"Then the factions differed among themselves," meaning: the Christians.
Qatadah said: "It was mentioned to us that when Jesus was raised up, the Children of Israel selected four of their jurists. They said to the first: 'What do you say about Jesus?' He replied: 'He is God who descended to the earth, created what He created, gave life to what He gave life to, and then ascended to the heavens.' Some people followed him in this, and they were the Jacobite [sect] of the Christians. The other three said: 'We bear witness that you are a liar!' Then they said to the second: 'What do you say about Jesus?' He replied: 'He is the Son of God,' and he was followed in that by..."
﴿فَاخْتلف الْأَحْزَاب من بَينهم﴾ يَعْنِي: النَّصَارَى.
قَالَ قَتَادَة: " ذُكر لنا أَنه لما رُفع عِيسَى انتخبت بَنو إِسْرَائِيل أَرْبَعَة من فقهائهم فَقَالُوا للْأولِ: مَا تَقول فِي عِيسَى؟ قَالَ: هُوَ الله هَبَط إِلَى الأَرْض، فخلق مَا خلق، وَأَحْيَا مَا أَحْيَا، ثمَّ صعد إِلَى السَّمَاء. فتابعه على ذَلِك أنَاس (ل ٣١٧) فَكَانَت اليعقوبية من النَّصَارَى، فَقَالَ الثَّلَاثَة الْآخرُونَ: نشْهد أَنَّك كاذبٌ! فَقَالُوا للثَّانِي: مَا تَقول فِي عِيسَى؟ فقالي هُوَ ابْن الله فتابعه على ذَلِك
