1 Cor. 1:5. Because in Him (ἐν αὐτῷ) you were enriched in everything.
"In Him" is again used in place of "through Him (δι' αυτού)." So when you have richness, and the richness of God, and in all things, and through the Only-Begotten Himself, how is it that you, ungrateful ones, appoint men as your teachers?
1 Cor. 1:5. In all utterance and in all knowledge.
There is also speech without reason, when, for example, someone speaks empty words, without any thought. There is also reason without speech, when someone thinks about lofty subjects but cannot find words to express them. But you have both speech and divine reason, so that you are able both to think and to speak.
1 Cor. 1:6. For (καθώς) the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you.
For the word stands in place of: "through which" (δι᾿ ων). Through the word, he says, and knowledge, by which you were enriched, the "testimony," that is, the preaching about Christ, was confirmed in you; for you received this preaching not through outward wisdom, but through signs and gifts, of which you were deemed worthy.
1 Cor. 1:7. So that you come behind in no gift.
If they had no lack in gifts, then how does he later call them (1 Cor. 3:1) carnal? To this we shall say: not all were spiritual, and not all were carnal; therefore everything he speaks of now, he speaks to the spiritual, and what follows he speaks to the carnal. Or: perhaps in the beginning they received all manner of gifts, but afterwards became negligent and began to live according to the flesh.
1 Cor. 1:7. Awaiting the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Here he frightens them by reminding them of the second coming of Christ. For if Christ shall appear, then how is it that you have alien leaders? He also shows that along with gifts, virtues are also necessary. For on that day, gifts will in no way help the one who has not lived virtuously (Matt. 7:21–23). Finally, by the word "appearing" he expresses the thought that Christ is present even now, but in a hidden way, and then He shall be manifest.
1 Cor. 1:8. Who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
By the word "will confirm" he shows that they are wavering, and by the word "blameless" he expresses that now they are subject to accusation. In this epistle more frequently than in others he mentions the Lord Jesus Christ, in order to remind the Corinthians by Whom they were saved and Whose name they bear. For Christians are called so from Christ, and not from the name of any man.
1 Cor. 1:9. God is faithful, by Whom (δι᾿ ου) you were called into the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ, our Lord.
That is, God is true. If He is true, and has called us into the fellowship of His Son, that is, to be glorified together with the Son in His Kingdom, then it is evident that He will fulfill what He promised. "You were called," he says, and did not come of your own accord. How then do you boast, as though by your own works? Note here that the word "by Whom" refers directly to the Father.
1 Cor. 1:10. I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Intending to speak to them more sternly, he first declares that he beseeches them by Christ. I, he says, cannot ask you alone, but I take to my aid the name of the Lord, from whose name you are called Christians and which you have insulted by wishing to be called by the names of men. Let this bring you to shame!
1 Cor. 1:10. That you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you.
What do I beseech you about? That you all be in agreement and not be divided. For that which is divided, although it may seem to become many instead of one, in reality does not become many (for what use is a body cut into many parts?): in it unity has perished. Thus, he very expressively called what was happening among them "divisions"; by this word he clearly shows how calamitous their condition was.
1 Cor. 1:10. But that you be joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
Above he said: "that you all speak the same thing." Therefore, lest they think that agreement consists only in words, he adds: "in one spirit," that is, I beseech you to be in agreement also in your thoughts. But many think alike about one subject, yet differently about another; therefore he added: "joined together in one spirit." Furthermore, many are in agreement in their way of thinking, but diverge in the disposition of their will (for when we have one and the same faith, but are not united with one another by love, then although we think alike, we diverge in the disposition of our will). Therefore, having said: "in one spirit," he added: "and in one mind," that is, so that they would disagree neither regarding faith nor regarding the disposition of their will.
1 Cor. 1:11. For it has been made known to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of the household of Chloe.
Lest they begin to deny it, he brings forward witnesses, and lest it seem as though he is inventing them, he names them, saying: "from the household of Chloe" (there was a house in Corinth called Chloe's). He also calls them "brethren": for although their sin was evident, nothing prevented him from calling them brethren. However, he did not say who exactly informed him, but pointed to the whole household in general, so as not to arm them against those who had informed.
1 Cor. 1:11. That there are contentions among you.
Revealing what he has heard from others, he uses a softer expression — "contentions," but when he speaks in his own person, he calls the same thing "divisions" (1 Cor. 1:10), which is much worse than "contentions."
1 Cor. 1:12. I mean this, that each of you says: "I am of Paul"; "I am of Apollos"; "I am of Cephas"; "and I am of Christ."