1 Corinthians 6:2-3

“Or do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? And if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? 3. Know ye not that we shall judge angels? much more things that pertain to this life.”

The T. R. is mistaken in omitting the or at the beginning of the question. Its meaning is: “Or if you affect to justify this mode of action, are you then ignorant that...?” By the formula, do ye not know, which occurs no less than ten times in our Epistle, the apostle alludes to the doctrines he had delivered to the Church at the time of its foundation. Here it applies to a very special point of Christian eschatology, and from the example it may be concluded how detailed was the instruction which the Churches received from the apostle. The verb κρινοῦσι should evidently be taken as a future, shall judge, as well as the κρινοῦμεν, we shall judge, of the following verse. The world, which is to be judged by the saints, can only designate those who have rejected the appeal which had been addressed to them by the gospel.

The Greek Fathers have sought to spiritualize this notion of judgment by reducing it to the moral contrast, which will burst into view at the day of judgment, between Christian holiness and the pollution of other men (Matthew 12:41); or there has been found in it the general notion of the kingdom and glory of believers yet to come (Flatt). But the idea of a real judicial act is demanded by the context. Lightfoot, Vitringa have thought that this was the announcement of a time when, the gospel having become supreme, courts of law would be composed of Christians; as if the world of which the apostle speaks in this passage could be Christendom! We have already quoted the saying of Daniel, according to which the world is to be judged by the saints. Jesus seems to apply this notion in a special way to the apostles (Matthew 19:28): “In the regeneration which is to come, then ye shall be seated on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” The Apocalypse extends this privilege to all believers (Revelation 2:26-27, and Rev 20:4).

Billroth has proposed to make the whole second part of the verse also dependent on: Do ye not know...? “Do ye not know that...and that it is unworthy of you to appear before the lowest tribunals (those of the heathen)?” But this construction is complicated, and the word ἐλάχιστα, the least, does not lend itself well to this meaning; comp. the parallel expression, βιωτικά, the things of this life, in the following verse. The second proposition of 1 Corinthians 6:2 is therefore also a question: “Are not ye, the future judges of the world, worthy to pronounce on things which have only the slightest value?” The present κρίνεται, is judged, expresses not an actual fact, but a principle.

The adjunct ἐν ὑμῖν, literally in you, may be explained by the idea of the accused's presence in the circle formed by the tribunal. But this meaning is far from natural, especially when the accused is such as the world! It is better to understand: “in your person, which has become (by Christian sanctification) the rule of absolute justice;” which amounts to saying: by you; comp. the ἐν, Acts 17:31. The complement κριτηρίων ἐλαχίστων is often translated by the least things to be judged. Meyer is perhaps right in saying that usage does not admit of this meaning; but it is not exact to allege that the word κριτήριον can signify nothing except “a tribunal.” It has many and varied meanings besides (see Passow: means of judgment; court of justice; place of judgment). Consequently we are entitled to give it here an analogous sense such as the context naturally demands, viz. a sentence delivered: “How should ye, who are invested with so high a competency, be unworthy to deliver sentences of a greatly inferior order?”