1 Corinthians: Chapter 5 (verses 1–13)

This chapter is divided into two parts: In the first (verses 1–8), Paul addresses the issue of sexual immorality in the form of a case of incest, which he deems a matter of deep concern. That it was tolerated in the Corinthian church was serious, and Paul wanted to rid the church of it by expelling the guilty person. In the second section of his letter (verses 9–13), Paul insists that holiness is one of the vital markers of God’s people.

It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father’s wife (1 Corinthians 5:1).

Paul addresses “sexual immorality” in this epistle in chapters 5, 6, and parts of chapter 7. He expresses his shock that it seems to be acceptable in the Corinthian church. His use of actually reported shows his shock at what he has heard. Unless they begin to act as the Lord’s people, he may have to come to them with a rod (1 Corinthians 4:21).

At the time of the writing of Paul’s epistle, what was considered “immorality” in the Corinthian culture differed from the code of conduct established in the Old Testament. While marriage between a man and a woman was protected by law, there was also a general view that sexual intercourse outside of marriage was natural, necessary, and justifiable. Even married men were permitted extramarital sex, as long it wasn’t with someone else’s wife.

However, according to Scripture, “sexual immorality” referred to any sexual behavior outside of heterosexual marriage, as stated by the Mosaic law. Biblical law gave a clear definition of acceptable and unacceptable sexual activities outside of marriage that differed from any code of conduct in the Roman world. Paul was therefore deeply concerned by what was going on among the Corinthians and how it was being tolerated. Christians of Jewish background would likely find this activity despicable, but “even” the Gentile believers would not accept these actions, and Paul says that such behavior is not tolerated even among pagans.

Paul makes clear in his address to the Corinthians that Scripture is definitive on the matter. In the book of Leviticus (chapter 18), incestuous relationships are forbidden, particularly in 18:8, which states that you shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s wife.

Paul goes on to say:

And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you (1 Corinthians 5:2).

He scolds the believers for not taking this sin seriously. Rather, their self-confident pride in their status before God caused them to ignore the evil in their midst. Paul asks if they shouldn’t have “mourned.” Those in the church should have grieved over the sin in their midst and called the couple to repent. The Corinthians should have reacted with penitence on behalf of the whole community. Those who had committed this sin were to be removed from the Christian community in Corinth because of the nature of their sin.

For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing (1 Corinthians 5:3).

While Paul was not physically present in Corinth, he considered himself to be spiritually present with the church through his letter. He believed that his letter, read to the church, carried the power of the Spirit.

The man in the Corinthian church being described was having an affair with his father’s wife. This was a case of committing incest, which was not tolerated either by the Jewish followers of the law or by Roman society. And yet the Corinthian Christians were allowing it to continue among them without stopping it.

Paul wrote that they should act swiftly. They were to immediately remove this man from their meetings. This was not just a suggestion from Paul. Paul claims his authority as an apostle of Christ Jesus. He declares his spiritual presence with them—through this letter and their unity together in Christ. There seemed to be no question about the man sleeping with his father’s wife. The church members knew it was happening. Paul used his authority to pass judgment on the man. He explained the reasons for his judgement in the following verses.

When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord (1 Corinthians 5:4–5).

When the Corinthian church was gathered together with Paul in spirit and in the Lord’s name and His power, Paul expected them to come to the same conclusion that he did, and expected that they would banish this man from the church because he committed incest.

In this passage, Paul elevates the idea of “going to church” beyond a mere meeting of like-minded people attending a gathering together in the name of the Lord Jesus. The physical gathering of believers was not merely an option or a suggestion, it was a command. He also clarifies that the goal of banishing this person from the church is with the hope that he will repent and eventually be restored.

Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed (1 Corinthians 5:6–7).

In stating that their boasting is not good, Paul shows his concern that their approach to immorality is wrong. The problem is not just with one person, but rather with the whole community. Paul asks a rhetorical question: Do you not know…? The answer should be, “Of course we do.” (He asks this question ten times in this epistle.)

Paul instructs them to “clean out” the old yeast. Each year during Passover, a time of remembering their deliverance from Egypt, the Jewish people removed any leaven they had in the house and kept the house leaven-free for seven days. Paul urges the Corinthian church to similarly purge out the old leaven, which represents the sinful behavior that was present among them. He sees this purification as being necessary for them to become a new lump, which symbolizes a community that is pure and holy.

Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth (1 Corinthians 5:8).

The reason for removing the old leaven of the immoral person from the church is rooted in the importance of Christ’s death. He is our Passover. As the lamb who was slaughtered in the first Passover in the days of Moses (Exodus 12:21), and yearly after that (Exodus 12:42), Christ has been sacrificed on the cross. His blood protects believers from the wrath of God, like the blood spread on the entrances to Israelite homes in Egypt protected them from the plagues (Exodus 12:7, 13).

Having no leaven during Passover was a reminder of the hasty deliverance of the Hebrew people from their difficulties in Egypt (Exodus 12:33–34, 39). In a similar way, Paul urges the Corinthians to remember that they had to remove the old leaven of immorality from their church because they were living in the age of Christ’s Passover sacrifice. In this sense, the church is to keep the Festival of Passover every day.

I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people... (1 Corinthians 5:9).

Paul wants to make sure that there is no misunderstanding of what he had previously written, saying: To be part of the Christian community requires holiness, which includes not associating with the sexually immoral.

Paul later clarifies that he doesn’t mean that believers should completely dissociate themselves from all unbelievers. Rather, he is telling Christians not to include in their community those who are engaged in sexual immorality. Paul wrote something similar to the Thessalonians: If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother (2 Thessalonians 3:14–15).

…not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world (1 Corinthians 5:10).

Here Paul clarifies what he meant in his previous letter. Likely, in an earlier letter to the Corinthians, which has been lost, Paul had referred to this problem. Here Paul clarifies that he doesn’t mean that believers should not associate with any nonbelievers. If Christians were to not associate with any “sinners,” they would need to leave the world. Paul is saying that sin should be taken seriously, and those who purposely, repeatedly, and openly sin should not be part of the church.

But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one (1 Corinthians 5:11).

Paul now advises believers not to associate closely with those who claim to be believers but engage in sinful behaviors, six of which he lists here. He gives a guideline for how to respond when other Christians engage in actions that are clearly sinful, such as in this case having an affair with his father’s wife. Paul instructs the Corinthian believers to remove the person from the community. He adds that the members of the church should not even eat with him. As he writes later, “Bad company ruins good morals” (1 Corinthians 15:33).

For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you” (1 Corinthians 5:12–13).

Paul concludes that he and the Corinthian believers have no right to judge those who are outside of the church. They aren’t Christians and don’t claim to be. God alone will judge them. However, regarding the Corinthian believers, the church does judge them. Those in the church submit themselves to the authority of the church. The church is to take action when its members blatantly violate the ways of Christ. As much as the Corinthian church didn’t want to act, they had to expel the man and treat him as an unbeliever.

Note
Unless otherwise indicated, all scriptures are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.