1 Corinthians 5
DOYLYVer. 1.—fornication.] The original word denotes all kinds of uncleanness. It here signifies incest joined with adultery, the woman’s husband being still living, as appears from 2 Cor. vii. 12. Dr. Macknight.
— not so much as named among the Gentiles.] Not countenanced among civilized heathens, but forbidden by their laws. Cicero calls it ‘an unheard of wickedness.’ Dr. Whitby.
Ver. 1. — a matter] An action or suit. Dr. Hammond.
— before the unjust, and not before the saints? ] Before the heathen magistrate, and not let the matter be decided by your fellow Christians? Dr. Wells. The heathens are called “unjust” or “unrighteous,” in the same sense that Christians are called “saints” or “holy.” For as the latter were called “saints” on account, not of the real sanctity of their manners, but of their professed faith; so the former were called “unrighteous,” on account of their idolatry and unbelief, ver. 6, although many of them were remarkable for their regard to justice and to all the duties of morality. Dr. Macknight, Bp. Pearce.
1 Corinthians 5:2
- And ye are puffed up.] Partly with pride of their own gifts, partly with vainglory on account of their admired teachers. Burkitt.
— might be taken away from among you.] That is, be excommunicated, or turned out of your church. Dr. Wells.
2, 3. Do ye not know, &c.] What particular judgment is here meant, it is not easy to assign or determine.
1 Corinthians 5:3
3.—present in spirit.] See the notes on the next verse, particularly Dr. Whitby’s.
— have judged already.] Have already passed sentence on him that hath thus offended. The sentence is contained in the two following verses. Dr. Hammond.
1 Corinthians 5:4
- In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit.] That in a publick assembly gathered in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, in which assembly you are to suppose me present among you. Dr. Hammond. Or, in which assembly I will in my desire, and consent, and approbation, be present with you. Bp. Hall.
— with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ.] Committed ordinarily to His church, so far as to excommunicate; and extraordinarily to His Apostles, so far as in a miraculous manner to give the devil power over the body of the excommunicated person. Dr. Wells.
Among the powers of Christ which attended the preaching of the Gospel this was one, of delivering men
concerning him that hath so done this deed, Anno DOMINI 59.
1 Corinthians 5:5
5.—that the spirit may be saved &c.] That the disease may be a means to bring him to a sense of his sin, and to reformation, and so to salvation also. Dr. Hammond.
1 Corinthians 5:6
- Your glorying is not good.] Ye Corinthians have no reason to pride yourselves, and to boast and glory of your estate, while ye have such foul sins among you. Bp. Hall.
— a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?] So such a member, continued among you, will defile your whole body or society of Christians. Burkitt.
1 Corinthians 5:7
- Purge out therefore the old leaven, &c.] The Apostle pursues the similitude of leaven in allusion to the Jewish custom, before the celebration of the passover, when the people were commanded to cast all leaven out of their houses upon penalty of being cut off from the congregation of Israel. Burkitt.
— as ye are unleavened.] That is, forasmuch as your Christianity obliges you so to be. Dr. Whitby. The end of Christianity was to call them from their former wicked courses to newness or holiness of life. This was the spiritual meaning of the command in the Mosaick law, concerning the keeping of the passover with unleavened bread. And as Christ is “our Passover,” represented by the paschal lamb under the law, and as such “is sacrificed,” the Apostle therefore exhorts the Corinthians to adhere to the true spiritual meaning of the commandment, and to “keep the feast” of the Christian passover, not only by putting away from themselves all sinful practices, and following after sincere and true piety; but also by putting out of the communion of the church every vicious wicked person, and retaining amongst them those only who were free from any mixture of false and impious doctrines, and embraced the truth of the Gospel, which he had taught. Dr. Wells.
The great virtue and efficacy of the sacrifice of Christ was plainly signified by the Jewish passover, wherein the lamb was slain, and the sinner did escape and was passed by. In allusion to this St. Paul makes no scruple to call Christ “our Passover,” or Paschal Lamb, who was slain that we might escape. “Christ our Passover is slain (or offered) for us;” that is, He, by
Heinous offenders are to be avoided. I. CORINTHIANS. Against going to law with brethren.
Anno DOMINI 59.
1 Corinthians 5:9
- I wrote unto you in an epistle.] Some learned men have thought from this passage, that St. Paul wrote an epistle to the Corinthians before he wrote this. It is certain that no such epistle is quoted or alluded to by any ancient author now extant; and therefore others have supposed, what seems more probable, that in this passage St. Paul referred to the former part of this Epistle. Bp. Tomline.
1 Corinthians 5:10
- Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world.] Yet I did not intend to require you to avoid the company of heathenish fornicators, or of covetous, or oppressive, or idolatrous heathens; for then ye must go out of the world. Bp. Hull.
— then must ye needs go out of the world.] Ye must depart out of their cities. Dr. Hammond.
1 Corinthians 5:11
- — that is called a brother] Professing himself a Christian. Dr. Wells.
— with such an one no not to eat.] Not to admit him to their own table, much less to that of Christ. Burkitt, Dr. Hammond.
Were we to observe this rule with strictness, now that all the world around us are become Christians, we should be obliged to go out of the world. Nevertheless, as Dr. Wall observes, the main sense of it is an everlasting rule: that a conscientious Christian should choose, as far as he can, the company, intercourse, and familiarity of good men, and such as fear God; and avoid, as far as his necessary affairs will permit, the conversation and fellowship of such as St. Paul here describes. This is a thing (whatsoever decay there be of publick discipline) in each particular Christian’s power. Dr. Macknight.
1 Corinthians 5:12
- For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? &c.] As if the Apostle had said, My jurisdiction extendeth not to heathens; I have nothing to do with judging and censuring “them that are without” the church: but such as are “within” the pale of the church, your own members, who own your jurisdiction, these you have an undoubted right and power to judge, leaving the other to the judgment of God.
judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person. Anno DOMINI 59. ## CHAP. VI.