1 Corinthians 6:11

Χριστοῦ אBCDE Vetus Lat. Peshito. Vulg. Rec. omit with A.

11. ἀλλὰ�. The past tense is employed in the original—‘ye were washed, sanctified, justified.’ The allusion is to baptism, where by a solemn profession the disciple entered into covenant with—and so put on (see Galatians 3:27) Christ. The meaning of ἀπελούσασθε is either ye washed yourselves clean from them, by a voluntary act, cf. Acts 22:16, or ‘ye allowed yourselves to be washed.’ So Winer, Gr. Gram. § 38. 4. b. There has been much controversy as to the meaning of ἡγιάσθητε and ἐδικαιώθητε here, as their position is inverted from the usual order in which they stand. It is best to take ἡγιάσθητε in the sense of dedicated to a holy life (halowed, Wiclif), see note on ch. 1 Corinthians 1:2, and ἐδικαιώθητε as referring to the actual righteousness of life which is brought about by union with Christ through the operation of the Spirit. See also Romans 1:17.

ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι. The name of Christ stands for His power, almost, we might say, for Himself. Something more is probably conveyed by ἐν than a mere instrumental agency, though it is often used in this way (as in 1 Corinthians 6:2 of this very chapter). A comparison of this passage with others in which the indwelling of the Spirit is implied, as in 1 Corinthians 6:19 and Romans 8:11, teaches us that the Holy Spirit is the instrument of our sanctification and justification by virtue of our dwelling in Christ and He in us, making Christ’s death to sin, and His life in righteousness an accomplished fact in our hearts and lives. See also John 3:6.