1 Corinthians 6 - Introduction

FIRST CORINTHIANS-CHAPTER 6

OUTLINE AND COMMENTARY-MARK DUNAGAN

I. OUTLINE OF CHAPTER SIX:

I. Lawsuits: 1 Corinthians 6:1-8

II. Such Were Some of You: 1 Corinthians 6:9-11

III. Liberty and Licence/The Question of Religious Fornication: 1 Corinthians 6:12-20

II. INTRODUCTION TO CHAPTER SIX:

'There was. pathetic lack of discipline at Corinth. Chapter. makes that clear enough...the problems in the assembly were not only sexual, there was fraud being perpetrated. Christians were being fleeced by saints. Saints were finding themselves driven to take other saints before pagan judges because nothing was being done about the thievery at. congregational level. And, apparently, there were those who would go to court before they'd permit anyone under any circumstances to defraud them. "I'll get my rights!" was their motto.' [Note:. McGuiggan p. 69]

Paul had just stated in Chapter five the necessity of exercising some "judgement" in respect to our brethren (1 Corinthians 5:11). This "judgement" has another application, besides withdrawing from unrepentant brethren...'but it also has to do with another kind of judgement that must take place within the Christian community, namely in matters of everyday life where one member has. grievance against another..Everything in this church is in reverse order. If the church does not "judge" those outside, neither does it go outside with inside affairs.. [Note:. Fee p. 228]

And again, we find that the Corinthians had brought some of their culture into the church with them:

'In this section Paul is dealing with. problem which specifically affected the Greeks. The Jews did not ordinarily go to law in the public law-courts at all; they settled things before the elders of the village or the elders of the Synagogue; to them justice was far more. thing to be settled in. family spirit than in. legal spirit..it was far otherwise with the Greeks; the Greeks were naturally and characteristically. litigious people. The law courts were in fact one of their chief amusements and entertainments. Going to law was integrally bound up with Greek life.' [Note:. Barclay p. 55]

III. COMMENTARY ON CHAPTER THREE: