1 Corinthians Chapter 5

1 Corinthians Chapter 5

CORINTH: RICH GREEK CITY/STATE

(Acts 18:1 [KJV])
After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth;

(Acts 18:8 [KJV])
And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized.

(Acts 19:1 [KJV])
And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,

(1 Corinthians 1:2 [KJV])
Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called [to be] saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:

(2 Corinthians 1:1 [KJV])
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy [our] brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia:

(2 Corinthians 1:23 [KJV])
Moreover I call God for a record upon my soul, that to spare you I came not as yet unto Corinth.

(2 Corinthians 6:11 [KJV])
O [ye] Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged.

(2 Timothy 4:20 [KJV])
Erastus abode at Corinth: but Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick.

  • Lots of good, fresh water
  • Lots of good, arable soil
  • Lots of good clay for ceramics, pottery, etc., hence "Corinthian Pottery"
  • Shops, fountains, carved stone temples to the Greek gods, porticos, metal workshops abounded
  • As a part of a major shipping lane, Corinth has four ports, on the Gulf of Corinth, between two seas
  • A temple to Apollo was there
  • Another temple was one to Aphrodite, an acropolis known as Acrocorinth, which was associated with prostitutes for the seafaring men, which made it a rich city
  • Perusing the two letters Paul wrote to them, it is obvious that they were apostate and backslidden.

(1 Corinthians 5:1 [KJV])
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.

  • How did Paul know about this? This person bragged about it and either it was to Paul or someone who told Paul.
  • "Commonly" reported means well known, as in the person boasted about it to others
  • Having relations with your own step-mother. In Corinth, calling themselves Christians in the public square
  • It is, to God, the same as uncovering the nakedness of one's father
  • It was placing a curse on the old testament Jews, so it would be abominable, detestable, loathsome to God, even today, as 2,000 years ago

(Leviticus 18:8 [KJV])
The nakedness of thy father's wife shalt thou not uncover: it [is] thy father's nakedness.

(Deuteronomy 27:20 [KJV])
Cursed [be] he that lieth with his father's wife; because he uncovereth his father's skirt. And all the people shall say, Amen.

(1 Corinthians 5:2 [KJV])
And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.

  • Imagine actually being proud of doing such a thing as this.
  • Pride....comes in all colors. Today it comes in rainbow colors
  • This person was supposed to be dealt with by both exposing the sin and breaking of fellowship.

(Colossians 2:5 [KJV])
For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ.

(Romans 13:12 [KJV])
The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.

(Ephesians 5:11 [KJV])
And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove [them].

(1 Corinthians 5:3 [KJV])
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,

  • One does not have to be with the sinner to recognize and call out the sin(s)
  • There is one Holy Spirit. When we pray, it is to the same God, the Father, through the Son the LORD Jesus Christ. Same prayer, different people and place. There is unity in prayer and distance says nothing of it, does nothing to it.
  • Paul can judge this because he trusts the testimony, the witnesses, as he discipled them.

(1 Corinthians 5:4 [KJV])
In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 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.

  • God will take this person home if they are saved, because they no longer glorify Him.
  • When Paul says, :and my spirit", it is that he is present, just not bodily, because they unite in prayer, through the Holy Spirit
  • When we gather in the Spirit, in prayer, in fellowship, the absent who are of the same mind are with us in spirit-THE SPIRIT
  • Once turned over to the enemy by God through prayer, no man stands a chance. No one does.
  • In the end, God decides, and the enemy is permitted or disallowed according to His will, and only with His permission.

(Job 1:12 [KJV])
And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath [is] in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.

(Job 2:6 [KJV])
And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he [is] in thine hand; but save his life.

(1 Corinthians 5:6 [KJV])
Your glorying [is] not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?

  • Leaven (yeast) represents sin in Scripture
  • Making bread, one knows the amount of yeast needed to raise it and that is not much in a whole loaf
  • By the same token, in a local body, it takes but one trouble maker, one heretick, one loud mouth to divide an entire congregation.
  • If they were glorying in this person's sin, that is bad for the whole congregation

(Titus 3:10 [KJV])
A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;

LEAVEN: SIN

(Genesis 19:3 [KJV])
And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat.

(Exodus 12:8 [KJV])
And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; [and] with bitter [herbs] they shall eat it.

(Exodus 12:15 [KJV])
Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel.

(Exodus 12:17 [KJV])
And ye shall observe [the feast of] unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever.

(Exodus 12:18 [KJV])
In the first [month], on the fourteenth day of the month at even, ye shall eat unleavened bread, until the one and twentieth day of the month at even.

(Exodus 12:19 [KJV])
Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your houses: for whosoever eateth that which is leavened, even that soul shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he be a stranger, or born in the land.

(Exodus 12:20 [KJV])
Ye shall eat nothing leavened; in all your habitations shall ye eat unleavened bread.

(Exodus 12:34 [KJV])
And the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneadingtroughs being bound up in their clothes upon their shoulders.

(Exodus 12:39 [KJV])
And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough which they brought forth out of Egypt, for it was not leavened; because they were thrust out of Egypt, and could not tarry, neither had they prepared for themselves any victual.

(Exodus 13:3 [KJV])
And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out from this [place]: there shall no leavened bread be eaten.

(Exodus 13:6 [KJV])
Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, and in the seventh day [shall be] a feast to the LORD.

(Exodus 13:7 [KJV])
Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days; and there shall no leavened bread be seen with thee, neither shall there be leaven seen with thee in all thy quarters.

(Exodus 23:15 [KJV])
Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before me empty:)

(Exodus 23:18 [KJV])
Thou shalt not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leavened bread; neither shall the fat of my sacrifice remain until the morning.

(Exodus 29:2 [KJV])
And unleavened bread, and cakes unleavened tempered with oil, and wafers unleavened anointed with oil: [of] wheaten flour shalt thou make them.

(Exodus 29:23 [KJV])
And one loaf of bread, and one cake of oiled bread, and one wafer out of the basket of the unleavened bread that [is] before the LORD:

(Exodus 34:18 [KJV])
The feast of unleavened bread shalt thou keep. Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, as I commanded thee, in the time of the month Abib: for in the month Abib thou camest out from Egypt.

(Exodus 34:25 [KJV])
Thou shalt not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leaven; neither shall the sacrifice of the feast of the passover be left unto the morning.

(Leviticus 2:4 [KJV])
And if thou bring an oblation of a meat offering baken in the oven, [it shall be] unleavened cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, or unleavened wafers anointed with oil.

(Leviticus 2:5 [KJV])
And if thy oblation [be] a meat offering [baken] in a pan, it shall be [of] fine flour unleavened, mingled with oil.

(Leviticus 2:11 [KJV])
No meat offering, which ye shall bring unto the LORD, shall be made with leaven: for ye shall burn no leaven, nor any honey, in any offering of the LORD made by fire.

(Leviticus 6:16 [KJV])
And the remainder thereof shall Aaron and his sons eat: with unleavened bread shall it be eaten in the holy place; in the court of the tabernacle of the congregation they shall eat it.

(Leviticus 6:17 [KJV])
It shall not be baken with leaven. I have given it [unto them for] their portion of my offerings made by fire; it [is] most holy, as [is] the sin offering, and as the trespass offering.

(Leviticus 7:12 [KJV])
If he offer it for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer with the sacrifice of thanksgiving unleavened cakes mingled with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and cakes mingled with oil, of fine flour, fried.

(Leviticus 7:13 [KJV])
Besides the cakes, he shall offer [for] his offering leavened bread with the sacrifice of thanksgiving of his peace offerings.

(Leviticus 8:2 [KJV])
Take Aaron and his sons with him, and the garments, and the anointing oil, and a bullock for the sin offering, and two rams, and a basket of unleavened bread;

(Leviticus 8:26 [KJV])
And out of the basket of unleavened bread, that [was] before the LORD, he took one unleavened cake, and a cake of oiled bread, and one wafer, and put [them] on the fat, and upon the right shoulder:

(Leviticus 10:12 [KJV])
And Moses spake unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons that were left, Take the meat offering that remaineth of the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and eat it without leaven beside the altar: for it [is] most holy:

(Leviticus 23:6 [KJV])
And on the fifteenth day of the same month [is] the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread.

(Leviticus 23:17 [KJV])
Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals: they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; [they are] the firstfruits unto the LORD.

(Numbers 6:15 [KJV])
And a basket of unleavened bread, cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, and wafers of unleavened bread anointed with oil, and their meat offering, and their drink offerings.

(Numbers 6:17 [KJV])
And he shall offer the ram [for] a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the LORD, with the basket of unleavened bread: the priest shall offer also his meat offering, and his drink offering.

(Numbers 6:19 [KJV])
And the priest shall take the sodden shoulder of the ram, and one unleavened cake out of the basket, and one unleavened wafer, and shall put [them] upon the hands of the Nazarite, after [the hair of] his separation is shaven:

(Numbers 9:11 [KJV])
The fourteenth day of the second month at even they shall keep it, [and] eat it with unleavened bread and bitter [herbs].

(Numbers 28:17 [KJV])
And in the fifteenth day of this month [is] the feast: seven days shall unleavened bread be eaten.

(Deuteronomy 16:3 [KJV])
Thou shalt eat no leavened bread with it; seven days shalt thou eat unleavened bread therewith, [even] the bread of affliction; for thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt in haste: that thou mayest remember the day when thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt all the days of thy life.

(Deuteronomy 16:4 [KJV])
And there shall be no leavened bread seen with thee in all thy coast seven days; neither shall there [any thing] of the flesh, which thou sacrificedst the first day at even, remain all night until the morning.

(Deuteronomy 16:8 [KJV])
Six days thou shalt eat unleavened bread: and on the seventh day [shall be] a solemn assembly to the LORD thy God: thou shalt do no work [therein].

(Deuteronomy 16:16 [KJV])
Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the LORD empty:

(Joshua 5:11 [KJV])
And they did eat of the old corn of the land on the morrow after the passover, unleavened cakes, and parched [corn] in the selfsame day.

(Judges 6:19 [KJV])
And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an ephah of flour: the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot, and brought [it] out unto him under the oak, and presented [it].

(Judges 6:20 [KJV])
And the angel of God said unto him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay [them] upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so.

(Judges 6:21 [KJV])
Then the angel of the LORD put forth the end of the staff that [was] in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there rose up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. Then the angel of the LORD departed out of his sight.

(1 Samuel 28:24 [KJV])
And the woman had a fat calf in the house; and she hasted, and killed it, and took flour, and kneaded [it], and did bake unleavened bread thereof:

(2 Kings 23:9 [KJV])
Nevertheless the priests of the high places came not up to the altar of the LORD in Jerusalem, but they did eat of the unleavened bread among their brethren.

(1 Chronicles 23:29 [KJV])
Both for the shewbread, and for the fine flour for meat offering, and for the unleavened cakes, and for [that which is baked in] the pan, and for that which is fried, and for all manner of measure and size;

(2 Chronicles 8:13 [KJV])
Even after a certain rate every day, offering according to the commandment of Moses, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts, three times in the year, [even] in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles.

(2 Chronicles 30:13 [KJV])
And there assembled at Jerusalem much people to keep the feast of unleavened bread in the second month, a very great congregation.

(2 Chronicles 30:21 [KJV])
And the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness: and the Levites and the priests praised the LORD day by day, [singing] with loud instruments unto the LORD.

(2 Chronicles 35:17 [KJV])
And the children of Israel that were present kept the passover at that time, and the feast of unleavened bread seven days.

(Ezra 6:22 [KJV])
And kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy: for the LORD had made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.

(Ezekiel 45:21 [KJV])
In the first [month], in the fourteenth day of the month, ye shall have the passover, a feast of seven days; unleavened bread shall be eaten.

(Hosea 7:4 [KJV])
They [are] all adulterers, as an oven heated by the baker, [who] ceaseth from raising after he hath kneaded the dough, until it be leavened.

(Amos 4:5 [KJV])
And offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving with leaven, and proclaim [and] publish the free offerings: for this liketh you, O ye children of Israel, saith the Lord GOD.

(Matthew 13:33 [KJV])
Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.

(Matthew 16:6 [KJV])
Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

(Matthew 16:11 [KJV])
How is it that ye do not understand that I spake [it] not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees?

(Matthew 16:12 [KJV])
Then understood they how that he bade [them] not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

(Matthew 26:17 [KJV])
Now the first [day] of the [feast of] unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the passover?

(Mark 8:15 [KJV])
And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and [of] the leaven of Herod.

(Mark 14:1 [KJV])
After two days was [the feast of] the passover, and of unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by craft, and put [him] to death.

(Mark 14:12 [KJV])
And the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the passover, his disciples said unto him, Where wilt thou that we go and prepare that thou mayest eat the passover?

(Luke 12:1 [KJV])
In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

(Luke 13:21 [KJV])
It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.

(Luke 22:1 [KJV])
Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover.

(Luke 22:7 [KJV])
Then came the day of unleavened bread, when the passover must be killed.

(Acts 12:3 [KJV])
And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.)

(Acts 20:6 [KJV])
And we sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread, and came unto them to Troas in five days; where we abode seven days.

(1 Corinthians 5:6 [KJV])
Your glorying [is] not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?

(1 Corinthians 5:7 [KJV])
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:

(1 Corinthians 5:8 [KJV])
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.

(Galatians 5:9 [KJV])
A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.

(1 Corinthians 5:7 [KJV])
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:

  • I do not know in baking how to remove leaven once it is sprinkled into a batch of dough, wet or dry
  • I can say that, once a bad batch of leavened dough enters a good, solid, unleavened congregation to stir things up and cause division, it is hard to remove
  • But, once done, it is like a breath of fresh air, a new lump of unleavened dough, a fully new congregation
  • Verse five above simply puts how this is done, by delivering the unjust one over to the enemy for the destruction of the flesh
  • Christ our Passover Lamb, sacrificed for us, means forgiveness, eternal life, even for us sinners, with the leaven of and in our lives, as He purges it for us.

(1 Corinthians 5:8 [KJV])
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.

  • Leaven represents sin, here as being insincere and lying, unleavened meaning sincere and truthfully
  • Old being malice and wickedness, is what they were, what we were
  • Leavened bread=SINFUL LIFE; UNLeavened bread=SINLESS LIFE

MAL'ICE, n. [L.malitia, from malus, evil.] Extreme enmity of heart, or malevolence; a disposition to injure others without cause, from mere personal gratification or from a spirit of revenge; unprovoked malignity or spite.
--Nor set down aught in malice.
MAL'ICE, v.t. To regard with extreme ill will. [Not used.]

(1 Corinthians 5:9 [KJV])
I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:

  • We are to separate out the leaven from ourselves, our lump, our congregation
  • To fornicate means simply to have sex outside of marriage, before , during, after marriage-OUTSIDE OF IT
  • Here the Scripture, in its context, is specifically speaking of believers doing this sort of behavior, not unbelievers, as the following verses clearly state and show

FORNICATION: BELIEVERS BREAKING FELLOWSHIP, COMPANY

(Matthew 18:15-17 [KJV])
Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear [thee, then] take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell [it] unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.

(1 Corinthians 6:13 [KJV])
Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body [is] not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.

(1 Corinthians 6:18 [KJV])
Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.

(2 Thessalonians 3:6 [KJV])
Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.

(2 Thessalonians 3:14 [KJV])
And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.

(2 Timothy 3:5 [KJV])
Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

(1 Corinthians 5:10 [KJV])
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.

  • Again, this is speaking of believers, breaking fellowship with those who are believers practicing such things, not the unbelievers
  • This is because, as stated clearly here, we could not deal with anyone on earth, and would have to leave earth, leave the entire world and live in a cave!
  • Coveting, extorting, worshiping other gods, and fornicating, all evils of this world, all related. A person covets another person's spouse, takes them in fornication. A person extorts by violently taking through threats, menacing. An idolater worships another person, overly adores them, places them on a pedestal in the place of God.

(1 Corinthians 5:11 [KJV])
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.

  • So we have fornication, coveting, extortion, railing (scoffing) at, worship of false gods, drunkards-all seem to describe our world now
  • This was also Paul's world, bringing meaning to the verse, "No new thing under the sun"

(Ecclesiastes 1:9-11 [KJV])
The thing that hath been, it [is that] which shall be; and that which is done [is] that which shall be done: and [there is] no new [thing] under the sun. Is there [any] thing whereof it may be said, See, this [is] new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us. [There is] no remembrance of former [things]; neither shall there be [any] remembrance of [things] that are to come with [those] that shall come after.

(1 Corinthians 5:12 [KJV])
For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?

(1 Corinthians 5:13 [KJV])
But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

  • Why? Because we cannot tell a person unsaved to stop a sin-they are incapable, and need to be saved first
  • The world is to be judged by God, because we cannot tell them in judgment they are anything, only warn and preach the Gospel.
  • The distinction here is that we ARE to judge those in the church who are in error, in sin, wrong with their doctrine and/or their lives.

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1 Corinthians 6

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