15). If any man that is oalled a brother. in a less contemptnous sense (1 Thess. iv. The word " brother " was used before the 12; Col. iv. 5). We find a description of no.me "Christian " we.s accepted by the "those that were without"-" aliens from members of the Church. Or an idulater the commonwealth of Israel, and stranger, (see eh. v. 10; x. 7, 14). He might ce.Il from the covenant of promise "-in Eph. ii. himself e. Christian, e.nd yet be in reality 12. Do not ye judge them that are within l au idolater (Eph. v. 5; Col. iii. 5 ; Ge.I. v. An appeal to their own practice e.nd to 20; 1 John v. 21). With such a one no not common sense. Christian rules can, of to ee.t, If the phrase be pressed, it would course, only apply to Christian communities. involve exclusion from all privileges of the Ver. 13.-God judgeth. To that "judg- body, for the Holy Communion was cele- ment of God" (Rom. i. 29) Christians brated in connection with the agapre. But must leave them. They have no jurisdic- the general meaning is that of 2 Tbess. iii. tion over them. The mention of" judging" 6, "We command you ... that ye withdraw forms e. natural transition to the next yourselves from every brother the.t walketh cha.pier. Therefore. The word is omitted disorderly." in the best manuscripts. The command is Ver. 12.-l!'or whe.t have I to do to judge more abruptly forcible without it. Put them also that are without t To pass e.we.y from among yourselves that wicked sentence on heathens is no concern of mine ; person, The command would come the it is no part of my office. The phrase more powerfully because it is e. direct refer- "them the.t a.re without" we.a originally e. ence to the language of Deut. xvii. 7; xxiv. Jewish phrase. To the Jews e.11 men were 7. The ex pie.nation," Put awe.y the evil one "outsiders" (chitsonin) except themselves. [i.e. the devil] from among you I" is adopted The phre.se we.a adopted by Christians, but by Calvin, but i~ too general.
HOMILETICS. Vers. 1-5.-The socially immoral in Churches. "It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you," etc. The greater portion of this chapter is taken up with one subject, that is, gross social immorality. The verses before us suggest three general remarks- I. 'fHAT THE SOCIALLY IMMORAL SOMETIMES FIND THEIR WAY INTO CHRISTIAN CHURCHES. It bad been reported to Paul that there were some members of the Corinthian Church guilty of gross " fornication;'' that one of the members had actually married bis father's wife-not, however, bis own mother, but bis step-mother. Such a piece of immorality would be regarded with the utmost abhorrence, even through the whole Roman empire. Paul says that such a case was not "so much as named among the Gentiles." How such a. character became a member of the Christian community is not stated. It is reasonable, however, to suppose that it was through imposition on the one band and the lack of scrutiny on the other. It is to be feared that the admission of tl1e socially immoral into Churches has in every a:ie been too co=un. How many Churches are there in England entirely free from those who every day outrage the golden rule, "Do unto others as you would have others do unto you"? '!'here are merchants that cheat their customers, lawyers that swindle their :clients, doctors that take advantage of their patients, statesmen that deceive their constituents and in the name of patriotism promote their own selfish ends, masters and mistresse;J that oppress their servants, servants unfaithful to their employers. .Ay, the Churcli is a field in which grows the tare as well ns the wheat, a net in which there is the "unclean " as well as the " clean." II. THAT CHURCHES IN THEIR INTERNAL RELIGIOUS DISPUTATIONS ARE IN DANGER OF OVERLOOKING THE SOCIALLY IMMORAL AMONG THEM. "And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned." Probably there were those in the Church who were proud of the membership of this incestuous man; perhaps be was an orator, or bad a long purse, or was a person of great social influence. We have known joint stock swindlers who have been made chairmen of religious meetings, &.nd who have been cheered to the echo. Party feeling was so strong, and religious disputation so rife amongst thorn, that such immoralities escaped their notice. Who is the best preacher? what is the sound doctrine? what are the ceremonies to be observed? Such questions as theso were all-absorbing amongst them. Morn.I character was a secondary thing, theories and beliefs primary. 'l'his has ever been too much the case in Christian Churches. Cr~eds are more thought 170 THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS. [ea. v. 1-13.
of than character, doctrines than doings, heretics dreaded more than rogues. Some of the wor~t men morally I have ever known have been prominent members of Churches. Hence the saying, "Sooner trust a man of the world than a professor of religion." lif. THAT THE EXCLUSION BY THE CHURCHES OF SUCH MEMBERS FROM THEIR MIDST rs AN URGENT DUTY. 1!- t~·ue_ Church is a community of Christly men, and tho presence of such characters m 1t 1s an outrage. The verses teach: 1. That their expnlsion should be pracUsed with the utmost zeal. It would seem that no sooner did Paul hear of this abomination than he determined to put an end to it. "For I verily as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already as thouah I were present' ~oncerning him that hath so done this"deed." As if he had ;aid "Tb"ouah absent fron:: y,;u, as soon as I heard it I determined to get such a vile char~ter exp~lled forthwith from the community;" and to do it when they were gathered too-ether" in the Name ot -'.>ur Lord Jesus Christ,'' that is, by the authority and power or°Christ. Paul seems to- burn with zeal in the matter. Zeal is not an uncommon thino- in Churches: in some cases and seasons it becomes a glowing passion; but, alas! it is too often concerned more- with the tenets of creeds and the interests of sects than with purity of life in its- meml>ers. 2. That the expulsion should be practised with the utmost zeal not to destroy, but to save the offender. "Deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus." Satan was regarded as the origin of all physical evils, and the meaning here may be-deliver the immoral person over to the sufferings of excommunication. But what for? Not to, destroy him, but "that the spirit may be saved." All punishment should be refor- mati ve--should be inflicted to correct, not to crush. "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one."