1 Corinthians 6:1-11

1 Corinthians 6:1-11

[1] Dare  any  having  a matter  against  another,  go to law  before  the unjust,  and  not  before  the saints?  [2] not  know  that  the saints  shall judge  the world?  and  if  the world  shall be judged  by  unworthy  to judge  the smallest matters?  [3] Know ye  not  that  we shall judge  angels?  how much more  things that pertain to this life?  [4] If  then  ye have  judgments  of things pertaining to this life,  set  to judge who are least esteemed  in  the church.  [5] I speak  shame.  Is it so,  is not  a wise man  among  that  shall be able  to judge  between  his  brethren?  [6] But  brother  goeth to law  with  brother,  and  before  the unbelievers.  [7] Now  therefore  utterly  a fault  because  ye go  to law  one with  another.  not  rather  take wrong?  not  rather  suffer yourselves to be defrauded?  [8] Nay,  do wrong,  and  defraud,  and  your brethren.  [9] Know ye  not  that  the unrighteous  not  inherit  the kingdom  of God?  not  deceived:  neither  fornicators,  nor  idolaters,  nor  adulterers,  nor  effeminate,  nor  abusers of themselves with mankind,  [10] Nor  thieves,  nor  covetous,  nor  drunkards,  nor  revilers,  nor  extortioners,  shall inherit  the kingdom  of God.  [11] And  some of you:  but  ye are washed,  but  ye are sanctified,  but  ye are justified  in  the name  of the Lord  Jesus,  and  by  the Spirit  God. 

What does 1 Corinthians 6:1-11 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

The apostle continued to deal with the general subject of discipline in the church that he began in 1 Corinthians 5:1. He proceeded to point out some other glaring instances of inconsistency that had their roots in the Corinthians" lax view of sin. Rather than looking to unsaved judges to solve their internal conflicts, they should have exercised discipline among themselves in these cases. Gallio had refused to get involved in Jewish controversies in Corinth and had told the Jews to deal with these matters themselves ( Acts 18:14-16). Paul now counseled a similar approach for the Christians.
"In this section Paul is dealing with a problem which specially 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 a thing to be settled in a family spirit than in a legal spirit.... The Greeks were in fact famous, or notorious, for their love of going to law." [1]
"Roman society was notoriously litigious, and Corinth, with its rising class of nouveau riche, was even more so." [2]
". . . the congregation"s root problem lies in its lack of theological depth. It shames itself by not understanding itself as an eschatological community ("Do you not know that we are to judge angels?") and as a community redeemed by Christ." [3]
"Paul has not finished with the theme of church discipline in regard to sexual life; see vi12and chapter vii; but in 1 Corinthians 6:12 f. he had spoken of judgement [4], and this brings to his mind another feature of Corinthian life of which he had heard ..." [5]