The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Corinthians — Section 35

yoke of legalism. It w:is natural for this party to call themselves after the apostle of the circumcision, and to contrast his eminence among the twelve with the position of Paul; while they sought to make compulsory the stricter practice of their favourite apostle, in opposition to the greater freedom allowed by the apostle of the Gentiles. 4, The precise character of the Christ party is more difficult to determine. 'l'he most likely ,iew is that they rejected all h~unan authority, refusing to acknowledge Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or any other emment teacher, and calling themselves simply by the name of Christ. 'l'hey did this, however, in such a way as to degrade that Name to the shibboleth of a sect, and were thus as guilty as the others whom the apostle here condemns. Among the parties of our own day there are not wantin"' those who ,lisparage an accrcciited ministry, and call themselves simply" Christians!' In view of these factions cons1dcr- I. THE EVIL OF PAR"rY SPIRIT. The existence of parties and differing schools 01 thought in the apostolic Churches leads us to search for some root in hum:in nature whence they spring, and this we find in the limitations and varieties of mental constitution. No single mind can take in the whole of Divine truth so as to hold it in proper balance. There is sure to be a projection of one portion to the comparative obscuring of others,-a looking only at one side of the sphere while the other is out of ,iew. ·witness the variety to be found among the apostles. While there is no contradiction in the views of truth presented in their writings-all teaching the same fundamental doctrines-we cannot read them without observing that each lays stress on a different portion of the truth from the others. 'l'he difference between Paul and James, e.g., is so evident that not a few shallow readers have pronounced them irreconcilable; while a comparison of both with John reveals other characteristics equally peculiar. And what is true of these inspired teachers is true of the Church in all ages. Christianity does not obliterate individuality. '!'he Holy' Spirit works on the lines already laid in nature, and thus the foundation is prepared for varying types of doctrine and life. This diversity is not a thing to be deplored, but rather to be rejoiced in. How high a purpose it is fitted to serve, our Lord showed in selecting apostles, each one of whom was different from bis fellows. It needed minds of different hues to transmit the differer,.t rays of which the pure light is composed. And God still makes use of the many types of mind to hold up before the Church the many aspects of truth, thus enriching the general body of Christ and preventing it from becoming narrow and one-sided. 'l'his is the use of different schools and parties in the Church. They serve to give expression to the many-sidedness of the Christian faith and llie. But bow readily does this natural and useful diversity give rise to hurtful cli,isions in the body of Christ! We must not confound the factious spirit which Paul denounces with an enlightened attachment to one particular branch of the Church. We may prefer that branch to others because it appears to us the most scriptural in doctrine, government, and worship, without denying to other branches the marks of a true Church, or overlooking the part they play as members of the one body. Party spirit consists in elevating that which is peculiar to our own sect above that which is common to us with others, and thereby unchurching them. 'l'he progress of the kingdom of God in the earth is made subordinate to the success of our own denomination or faction. The i;pirit that wrought such mischief at Corinth has been busy in the Church ever since. The divisions of Christendom are the scandal of Christianity. It is not merely that the Church is everywhere split up into sections, but that this has led to party strife and jealousy. How much bitterness of feeling has it engendered! how much unchristian speaking! Men glory in their distinctive shibboleths more than in the great doctrines of grace which are our common heritage. The guns of one division of Christ's army are too often directed against another division, instead of being turned against the foe. II. ARGUMESTS AGAI:t-ST IT. I. '/.'he Ile,ad of the Church is One. "Is Christ divided?" There is no schism in Christ the Head; why should there be in the body? V{by rend aHunder that which was intended to be one? The members of th9 human body have different functions to discharge, but the one does not deny to the other its <lL1e place in the body (eh. xii. 12, etc.). So with the members of Christ's Church; all l,duug to the same body, which owns the same Head. 'l'he spirit of faction breaks 1.p this unity into a monster of many bodies and many heads. '!'here is but one Head .en. 1. 1-Sl.] THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIA:-SS.