What Does 1 Corinthians 1:15 Mean?

Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name (hina me tis eipe hoti eis to emon onoma ebaptisa, ἵνα μή τις εἴπῃ ὅτι εἰς τὸ ἐμὸν ὄνομα ἐβάπτισα)—Paul's concern is not that people would say this (he knows they wouldn't accuse him directly) but that the factionalism could create this impression. Baptism in the name of (eis to onoma, εἰς τὸ ὄνομα) signifies ownership, allegiance, and identification. To be baptized into someone's name is to become their disciple, bound to them. Paul is horrified that anyone might think Corinthian Christians belonged to him rather than to Christ.

The phrase eis to emon onoma (εἰς τὸ ἐμὸν ὄνομα, "into my name") would imply Paul as the object of faith and loyalty—a notion Paul utterly rejects. Christian baptism is always and only eis to onoma Christou (into the name of Christ), never into a human leader's name. This is a crucial safeguard against personality cults and hierarchical structures that replace Christ with human mediators.