Understanding 1Corinthians Part 1
The Problem of Factionalism
By
James Scott Trimm
One of the great problems that plagued Second Temple Era Judaism was Sectarianism and Factionalism. Second Temple Era Judaism had fractured into a number of sects: the Pharisees, the Sadducees and the Essenes. And these sects further divided into factions. There were at least seven Pharisee factions, the two largest of which were the House of Hillel and the House of Shammai. And there were also factions of Essenes. One faction of Essenes were celibate, while another was not.
The factionalism between the School of Hillel and the School of Shammai at times broke into violence. As we read in the Talmud:
And another?-When one vintages [grapes] for the vat [I.C., to manufacture wine], Shammai maintains: It is made fit (to become unclean]; while Hillel ruled, It is not made fit. Said Hillel to Shammai: Why must one vintage [grapes] in purity, yet not gather [olives] in purity? If you provoke me, he replied, I will decree uncleanness in the case of olive gathering too. A sword was planted in the Beth Hamidrash and it was proclaimed, ‘He who would enter, let him enter, but he who would depart, let him not depart!’ And on that day Hillel sat submissive before Shammai, like one of the disciples, and it was as grievous to Israel as the day when the [golden] calf was made.
(b.Shabbat 17a)
And as we read in the Jerusalem Talmud:
Mishna: These are the laws they said in the attic of Hanania ben Hizkiya ben Gurion, when they went in to visit him. They voted and Beit Shammai was the majority over Beit Hillel, and they decreed eighteen things in that day.
Gemara: That day was as hard for Israel as the day the golden calf was made… Rabbi Joshua Onaya taught: The students of Beit Shammai stood at the bottom [of the stairs], and they killed the students of Beit Hillel. It was taught: Six of them went up [to the attic], and the rest of them attacked them with spears and swords. It was taught: For eighteen things they decreed, and in eighteen they were the majority.
(Jerusalem Talmud at Shabbat 1:4)
Paul writes to the Assembly at Corinth because they have a problem with factionalism:
10 Now I urge you, my brothers, in the Name of our Adon Yeshua the Messiah, that you have one word to all, and [that] there be no factions (פלגותא) among you: but [that] you be wholehearted, in one purpose and in one mind.
11 For they sent to me concerning you, my brothers, from the house of Chloe, that there are disputes among you.
(1Corinthians 1:10-11 HRV)
3 For you are yet in the flesh. For where there is among you envy, and contention, and factions (פלגותא): are you not carnal, and walking in the flesh?
(1Cor. 3:3)
Elsewhere Paul classes “factionalism” and “sectarianism” as “works of the flesh” along with murder:
In Galatians 5:19-21 Paul gives a list of the “works of the flesh”:
19 For the works of the flesh are known, which are: fornication, uncleanness, perversion,
20 worship of idols, magic, animosity, contention, over zealousness, anger, insolence, FACTIONALISM (פלגותא), SECTARIANISM,
21 envy, murder, drunkenness and reveling, and all that are similar to these.
(Gal. 5:19-21)
And in Romans he writes:
Now I beseech you, brothers, mark them which cause factions (פלגותא)
and offenses contrary to the doctrine which you have learned;
and avoid them.
(Rom. 16:17)
A related word from this same root (פלגאה) is used in the Talmud twice. where Mar Judah is accused of being a “disputer” or “controversialist” (b.Eruv. 61b; b.Gitt. 31b) i.e. he was accused of factionalism.
Notice that Paul says to “mark” such persons “and avoid them”. This is called in Judaism herem (excommunication).
The thing that separated these sects and factions of Judaism in the first century was halacha and the recognized authority to determine halacha.
The Pharisees, Sadducees and Essenes each had different governing bodies which dertermined halacha for their sects. And while at first Hillel and Shammai jointly led the Sanhedrin as Nasi and Av Beit Din, they ultimately parted ways, and established separate halachic “schools”. This ended the period of the Zuggot (pairs) and began the era of the Tannaim.
So the first thing to know is that in 1Corinthians Paul is addressing factionalism. In doing so he will begin by presenting an Extended Proem Homiletic Midrash laying down his authority to establish halacha (in Chapters 1-4) this is followed by a halachic section in Chapters 5-16 which is very similar to the Gemara in the Talmud, addressing various halachic disputes that have arisen in the Assembly at Corinth.
In Part 2 I will lay out the first four chapters of 1Corinthians as a formal structure of Midrash, expounding on certain passages of the Tanak.
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Seems plausible to me to realize differences of opinion of actual halacha should not occur and can/could be labeled “factionalism”. Whereas differing opinions on calendrical or “scientific” assertions by anyone can be viewed as lunacy in a proven lie filled society as we find ourselves in these days.