1 Corinthians 5:11

Contextual Overview

⁹ I wrote to you in my letter that you should not associate with people who sin sexually. ⁹ I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with immoral men; ⁹ I wrote vnto you in a pistle that ye shuld not company with fornicatours. ⁹ I wrote to you in my letter to have no company with sexual sinners; ⁹ I wrote to you in my letter to stop associating with people who are sexually immoral1 Corinthians 5:2,7; 2 Corinthians 6:14; Ephesians 5:11; 2 Thessalonians 3:14;">[xr] - ⁹ I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people; ⁹ I wrote you in my earlier letter not to associate with those who sin sexually. ⁹ I wrote to you in my epistle not to associate with fornicators; ⁹ I have written to you in this epistle, not to associate with persons guilty of lewdness: ⁹ I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people—

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

called: 1 Corinthians 6:6, 1 Corinthians 7:12, 1 Corinthians 7:15, 1 Corinthians 8:11, Matthew 18:17, Acts 9:17, Romans 16:17, 2 Thessalonians 3:6, 2 Thessalonians 3:14, 2 John 1:10

fornicator: 1 Corinthians 5:1-9, 1 Corinthians 5:10, Psalms 50:16-21, 2 Corinthians 12:20, 2 Corinthians 12:21, Galatians 5:19-21, 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8, Revelation 2:14, Revelation 2:20, Revelation 21:8, Revelation 22:15

or covetous: Psalms 10:3, Mark 7:21-23, Luke 12:15-31, Ephesians 5:5, Colossians 3:5, 1 Timothy 3:3, 1 Timothy 6:9, 1 Timothy 6:10, 2 Peter 2:14, 2 Peter 2:15

or an idolater: 1 Corinthians 10:7, 1 Corinthians 10:8, 1 Corinthians 10:14, 1 Corinthians 10:18-22

or a railer: 1 Corinthians 6:10, Psalms 101:5

or a drunkard: 1 Corinthians 11:21, Matthew 24:49-51, Luke 12:45, Luke 12:46, Luke 21:34, Romans 13:13, Galatians 2:12, Ephesians 5:18, 1 Thessalonians 5:7, 1 Thessalonians 5:8

or an extortioner: Ezekiel 22:12, Matthew 23:25, Luke 18:11

with: 1 Corinthians 5:13, Matthew 18:17, Romans 16:17, 2 Thessalonians 3:6, 2 Thessalonians 3:14, 1 Timothy 6:5, 2 John 1:10

Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 23:10 - General Joshua 7:13 - take away 1 Kings 13:9 - Eat no bread Proverbs 14:7 - General Proverbs 23:21 - the drunkard Jeremiah 16:8 - General Acts 11:3 - General Acts 15:20 - fornication Galatians 5:21 - drunkenness Ephesians 5:3 - fornication Hebrews 13:5 - conversation

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But now have I written unto you,.... Which shows, that what he had written before was at another time, and in another epistle; but not that what he was now writing was different from the former, only he explains the persons of whom, and the thing about which he has before written:

not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother, be a fornicator; or if any man that is a brother is called, or named a fornicator; or covetous, or an idolater; or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner, with such an one, no, not to eat. The apostle's meaning is, that in his prohibition of keeping company with men of the above character, he would be understood of such persons as were called brethren; who had been received into the church, and had been looked upon, and had professed themselves to be such; and who might be mentioned by name, as notoriously guilty of fornication, covetousness, idolatry, and extortion, mentioned in the former verse; to which are added two other sins any of them might be addicted to, as "railing" either at their fellow brethren and Christians, or others giving reproachful language to them, and fixing invidious characters on them: and "drunkenness"; living in the frequent commission of that sin, and others before spoken of; and that such persons remaining impenitent and incorrigible, still persisting, in such a vicious course of life, after due admonition given them, were not only to be removed from their religious society, from the communion of the church, and be debarred sitting down, and eating with them at the Lord's table, or at their love feasts, but also were to be denied civil conversation and familiarity with them, and even not suffered to eat common food at the same table with them: which though lawful to be used with the men of the world, yet for some reasons were not advisable to be used with such; partly for vindicating the honour of religion, and preventing the stumbling of the weak; and partly to make such offenders ashamed, and bring them to repentance. The apostle alludes to the behaviour of the Jews, either to persons that were under any pollution, as a woman in the days of her separation, when her husband לא יאכל עמה, "might not eat with her" off of the same plate, nor at the same table, nor on the same cloth; nor might she drink with him, nor mix his cup for him; and the same was observed to persons that had issues on them o: or rather to such as were under נדוי, "the sentence of excommunication", and such an one was obliged to sit the distance of four cubits from others, and who might not eat nor drink with him; nor was he allowed to wash and shave himself, nor a sufficiency of food, nor any to sit with him within the space of four cubits, except those of his house p.

o Maimon. Hilch. Issure Bia, c. 11. sect. 17, 18, 19. & Tumaot Okelim, c. 16. sect. 11. & R. Abraham in ib. p T. Bab. Moed Katon, fol. 16. 1. & Piske Tosaph. in ib. art. 67, 68.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

“But now.” In this Epistle. This shows that he had written a former letter.

I have written to you. - Above. I have designed to give this injunction that you are to be entirely separated from one who is a professor of religion and who is guilty of these things.

Not to keep company - To be wholly separated and withdrawn from such a person. Not to associate with him in any manner.

If any man that is called a brother - Any professing Christian; any member of the church.

Be a fornicator ... - Like him who is mentioned, 1 Corinthians 5:1.

Or an idolater - This must mean those persons who, while they professed Christianity, still attended the idol feasts, and worshipped there. Perhaps a few such may have been found who had adopted the Christian profession hypocritically.

Or a railer - A reproachful man; a man of coarse, harsh, and bitter words; a man whose characteristic it was to abuse others; to vilify their character, and wound their feelings. It is needless to say how much this is contrary to the spirit of Christianity, and to the example of the Master, “who when he was reviled, reviled not again.”

Or a drunkard - Perhaps there might have been some then in the church, as there are now, who were addicted to this vice. It has been the source of incalculable evils to the church; and the apostle, therefore, solemnly enjoins on Christians to have no fellowship with a man who is intemperate.

With such an one no not to eat - To have no contact or fellowship with him of any kind; not to do anything that would seem to acknowledge him as a brother; with such an one not even to eat at the same table. A similar course is enjoined by John; 2 John 1:10-11. This refers to the contact of common life, and not particularly to the communion. The true Christian was wholly to disown such a person, and not to do anything that would seem to imply that he regarded him as a Christian brother. It will be seen here that the rule was much more strict in regard to one who professed to be a Christian than to those who were known and acknowledged pagans. The reasons may have been:

(1) The necessity of keeping the church pure, and of not doing anything that would seem to imply that Christians were the patrons and friends of the intemperate and the wicked.

(2) In respect to the pagan, there could be no danger of its being supposed that Christians regarded them as brethren, or showed to them any more than the ordinary civilities of life; but in regard to those who professed to be Christians, but who were drunkards, or licentious, if a man was on terms of intimacy with them, it would seem as if he acknowledged them as brethren and recognized them as Christians.

(3) This entire separation and withdrawing from all communion was necessary in these times to save the church from scandal, and from the injurious reports which were circulated. The pagan accused Christians of all manner of crime and abominations. These reports were greatly injurious to the church. But it was evident that currency and plausibility would be given to them if it was known that Christians were on terms of intimacy and good fellowship with pagans and intemperate persons. Hence, it became necessary to withdraw wholly from them to withhold even the ordinary courtesies of life; and to draw a line of total and entire separation. Whether this rule in its utmost strictness is demanded now, since the nature of Christianity is known, and since religion cannot be in “so much” danger from such reports, may be made a question. I am inclined to the opinion that the ordinary civilities of life may be shown to such persons; though certainly nothing that would seem to recognize them as Christians. But as neighbors and relatives; as those who may be in distress and want, we are assuredly not forbidden to show toward them the offices of kindness and compassion. Whitby and some others, however, understand this of the communion of the Lord’s Supper and of that only.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Corinthians 5:11. But now I have written — I not only write this, but I add more: if any one who is called a brother, i.e. professes the Christian religion, be a fornicator, covetous, idolater, railer, drunkard, or extortioner, not even to eat with such-have no communion with such a one, in things either sacred or civil. You may transact your worldly concerns with a person that knows not God, and makes no profession of Christianity, whatever his moral character may be; but ye must not even thus far acknowledge a man professing Christianity, who is scandalous in his conduct. Let him have this extra mark of your abhorrence of all sin; and let the world see that the Church of God does not tolerate iniquity.