Crispus and Gaius 1 Corinthians 1:14

As Paul the apostle continued to handle the “divisions” within the Corinthian church, he rhetorically questioned as to whether he had been “crucified” for any of the church members, and in chapter one and verse fourteen of First Corinthians, Paul the apostle continued his letter by stating that he “baptized” no one in the church “but Crispus and Gaius” where we read:

I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius;

The verse begins, “I thank God that I baptized none of you,...” Paul began with the words, “I thank” which means “Paul expressed gratitude to” “God” which refers to “the Godhead bodily and trinity which is comprised of God the Father, Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit” “that I baptized” which means “because and since Paul dipped repeatedly, immersed and submerge to wash and make clean” “none of you” or “not even one of the church members in Corinth”. Paul was “grateful” to God that he did not “baptize” the church members in Corinth.

The verse goes on to say, “...but Crispus and Gaius;”. Paul continued with the words, “but” which is a disassociation conjunction that means what is about to be written takes precedence over what was previously stated “Crispus” which means “curled” and was “the ruler of the Jewish synagogue in Corinth” “and Gaius” which means “lord” and was “a man of Corinth who was his host in his second sojourn in that city”. Paul gave only two individual exceptions within the church of Corinth whom he “baptized”.

When we think through these words from Paul, we see how he noted “Crispus and Gaius” as people he baptized when he conveyed the idea of being unified as a church. There was nothing special about Paul baptizing people any more than anyone else, and because he desired for the church members to realize the only one worthy of worship was Jesus Christ, he removed himself from the “credit” or glory of “baptizing”. Jesus came to remove “sin” and it's penalty, and “baptism” symbolizes a person dying to their old life of sin and being resurrected into the new life with Christ. Jesus cleanses people from sins and promises eternal life, and those who repent and are “baptized” in the name of Jesus Christ shall have “remission of sins” (Acts 2:38). Therefore, it is Jesus who is to be glorified and not the one who “baptizes”.

Next time Paul shares why he did not baptize many church members, “lest any should say that” Paul “baptized in” his “own name”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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