Albert Barnes Commentary 1 Corinthians 11:19

"For there must be also factions among you, that they that are approved may be made manifest among you." — 1 Corinthians 11:19 (ASV)

For there must be. It is necessary (Greek, dei); it is to be expected; there are reasons why there should be. He states what these reasons are at the end of the verse. (2 Peter 2:1–2).

The meaning is not that divisions are inseparable from the nature of the Christian religion. It is not that the Author of Christianity designs or wishes for them to exist, nor that they are physically impossible—for then they could not be blameworthy. Instead, such is human nature, such are the corrupt passions of men, and such is the propensity to ambition and strifes, that divisions are to be expected. Moreover, they serve the purpose of showing who are, and who are not, the true friends of God.

Heresies. Margin: Sects. (Greek: aireseis). See the comments on Acts 24:14.

The words heresy and heresies occur only in these places, and in Galatians 5:20 and 2 Peter 2:1.

The Greek word also occurs in Acts 5:17 (translated sect), Acts 15:6, Acts 24:5, Acts 26:6, and Acts 28:22. In all these places, it denotes and is translated sect.

We now usually attach to the word the idea of a fundamental error in religion, or some doctrine, the holding of which will exclude from salvation.

But there is no evidence that the word is used in this sense in the New Testament. The only place where it can be supposed to be so used, unless this is one, is in Galatians 5:20. However, there the word contentions or divisions would be quite as much in accordance with the context.

That the word here does not denote error in doctrine, but schism, division, or sects (as it is translated in the margin), is evident from two considerations:

1. It is the proper philological meaning of the word, and its established and common signification in the Bible.
2. It is the sense which the context here demands. The apostle had made no reference to error of doctrine but is discoursing solely of irregularity in conduct. The first thing he mentions is that there were schisms, divisions, and strifes. The idea that the word here refers to doctrines would by no means suit the context and would indeed be nonsense. It would then read, "I hear that there are divisions or parties among you, and I cannot commend you for this. For it must be expected that there would be fundamental errors of doctrine in the church." But Paul did not reason in this manner. The sense is, "There are divisions among you. This is to be expected; there are causes for it. It cannot be avoided, in the present state of human nature, that divisions and sects should be formed in the church. This is to be expected so that those who are true Christians may be separated from those who are not."

The foundation of this necessity is not in the Christian religion itself, for that is pure and contemplates and requires union. Instead, the existence of sects, denominations, and contentions may be traced to the following causes:

1. The love of power and popularity. Religion may be made the means of power, and those who have control of the consciences of men, and of their religious feelings and opinions, can control them altogether.
2. Showing more respect to a religious teacher than to Christ. (See the comments on 1 Corinthians 1:12).
3. The multiplication of tests and the enlargement of creeds and confessions of faith. The consequence is that every new doctrine incorporated into a creed gives occasion for those to separate who cannot accord with it.
4. The passions of men—their pride, ambition, bigotry, and unenlightened zeal. Christ evidently meant that his church should be one, and that all who were his true followers should be admitted to her communion and acknowledged everywhere as his own friends. The time may yet come when this union will be restored to his long-distracted church. Then, while an honest difference of opinion may be maintained and allowed, the bonds of Christian love will still secure union of heart in all who love the Lord Jesus, and union of effort in the grand enterprise in which ALL can unite—that of making war upon sin and securing the conversion of the whole world to God.

That they which are approved. This means those who are approved by God, or who are his true friends, and who are disposed to abide by his laws.

May be made manifest. May be known, recognized, seen. The effect of divisions and separations would be to show who were the friends of order, peace, and truth. It seems to have been assumed by Paul that those who made divisions could not be regarded as the friends of order and truth, or that their course could not be approved by God.

The effect of these divisions would be to show who they were. So, in all divisions and all splitting into factions where the great truths of Christianity are held, and where the corruption of the mass does not require separation, such divisions show who are the restless, ambitious, and dissatisfied spirits.

They show who are indisposed to follow the things that make for peace and the laws of Christ enjoining union, and who are gentle and peaceful, and disposed to pursue the way of truth, love, and order, without contentions and strifes.

This is the effect of schisms in the church. The whole strain of Paul's argument is to reprove and condemn such schisms and to hold up their authors to reproof and condemnation. See Romans 16:17: Mark them which cause divisions, and AVOID THEM.

Note: "heresies" is also rendered as "sects." For the phrase "that they," see Luke 2:35.