The case of the incestuous member of the church, va. 1—5. Exhortation to purity, and to fidelity in disciphne, vs. 6-13.
Hepi'oof for retaining an imicorthy member iii the church. Vs. 1-13.
The second evil in the church of Corinth, to wdiich Paul di- rects his attention, is allowing a man guilty of incest to remain in its communion. He says it was generally reported that fornication was tolerated among them, and even such fornica^ tion as was not heard of among the heathen, v. 1. He re- proves them for being inflated, instead of being humbled and penitent, and excommunicating the offender, v. 2. As they had neglected their duty, he determined, in the name of' Christ, and as spiritually present in their assembly, to deliver the man guilty of incest to Satan, vs. 3-5. He exhorts to purity, in language borrowed from the Mosaic law respecting the passover. As during the feast of the passover all leaven was to be removed from the habitations of the Hebrews, so the Christian's life should be a perpetual paschal feast, all malice and hj^Docrisy being banished from the hearts and from the assemblies of believers, vs. 6-8. He corrects or guards against a misapprehension of his command not to associate wdth the immoral. He show^s that the command had reference to church communion, and not to social intercourse ; and there- fore was limited in its application to members of the church. Those out of the church, it was neither his nor their preroga- tive to judge. They must be left to the judgment of God, vs. 9-13.