1 Corinthians 5:1-8. The case of the incestuous person 1. _It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you_ This explains the mention of the -rod" in the last verse. _and such fornication as is not so much as named amongst the Gentiles_ Two considerations of some importance, bearing on... [ Continue Reading ]
_And ye are_(lit. HAVE BEEN) _puffed up, and have not rather mourned Puffed up_. Vulgate, _inflati_. Tyndale, _ye swell_. Wiclif, _are bolnun_, i.e. swollen with pride. It sheds a terrible light upon the self-satisfaction of the Corinthian Church, that it was not disturbed by such a scandal as this.... [ Continue Reading ]
_I verily, as absent in body_ Cf. Colossians 2:5; 1 Thessalonians 2:17. Here we have the method of excommunication pursued in the Apostolic Church. It is important to observe it narrowly. First, it is to be remarked that the Apostle is acting not only as the president, but as the founder of the Cori... [ Continue Reading ]
_in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ_ This may be taken (1) with -I have judged" in 1 Corinthians 5:3; (2) with _when ye are gathered together_, or (3) with _to deliver such a one unto Satan_. Of these (1) and (3) are preferable to (2), which would involve an awkward inversion in the order of the w... [ Continue Reading ]
_to deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh_ Two explanations of this passage demand our notice. (1) It has been understood of excommunication, as though he who was excluded from the Christian Church was thereby solemnly given back to Satan, from whose empire he had been deliv... [ Continue Reading ]
_Your glorying is not good_ Rather, THAT STATE OF THINGS OF WHICH YOU GLORY IS NOT GOOD. The word here translated _glorying_signifies that whereof a man glories, and is so translated in Romans 4:2. Cf. ch. 1Co 9:15-16; 2 Corinthians 1:14; 2 Corinthians 5:12; 2 Corinthians 9:3, &c., where the same wo... [ Continue Reading ]
_Purge out therefore the old leaven_ Reference is here made to the Jewish custom of searching for leaven, which is mentioned in the Talmud, and which probably existed in the Apostles" time. Because Scripture speaks of -searching Jerusalem with candles," Zephaniah 1:12, they used to carry out this cu... [ Continue Reading ]
_keep the feast_ Rather, KEEP FESTIVAL, referring to the perpetual feast the Christian Church keeps on the Flesh and Blood of her Lord. Not - _the_feast" as in our version, which would imply some particular festival. _malice and wickedness_ Rather, perhaps, _vice_and wickedness, cf. ch. 1 Corinthia... [ Continue Reading ]
Application of the same principle to offenders generally 9. _I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators_ From the particular case, and the reflections it suggested, we now come to general rules of conduct on this subject. The Apostle would not have his converts flee from the worl... [ Continue Reading ]
_or with the covetous_ The word used here in the original is derived from two Greek words signifying _to have more_. Hence it signifies (1) one who has more than enough, (2) who desires more than enough of whatever kind, (3) one greedy after money. In some passages it, and the substantive and verb o... [ Continue Reading ]
_I have written_ Literally, I WROTE, i.e. in the former Epistle. _called a brother_ i.e. as being so in name only. _an extortioner_ Latin _rapax_, a kindred word to that used in the original. Distinct from the covetous man in that he uses force rather than fraud to deprive men of their property.... [ Continue Reading ]
_For what have I to do to judge them also that are without?_ The connection of thought in this and the next verse is as follows: "You have supposed me to have been urging you to abstain altogether from any kind of intercourse with sinners. You misunderstood my meaning. I only meant to refer to the m... [ Continue Reading ]