Bible Commentaries
1 Corinthians 5

Verses 1-13

1 Corinthians 5:6-7

The 'eternal vigilance' required to maintain not only liberty but purity, should have for its guide a principle just opposite to the principle commonly followed. Most men, alike in public affairs and private business-affairs, assume that things are going right until it is proved they are going wrong; whereas their assumption should be that things are going wrong until it is proved they are going right.

Spencer, Principles of Ethics (§ 470).

References. IV. 21. Expositor (5th Series), vol. vi. p. 296; ibid. vol. x. p. 426; ibid. (6th Series), vol. vii. p. 112; ibid. vol. ix. p. 73. V. 1. J. D. Jones, Elims of Life, p. 220. V. 1, 2. Expositor (5th Series), vol. vi. p. 203. V. 2. Ibid. (4th Series), vol. ix. p. 15. V. 3-5. Ibid. vol. ii. p. 385. V. 3-6. F. D. Maurice, Sermons, vol. vi. p. 49. V. 5. Expositor (4th Series), vol. i. p. 24; ibid. (5th Series), vol. ix. p. 351; ibid. (6th Series), p. 460. V. 6-8. Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xvi. No. 965. V. 7. C. Perren, Revival Sermons in Outline, p. 169. Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. ii. No. 54. Expositor (4th Series), vol. vi. p. 29; ibid. vol. ix. p. 355; ibid. (5th Series), vol. iv. p. 277; ibid. (6th Series), vol. ii. p. 444. V. 7, 8. F. D. Maurice, Sermons, vol. iii. p. 283. W. C. Wheeler, Sermons and Addresses (2nd Series), p. 202. R. M. Benson, Redemption, p. 308. J. Keble, Sermons for Easter to Ascension Day, p. 1. J. H. Holford, Memorial Sermons, p. 56. V. 8. A. Maclaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture Corinthians, p. 83. V. 9. Expositor (5th Series), vol. vi. p. 236.

1 Corinthians 5:9-10

Unless above himself he can

Erect himself, how poor a thing is Man.

'Unless above himself, how poor a thing; yet, if beyond and outside of his world, how useless and purposeless a thing. This also must be remembered. And I cannot help thinking,' says Clough, 'that there is in Wordsworth's poems something of a spirit of withdrawal and seclusion from, and even evasion of, the actual world'.

References. V. 9-11. Expositor (6th Series), vol. v. p. 107. V. 9-13. Ibid. vol. vi. p. 87. V. 10. Ibid. vol. iii. p. 110; ibid. vol. x. pp. 57, 161.

1 Corinthians 5:11

In Fors Clavigera (III. 49) Ruskin, after quoting some facts about the luxury of the wealthy and the violence of the lower classes, breaks out with an appeal to the clergy, and especially the bishops, to obey 'St. Paul's plain order in 1 Corinthians 5:11 . Let them determine as distinctly what covetousness and extortion are in the rich, as what drunkenness is in the poor. Let them refuse, themselves, and order their clergy to refuse, to go out to dine with such persons; and still more positively to allow such persons to sup at God's table. And they would 6oon know what fighting wolves meant; and something more of their own pastoral duty than they learned in that Consecration Service, when they proceeded to follow the example of the Apostles in Prayer, but carefully left out the Fasting.'

References. V. 15. Expositor (4th Series), vol. vi. p. 132. V. 19. Ibid. (6th Series), vol. iv. p. 19. V. 21. Ibid. vol. xi. p. 201. V. 23. Ibid. (5th Series), vol. vii. p. 456. VI. 1. Ibid. (6th Series), vol. x. p. 99. VI. 1-11. Ibid. vol. i. p. 273. VI. 2. W. H. Evans, Sermons for the Church's Year, p. 248. Expositor (6th Series), vol. vii. p. 113.