Verse by Verse

1 Now concerning the things of which you wrote to me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman.

² Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband.

³ Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband.

⁴ The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.

⁵ Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

⁶ But I say this as a concession, not as a commandment.

This letter was not written with normal conditions of life in view. Two things contributed to the abnormal state of affairs in Corinth. One was their recent conversion from paganism; the other was their imminent persecution by pagans. These two things created abnormal conditions. As a result, a letter had been written to Paul asking his advice on specific questions. Therefore, when Paul writes the advice found in this chapter, he is not treating the general subject of marriage. He is giving advice concerning marriage under certain emergencies which had arisen in Corinth. He is not saying here is what is right or wrong, but what is wise under prevailing conditions. — Laurin, page 120

I include Laurin’s quote (above) because it’s a common view I’ve heard before. It makes sense, but I’m not sure I agree with it (or that I disagree with it). All Scripture was written “under prevailing conditions,” and to discount it on that basis leaves us with very little to guide us.

render (v.3) = the discharge of an obligation

does not have authority (v.4) — In this case, over one’s own body, either to withhold sex or to have sex outside of marriage.

for a time (v.5) — abstention must be 1) by mutual consent; 2) temporary; and 3) to devote energy to prayer

fasting (v.5) — not in the original manuscripts

permission (v.6) = lit. “joint opinion,” “concession” — referring to what he just said in verse 5.

Paul is not less inspired here (v.6) than he is elsewhere. He is not stepping out of character as an inspired writer. He is as much inspired at this point as at others. What he is saying is that his advice to marry or to stay unmarried is not to be considered as a divine command. Everyone is to act according to his own conscience. — Laurin, page 124.

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This was not by commandment but by permission, and just because you are able to be happy in the single state, do not make your personal experience a rule for others, do not make your own ideas the measuring stick and the only rule and guide for everyone else who may be differently constituted in temperament than you are. — DeHaan, page 73

¹⁹ Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?

²⁰ For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

temple (v.19) = sanctuary, shrine — a place where God’s honor dwells and where His glory is manifested

The Corinthians would readily understand what Paul meant by this statement. There were heathen shrines in Corinth, each for its special god. Much of their worship was associated with immoral practices. Here was a new conception of life. It was — the body as a shrine for God. It was no longer a sacred building but a sacred body. It was no longer God isolated to a sacred place but God present in every activity of life. — Laurin, page 118.

of God (v.19) — Ephesians 1:13

not your own (v.19) — after being indwelled by the Spirit, the believer should not consider his body his to do with as he wants — Romans 14:8-9

price (v.20) — the blood of Christ

therefore (v.20) — in response to being bought with the blood of Christ

glorify God (v20) — our response to having been bought

and in your spirit, which are God’s (v.20) — not in most manuscripts

¹⁵ Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not!

¹⁶ Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For “the two,” He says, “shall become one flesh.”

¹⁷ But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.

¹⁸ Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.

Here [v.15], additional truth is added to that in verse 13. The body of the believer not only belongs to God and is for His use, but the body of the believer is united TO Him. This part of the personality of the individual believer is a member of the body of which Christ is the head.

In Romans 12:1 Paul begs us to present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God, which is our reasonable service. Ephesians 5:30 declares in unmistakable language, “For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones.” — Greene, p.224.

The quote in v.16 is from Genesis 2:24.

one flesh (v.16) — the sex act lives on morally in both partners, whether husband and wife or fornicators

one spirit (v.17) — spiritual union (John 14:20; 17:21-23)

flee (v.18) — sexual sins were widespread in Corinth

¹² All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.

¹³ Foods for the stomach and the stomach for foods, but God will destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.

¹⁴ And God both raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by His power.

helpful (v.12) = expedient, profitable, beneficial to ourselves and others (1 Corinthians 8:13)

lawful (v.12 — 2nd use) = within my power (Philippians 3:8)

destroy (v.13) = render inactive

So, food has no moral significance one way or another. It’s OK to satisfy our appetite for food as long as we don’t abuse it. And it is temporary. We will eat in our glorified bodies, but we likely won’t need to eat. The body is eternal (in its glorified, resurrected state), so there are things that are morally wrong. Especially since we have the power of Christ’s resurrection now. Therefore, while the gratification of hunger is not wrong, the gratification of the sexual appetite, outside of marriage, is.

Ah, the resurrected life of Christ! God, in His grace will give us the power to live it if, like Paul, we truly long to “know Him, and the power of His resurrection” (Philippians 3:10).

This, surely, is what he refers to in Philippians 3:11, in the phrase, “that I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.” The word “attain” clearly implies that he does not speak here of a future resurrection, but of a resurrection life to be attained to, and enjoyed, during this present earthly sojourn. He emphasizes this fact by acknowledging that he has not yet fully attained; that he is not yet perfect (v.12). But this is the “prize” he daily seeks to gain (vs. 13-14).

Finally, in Romans 8:11 the apostle declares that if the Spirit of God, who “raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you,” that same spirit, dwelling in you, “shall also quicken your mortal bodies.”

And he adds: “Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh” (v.12).

How can we leave this blessed subject without adding Colossians 3:1-3? “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead and your life [i.e. your new life] is hid with Christ in God.” — Stam, page 121.

⁹ Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites,

¹⁰ nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.

¹¹ And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

fornicators (v.9) — sexual immorality in general

idolaters (v.9) — in pagan culture, often associated with fornication

revilers (v.10) — use abusive language

you were washed (v.11) = lit. “you washed yourself” — not that they did the washing, but they chose to be washed

you were sanctified (v.11) — passive voice — the work of the Spirit to separate them to God and from sin

you were justified (v.11) — declared righteous before God — The members of the Corinthian church were saved (such were some of you). But it is obvious from Paul’s letter that they were also sinning, so the “shall not inherit the kingdom of God” in verses 9 and 10 can only refer to those who sin and haven’t been washed, sanctified and justified. In other words, those who go to hell do so because of these sins. Those who inherit the kingdom of God, while still sinning, have had their sins paid for. But Paul’s point is that, as believers, they should not be doing the things that send unbelievers to hell.

After Paul’s long list of those who shall not “inherit the kingdom of God,” he says, “and such were some of you” (v.11). Why did he not say, “and such are some of you”? for it was for just such sins as those listed in verses 9-10 that he had so sternly rebuked them.

Verse 11 explains why he could say to these Corinthians, so stained with sin, “and such WERE some of you.” Read the whole verse again and see: “And such were some of you; but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”

It is true: not one who can be designated as those listed in verses 9-10 will ever enter the presence of God. But by grace we have been washed, sanctified and justified by the Spirit, through our Lord’s redemptive work: “made accepted in the Beloved” and pronounced “complete in Him” (Ephesians 1:6; Colossians 2:10).

And this is just why these Corinthians were exhorted to live lives that honored, rather than disgraced, the Lord Jesus Christ. The apostle clearly indicates that the very sins for which he had rebuked them were those for which the lost shall perish forever, as they are judged “every man according to his works.” But “you,” he says, “have been cleansed, and sanctified, and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and by the Spirit of our God.” — Stam, pages 117-118.

1 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?

² Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters?

³ Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life?

⁴ If then you have judgments concerning things pertaining to this life, do you appoint those who are least esteemed by the church to judge?

⁵ I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you, not even one, who will be able to judge between his brethren?

⁶ But brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers!

⁷ Now therefore, it is already an utter failure for you that you go to law against one another. Why do you not rather accept wrong? Why do you not rather let yourselves be cheated?

⁸ No, you yourselves do wrong and cheat, and you do these things to your brethren!

The fifth chapter deals with judging those outside the church. The sixth chapter deals with judging those inside the church. In other words, don’t judge unbelievers, and don’t ask them to judge you.

dare (v.1) — is it possible?

matter (v.1) — unresolved issue

before the unrighteous (v.1) — The issue wasn’t that the civil courts wouldn’t give them a fair judgment (although they might not), but that they should handle the matter themselves.

judge the world (v.2) — a reminder of their high calling in Christ

are you unworthy (v.2) — Issues between believers should be judged in light of their position and calling in Christ.

Do you not know that we shall judge angels? (v.3) — The statement indicates that the saints of the Church will be called upon to be associated with the Lord in the judgment pronounced upon angels. Exactly how this passage will take place is not revealed in Scripture. The point of this passage is that members of the Church, the body of Christ, constituting as they do the highest form of created beings and thus being superior to angels should realize their eternal dignity in these respects and should regard and regulate the circumstances of this present life accordingly. — Vine, page 42.

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But we, by the grace of God, are destined to judge both men and angels with righteous judgment. As the 12 apostles of the kingdom will some day reign with Christ on earth (Matthew 19:28), and as overcoming believers from the Great Tribulation will be given authority over the nations (Revelation 2:26), so we shall judge, and reign, with Christ, not on earth, but over the earth, much as the principalities and powers in heavenly places do today (Ephesians 2:2; cf. Daniel 10:12-13, 20-21; 21:1). This is why Paul could write in 2 Timothy 2:12: “If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him,” and could assure Timothy: “The Lord shall preserve me … unto His heavenly kingdom” (2 Timothy 4:18).

And as to believers judging angels (doubtless Satan and his fallen angels), why should there be any question about this? Ephesians 1:20-21 could not express more clearly the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ was raised from the dead and made to sit at God’s right hand in heavenly places, “far above all principality and power, and might, and dominion and every name that is named, not only in this world but also in that which is to come,” And in Ephesians 2:6 he declares that we believers have been “raised with Christ” and made to sit “in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” Thus when our Lord judges the angels we will have a part in this. — Stam, pages 114-115.

if (v.4) — implying that they shouldn’t

I say this to your shame (v.5) — to shame you

The point of verses 6 and 7 is to say that there should be no issues between them, and certainly not of a seriousness to require an unbelieving judge.

utter (v.7) — so complete that it was affecting the whole church

failure (v.7) = defect, spiritual loss

Not only were they not enduring injustice from brothers, but they were committing it on brothers (v.8).

⁹ I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people.

¹⁰ Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world.

¹¹ But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person.

¹² For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside?

¹³ But those who are outside God judges. Therefore “put away from yourselves the evil person.”

I wrote (v.9) — maybe an earlier letter, but likely this one. In Greek, the phrase could mean either. (See v.11.)

world (v.10) — human society

covetous (v.10 and 11) =desiring more (in an evil way)

named a brother (v.11) — one who professes faith

reviler (v.11) — one who uses abusive or violent language

not to eat (v.11) — not to fellowship or socialize

outside (v.12) — unbelievers (Colossians 4:5; 1 Thessalonians 4:12; 1 Timothy 3:7)

judge those who are inside (v.12) — It is proper for an assembly to judge its own members. God will judge those outside (v.13).

evil (v.13) — not just sinful, but having a bad effect. The quote is from Deuteronomy 17:7 and 21:21 — death to sinners in the Old Testament, but only on the testimony of 2 or 3 witnesses

⁶ Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?

⁷ Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.

⁸ Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

glorying (v.6) — from v.2 — not the boasting itself but their ground for boasting

do you not know (v.6) — They should have known — they were boasting about how wise they were.

little (v.6) — stressed — it only takes a small amount

old leaven (vs. 7 and 8) — spiritual corruption such as malice and wickedness (v.8)

Verse 7 is a reference to Exodus 12:18-20; 13:6-7; the Jewish household was enjoined to remove all leaven in preparation for the Passover. This signalized the complete break with the old manner of life in Egypt, and their entrance upon the new life they were designed to enjoy in fellowship with God. so with an assembly, this fellowship must be maintained in all purity, everything being purged out that may intrude, so that each member, and therefore the whole assembly, may maintain a condition in accordance with the new (that is the unleavened) life in Christ, responding continually to the holy calling wherein we are called. — Vine, page 38.

Christ (v.7) — heavily stressed

Passover (v.7) — a metonymy — a substitution of a word for an attribute or concept for that of the thing meant (as in “suit” for businessman)

Since Christ is our Passover Lamb, we should observe the spiritual equivalent of the Passover feast. It was required of the people that on the eve of this feast all leaven should be removed from their homes. From that time to the time the paschal lamb was offered in the temple, no leaven was to appear on their tables. This suggests the Christian’s attitude to life. He should exclude all sin, anything leavenous, from his life. Anything that would contaminate the body or the mind or the spirit should be put away. — Laurin, page 108.

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The Passover feast of Old Testament times was followed by, or rather expanded into, the feast of Unleavened Bread; i.e., the feast of Unleavened Bread included the foregoing Passover Eve (Exodus 12:15, 17). In preparation for this whole celebration, every vestige of leaven, or yeast, was to be removed from every Hebrew home for one week. Indeed, those who ate leavened bread at that time were to be “cut off” from the people of Israel (Exodus 12:15-20). This is important, for in 1 Corinthians 10:11 the apostle, referring to Israel’s experiences, says: “These were written for our learning and admonition.”

With many Jews still in the Corinthian congregation, the Gentiles doubtless clearly understood the meaning of all this — and so should we.

“Purge out therefore the old leaven,” he says, “that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened.” Is there a contradiction here? If they were unleavened, perfectly cleansed from all evil, why need they “purge out the old leaven“? The answer appears as we continue reading: “Ye are unleavened, for Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us” (v.7).

In Christ, and through His finished work in their behalf, they actually were cleansed from all sin (cf. 6:11), but experientially they must “purge out” all evil from themselves, individually and as an assembly, keeping the feast of Unleavened Bread, as it were, “in sincerity and truth,” with the leaven of the old life carefully “purged out.” — Stam, pages 109-110.

sacrificed (v.7) — tense indicates a past event with ongoing results

feast (v.8) — or “festival” — here used of the spiritual walk (to continue the reference to Passover and bread)

malice (v.8) = viciousness

wickedness (v.8) = that which is injurious — Together with “malice” it covers the scope of sin

sincerity (v.8) = purity — having actions align with convictions

truth (v.8) = consistent with reality

⁴ In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,

⁵ deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

in the name (v.4) — in the authority

with the power (v.4) — Paul, as an apostle, had special wisdom and discernment from the Lord.

deliver … to Satan (v.5) — to put the offender in the world where Satan rules (1 John 5:19) See also 2 Thessalonians 3:6, 14-15.

destruction (v.5) — loss of well-being, not loss of being — with a view to the person’s spiritual benefit — This destruction is the judgment of God but the work of Satan.

Something more than expulsion from the church seems implied, though this would ipso facto be fulfilled in the act of which the apostle here speaks, which sets forth a severer aspect of the retribution. To deliver to Satan would seem to involve severe physical affliction and apostolic authority, as is indicated by 1 Timothy 1:20, where the apostle states that he had exercised his authority in this way in the case of the promulgators of evil doctrine. Yet, while a church may not formally do so, the principle of the act is inherent. — Vine, page 37.

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We have here a unique apostolic case such as we would not find in our day. Only in Bible times could Satan inflict bodily suffering as on Job and on a woman (Luke 13:15), and on several in the church of Corinth (2 Corinthians 12:7). — Bultema, page 40.

spirit (v.5) — Satan is not allowed to touch the spirit of a believer.

day of the Lord Jesus (v.5) — the Judgment Seat of Christ (Romans 14:12; 2 Corinthians 5:10)

That the fallen brother was [saved] is evident from 2 Corinthians 2:6-8 where we learn that he was graciously restored, and that because of his fall into immorality he was now even in danger of being “swallowed up with overmuch sorrow” (v.7). This was a wholesome reaction. Surely he was no longer “puffed up,” no longer arrogant, but rather “a broken and empty vessel,” now “meet for the Master’s use,” and doubtless providing a much -needed lesson to the rest of the assembly. — Stam, page 107.

1 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles — that a man has his father’s wife!

² And you are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he who has done this deed might be taken away from among you.

³ For I indeed, as absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged (as though I were present) him who has so done this deed.

actually reported (v.1) — The sin was well-known and a topic of general conversation.

sexual immorality (v.1) — The word refers to illicit sexual intercourse of any type. It seems that the man’s father was still alive (2 Corinthians 7:12), that the father and his wife were separated or divorced (perhaps because of the wife’s relations with the son), that the man was a Christian (v.11) and that the woman was not (v.13). The woman is often thought to be the man’s step-mother, but there is nothing in the text to rule out her being his mother. The crime was forbidden by Roman law and by Mosaic law (Leviticus 18:8; Deuteronomy 22:30. See also Ephesians 5:3).

puffed up (v.2) = self-complacency and pride — tense indicates an ongoing condition — Members of the church were proud regarding those issues covered in chapters 1-4, but some may have even been applauding the sinning man for his boldness and exercise of “Christian liberty.”

have not … mourned (v.2) — tense indicates a past action that should have occurred but hadn’t

deed (v.2) — The word expresses the heinous nature of the sin strongly.

taken away from you (v.2) — perhaps by divine judgment, but certainly as a result of their own actions

has so done (v.3) = has perpetrated — expresses the aggravated nature of the act.