Wise Whistleblowing

Sunday’s New Testament reading was Paul chiding the church in Corinth for being divisive and breaking into factions (“…each of you is saying, ‘I belong to Paul,’ or ‘I belong to Apollos,’ or ‘I belong to Cephas,’ or ‘I belong to Christ.’”). He urges them to remain united in the truth of the Gospel. Yet, right before he chides them, he mentions that he heard of this division from “Chloe’s people.”

There isn’t much known about Chloe. She was most likely one of the women sponsoring the early church, either through donations or offering her home as a gathering place. Or she could have just been an average member of the church. Either way, her people—either servants or members of her family—made Paul aware of the growing issues in the church.

I’m sure there were members of the church who were mad at Chloe when Paul’s letter arrived. How dare she escalate their problems. Aren’t they supposed to address their problems with one another? Why is she rocking the boat and getting Paul involved? Isn’t gossiping a sin?

But Paul does not condemn Chloe for gossip. And Chloe must have had a good reputation, because Paul finds accusations from her people credible.

The Church was new and fairly unstructured. It would be easy to let a lot slide under the excuse that the Church needs to keep a good image. But Chloe’s people and Paul don’t care about image—they care about truth. It would be easy to say that Paul is extremely busy and traveling and that the problems should be addressed locally. But Paul is their leader, responsible for their spiritual health, and deserves to know to true state of things. Chloe’s people blow the whistle on the Church heading in the wrong direction. Paul takes immediate action to address it. He even criticizes his most ardent supporters (“Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?”)

Women are often accused of gossip when speak out. But speaking out isn’t gossip. Gossip is talking about someone without care for the truth, or to cause unjust injury to their reputation, or in rash judgement. Speaking out about an injustice is rooted in truth and goodness. It can be a warning to others—this isn’t as it seems; stay away lest you get involved or hurt. It can be a plea for help—I or others am in danger and this can’t be resolved on my own. It can be a plea for justice—this is morally wrong and it would be a sin for me to remain silent and passively let it happen.

I don’t know how the people of the church in Corinth reacted to Paul’s correction or the news that Chloe’s people were the ones that alerted him to the division. Based on the fact I can still find men today writing commentaries about she was wrong to escalate it and not resolve the issues “in house” tells me enough.

We want to read the scripture and think the early Church went, “Oh, of course. It’s all about unity in Christ. Let’s drop these quarrels.” But divisions don’t heal that easily. People were divided for reasons, even if they were poor ones. It’s difficult to let go of what you think is right. It’s difficult to forgive the person who’s been attacking you. It’s difficult to forgive the person that broadcast your wrong actions, even if they did so out of love.

We have Paul’s word to the Corinthians, but we don’t have the Corinthians’ response to Paul. I want to think the beautiful reflection on Christ turned their hearts. But we are divided now, and we also have those beautiful words. We cling to the beliefs we choose, our favorite leaders and influencers. We look down on the people following someone else. We get defensive when our camp gets calls out. Chloe’s people did the right thing. We always need Chloe’s people in the Church.