1 Corinthians 5:3-5

The removal of the culprit is, in any case, a settled matter: ἐγὼ μὲν γάρ, “For I at least” … ἤδη κέκρικα, “have already decided” without waiting till you should act or till I could come. For ἤδη see note, 1 Corinthians 4:8; κέκρικα, pf. of judgment that has determinate effect. f1μέν solitarium “I indeed (whatever you may do)”. ἀπὼν τῷ σώματι παρὼν δὲ τῷ πνεύματι, “while absent in the body yet present in the spirit”: by absence the Ap. might seem disqualified for judging (cf. 2 Corinthians 12:20 to 2 Corinthians 13:2); he declares that he is spiritually present, so present to his inmost consciousness are the facts of the case; cf. Colossians 2:5. “St. Paul's spirit, illumined and vivified, as it unquestionably was, by the Divine Spirit, must have been endowed on certain occasions with a more than ordinary insight into the state of a Church at a distance” (Ev [813]; cf. John 1:48; 2 Kings 5:26): “I have already passed sentence, as one present, on him that has so wrought this thing”. ὡς παρὼν means “as being present,” not “as though present” which rendering virtually surrenders the previous ἀπών … παρὼν δέ. κατεργάζομαι, to work out, consummate (see parls.); the qualifying οὕτως probably refers to the man's being a Christian (cf. 1 Corinthians 5:12 f.) “under these conditions” (cf. 1 Corinthians 3:16 f., 1 Corinthians 6:15).

[813] T. S. Evans in Speaker's Commentary.

The judgment already determined in the Apostle's mind is delivered in 1 Corinthians 5:5, supplying a further obj [814] (of the thing: cf. for the construction, Acts 15:38) to κέκρικα : “I have already judged him … (have given sentence), in the name of our Lord Jesus, to deliver him that is such (τὸν τοιοῦτον) to Satan for destruction of his flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus”. The clauses of 1 Corinthians 5:4, with their solemn, rounded terms, make fit way for this awful sentence; “graviter suspensa manet et vibrat oratio usque ad 1 Corinthians 5:5 ” (Bg [815]). The prp [816] phrases ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι τ. κυρ. Ἰ., σὺν τ. δυνάμει τ. κυρ. ἡμῶν Ἰ., may be connected, either of them or both, with παραδοῦναι or with the subordinate συναχθέντων; and the four combinations thus grammatically possible have each found advocates. The order of words and balance of clauses, as well as intrinsic fitness of connexion, speak for the attachment of the former adjunct to παραδ. Σατ., the latter to συναχθ. ὑμῶν : so Luther, Bg [817], Mr [818], Al [819], Ev [820], Bt [821], El [822] “In the name of the Lord Jesus” every Church act is done, every word of blessing or banning uttered; that Name must be formally used when doom is pronounced in the assembly (see parls.). The gen [823] abs. clause is parenthetic, supplying the occasion and condition precedent (aor [824] ptp [825]) of the public sentence; all the responsible parties must be concurrent: “when you have assembled together, and my spirit, along with the power of our Lord Jesus”. Along with the gathered assembly, under Paul's unseen directing influence, a third Supreme Presence is necessary to make the sentence valid; the Church associates itself “with the power” of its Head. Realising that it is clothed therewith, the Cor [826] Church will deliver the appalling sentence inspired by the absent Ap. σὺν τῇ δυνάμει κ. τ. λ. is a h.l [827]; ἐν δυνάμει (1 Corinthians 2:5, etc.) is frequent in P. “Our Lord Jesus” is Christ the Judge (see 1 Corinthians 1:8).

[814] grammatical object.

[815] Bengel's Gnomon Novi Testamenti.

[816] preposition.

[817] Bengel's Gnomon Novi Testamenti.

[818] Meyer's Critical and Exegetical Commentary (Eng. Trans.).

[819] Alford's Greek Testament.

[820] T. S. Evans in Speaker's Commentary.

[821] J. A. Beet's St. Paul's Epp. to the Corinthians (1882).

[822] C. J. Ellicott's St. Paul's First Epistle to the Corinthians.

[823] genitive case.

[824] aorist tense.

[825] participle

[826] Corinth, Corinthian or Corinthians.

[827] .l. hapax legomenon, a solitary expression.

“Delivering to Satan,” in the view of many (including Aug [828], Cv [829], Bz [830], and latterly Hn [831]), is a synonym for excommunication, a thrusting out of the condemned into “the kingdom of darkness,” where “the god of this world” holds sway (2 Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 2:2; Ephesians 6:12; Colossians 1:13, etc.); similarly in 1 Timothy 1:20. But there is no proof that such a formula of excommunication existed either in the Synagogue or the early Church; and the added words, εἰς ὄλεθρον τῆς σαρκός κ. τ. λ., point to some physically punitive and spiritually remedial visitation of the sinner. The σὰρξ to be destroyed, it is replied, lies in the man's sinful passions; but these would, presumably, be strengthened rather than destroyed by sending him back to the world. “The flesh,” as antithetical to “the spirit” (see parls.), is rather the man's bodily nature; and physical maladies, even death, are ascribed in the N.T. to Satan (2 Corinthians 12:7; Luke 13:16; John 8:44; Hebrews 2:14), while on the other hand affliction is made an instrument of spiritual benefit (1 Corinthians 9:27; 1 Corinthians 11:30 ff., 2 Corinthians 4:16 f., 1Co 12:7, 1 Peter 4:1 f.); moreover, the App. did occasionally, as in the cases of Ananias and Elymas (Acts 5:13), pronounce penal sentences in the physical sphere, which took immediate effect on the condemned. It appears certain that P. imposed in this case a severe physical infliction indeed, if ὄλεθρος is to be pressed (see parls.), a mortal stroke as the only means of marking the gravity of the crime and saving the criminal. “Il ne faut pas endouter, c'est une condamnation à mort que Paul prononce” (Renan); not however a sudden death, rather “a slow consumption, giving the sinner time to repent” (Gd [832]). The ejection of the culprit the Church of itself could and must effect (1 Corinthians 5:2; 1 Corinthians 5:13); for the aggravated chastisement the presence of the Apostle's “spirit,” allied “with the power of the Lord Jesus,” was necessary. ὁ Σατανᾶς (Heb. hassatân, Aram. s'tanâ: see parls.), “the Adversary,” sc. of God and man, to whom every such opportunity is welcome (John 8:44). That Satan's malignity should be (as one may say) overreached by God's wisdom and mercy (cf. 1 Corinthians 3:19) is nothing very, wonderful (see 2 Corinthians 12:7; Luke 22:31 f., also the temptation of our Lord, and of Job); hate is proverbially blind. On “ the day of the Lord,” when the ultimate salvation or perdition of each is fixed, see 1 Corinthians 1:8; Romans 2:5-16. That some Cor [833] afterwards sought proof of Paul's supernatural power goes to show, not that this sentence proved abortive, but rather that the offender averted it by prompt repentance.

[828] Augustine.

[829] Calvin's In Nov. Testamentum Commentarii.

[830] Beza's Nov. Testamentum: Interpretatio et Annotationes (Cantab., 1642).

[831] C. F. G. Heinrici's Erklärung der Korintherbriefe (1880), or 1 Korinther in Meyer's krit.-exegetisches Kommentar (1896).

[832] F. Godet's Commentaire sur la prem. Ép. aux Corinthiens (Eng. Trans.).

[833] Corinth, Corinthian or Corinthians.