1 Corinthians 5
AI Bible study · KJV · Grammatical-historical hermeneutics
Summary
The Apostle Paul addresses a case of severe sexual immorality within the Corinthian church—incest—and rebukes the believers for their pride and tolerance of the sin. He commands them to excommunicate the unrepentant offender to protect the purity of the community, grounding this directive in the finished work of Christ and the necessity of holiness.
- Paul exposes the report of incest in the church, contrasting it with pagan standards of conduct.
- He rebukes the Corinthians for their arrogance and failure to mourn or discipline the offender.
- Paul exercises apostolic authority by prescribing the removal of the offender to hand him over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, with the hope of the spirit's salvation.
- He uses the metaphor of leaven to explain how sin spreads and mandates the 'purging' of the old leaven, citing Christ as the Passover sacrifice.
- Paul clarifies his prior instructions regarding social withdrawal, distinguishing between unbelievers (the world) and erring brothers within the church.
- Incest with a father's wife (v. 1).
- Corinthian arrogance (v. 2).
- Apostolic judgment in spirit (v. 3).
- Delivery to Satan for destruction of the flesh (v. 5).
- Leaven as a metaphor for corrupting influence (v. 6).
- Christ as the Passover sacrifice (v. 7).
This passage establishes the biblical pattern for church discipline, emphasizing that the health and purity of the body of Christ are protected through accountability. It clarifies that holiness is a requirement of the new life in Christ, not an optional add-on.
The church must maintain purity through accountable love, removing unrepentant members to protect the witness of the gospel and to discipline the sinner toward eventual restoration.
Themes
The chapter moves from a specific report of scandal to a theological explanation of why that scandal must be addressed, culminating in specific instructions for the church's interaction with the world versus the church.
Paul contrasts the behavior of the believer (who must purge leaven) with the behavior of those outside the church (whom God judges).
Paul develops the Passover imagery to explain the motivation for purity, moving from the leaven of sin to the unleavened bread of sincerity.
The church is a 'lump' that is susceptible to the 'leaven' of sin; therefore, it must maintain holiness to represent Christ correctly.
- leaven (ζύμη)
- lump (φύραμα)
- purge (ἐκκαθαίρω)
Church discipline is not punitive in a vindictive sense, but corrective, intended to destroy the fleshly desires so the spirit may be saved.
- deliver (παραδίδωμι)
- destruction of the flesh (ὄλεθρος τῆς σαρκός)
- saved (σῴζω)
Christian conduct is driven by the reality of the substitutionary sacrifice of Christ.
- Christ our passover (Χριστὸς τὸ πάσχα)
- sacrificed (θύω)
- Remove the wicked person from among you (v. 2, v. 13).
- Purge out the old leaven (v. 7).
- Keep the feast with sincerity and truth (v. 8).
- Do not keep company with a brother who is sexually immoral, greedy, idolatrous, a railer, a drunkard, or an extortioner (v. 11).
- A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump (v. 6).
- Do not keep company with a brother who persists in known sin (v. 11).
Context
- Corinth was a notoriously decadent city, often associated with sexual immorality in the ancient world. This cultural context highlights the severity of the church tolerating behavior that would shock even pagans.
- The mention of 'delivering to Satan' refers to excommunication, where the individual is removed from the protection of the covenant community and placed back into the sphere ruled by Satan (the world).
- The term 'fornication' (πορνεία, G4202) is a broad term for sexual deviancy, which in this case refers specifically to incest (son having father's wife).
- The practice of 'not eating' with an erring brother (v. 11) signifies a total rupture of fellowship, as table fellowship in the ancient Mediterranean world was the ultimate sign of shared identity and peace.
- This chapter follows Paul's rebukes in chapters 1–4 concerning divisions in the church. Paul turns here from doctrinal/factional disunity to moral disunity.
- The 'epistle' mentioned in v. 9 refers to a previous, now lost, letter Paul wrote to the Corinthians.
- Paul draws deeply on the Passover imagery from Exodus 12. Just as Israel was to remove leaven to celebrate the Passover, the Church—having the true Passover Lamb (Christ)—must remove the 'leaven' of sin.
- Matthew Henry observes that the bad example of a person of influence is very mischievous, noting that sin, if not corrected, spreads like leaven through the whole church.
- The imagery of 'little leaven' (v. 6) alludes to Leviticus 2:11 and Exodus 12:15, where leaven symbolizes corruption that must be removed from the sacrifice.
- πορνεία (porneía) [G4202]: Used here to describe a scandalous sexual union forbidden by Torah (Leviticus 18:8).
- φυσιόω (physióō) [G5448]: Literally 'to inflate' or 'blow up' like a bellows; Paul uses this to describe the Corinthians' arrogant mindset regarding their 'liberty'.
- κρίνω (krínō) [G2919]: Used in various forms; Paul implies that while the church has a duty to discern and judge the conduct of those inside, they have no authority to sit as judges over the moral conduct of the pagan world.
- πνεῦμα (pneûma) [G4151]: In v. 3, Paul refers to his 'spirit'—meaning his inner self or apostolic presence—which allows him to pass judgment despite his bodily absence.
- Paul distinguishes between the 'fornicators of this world' (unbelievers) and the 'brother' who is a fornicator. The church is not called to insulate itself from the sinful world, but it is strictly called to discipline its own members.
- The ultimate purpose of the 'destruction of the flesh' (v. 5) is positive: 'that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus'. Discipline is aimed at restoration, not just punishment.
- The phrase 'destruction of the flesh' is debated. Some interpret it as physical illness or death (referencing 1 Corinthians 11:30), while others view it as the breaking of the sinner's pride and sinful patterns through the experience of excommunication.
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