What does 1 Corinthians 1:11 mean?

Here Paul comes to his first purpose in writing to the Christians in Corinth. He has received unpleasant reports about them. Paul is writing from Ephesus, where he is living and working. Some people have come to Ephesus who are familiar with what is going on among the Christians in Corinth.

Paul describes his source as "Chloe's people," suggesting the Corinthians will know exactly who he is talking about. We don't have any other information about who Chloe or her people are. This group may have been relatives, friends, or servants of Chloe. They may have been sent by her to give this report to Paul or they may simply have been in town and mentioned to Paul what they knew about the church in Corinth. Perhaps Chloe, herself, was a member of the Corinthian congregation. We may speculate but cannot say for sure.

What "Chloe's people" reported deeply troubles Paul. After all, he led many of these people to Christ and helped to establish this church, staying for over a year and a half with them (Acts 18:1–17). He cares about the believers in Corinth. According to this news, instead of being unified in the fellowship of Christ together, there is quarreling among them.

The English word "quarreling" doesn't sound especially bad to modern ears. But the original Greek word, eris, refers to a hot dispute: a fiery, emotional disagreement. In Greek mythology, Eris was the name of the goddess of discord, responsible for instigating feuds, bickering, and strife. Paul lists this relationship-destroying "quarreling" in many letters alongside with other terrible relationship sins (Romans 1:29; 2 Corinthians 12:20; Galatians 5:20; 1 Timothy 6:4).