The Problem of Immorality – I Corinthians 5:1-13
by Chester McCalley
or “The Corinthian Indifference”
THE CASE INVOLVED 5:1
“It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and immoral- ity of such a kind as does not exist even among the Gentiles, that someone has his father’s wife.”
THE CASE WAS FLAGRANT
As Indicated by the Word “actually”
The Greek word means most assuredly, or incontrovertibly.
As Indicated by the Word “reported”
This translates the word akouo, which means to hear. It is found in the present tense, meaning this is heard all the time—it is common talk and common knowledge; this is not gossip.
THE CASE WAS INTERNAL
This is indicated by the words among you. This case of immorality was going on within the local assembly at Corinth. That immorali- ty was part of life in the city of Corinth was undisputable; for it to exist in the church should be unthinkable.
THE CASE WAS INCESTUOUS
Its Uniqueness
The uniqueness of this immorality may be seen by noting that it was not even tolerated among unbelievers. Fornication was not disapproved of by Roman society at that time, but to live with one’s step-mother was considered to be outrageous. The woman is not designated as the offender’s mother but rather as his father’s wife. For this reason, she should be understood to be his step- mother.
Its Nature
The words to have indicate the relationship was not casual but permanent. The relationship was not legal because the practice was forbidden by Roman law. A quote from Cicero referring to a similar situation to that in Corinth says: “O incredible crime for a woman, and such as has never been heard of in the world in any other than her solitary case!” Cicero had never been to church in Corinth!
This type of thing was a capital offense under Greek, Roman, and Hebrew law. Genesis 35:22, 49:4, and I Chronicles 5:1 all show the seriousness of the matter.
THE INDIFFERENCE REBUKED 5:2
“And you have become arrogant, and have not mourned instead, in order that the one who had done this deed might be removed from your midst.”
THE ATTITUDE EXHIBITED: ARROGANCE RESULTING IN INACTION 5:2A
The Meaning of Their Arrogance
When Paul says they are arrogant, he does not mean that the Corinthians were proud of the sin; he means they were proud in the presence of the sin.
The Absurdity of Their Arrogance
Of all churches who might boast, the Corinthian church has the least grounds. This is highlighted by the emphatic pronoun you — “and you, of all people, are proud!” This reveals an interesting characteristic of pride—ability to maintain itself without grounds. Pride defies all logic, making it a unique sin.
THE ATTITUDE EXPECTED: MOURNING RESULTING IN ACTION 5:2B Had the right attitude existed toward sin, God would probably have removed the offender without a need for action on the part of the church. This is implied by the word that, which seems to point to result rather than purpose. Notice also that the verb might be removed is passive voice, implying that the action would have been taken by someone other than the church. Paul does not say “that you might remove him from your midst,” though this action is required in the following verses. Had their attitude been right, God would have dealt with the offender. The word done is not the ordinary word for doing but is the word prasso, which frequently refers to a practice arising from a belief. The man referred to in this chapter had a perverted moral view that manifested itself in his conduct.
THE ACTION NEEDED 5:3-5
“For I, on my part, though absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged him who has so committed this, as though I were present. In the name of our Lord Jesus, when you are assembled, and I with you in spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5I have decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.”
THE WARRANT FOR THE ACTION 5:3-4
Rising from Paul’s Judgment 5:3
The Contrast of the Corinthian Attitude and the Pauline Attitude The contrast is seen by noting that verse 2 began with the emphatic pronoun you, whereas verse 3 begins with the emphatic pronoun I.
Paul is saying, “My convictions on this matter are far different than yours.”
The Contrast of the Corinthian Action and the Pauline Action Paul, who is absent from Corinth, has done something; the Corinthians, who we present, have done nothing. The firmness of
Paul’s decision is expressed by the verb judged, which is a perfect tense verb. When Paul heard of the problem, he made a decision; and that decision still stands at the time of writing. The word already has a cutting force—it underscores the spiritual apathy of the Corinthian church. Paul is saying, “My response was immediate; yours is sinfully delayed.”
Rising from Christ’s Name 5:4
This Is to be Representative Action
Taking this action in the name of our Lord Jesus means the church is to act on behalf of Him and for His honor and glory. His honor is involved because He is the head of the church.
This Is to be Corporate Action
The action is to take place when you are assembled. This is probably a reference to the regular meeting of the church, not a special meet- ing called for this particular event, though the latter is possible. This does show us that the church met regularly, and it also shows that the church adopted a common course of action based on apostolic instruction.
This Is to be Effective Action
The action is to be taken with the power of our Lord Jesus, which carries two ideas. First, it emphasizes effectiveness and successful accomplishment. Second, the word with denotes more than pres- ence; it denotes cooperation in action.
THE NATURE OF THE ACTION 5:5A
The Action to be Taken
There are four statements in Chapter 5 concerning action to be taken. The first is in verse 2 where the offender is to be removed from your midst. The second is in verses 3-5, which refer to the delivery to Satan. The third is in verse 11 where they are not to associate and not even to eat with such a one. The fourth statement is in verse 13 where they are told to remove the wicked man from among your selves.
Four Courses of Action or One?
This is the critical question. Is each action separate and distinct, or do they speak of a single action described four different ways? If the latter is intended, then each of the four statements interpret one another. This appears to be Paul’s intent.
Paul’s statement would then run like this: “You are to discipline this man; that is remove him (5:2), that is deliver him to Satan (5:5), that is do not associate with or eat with him (5:11), that is remove him (5:13).”
THE PURPOSE OF THE ACTION 5:5B
The Immediate Purpose
The destruction of the flesh could very well refer to physical death. We will learn later that this was, as a matter of fact, already hap- pening in the Corinthian church (11:30). Ananias and Sapphira serve as examples of this type of discipline (Acts 5).
The Ultimate Purpose
The word saved sometimes means physical salvation, sometimes spiritual salvation. Its basic meaning is well-being or health. The whole aim of the discipline is the ultimate well-being of the offend- er. Restoration is always the aim of discipline.
THE DANGER DESCRIBED 5:6-8
“Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough? 7Clean out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed. 8Let us therefore celebrate the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleav- ened bread of sincerity and truth.”
THE ILLUSTRATION 5:6
Leaven always refers to evil in the Bible. It pictures evil that tends to permeate and eventually dominate. Leaven here seems to refer to the immorality of the man and also the arrogance of the church. Paul is dealing with the moral sin of the man and the mental sin of the church.
THE IMPLICATION 5:7
Key Idea: The Lamb has already been slain, and there is still leaven in the house!
This can be understood only in the light of Old Testament Passover procedures. On Nisan 10 each household selected a lamb to be offered (Exodus 12:3). On Nisan 14 the Passover lamb was to be slain (Exodus 12:6). The slaying of the lamb initiated the seven day period of the eating of unleavened bread (Exodus 12:18-20). When the lamb was slain, the leaven went out of the household.
Application of the Key Idea to I Corinthians 5:7-8
The reason for the removal of the leaven of sin is two-fold. First, they are already unleavened, which would be a reference to their position in Christ. Second, Christ, our lamb, has been slain (empha- sis on this being in the past); and the Corinthian church is still full of leaven. This is shocking and calls for immediate action for the action is late at best.
THE CELEBRATION 5:8
The words Let us therefore celebrate the feast are present tense, point- ing to continuous activity. The Passover was celebrated yearly, but the celebration of its significance is the continual duty of the church. Leaven, therefore, is never appropriate. The command is much like saying, “Let us live our Christian lives.”
Paul has expanded the idea of dealing with sin. In verse 1 he spoke of immorality, then added the sin of pride in verse 2; now, in conclusion, he speaks of malice and wickedness. The Corinthians are to deal with the sin of the man, and they are also to deal with their own sin. It would have been hypocrisy for them to deal with the man and then fail to deal with themselves.
THE DISCRETION REQUIRED 5:9-13
THE CORRESPONDENCE 5:9
“I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people;”
Paul and the Corinthians Had Carried on Extensive Correspondence They had written a letter to Paul (5:1), and I Corinthians was his response. There had been a communication from the household of
Chloe (1:11). There had also been another letter from Paul to the church referred to in 5:9. Perhaps there had been more we do not know. Out of this body of material, the Holy Spirit selected two to be included in the canon of Scripture, I and II Corinthians.
Association with Immoral People
The word translated associate is a triple compound word made up of the following: the preposition sun, which means to associate, fellowship; the preposition ana, which indicates repetition; the verb meignumi, which means to mix. Summed up, the Corinthians were not to mix intimately and frequently with immoral people.
THE CORRECTION 5:10-11
“I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters; for then you would have to go out of the world. 11But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he should be an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler— not even to eat with such a one.”
The Wrong Application 5:10
Paul’s Prohibition Circumscribed
The words not at all serve to circumscribe Paul’s prohibition. Separation with regard to the world is different than separation with regard to professed Christians.
The swindlers are those who are not content with honest profit. The word covetous views an unbeliever in relationship to himself in terms of his desires; swindlers relates him to others in terms of his integrity; and idolaters relates him to God in terms of his worship.
The Absurdity of Separation as Viewed by the Corinthians
To maintain separation from all these types of people would require moving off the planet Earth. An important principle should be observed here. Proper application of God’s word never involves an absurdity. Church history is replete with examples of the Corinthian kind of misuse of Scripture.
The Right Application 5:11
Paul does not assert that the profession to be a brother is false; it appears that he assumes it to be genuine. This is true because he requires separation from him, which he does not require from unbelievers. This distinction will be developed in verses 12-13. Separation from a professed brother must be within the bounds of one considered to be a member of God’s family (II Thessalonians 3:14-15). not merely describe an activity, but a fixed disposition. God does not judge by incidents but by totality of one’s character.
THE DISTINCTION 5:12-13
“For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? 13But those who are outside, God judges. Remove the wicked man from among yourselves.”
The Church’s Jurisdiction Described 5:12
The jurisdiction of Christian judgment extends as far as the profes- sion of faith and no further. The judgment spoken of in verse 12 is limited by the instruction of verse 11. Judgment of motives and areas where we do not have complete and accurate information is to be left to the Lord (4:5). It is not within our domain to impose Christian standards upon non-Christians.
The Unbeliever’s Judgment Asserted 5:13
This final verse of Chapter 5 performs two tasks. First, although neither Paul nor the church is to judge those without, they do not escape judgment. Second, it is the duty of the church to put the wicked man out of its midst.
APPLICATIONS FOR LIVING
Our major concern should always be the purity of the church, not the purity of society (5:12-13). This is not to say that we should be indifferent to evils in society, but our personal and individual righteousness is to be our primary concern.
We should be aware that the attitudes of the world are easily absorbed into the thinking of the church (5:1). This is true, even when we are not conscious of the fact. Our only protection is day-by-day intake of the word of God..
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