"reported commonly" - to have the reputation. What a terrible reputation to have in a local assembly! It is amazing that though this was commonly known, and that they practice was so wicked, it never effected their position before God as holy and sanctified (1:2). Truly this an extraordinary example of how a believer cannot lose his salvation. It is also amazing that this is still a local assembly with a lampstand of testimony. There were all sorts of problems and terribly wrong practices that had become common practice at Corinth. No doubt if it would have been left up to even the spiritual man to decide, he would conclude that this is no longer a place where they are gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, but the apostle knows through the oracles of God that there is yet still hope for this carnal crew. Truly it is Christ who is judge in this matter concerning lampstands of testimony (Rev 2:5).
"not so much as named among the Gentiles" - the fornication was to such a terrible degree, that it was even beyond what the people of the wicked city of Corinth would indulge themselves in. As immoral as the people of the day were, this action was even against the law of the Roman Empire. The father had no doubt remarried, and the son in the assembly had committed fornication with her. There is no mention of judgment to be passed by the assembly upon the wife, so perhaps it can be assumed that she was not a believer. It may been possible that the wife of the man's father is guilty of seducing this man, but he is still responsible before the assembly and God for his actions.
It is amazing seeing that this phrase was used concerning this act of lewdness. The city of Corinth was well known for the immoral behaviour that was prevalent there. There was even a verb coined in the day, "korinthiazomai," which meant "to lead a debased life," using Corinth as its root word. The Corinthian assembly was largely influenced by their surroundings, but even went beyond the practice of the people of the city.
Concerning this immorality there was a puffing up of believers. They were prideful instead of resentful. They were glorying instead of groaning. The completely wrong reaction met the knowledge of this behaviour. Perhaps the believers felt that they would be embraced by those of city if they acted just as they were, but this was doing damage by showing carnality instead of Christ. They did not judge this believe as they should, but were unlikely to be teaching fornication but were tolerant of it.
"taken away" - to remove. Fornication is grounds for excommunication. Paul is instructing that this man be removed from the fellowship.
Though Paul isn't there, the reputation has reached his ears and he has judged. It is important to remember that the only individuals who could judge in an assembly that they were not in the leadership role in was an apostle. Paul uses this authority to pass judgment and teaching on what to do with an individual who is found in the sin of fornication.
"In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ" - this tells us
1. A local assembly had been established here based upon the pattern that was intended for the gathering of saints to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Believers here are reminded and instructed that they are to meet in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the Lord of this gathering. Christ has given His promise that He is in the midst of those who gather in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
2. The discipline meeting is an assembly meeting. When the believers gather together for the purpose of public judgment upon a believer for this sin, in order to excommunicate him, they should do so with all the characteristics of a local gathering in place (Matt. 18:18-20). Obviously elders should be present, seeing they would be the individuals who would explain the reason why the believer is being removed from fellowship in accordance to the scripture. Head coverings should be in place seeing that the order of headship is on visual display during the assembly meeting for all to see including angels (1 Cor 11:10). All discipline should be conducted with the purpose of restoration in mind (See 1 Tim 1:20 - These two men were under discipline with the hope that they would learn not to blaspheme. They were not under discipline for a predetermined allotment of time or with no hope, but until they learned not to blaspheme).
"my spirit" - as they would be carrying out the instructions of Paul, it is as if he is there personally to approve the judgment to be passed down.
"the power" - it is upon the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ that the discipline is passed down.
"deliver unto Satan" - this would be referring to excommunication. (see also 1 Tim 1:20) Anything outside of the church is in the realm of Satan (1 John 5:19).
"destruction of the flesh" - this is NOT annihilation (same word used at 1 Thes 5:3, 2 Thes 1:9, and 1 Tim 6:9). What is in mind is that the carnality in them would be destroyed and purged for the sake of their spirit.
"spirit." - it is the spirit in view here, not the soul. The purpose of this judgment passed out now is so that the believer will not meet Christ at the Judgment Seat and be greatly embarrassed and saddened at the lack of reward given to him. The believer will not be judged for sin, but will be rewarded according to works. The state and condition of the spirit being preserved is in mind, rather than the saving v. losing of the spirit.
"glorying" - their boasting is in reaction to the fornication committed by this believer. In black and white terms Paul lets them know that it is not good.
"leaven" - leaven is a picture of sin or something sinful (Matt 13:33; 16:6, 11-12; Mk 8:15; Luke 13:21; 1 Cor 5:6-8; Gal 5:9). Concerning the Levitical ordinances, leaven is an interesting point on which God commands the situations to use it or to not use it:
a. Meat/Meal Offering - Lev 2:11, 6:17, 10:12 instructs that the meal offering was to be made without leaven. The meal offering is a picture of the perfect life of the Lord Jesus Christ to be put through the fire of judgment. Since Christ was without sin, God also instructed that the meal offering be without sin.
b. Feast of Pentecost - Lev 23:17 gives commandment about the Feast of Wave Loaves/Pentecost. At Pentecost, 50 days after the wave sheaf, the instruction was given to make a "new meal offering unto the Lord" which included leaven. The Feast of Pentecost was the same time as when the Holy Spirit came upon those gathered in the room in Jerusalem following the ascension of Christ (Acts 2). The new meal offering at the Feast of Pentecost was to be made with leaven because the Holy Spirit would be coming to indwell the believer who has not yet been saved from the presence of sin and sin can be a reality in believers who are in the church. In contrast with this, all offerings made with Christ in view never contain leaven to represent His sinless life.
The same phrase is used in Galatians 5:9 and perhaps it was a common saying of the day.
In Exodus 12 the children of Israel were commanded that before the Passover feast, they were to purge their houses of leaven. Annually this purging and feast would be reenacted to always remind Israel how the Lord passed over them in protection due to the blood on the door posts from the lamb that was without blemish.
"new lump" - in order for the lump to be new, the old leaven must be purged out. The sin that is in the assembly at Corinth must be purged out in order for the assembly there to be undefiled. When sin worthy of discipline goes unjudged by the assembly, it affects the whole assembly. One specific assembly had this occur because a believer had unconfessed sin of fornication. For years the assembly floundered until this person confessed their sin and discipline was put in place. Today that believer is proud to say that they are in an assembly that has been growing and has been getting stronger ever since his removal from fellowship for a short period of time.
"Christ our passover" - the Lord Jesus fits well into the picture of the passover lamb:
1. without blemish - this was a characteristic of the Lord Jesus as He was completely without sin and defilement. This made Him the perfect sacrifice.
2. first year - this lamb was cut off before the normal life span of a sheep. The Lord Jesus was only about 33 years old when He died.
3. 10th-14th day - this was a period to show others the spotlessness of their lamb. This is what God did with His Son during His public ministry, putting His Son on display for all to see the purity of His Son.
4. blood - the blood must have been applied in order for it to be effective on that household. The blood of Christ must be applied to each if it is going to be effective to save someone from the judgment of God.
5. roast with fire - not boiled or raw, but cooked only with fire. The Lord Jesus passed through the fire-judgment of God for sin on the cross.
6. not a bone broken - when prepared, the lamb was not to have any bones broken. John carefully records in his gospel that no bone of Jesus was broken to fulfill this scripture.
7. time of sacrifice - the 14th day of the 1st month was the time of the feast. Just before this, on the Friday afternoon, the passover lamb was killed. As Israel would have been slaying their passover lambs, the Lord Jesus, our passover, died at the very same time and hours of the year.
"keep the feast" - what is in view is that believers keep the spiritual application of the Passover feast. It is not being taught that a man should examine once a year, but rather the Passover feast be done each day. Keeping sin out of the believers life is an integral part of fellowship with God.
"not with leaven... but with the unleaven..." - each example of the actions that should and shouldn't be present in both the local assembly and the individual believer. If it is found in a believer, it is found in an assembly seeing a church is composed of individual believers. Sin should not be found in a local assembly, nor should it be tolerated as it was in Corinth. What should be found is sincerity and truth.
Paul had written an epistle to these believers that was not inspired of the Spirit and is not part of our Bible, nor to my knowledge has it been discovered even in fragments. Paul wrote to them earlier telling them not to company with fornicators.
Perhaps Paul was not specific enough, since the believers in Corinth likely thought that Paul meant that the believers shouldn't come in contact with anyone who was a fornicator. Since this was impossible in a city like Corinth, they probably passed this instruction by thinking it was impossible. Here Paul clarifies what he means when he says not to company with fornicators.
This verse is not describing people that are in the local assembly, but rather those that are in the world. If we are going to be a witness for the name of Christ, no doubt we must come in contact with these type of people every day. Unless we were going to hide in a hole and never rub shoulders with people of the world, it would be impossible not to be in any association with people of these sins unless we left the world.
The following are things that are grounds for excommunication:
1. fornication - sexual relations with anyone who is not your wife.
2. covetous - those who are constantly seeking the material things of this world that others have. This would include people who would gamble.
3. idolaters - those who worship anything other than God.
4. railer - those who use words to target another on a constant basis in order to bring them down. This is destructive to a local assembly and also often can lead to a disunity and perhaps division.
5. drunkard - alcoholics since they do not exhibit self control and allow themselves to be controlled by something other than the Spirit of God.
6. extortioner - those who obtaining something, especially money, through force or threats.
The instruction is not to have fellowship with this person, not even sitting down for a meal for the purpose of fellowship.
Those that are without are those in v10. The people of the world. The people who are within are described in v11. The people in the local assembly. There is a difference between the local and universal church. There is a within and a without. Those without are not to be judged by us for their deeds, it is the Lord's work, or, if they are part of another local assembly it is not the role of another assembly to pass judgment upon that individual. The assembly is meant to act autonomous, with other gatherings needing to honour that decision. It is necessary however for the assembly to judge the sins of those who are in their gathering.
Those that are excommunicated become "without." Some argue that the within and without applies to the universal church, but this is impossible seeing that the believer who is put out of the assembly for their sin is never removed from the universal church. Any person who is not in the universal church is not a believer. It is possible for a believer to walk in darkness and lose fellowship with the Father, Son and other believers (1 John 1:6), but it is impossible for a believer to have fellowship with darkness (1 Cor 10:21).
It is important to remember, which is why it is being mentioned again, that all discipline is with restoration in mind. When a believer comes under discipline to be removed from fellowship, he is to be judged by God. The purpose is that he might be repentant and return to fellowship when it is noted that the individual displays their repentance. To those that do not repent, they are in the hand of the Lord and His judgment, and it is a fearful thing to fall into the hand of the living God (Heb 10:31). God will not deal lightly with those who damage the reputation of a local assembly and do not show remorse for their actions.
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