Commentary on First Corinthians 4-5
by Dave Brown
Go to the Introduction to 1st Corinthians
Go to 1 Corinthians 1-3
1 Corinthians 4
1 Let a man so account of us, as of ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.
[Us? Paul is speaking of the apostles. This will become clear in verse 9. It seemed some there at Corinth were putting Paul down and questioning his apostleship. This after he had been the one to put up with all of the hassle that came with establishing the church there (Acts 18). It just shows you how fickle people can be. But Paul is still addressing them as fellow Christians, knowing that there were some sincere and faithful Christians at Corinth (Acts 18:9-10).]
2 Here, moreover, it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.
3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self.
4 For I know nothing against myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judges me is the Lord.
[After all he did for them, how could they dare to judge him? But it was probably not the majority. And to those who were criticizing Paul, it was a “small thing” i.e., something that gave him relatively little concern. His primary concern was how the Lord was judging him, and in that regard his conscience was clear (I judge not mine own self).]
5 Wherefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and make manifest the counsels of the hearts; and then shall each man have his praise from God.
[This needs to be understood in light of what he is going to say in the next chapter. We hear a lot about "judging" one another today. It is human nature to assess one another -- we cannot help it, and anyone who says that they do not judge is usually judging someone s/he believes is judging them. But there is a big difference between holding a personal opinion of someone and causing others to feel negative against that person. We definitely should judge and make our judgments known when things involve morality or matters of right and wrong in the church. Matthew 18:15-18 gives us the procedure for solving such problems, and we are shortly to encounter a major one at Corinth in Chapter 5. But when it does not involve doctrine or morality and is thus a matter of personal opinion, we should respect one another and let God do the judging.]
6 Now these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes; that in us ye might learn not (to go) beyond the things which are written; that no one of you be puffed up for the one against the other.
[This is a tremendously powerful and important verse. Paul is talking about the previous chapter where he said that "some say I am of Paul and I am of Apollos," etc. What this tells us is that in fact, Paul and Apollos were NOT the men that were calling themselves after. Rather, it was in all probability some of the false teachers. But, in deference to these false teachers (who should have known better), he replaced their names with his and Apollos' -- so as not to overly offend -- essentially practicing himself what he commanded in verse 5. But going on, this verse also tells us that "the things which are written" are at least at some point in their future going to be sufficient, and that they should depend on the writings of Paul and others for their doctrine. We have those complete works today by the grace of God, and this tells us that we are safe to abide in them, and not only so, but that if we go beyond them and invent our own doctrines, it will cause pride. That is the meaning of the term "puffed up." Proud. Pride causes us to want to go beyond -- to make it up as we go along -- to be the law maker -- to put ourselves in the place of God. And then, when we do that, we are proud of it. After all, why shouldn't we be proud of our own creation.]
7 For who makes you to differ? and what have you that you did not receive? but if you received it, why do you glory as if you had not received it?
[It takes humility to just do what the Bible says, no more and no less. Or, in this case, what Paul and the inspired prophets among them taught and no more. Pride is the motivation to go beyond that, and it will inevitably cause enmity and division.]
8 Already are ye filled, already ye are become rich, ye have come to reign without us: yea and I would that ye did reign, that we also might reign with you.
[Paul's use of sarcasm is, in a sense dangerous. Can you feel it? Hopefully so. Because sarcasm when written means just the opposite of its literal meaning. Surely he did not intend those who were guilty of verse 7 to take verse 8 literally. The problem is, there is no tone of voice ... but I think we can see it and understand it for what it is. This will not be the last time that Paul uses sarcasm. The idea was that they were going beyond what Christ had revealed to them either though Paul or directly. Essentially he is saying (sarcastically) that you are so far in front of me that I can never hope to catch up.]
9 For, I think, God hath set forth us the apostles last of all, as men doomed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, both to angels and men.
[This is the reason we said that the "us" in verse 2 was the apostles. While Paul goes back into sarcasm for verses 10-13, this verse is literally true in a physical sense. The apostles were treated like dirt by most of the world. There is no way that anyone could claim that they were being self-serving. They had no fame; they made no money off of religion -- do you recall at Corinth when Paul worked with Priscilla and Aquila as tent makers? As for the physical things of this world, they had little but grief. This is another reason that we know that their words were true -- they had no motive to lie as false teachers do today.]
10 We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye have glory, but we have dishonor.
11 Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling-place;
12 and we toil, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure;
13 being defamed, we entreat: we are made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things, even until now.
[Verse 10 is sarcasm, but he explains the validity of it to those who would only look at them through physical eyes. No doubt the physical things he is speaking of were all valid. Paul wrote this letter from Ephesus, see Acts 19. The persecution he suffered there at points made him despair of life (see 1 Cor. 15:32 and 2 Cor. 1:8-10). Yet, he returned blessing for cursing in a variety of ways, following the example of Jesus.]
14 I write not these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children.
15 For though ye have ten thousand tutors in Christ, yet (have ye) not many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I begat you through the gospel.
[Would you not think that they would have the greatest love and respect for Paul? We have to start with ourselves and say -- this is how weak I am; I should know better. And then, we should never put our trust in men no matter how strong they may seem. All men have flaws; Jesus only was perfect.]
16 I beseech you therefore, be ye imitators of me.
[There are many places in the New Testament, and others in 1 Corinthians (e.g., 1 Cor. 11:1) where Paul and other apostles indicate the necessity for us to follow their examples, as they follow the examples of Jesus. We call this "approved apostolic example." Without these examples the church would be in chaos. Those who ignore are bound to violate verse 6 -- they will surely depend on themselves and go beyond the clear examples that are given to us in scriptures -- especially in the book of Acts.]
17 For this cause have I sent unto you Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, who shall put you in remembrance of my ways which are in Christ, even as I teach everywhere in every church.
[Paul's concern for them was such that he sent his top "right hand man" to them. Recall in Acts 16 when Paul took Timothy under his wing. It seems certain that Paul had laid hands on Timothy and imparted to him gifts of the Holy Spirit. But many at Corinth already had spiritual gifts (we will learn more about that in chapters 12-14). A question could be asked, why did they need Timothy? Or, for that matter, why did they need Paul to write to them? Interesting questions - it all has to do with God's ultimate plan on how his church would be governed and taught after spiritual gifts were to cease. It is like asking -- why did God allow Job to go through all that he did? Well, for sure, one reason would be that had all that not happened, we would not have the book of Job. God has a good reason for everything, and this is especially true of our infirmities (2 Cor. 12). Clearly the written word has a great advantage over the spiritual gifts, which we will discuss when we get to 1 Cor. 13.]
18 Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you.
19 But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will; and I will know, not the word of them that are puffed up, but the power.
20 For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.
21 What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?
[Paul had every intent to come back to them -- he said that he would and had every intent to, but he wanted by his letters to respond to the problems that he saw there, and he was hopeful that they would be corrected before he got there. His enemies took advantage of that to say that Paul was fickle and could not be trusted. Notice the NOT ... BUT in verse 19. It is not that the words are unimportant, but the power is more important. The power is the gospel (Rom. 1:16), but is the gospel not just words? Words yes, but not just words. It is THE word of God, as opposed to the oratory of men. The contrast here seems to be between the simple gospel of Jesus Christ as opposed to the seemingly great oratory of men. It is easy to deceive people with clever words.]
1 Corinthians 5
5:1 It is actually reported that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not even among the Gentiles, that one (of you) hath his father's wife.
[Actually!!! It is like Paul is saying -- I cannot believe that this is happening. This was primarily a Gentile church and Paul is using the word "Gentiles" in the Jewish sense of unbelievers -- pagans, idol worshipers. I see this as a dramatic example of a worst case of immorality being played out by one or perhaps even two Christians. The teaching on this in both Old and New Testaments is so clear that there can be no excuse for such behavior. Even those who were not Christians (or Jews) recognized its wickedness. And yet, what this tells us is that it CAN happen. In fact, we might almost expect it, although like Paul, when it does happen we find it hard to believe. When it happens it gives everyone in the congregation, and perhaps even many outside, a terrible sick feeling that this is a bad dream ... it just cannot be happening. It is a terrible thing, and yet God is going to use this terrible incident for good (Rom 8:28).]
2 And ye are puffed up, and did not rather mourn, that he that had done this deed might be taken away from among you.
[We have to remember that most of them had Gentile backgrounds, and some (perhaps most) of the pagan priestesses in Corinth were prostitutes -- this is well documented. Also, remember from Romans 6:1 that there was (as there is now) an attitude among SOME Christians that because Christ died for them they are free to sin however they want. It appears that they felt like they could just get away with this type of thing, and no one should really be concerned. Puffed up in the NT generally means proud -- so they were proud of it ... maybe in the sense of: "look what we can get away with." Pride went beyond the guilty parties since Paul is accusing many of them of being proud over this matter as well.]
3 For I verily, being absent in body but present in spirit, have already as though I were present judged him that hath so wrought this thing,
4 in the name of our Lord Jesus, ye being gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus,
5 to deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
[Christians are taught not to judge in some things (matters of judgment or opinion). But this is not a matter of opinion. Even the pagans knew that this was wrong and did not practice anything like it. So taking the corrective action that Paul commands here is not a judgment that is condemned. In fact, it is commanded; Matthew 18 contains the command for it by Jesus, and Paul also commands it here. Paul has already made the judgment, but he was not there, and it was essential that the Corinthian Christians make this judgment as well. "In the name of our Lord Jesus" means by His authority -- that given in Matthew 18 and other places. “Being gathered together” means in an assembly of Christians. “Deliver such a one unto Satan” means that he would no longer be considered to be a saved person -- he would not longer be in that type of fellowship with the Christians there. But note that the purpose is not punitive -- it is so that “the spirit may be saved …” Love must motivate all disciplinary actions.]
6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?
7 Purge out the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, even as ye are unleavened. For our Passover also hath been sacrificed, (even) Christ:
8 wherefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
[These metaphors are referring to the Jewish Passover. Leaven was forbidden to the extent that it was to be removed from their houses well prior to the Passover feast. Leaven here maps to sin. A little sin in a congregation can saturate everyone. People start thinking -- well, if Brother X can do that, then surely I can do this. Purging out the leaven is “getting rid” of this person; but not really rid of him, but disciplining him so that he knows that he will not be regarded as a saved person by the local church until he repents of his sin. (We see in 2nd Corinthians that this man did repent and came back, and so the commanded action taken was quite successful.) We no longer keep the Passover because the sacrificial lamb is Christ and He died once for all, so no further sacrifice is needed. Verse 8 is not about rituals and putting on a show. It is about living the life following the example of Christ – “the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” What a beautiful figure.]
9 I wrote unto you in my epistle to have no company with fornicators;
[This might also be referring to the above, but it seems more probable that there was a former letter that Paul wrote to them.]
10 not at all (meaning) with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous and extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world:
[So, it is essential that we have relationships with people of the world or else, how could we convert them? We might not know them very closely, and they could be all over the board as far as their sinful lives are concern, but we need to love them and try to influence them for good. It does no good to withdraw from them -- that is not the point that Paul was trying to make. Here is the point ...]
11 but as it is, I wrote unto you not to keep company, if any man that is named a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such a one no, not to eat.
[The New King James version inserts the word even -- "don't even eat with him." It is amazing how one little word -- in this case "even" when just thrown around, can change the whole meaning of what Paul was trying to say. We learn from Matthew 9:10-11 that in the first century if you ate with someone that was a sign of not only a business and/or social relationship, but religious acceptance as well. In other words, at that time eating with someone signified that you were in fellowship religiously, and that is EXACTLY what Paul is commanding them not to do. But the insertion of the word "even" changes the whole meaning -- it trivializes the significance of what eating with someone meant back then. It does not have anything like that meaning is for us today -- we eat with just about anyone at any time without giving it any consideration to its religious connotation because in our society there is none. So Paul is not saying -- "don't even eat with them." He is saying: “don't convey to them any idea that you are religiously in fellowship with him.” Back then eating with them did just that. But since this does not have such significance for us today, how do we show our withdrawal of fellowship in this day and age? There is no single set of actions specified. It is the intent and effectiveness of this action that is important, and not the action itself. It needs to convey a withdrawing of fellowship, and that will take different forms in different families, societies, and circumstances. We are also commanded to treat such a one who has been withdrawn from as a brother (in the physical sense) -- in other words, we are to love him at the same time we are disciplining him (2 Thessalonians 3:15: "And (yet) count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother").]
12 For what have I to do with judging them that are without? Do not ye judge them that are within?
13 But them that are without God judges. Put away the wicked man from among yourselves.
[While some of the things covered in the next chapter might not seem to be as bad, at least in man's eyes, they are still sin, and you can feel the momentum of Chapter 5 moving right into Chapter 6.]
Go to 1 Corinthians 6-10
Go to 1 Corinthians 1-3
1 Corinthians 4
1 Let a man so account of us, as of ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.
[Us? Paul is speaking of the apostles. This will become clear in verse 9. It seemed some there at Corinth were putting Paul down and questioning his apostleship. This after he had been the one to put up with all of the hassle that came with establishing the church there (Acts 18). It just shows you how fickle people can be. But Paul is still addressing them as fellow Christians, knowing that there were some sincere and faithful Christians at Corinth (Acts 18:9-10).]
2 Here, moreover, it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.
3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self.
4 For I know nothing against myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judges me is the Lord.
[After all he did for them, how could they dare to judge him? But it was probably not the majority. And to those who were criticizing Paul, it was a “small thing” i.e., something that gave him relatively little concern. His primary concern was how the Lord was judging him, and in that regard his conscience was clear (I judge not mine own self).]
5 Wherefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and make manifest the counsels of the hearts; and then shall each man have his praise from God.
[This needs to be understood in light of what he is going to say in the next chapter. We hear a lot about "judging" one another today. It is human nature to assess one another -- we cannot help it, and anyone who says that they do not judge is usually judging someone s/he believes is judging them. But there is a big difference between holding a personal opinion of someone and causing others to feel negative against that person. We definitely should judge and make our judgments known when things involve morality or matters of right and wrong in the church. Matthew 18:15-18 gives us the procedure for solving such problems, and we are shortly to encounter a major one at Corinth in Chapter 5. But when it does not involve doctrine or morality and is thus a matter of personal opinion, we should respect one another and let God do the judging.]
6 Now these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes; that in us ye might learn not (to go) beyond the things which are written; that no one of you be puffed up for the one against the other.
[This is a tremendously powerful and important verse. Paul is talking about the previous chapter where he said that "some say I am of Paul and I am of Apollos," etc. What this tells us is that in fact, Paul and Apollos were NOT the men that were calling themselves after. Rather, it was in all probability some of the false teachers. But, in deference to these false teachers (who should have known better), he replaced their names with his and Apollos' -- so as not to overly offend -- essentially practicing himself what he commanded in verse 5. But going on, this verse also tells us that "the things which are written" are at least at some point in their future going to be sufficient, and that they should depend on the writings of Paul and others for their doctrine. We have those complete works today by the grace of God, and this tells us that we are safe to abide in them, and not only so, but that if we go beyond them and invent our own doctrines, it will cause pride. That is the meaning of the term "puffed up." Proud. Pride causes us to want to go beyond -- to make it up as we go along -- to be the law maker -- to put ourselves in the place of God. And then, when we do that, we are proud of it. After all, why shouldn't we be proud of our own creation.]
7 For who makes you to differ? and what have you that you did not receive? but if you received it, why do you glory as if you had not received it?
[It takes humility to just do what the Bible says, no more and no less. Or, in this case, what Paul and the inspired prophets among them taught and no more. Pride is the motivation to go beyond that, and it will inevitably cause enmity and division.]
8 Already are ye filled, already ye are become rich, ye have come to reign without us: yea and I would that ye did reign, that we also might reign with you.
[Paul's use of sarcasm is, in a sense dangerous. Can you feel it? Hopefully so. Because sarcasm when written means just the opposite of its literal meaning. Surely he did not intend those who were guilty of verse 7 to take verse 8 literally. The problem is, there is no tone of voice ... but I think we can see it and understand it for what it is. This will not be the last time that Paul uses sarcasm. The idea was that they were going beyond what Christ had revealed to them either though Paul or directly. Essentially he is saying (sarcastically) that you are so far in front of me that I can never hope to catch up.]
9 For, I think, God hath set forth us the apostles last of all, as men doomed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, both to angels and men.
[This is the reason we said that the "us" in verse 2 was the apostles. While Paul goes back into sarcasm for verses 10-13, this verse is literally true in a physical sense. The apostles were treated like dirt by most of the world. There is no way that anyone could claim that they were being self-serving. They had no fame; they made no money off of religion -- do you recall at Corinth when Paul worked with Priscilla and Aquila as tent makers? As for the physical things of this world, they had little but grief. This is another reason that we know that their words were true -- they had no motive to lie as false teachers do today.]
10 We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye have glory, but we have dishonor.
11 Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling-place;
12 and we toil, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure;
13 being defamed, we entreat: we are made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things, even until now.
[Verse 10 is sarcasm, but he explains the validity of it to those who would only look at them through physical eyes. No doubt the physical things he is speaking of were all valid. Paul wrote this letter from Ephesus, see Acts 19. The persecution he suffered there at points made him despair of life (see 1 Cor. 15:32 and 2 Cor. 1:8-10). Yet, he returned blessing for cursing in a variety of ways, following the example of Jesus.]
14 I write not these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children.
15 For though ye have ten thousand tutors in Christ, yet (have ye) not many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I begat you through the gospel.
[Would you not think that they would have the greatest love and respect for Paul? We have to start with ourselves and say -- this is how weak I am; I should know better. And then, we should never put our trust in men no matter how strong they may seem. All men have flaws; Jesus only was perfect.]
16 I beseech you therefore, be ye imitators of me.
[There are many places in the New Testament, and others in 1 Corinthians (e.g., 1 Cor. 11:1) where Paul and other apostles indicate the necessity for us to follow their examples, as they follow the examples of Jesus. We call this "approved apostolic example." Without these examples the church would be in chaos. Those who ignore are bound to violate verse 6 -- they will surely depend on themselves and go beyond the clear examples that are given to us in scriptures -- especially in the book of Acts.]
17 For this cause have I sent unto you Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, who shall put you in remembrance of my ways which are in Christ, even as I teach everywhere in every church.
[Paul's concern for them was such that he sent his top "right hand man" to them. Recall in Acts 16 when Paul took Timothy under his wing. It seems certain that Paul had laid hands on Timothy and imparted to him gifts of the Holy Spirit. But many at Corinth already had spiritual gifts (we will learn more about that in chapters 12-14). A question could be asked, why did they need Timothy? Or, for that matter, why did they need Paul to write to them? Interesting questions - it all has to do with God's ultimate plan on how his church would be governed and taught after spiritual gifts were to cease. It is like asking -- why did God allow Job to go through all that he did? Well, for sure, one reason would be that had all that not happened, we would not have the book of Job. God has a good reason for everything, and this is especially true of our infirmities (2 Cor. 12). Clearly the written word has a great advantage over the spiritual gifts, which we will discuss when we get to 1 Cor. 13.]
18 Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you.
19 But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will; and I will know, not the word of them that are puffed up, but the power.
20 For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.
21 What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?
[Paul had every intent to come back to them -- he said that he would and had every intent to, but he wanted by his letters to respond to the problems that he saw there, and he was hopeful that they would be corrected before he got there. His enemies took advantage of that to say that Paul was fickle and could not be trusted. Notice the NOT ... BUT in verse 19. It is not that the words are unimportant, but the power is more important. The power is the gospel (Rom. 1:16), but is the gospel not just words? Words yes, but not just words. It is THE word of God, as opposed to the oratory of men. The contrast here seems to be between the simple gospel of Jesus Christ as opposed to the seemingly great oratory of men. It is easy to deceive people with clever words.]
1 Corinthians 5
5:1 It is actually reported that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not even among the Gentiles, that one (of you) hath his father's wife.
[Actually!!! It is like Paul is saying -- I cannot believe that this is happening. This was primarily a Gentile church and Paul is using the word "Gentiles" in the Jewish sense of unbelievers -- pagans, idol worshipers. I see this as a dramatic example of a worst case of immorality being played out by one or perhaps even two Christians. The teaching on this in both Old and New Testaments is so clear that there can be no excuse for such behavior. Even those who were not Christians (or Jews) recognized its wickedness. And yet, what this tells us is that it CAN happen. In fact, we might almost expect it, although like Paul, when it does happen we find it hard to believe. When it happens it gives everyone in the congregation, and perhaps even many outside, a terrible sick feeling that this is a bad dream ... it just cannot be happening. It is a terrible thing, and yet God is going to use this terrible incident for good (Rom 8:28).]
2 And ye are puffed up, and did not rather mourn, that he that had done this deed might be taken away from among you.
[We have to remember that most of them had Gentile backgrounds, and some (perhaps most) of the pagan priestesses in Corinth were prostitutes -- this is well documented. Also, remember from Romans 6:1 that there was (as there is now) an attitude among SOME Christians that because Christ died for them they are free to sin however they want. It appears that they felt like they could just get away with this type of thing, and no one should really be concerned. Puffed up in the NT generally means proud -- so they were proud of it ... maybe in the sense of: "look what we can get away with." Pride went beyond the guilty parties since Paul is accusing many of them of being proud over this matter as well.]
3 For I verily, being absent in body but present in spirit, have already as though I were present judged him that hath so wrought this thing,
4 in the name of our Lord Jesus, ye being gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus,
5 to deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
[Christians are taught not to judge in some things (matters of judgment or opinion). But this is not a matter of opinion. Even the pagans knew that this was wrong and did not practice anything like it. So taking the corrective action that Paul commands here is not a judgment that is condemned. In fact, it is commanded; Matthew 18 contains the command for it by Jesus, and Paul also commands it here. Paul has already made the judgment, but he was not there, and it was essential that the Corinthian Christians make this judgment as well. "In the name of our Lord Jesus" means by His authority -- that given in Matthew 18 and other places. “Being gathered together” means in an assembly of Christians. “Deliver such a one unto Satan” means that he would no longer be considered to be a saved person -- he would not longer be in that type of fellowship with the Christians there. But note that the purpose is not punitive -- it is so that “the spirit may be saved …” Love must motivate all disciplinary actions.]
6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?
7 Purge out the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, even as ye are unleavened. For our Passover also hath been sacrificed, (even) Christ:
8 wherefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
[These metaphors are referring to the Jewish Passover. Leaven was forbidden to the extent that it was to be removed from their houses well prior to the Passover feast. Leaven here maps to sin. A little sin in a congregation can saturate everyone. People start thinking -- well, if Brother X can do that, then surely I can do this. Purging out the leaven is “getting rid” of this person; but not really rid of him, but disciplining him so that he knows that he will not be regarded as a saved person by the local church until he repents of his sin. (We see in 2nd Corinthians that this man did repent and came back, and so the commanded action taken was quite successful.) We no longer keep the Passover because the sacrificial lamb is Christ and He died once for all, so no further sacrifice is needed. Verse 8 is not about rituals and putting on a show. It is about living the life following the example of Christ – “the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” What a beautiful figure.]
9 I wrote unto you in my epistle to have no company with fornicators;
[This might also be referring to the above, but it seems more probable that there was a former letter that Paul wrote to them.]
10 not at all (meaning) with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous and extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world:
[So, it is essential that we have relationships with people of the world or else, how could we convert them? We might not know them very closely, and they could be all over the board as far as their sinful lives are concern, but we need to love them and try to influence them for good. It does no good to withdraw from them -- that is not the point that Paul was trying to make. Here is the point ...]
11 but as it is, I wrote unto you not to keep company, if any man that is named a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such a one no, not to eat.
[The New King James version inserts the word even -- "don't even eat with him." It is amazing how one little word -- in this case "even" when just thrown around, can change the whole meaning of what Paul was trying to say. We learn from Matthew 9:10-11 that in the first century if you ate with someone that was a sign of not only a business and/or social relationship, but religious acceptance as well. In other words, at that time eating with someone signified that you were in fellowship religiously, and that is EXACTLY what Paul is commanding them not to do. But the insertion of the word "even" changes the whole meaning -- it trivializes the significance of what eating with someone meant back then. It does not have anything like that meaning is for us today -- we eat with just about anyone at any time without giving it any consideration to its religious connotation because in our society there is none. So Paul is not saying -- "don't even eat with them." He is saying: “don't convey to them any idea that you are religiously in fellowship with him.” Back then eating with them did just that. But since this does not have such significance for us today, how do we show our withdrawal of fellowship in this day and age? There is no single set of actions specified. It is the intent and effectiveness of this action that is important, and not the action itself. It needs to convey a withdrawing of fellowship, and that will take different forms in different families, societies, and circumstances. We are also commanded to treat such a one who has been withdrawn from as a brother (in the physical sense) -- in other words, we are to love him at the same time we are disciplining him (2 Thessalonians 3:15: "And (yet) count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother").]
12 For what have I to do with judging them that are without? Do not ye judge them that are within?
13 But them that are without God judges. Put away the wicked man from among yourselves.
[While some of the things covered in the next chapter might not seem to be as bad, at least in man's eyes, they are still sin, and you can feel the momentum of Chapter 5 moving right into Chapter 6.]
Go to 1 Corinthians 6-10