In the first four chapters of 1 Corinthians, Paul
introduces a shameful problem in the church. The Corinthians
proudly attach themselves to certain leaders, whose teaching
seems to disclose a “wisdom” not known or taught by other
teachers, and certainly not by Paul or his fellow-apostles.
The cliques and factions in the church are undermining the
unity of the church, in chapters 5 and 6, Paul calls
attention to two other problems plaguing the church,
immorality and lawsuits.
Chapter 5 is not actually about the immorality of one church
member, as much as it is about the pride and passivity of
the entire church in response to this sinner. It is not
until the end of chapter 6 (verses 12-20) that Paul exposes
the evil of immorality. We see then that chapters 5 and 6
are a unit. Chapter 5 introduces the matter of immorality
and the obligation of the church to exercise discipline.
Chapter 6 takes up the issue of Christians taking each other
to law courts (verses 1-11), and then concludes with Paul’s
teaching on immorality.
In chapters 1-4, Paul address sin in the church that is not
recognized or regarded as sin by the unsaved. These first
four chapters speak of divisions that are neither biblical
nor godly, those based upon leaders, pride, human wisdom,
and power. Chapters 5 and 6 deal with sins practiced in
public, while the world looks on in amazement. Not only
those in Corinth, but others elsewhere are aware of the
immorality of this man in the Corinthian church, and even
the pagans are shocked.
Even though far removed from the Corinthians, news reaches
Paul of immorality in the church. Paul’s introductory words,
“It is actually reported” are instructive. The emphasis is
on the fact that the immorality in the Corinthian church is
common knowledge. It is bad enough that Paul hears of
immorality in the Corinthian church, but what Paul has to
say is even more disturbing. While it is possible, even
likely, that immorality is commonplace in the church; Paul
turns to a specific instance. It seems that this is a worst
case of immorality than other cases of immorality in the
church. The specific nature of the immorality was incest,
has taken his father’s wife. Using the term “his father’s
wife” indicates the woman is the offender’s stepmother,
“someone has his father’s wife” implies the sin is still
going on as Paul writes. Paul does not tell us if the father
is alive or if this man is married to the woman. Paul does
not say anything about disciplining the woman seems to
indicate the woman was not a Christian. It is very clear
that a man is living immorally with his father’s wife,
something forbidden by Old Testament law (Leviticus 18:8;
Deuteronomy 22:30; 27:20), by the apostles (Acts 15:20, 29;
21:25), and by Roman law. While the sin of this man troubled
Paul, the response of the church was a greater concern to
Paul. There is no action taken to correct the situation. The
last part of verse 2 indicates that while the Corinthians
should excommunicate this man from the church, they have not
done so.
