acts 10:48 where believers “were baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.” • Upheld the oneness created when “we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body” (1 Corinthians 12:13). Living the Principle Today • Appreciate faithful leaders, yet recognize that “neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God” (1 Corinthians 3:7). • Keep baptism Christ-centered—“all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ” (Galatians 3:27). • Resist church celebrity culture; instead “make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit” (Ephesians 4:3). summary Paul limited his own baptizing so no one could attach spiritual allegiance to him. The phrase in 1 Corinthians 1:15 safeguards the truth that baptism identifies believers with Christ alone. By diverting honor from himself, Paul preserved church unity and underscored the exclusive power of the cross, a pattern that still guides us today. |
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