In this chapter the
apostle,
I.
Reproves them for going to law with one
another about small matters, and bringing the cause before heathen judges,
ver. 1-8. II. He takes occasion hence to warn them against many gross sins,
to which they had been formerly addicted, ver. 9-11. III. And, having
cautioned them against the abuse of their liberty, he vehemently dehorts
them from fornication, by various arguments, ver. 12 to the end.
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Causes
of Litigation Censured.
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A. D. 57.
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1
Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the
unjust, and not before the saints? 2 Do ye not know that the
saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are
ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? 3 Know ye not that we
shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?
4 If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to
judge who are least esteemed in the church. 5 I speak to your
shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that
shall be able to judge between his brethren? 6 But brother goeth
to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers. 7 Now
therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with
another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer
yourselves to be defrauded? 8 Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud,
and that your brethren.
Here the apostle reproves
them for going to law with one another before heathen judges for little
matters; and therein blames all vexatious law-suits. In the previous
chapter he had directed them to punish heinous sins among themselves by
church-censures. Here he directs them to determine controversies with one
another by church-counsel and advice, concerning which observe,
I. The fault he blames
them for: it was going to law. Not but that the law is good, if a man use
it lawfully. But, 1. Brother went to law with brother (v.
6), one member of the church with another. The near relation could not
preserve peace and good understanding. The bonds of fraternal love were
broken through. And a brother offended, as Solomon says, is harder
to be won than a strong city; their contentions are like the bars of a
castle, Prov. xviii. 19. Note, Christians should not contend with one
another, for they are brethren. This, duly attended to, would prevent
law-suits, and put an end to quarrels and litigations. 2. They brought the
matter before the heathen magistrates: they went to law before the
unjust, not before the saints (v. 1), brought the controversy
before unbelievers (v. 6), and did not compose it among themselves,
Christians and saints, at least in profession. This tended much to the
reproach of Christianity. It published at once their folly and
unpeaceableness; whereas they pretended to be the children of wisdom, and
the followers of the Lamb, the meek and lowly Jesus, the prince of peace.
And therefore, says the apostle, "Dare any of you, having a
controversy with another, go to law, implead him, bring the matter to a
hearing before the unjust?" Note, Christians should not dare to do any
thing that tends to the reproach of their Christian name and profession. 3.
Here is at least an intimation that they went to law for trivial matters,
things of little value; for the apostle blames them that they did not suffer
wrong rather than go to law (v. 7), which must be understood of
matters not very important. In matters of great damage to ourselves or
families, we may use lawful means to right ourselves. We are not bound to
sit down and suffer the injury tamely, without stirring for our own relief;
but, in matters of small consequence, it is better to put up with the wrong.
Christians should be of a forgiving temper. And it is more for their ease
and honour to suffer small injuries and inconveniences than seem to be
contentious.
II. He lays before them
the aggravations of their fault: Do you not know that the saints shall
judge the world (v. 2), shall judge angels? v. 3.
And are they unworthy to judge the smallest matters, the things of this
life? It was a dishonour to their Christian character, a forgetting of
their real dignity, as saints, for them to carry little matters, about the
things of life, before heathen magistrates. When they were to judge the
world, nay, to judge, it is unaccountable that they could not determine
little controversies among one another. By judging the world and angels,
some think, is to be understood, their being assessors to Christ in the
great judgment-day; it being said of our Saviour's disciples that they
should at that day sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of
Israel, Matt. xix. 28. And elsewhere we read of our Lord's coming
with ten thousand of his saints to execute judgment on all, &c.,
Jude 14, 15. He will come to judgment with all his saints, 1 Thess.
iii. 13. They themselves are indeed to be judged (see Matt. xxv. 31-41), but
they may first be acquitted, and then advanced to the bench, to approve and
applaud the righteous judgment of Christ both on men and angels. In no other
sense can they be judges. They are not partners in their Lord's commission,
but they have the honour to sit by, and see his proceeding against the
wicked world, and approve it. Others understand this judging of the world to
be meant when the empire should become Christian. But it does not appear
that the Corinthians had knowledge of the empire's becoming Christian; and,
if they had, in what sense could Christian emperors be said to judge angels?
Others understand it of their condemning the world by their faith and
practice, and casting out evil angels by miraculous power, which was not
confined to the first ages, nor to the apostles. The first sense seems to be
most natural; and at the same time it gives the utmost force to the
argument. "Shall Christians have the honour to sit with the sovereign
Judge at the last day, whilst he passes judgment on sinful men and evil
angels, and are they not worthy to judge of the trifles about which you
contend before heathen magistrates? Cannot they make up your mutual
differences? Why must you bring them before heathen judges? When you are to
judge them, as it fit to appeal to their judicature? Must you, about the
affairs of this life, set those to judge who are of no esteem in the church?"
(so some read, and perhaps most properly, v. 4), heathen
magistrates, exouqenhmenouV,
the things that are not, ch. i. 28. "Must those be called
in to judge in your controversies of whom you ought to entertain so low an
opinion? Is this not shameful?" v. 5. Some who read it as our
translators make it an ironical speech: "If you have such controversies
depending, set those to judge who are of least esteem among yourselves. The
meanest of your own members are able surely to determine these disputes.
Refer the matters in variance to any, rather than go to law about them
before heathen judges. They are trifles not worth contending about, and may
easily be decided, if you have first conquered your own spirits, and brought
them into a truly Christian temper. Bear and forbear, and the men of
meanest skill among you may end your quarrels. I speak it to your shame,"
v. 5. Note, It is a shame that little quarrels should grow to such a
head among Christians, that they cannot be determined by arbitration of the
brethren.
III. He puts them on a
method to remedy this fault. And this twofold:-- 1. By referring it to some
to make it up: "Is it so that there is no wise man among you, no one
able to judge between his brethren? v. 5. You who value
yourselves so much upon your wisdom and knowledge, who are so puffed up upon
your extraordinary gifts and endowments, is there none among you fit for
this office, none that has wisdom enough to judge in these differences? Must
brethren quarrel, and the heathen magistrate judge, in a church so famous as
yours for knowledge and wisdom? It is a reproach to you that quarrels should
run so high, and none of your wise men interpose to prevent them."
Note, Christians should never engage in law-suits till all other remedies
have been tried in vain. Prudent Christians should prevent, if possible,
their disputes, and not courts of judicature decide them, especially in
matters of no great importance. 2. By suffering wrong rather than taking
this method to right themselves: It is utterly a fault among you to go to
law in this matter: it is always a fault of one side to go to law,
except in a case where the title is indeed dubious, and there is a friendly
agreement of both parties to refer it to the judgment of those learned in
the law to decide it. And this is referring it, rather than contending about
it, which is the thing the apostle here seems chiefly to condemn: Should
you not rather take wrong, rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?
Note, A Christian should rather put up with a little injury than tease
himself, and provoke others, by a litigious contest. The peace of his own
mind, and the calm of his neighbourhood, are more worth than victory in such
a contest, or reclaiming his own right, especially when the quarrel must be
decided by those who are enemies to religion. But the apostle tells them
they were so far from bearing injuries that they actually did wrong, and
defrauded, and that their brethren. Note, It is utterly a fault to wrong
and defraud any; but it is an aggravation of this fault to defraud our
Christian brethren. The ties of mutual love ought to be stronger between
them than between others. And love worketh no ill to his neighbour,
Rom. xiii. 10. Those who love the brotherhood can never, under the influence
of this principle, hurt or injure them.
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Solemn
Warnings.
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A. D. 57.
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9
Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be
not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor
effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor
thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall
inherit the kingdom of God. 11 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.
Here he takes occasion to
warn them against many heinous evils, to which they had been formerly
addicted.
I. He puts it to them as a
plain truth, of which they could not be ignorant, that such sinners should
not inherit the kingdom of God. The meanest among them must know thus much,
that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God (v.
9), shall not be owned as true members of his church on earth, nor admitted
as glorious members of the church in heaven. All unrighteousness is sin; and
all reigning sin, nay, every actual sin committed deliberately, and not
repented of, shuts out of the kingdom of heaven. He specifies several sorts
of sins: against the first and second commandments, as idolaters;
against the seventh, as adulterers, fornicators, effeminate, and Sodomites;
against the eighth, as thieves and extortioners, that by force
or fraud wrong their neighbours; against the ninth, as revilers; and
against the tenth, as covetous and drunkards, as those who are in a
fair way to break all the rest. Those who knew any thing of religion must
know that heaven could never be intended for these. The scum of the earth
are no ways fit to fill the heavenly mansions. Those who do the devil's work
can never receive God's wages, at least no other than death, the just
wages of sin, Rom. vi. 23.
II. Yet he warns them
against deceiving themselves: Be not deceived. Those who cannot but
know the fore-mentioned truth are but too apt not to attend to it. Men are
very much inclined to flatter themselves that God is such a one as
themselves, and that they may live in sin and yet die in Christ, may
lead the life of the devil's children and yet go to heaven with the children
of God. But this is all a gross cheat. Note, It is very much the concern of
mankind that they do not cheat themselves in the matters of their souls. We
cannot hope to sow to the flesh and yet reap everlasting life.
III. He puts them in mind
what a change the gospel and grace of God had made in them: Such were
some of you (v. 11), such notorious sinners as he had been
reckoning up. The Greek word is tauta--such
things were some of you, very monsters rather than men. Note, Some that
are eminently good after their conversion have been as remarkably wicked
before. Quantum mutatus ab illo!--How glorious a change does grace make!
It changes the vilest of men into saints and the children of God. Such were
some of you, but you are not what you were. You are washed, you are
sanctified, you are justified in the name of Christ, and by the Spirit of
our God. Note, The wickedness of men before conversion is no bar to
their regeneration and reconciliation to God. The blood of Christ, and the
washing of regeneration, can purge away all guilt and defilement. Here
is a rhetorical change of the natural order: You are sanctified, you are
justified. Sanctification is mentioned before justification: and yet the
name of Christ, by which we are justified, is placed before the Spirit of
God, by whom we are sanctified. Our justification is owing to the merit of
Christ; our sanctification to the operation of the Spirit: but both go
together. Note, None are cleansed from the guilt of sin, and reconciled to
God through Christ, but those who are also sanctified by his Spirit. All who
are made righteous in the sight of God are made holy by the grace of God.
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Against
Fornication.
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A. D. 57.
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12
All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things
are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.
13 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. 14 And God hath both raised up the
Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power. 15 Know ye not
that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of
Christ, and make them the members of a harlot? God forbid.
16 What? know ye not that he which is joined to a harlot is one body? for
two, saith he, shall be one flesh. 17 But he that is joined unto
the Lord is one spirit. 18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a
man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth
against his own body. 19 What? know ye not that your body is the
temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and
ye are not your own? 20 For ye are bought with a price:
therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
The twelfth verse and
former part of the thirteenth seem to relate to that early dispute among
Christians about the distinction of meats, and yet to be prefatory to the
caution that follows against fornication. The connection seems plain enough
if we attend to the famous determination of the apostles, Acts xv., where
the prohibition of certain foods was joined with that of fornication. Now
some among the Corinthians seem to have imagined that they were as much at
liberty in the point of fornication as of meats, especially because it was
not a sin condemned by the laws of their country. They were ready to say,
even in the case of fornication, All things are lawful for me. This
pernicious conceit Paul here sets himself to oppose: he tells them that many
things lawful in themselves were not expedient at certain times, and under
particular circumstances; and Christians should not barely consider what is
in itself lawful to be done, but what is fit for them to do, considering
their profession, character, relations, and hopes: they should be very
careful that by carrying this maxim too far they be not brought into
bondage, either to a crafty deceiver or a carnal inclination. All things
are lawful for me, says he, but I will not be brought under the power
of any, v. 12. Even in lawful things, he would not be subject to
the impositions of a usurped authority: so far was he from apprehending that
in the things of God it was lawful for any power on earth to impose its own
sentiments. Note, There is a liberty wherewith Christ has made us free, in
which we must stand fast. But surely he would never carry this liberty so
far as to put himself into the power of any bodily appetite. Though all
meats were supposed lawful, he would not become a glutton nor a drunkard.
And much less would he abuse the maxim of lawful liberty to countenance the
sin of fornication, which, though it might be allowed by the Corinthian
laws, was a trespass upon the law of nature, and utterly unbecoming a
Christian. He would not abuse this maxim about eating and drinking to
encourage any intemperance, nor indulge a carnal appetite: "Though
meats are for the belly and the belly for meats (v. 13), though
the belly was made to receive food, and food was originally ordained to fill
the belly, yet if it be not convenient for me, and much more if it be
inconvenient, and likely to enslave me, if I am in danger of being subjected
to my belly and appetite, I will abstain. But God shall destroy both it
and them, at least as to their mutual relation. There is a time coming
when the human body will need no further recruits of food." Some of the
ancients suppose that this is to be understood of abolishing the belly as
well as the food; and that though the same body will be raised at the great
day, yet not with all the same members, some being utterly unnecessary in a
future state, as the belly for instance, when the man is never to hunger,
nor thirst, nor eat, nor drink more. But, whether this be true or no, there
is a time coming when the need and use of food shall be abolished. Note, The
expectation we have of being without bodily appetites in a future life is a
very good argument against being under their power in the present life. This
seems to me the sense of the apostle's argument; and that this passage is
plainly to be connected with his caution against fornication, though some
make it a part of the former argument against litigious law-suits,
especially before heathen magistrates and the enemies of true religion.
These suppose that the apostle argues that though it may be lawful to claim
our rights yet it is not always expedient, and it is utterly unfit for
Christians to put themselves into the power of infidel judges, lawyers, and
solicitors, on these accounts. But this connection seems not so natural. The
transition to his arguments against fornication, as I have laid it, seems
very natural: But the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord, and
the Lord for the body, v. 13. Meats and the belly are for one
another; not so fornication and the body.
I. The body is not for
fornication, but for the Lord. This is the first argument he uses against
this sin, for which the heathen inhabitants of Corinth were infamous, and
the converts to Christianity retained too favourable an opinion of it. It is
making things to cross their intention and use. The body is not for
fornication; it was never formed for any such purpose, but for the
Lord, for the service and honour of God. It is to be an instrument of
righteousness to holiness (Rom. vi. 19), and therefore is never to be
made an instrument of uncleanness. It is to be a member of Christ, and
therefore must not be made the member of a harlot, v. 15. And the
Lord is for the body, that is, as some think, Christ is to be Lord of
the body, to have property in it and dominion over it, having assumed a body
and been made to partake of our nature, that he might be head of his church,
and head over all things, Heb. ii. 5, 18. Note, We must take care that we do
not use what belongs to Christ as if it were our own, and much less to his
dishonour.
II. Some understand this
last passage, The Lord is for the body, thus: He is for its
resurrection and glorification, according to what follows, v. 14,
which is a second argument against this sin, the honour intended to be put
on our bodies: God hath both raised up our Lord, and will raise us up by
his power (v. 14), by the power of him who shall change our
vile body, and make it like to his glorious body by that power whereby he is
able to subdue all things to himself, Phil. iii. 21. It is an honour
done to the body that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead: and it will be
an honour to our bodies that they will be raised. Let us not abuse those
bodies by sin, and make them vile, which, if they be kept pure, shall,
notwithstanding their present vileness, be made like to Christ's glorious
body. Note, The hopes of a resurrection to glory should restrain
Christians from dishonouring their bodies by fleshly lusts.
III. A third argument is
the honour already put on them: Know you not that your bodies are the
members of Christ? v. 15. If the soul be united to Christ by
faith, the whole man is become a member of his mystical body. The body is in
union with Christ as well as the soul. How honourable is this to the
Christian! His very flesh is a part of the mystical body of Christ. Note, It
is good to know in what honourable relations we stand, that we may endeavour
to become them. But now, says the apostle, shall I take the
members of Christ, and make them the members of a harlot? God forbid.
Or, take away the members of Christ? Would not this be a gross abuse,
and the most notorious injury? Would it not be dishonouring Christ, and
dishonouring ourselves to the very last degree? What, make a Christ's
members the members of a harlot, prostitute them to so vile a purpose! The
thought is to be abhorred. God forbid. Know you not that he who is joined
to a harlot is one body with hers? For two, says he, shall be
one flesh. But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit, v. 16,
17. Nothing can stand in greater opposition to the honourable relations and
alliances of a Christian man than this sin. He is joined to the Lord in
union with Christ, and made partaker by faith of his Spirit. One spirit
lives and breathes and moves in the head and members. Christ and his
faithful disciples are one, John xvii. 21, 22. But he that is joined to a
harlot is one body, for two shall be one flesh, by carnal conjunction,
which was ordained of God only to be in a married state. Now shall one in so
close a union with Christ as to be one spirit with him yet be so united to a
harlot as to become one flesh with her? Were not this a vile attempt to make
a union between Christ and harlots? And can a greater indignity he offered
to him or ourselves? Can any thing be more inconsistent with our profession
or relation? Note, The sin of fornication is a great injury in a Christian
to his head and lord, and a great reproach and blot on his profession. It is
no wonder therefore that the apostle should say, "Flee fornication
(v. 18), avoid it, keep out of the reach of temptations to it, of
provoking objects. Direct the eyes and mind to other things and
thoughts." Alia vitia pugnando, sola libido fugiendo vincitur--Other
vices may be conquered in fight, this only by flight; so speak many of
the fathers.
IV. A fourth argument is
that it is a sin against our own bodies. Every sin that a man does is
without the body; he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own
body (v. 18); every sin, that is, every other sin, every external
act of sin besides, is without the body. It is not so much an abuse of the
body as of somewhat else, as of wine by the drunkard, food by the glutton,
&c. Nor does it give the power of the body to another person. Nor does
it so much tend to the reproach of the body and render it vile. This sin is
in a peculiar manner styled uncleanness, pollution, because no sin has so
much external turpitude in it, especially in a Christian. He sins against
his own body; he defiles it, he degrades it, making it one with the body of
that vile creature with whom he sins. He casts vile reproach on what he
Redeemer has dignifies to the last degree by taking it into union with
himself. Note, We should not make our present vile bodies more vile by
sinning against them.
V. The fifth argument
against this sin is that the bodies of Christians are the temples of the
Holy Ghost which is in them, and which they have of God, v. 19.
He that is joined to Christ is one spirit. He is yielded up to him, is
consecrated thereby, and set apart for his use, and is hereupon possessed,
and occupied, and inhabited, by his Holy Spirit. This is the proper notion
of a temple--a place where God dwells, and sacred to his use, by his own
claim and his creature's surrender. Such temples real Christians are of the
Holy Ghost. Must he not therefore be God? But the inference is plain that
hence we are not our own. We are yielded up to God, and possessed by and for
God; nay, and this is virtue of a purchase made of us: You are bought
with a price. In short, our bodies were made for God, they were
purchased for him. If we are Christians indeed they are yielded to him, and
he inhabits and occupies them by his Spirit: so that our bodies are not our
own, but his. And shall we desecrate his temple, defile it, prostitute it,
and offer it up to the use and service of a harlot? Horrid sacrilege! This
is robbing God in the worst sense. Note, The temple of the Holy Ghost must
be kept holy. Our bodies must be kept as his whose they are, and fit for his
use and residence.
VI. The apostle argues
from the obligation we are under to glorify God both with our body and
spirit, which are his, v. 20. He made both, he bought both, and
therefore both belong to him and should be used and employed for him, and
therefore should not be defiled, alienated from him, and prostituted by us.
No, they must be kept as vessels fitted for our Master's use. We must look
upon our whole selves as holy to the Lord, and must use our bodies as
property which belongs to him and is sacred to his use and service. We are
to honour him with our bodies and spirits, which are his; and
therefore, surely, must abstain from fornication; and not only from the
outward act, but from the adultery of the heart, as our Lord calls
it, Matt. v. 28. Body and spirit are to be kept clean, that God may be
honoured by both. But God is dishonoured when either is defiled by so
beastly a sin. Therefore flee fornication, nay, and every sin. Use your
bodies for the glory and service of their Lord and Maker. Note, We are not
proprietors of ourselves, nor have power over ourselves, and therefore
should not use ourselves according to our own pleasure, but according to his
will, and for his glory, whose we are, and whom we should serve, Acts
xxvii. 23.
