1 Corinthians 6:4-5

1 Corinthians 6:4-5 a. 1 Corinthians 6:4 is rendered in three diff [912] ways, as (a) τ. ἐξουθενημένους ἐν τ. ἐκκλησίᾳ is taken to mean the heathen iudges, the ἄδικοι of 1 Corinthians 6:1 whom the Church could not respect (ἐν, in the eyes of; cf. 1 Corinthians 14:11); then τούτους καθίζετε becomes an indignant question “Do you set up these (as your judges)?” so Mr [913], Hn [914], Tisch., W.H [915], R.V. text. The position of καθίζετε and the strain put upon its meaning speak against this view the Cor [916] Christians did not appoint the city magistrates; also the unlikelihood of Paul's using language calculated to excite contempt toward heathen rulers. (b) The prevalent construction (Vg [917], Syr., Bz [918], Cv [919], Bg [920], Ed [921], El [922], Lt [923], A.V., R.V. marg.) understands τ. ἐξουθ. ἐν τ. ἐκκλ. as the despised of the Church itself (καυχᾶσθαι ἐν ἀνθρ., 1 Corinthians 3:21; 1 Corinthians 4:6 ff. implies such a counterpart); then καθίζετε ' is read as impv [924], and P. says in sarcasm, “If you have lawsuits in secular affairs, set up the lowest amongst you (for judges of these low matters)!” κριτήρια however (see note on 2, and R.V. marg.) signifies not trials, nor matters of trial, but tribunals, and is therefore an unsuitable obj [925] to ἐὰν ἔχητε : βιωτικὰ κριτήρια are the things wanting to the Church, which P. is advising them to set on foot. Moreover, Paul would hardly speak of Christians as “despised” among their fellows, without some touch of blame for their despisers. (c) For these reasons, it is better, as Hf [926] suggests, to put the comma before, instead of after, ἐὰν ἔχητε, attaching τοὺς ἐξουθ. to this vb [927] and reading βιωτ. κριτ. as a nom [928] (or acc [929]) pendens to the sentence (cf. Romans 8:3; Hebrews 8:1; and Bm [930], pp. 379 ff.): we thus translate, “Well then, for secular tribunals if you have men that are made of no account in the Church, set these on the bench!” That this prideful Church has such persons is undoubted; P. puts the fact hypothetically, as a thing one does not like to assume. μὲν οὖν throws into relief, by way of emphatic resumption, the βιωτικά … κριτήρια. πρὸς ἐντροπὴν ὑμῖν λέγω, “Unto your shame (lit [931] for a shame to you) I say (it)”: this relates to the foregoing sentence (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:34); it is a shame the Cor [932] Church should have members looked on with utter contempt (cf. 1 Corinthians 12:21-25); but since it has, it is fitting that they should be its judges in things contemptible! P. writes with anger, whereas he did not, though he might seem to do, in 1 Corinthians 4:14.

[912] difference, different, differently.

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

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

[915] Westcott and Hort's The New Testament in Greek: Critical Text and Notes.

[916] Corinth, Corinthian or Corinthians.

[917] Latin Vulgate Translation.

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

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

[920] Bengel's Gnomon Novi Testamenti.

[921] T. C. Edwards' Commentary on the First Ep. to the Corinthians. 2

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

[923] J. B. Lightfoot's (posthumous) Notes on Epp. of St. Paul (1895).

[924] imperative mood.

[925] grammatical object.

[926] J. C. K. von Hofmann's Die heilige Schrift N.T. untersucht, ii. 2 (2te Auflage, 1874).

[927] verb

[928] nominative case.

[929] accusative case.

[930] A. Buttmann's Grammar of the N.T. Greek (Eng. Trans., 1873).

[931] literal, literally.

[932] Corinth, Corinthian or Corinthians.

1 Corinthians 6:5 b. Laying aside sarcasm, the Ap. asks most gravely: “(Is it) so (that) there is no wise man found amongst you, who will be able to decide between his brothers?” οὕτως intensifies the question (cf. Galatians 3:3) τοσαύτη σπάνις (Cm [933]) “so utter a lack of men of sense amongst you Cor [934], with all your talent and pretensions?” (1 Corinthians 1:5; 1 Corinthians 3:18; 1 Corinthians 4:10). ἐνί, prp [935] with ellipsis of ἐστίν (Wr [936], p. 96) there exists, is found (see parls.). ἀνὰ μέσον (Hebraistic prpl [937] phrase) τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ lit [938] “between his brother” a defective expression, as though due to confusion of τῶν ἀδελφῶν with the more Hebraistic ἀδελφοῦ καὶ ἀδελφοῦ : an example of the laxity of Paul's conversational Gr [939]; unless, as Sm [940] conjectures, there is a “primitive error,” and τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ should be corrected to τῶν ἀδελφῶν.

[933] John Chrysostom's Homiliœ († 407).

[934] Corinth, Corinthian or Corinthians.

[935] preposition.

[936] Winer-Moulton's Grammar of N.T. Greek (8th ed., 1877).

[937]rpl. prepositional.

[938] literal, literally.

[939] Greek, or Grotius' Annotationes in N.T.

[940] P. Schmiedel, in Handcommentar zum N.T. (1893).