The first four chapters of 1 Corinthians are about division.
On the one hand Paul is deeply challenged by their rejection of him. And on the other hand, Paul is aware that when there are deep internal divisions in a group of people, blaming one person (a leader) is the easiest thing to do, but doesn’t get at the root of the issue. For even if that leader leaves, the divisions will continue to exist.
The Apostle Paul is part of their process, a mirror of their dualistic mind, their infantile spirituality.
“Human development depends on freeing ourselves from emotional fixation on instinctual levels of living in order to grow to full reflective self consciousness. The gospel calls for the full development of the human person and invites us to the further growth that God has in store for us – that is the intuitive and unitive levels of consciousness to which mature faith and love gradually rise”
(Thomas Keating: An invitation to Love)
