1 Cor 5

 

Footnotes

1. 5:1–2 Or “pagans” (gentiles).
2. 5:1–2 Or “his father’s wife.” This incestuous relationship was forbidden by the law. See Lev. 18:8. The sin is more than the illicit acts of this unnamed man, but the tolerance of a church that refused to correct and deal with the sin in their midst. Indeed, this chapter implies that the church was somewhat smug and arrogant (“puffed up”) over conduct that violated sensibility.
3. 5:4 God had given Paul exceptional ability to have his spirit present, along with the power of God, in their meetings together.
4. 5:5 Satan means “accusing adversary.” When one is put out of the fellowship of the church family, the accuser has access to harass and oppress. There is a blessed protection in the fellowship of God’s people, for the Lord is present with us when we gather in his name.
5. 5:5 Or “Turn this man over to Satan for the destruction of your fleshly works so that your spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.” Verses 3–5 comprise one long, complicated Greek sentence. Many see this difficult passage as a prescription for ex-communication from the church. Aramaic speakers see in this passage the words “Turn him over to the accuser,” as a figure of speech meaning “Let him suffer the consequences of his actions.” We have similar sayings in English. “Let him stew in his own juices.” Or “Give him enough rope to hang himself.” Or “Let him learn his lesson the hard way.” Regardless, it is not a light thing to be handed over to Satan. Apparently this man learned his lesson and repented, for Paul instructs the Corinthians in his second letter to forgive and comfort him. See 2 Cor. 2:6–11.
6. 5:7 Or “unleavened.” Paul uses encouragement here to stir them to embrace a lifestyle that is already theirs. We are all made “clean” by the blood of the Lamb.
7. 5:7 Verses 6 and 7 contain the interesting metaphor of yeast and its effect on a batch of dough. It is literally “Don’t you know that a little yeast affects the whole batch of dough? You must clean out the old yeast so that you can become a new batch of dough. For you are without yeast, because Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed.” Leaven is most often used as a metaphor for corrupting influence, especially false teaching.
8. 5:8 As translated from the Aramaic. The Greek is “the unleavened bread of sincerity and unhidden reality.”
9. 5:9 Paul is referring to a previous letter to the Corinthians, known as the lost letter, because a manuscript has never been found.
10. 5:9 In the Greek culture of that day, the word pornos referred to male prostitution or paramour, although in this context it is not limited to one form of sexual immorality but includes all sexual acts forbidden by Scripture.
11. 5:10 Or “leave the world.” Our Lord Jesus has commanded his disciples to go into all the world and preach the gospel. We do not isolate ourselves from unbelievers but seek opportunities to share the gospel with them.
12. 5:12–13 The Aramaic can be translated “Remove wickedness from among you.” See Deut. 17:7. The local church has the authority to discipline erring believers who persist in sin. Under the old covenant, that discipline was physical (execution by stoning), but under the new covenant, church discipline is spiritual. See Matt. 18:15–17.