1 Corinthians 5
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Immorality among you 1
Church to be purged of immorality through Christ 7
Immoral person to be avoided and judged 9
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Text
Comments
.1 ¶ It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.
 2  And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.
.3  For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, 
  1 - Commonly From the Greek holos. Often translated "actually" which in today's English describes something hard to believe. Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament translates it "wholly" or "altogether." The KJV "commonly" is okay.
  1 - Fornication Illicit (unlawful) sexual relationships whether between married or unmarried persons. See mt0532, ac1520. Our word "pornography" came from this word in Greek.
  1 - His father's wife Not his mother as clarified in le1806. Link codes are often for more than a single verse.
  2 - Puffed up Complacent or proud of their spiritual status. They didn't likely approve of the sin.
  3 - Absent in body This may help clarify Paul's comments about being absent from the body 2co05. Paul's presence in spirit in this case is as though he were present. They knew that he was not physically present but he was there in "spirit" – in thought and caring interest.
.4  In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
.5  To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
.6  Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?

  4 - My spirit Following the concept of v3. He had expressed his thoughts by letter while the church members would also discuss the matter. They were to act in the power of Christ lu1017.
  5 - Deliver ... to Satan This seems like harsh treatment. Sick people often need strong medicine or surgery. Notice in whose name the church was to act. The man had already given himself to Satan and he would not sense his real danger if allowed to remain as a member of the church.
Comments begin with verse 4 at the left.

  5 - Destruction of the flesh Paul often compares flesh and spirit as objectives to live by ro0801. Separated from the church, as the prodigal son lu1516, the sinner would be brought to realize his need. We may never choose to dislike a person 1jo0315, 1jo0420. Our continuing to reach out to the person and visit him encouraging a return to Christ is our Christian duty ga0601. Jesus gave us principles for forgiveness and church fellowship concluding that a person we could not lead to repent should be removed from membership but reached out to as we would to other unbelievers. See mt1817 and context.
  6 - Glorying is not good In dealing with sinners we are tempted to feel exalted. Instead we must hold tightly to Christ to avoid falling into the very pit from which we have saved our brother! mt0703, 1co1012.

.7 ¶ Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:
.8  Therefore 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.
  7 Purge out Contamination was to be avoided. The person was to be put out of the church v13.
  7 - Christ ... sacrificed The fundamental principle of Christ as our substitution. The sacrificed lamb on the night the angel passed over the homes with blood on the doors represented Christ ex1223.
.9 ¶ I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:
  10  Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.
.11  But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.
 12  For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?
.13  But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person. 

   9 - I wrote The letter Paul refers to is thought to contain counsel in several verses in his second letter 2co0614. Our 2nd Corinthians, according to what I've read, was really two books with the second, chapters 1-9, appearing first. This is an unnecessary and likely not an accurate opinion.
See on v9 at the left.
  10 - Yet not altogether The idea is that we are to be separate not only from sinners of the world but from sinners who are in the church. We would not take this to be license to ignore them. We need to be loving and friendly while encouraging them to renew their faith.
  11 - Company [with] ... a drunkard See on 1ti0303.
  12 - Judgment We are not to judge in the sense of condemnation. However, judgment in choosing associates and recognition in church fellowship is an important, if not unpleasant, responsibility.
  13 - Put away Note that this is different from excommunication which is cutting the person off from God. Of course no person or church can do that although they may pretend to. God is not manipulated.
  13 - God judgeth Whether church members or not, only He knows the heart ps04421. We may be glad He does. Human judgment may be in error intentionally or unintentionally mt0510, lu0622. How then should the church relate to such a person? See on mt1817 as cited with v5.

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