51 Whoredom is actually heard of among you, and such whoredom as is not even named among the nations—as that one hath the wife of the father!— 2 and ye are having been puffed up, and did not rather mourn, that he may be removed out of the midst of you who did this work, 3 for I indeed, as being absent as to the body, and present as to the spirit, have already judged, as being present, him who so wrought this thing: 4 in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—ye being gathered together, also my spirit—with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 5 to deliver up such a one to the Adversary for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. 6 Not good 'is' your glorying; have ye not known that a little leaven the whole lump doth leaven?
7 cleanse out, therefore, the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, according as ye are unleavened, for also our passover for us was sacrificed—Christ, 8 so that we may keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of evil and wickedness, but with unleavened food of sincerity and truth.
9 I did write to you in the epistle, not to keep company with whoremongers— 10 and not certainly with the whoremongers of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, seeing ye ought then to go forth out of the world— 11 and now, I did write to you not to keep company with 'him', if any one, being named a brother, may be a whoremonger, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—with such a one not even to eat together; 12 for what have I also those without to judge? those within do ye not judge? 13 and those without God doth judge; and put ye away the evil from among yourselves.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 1 Corinthians 5:1-31
Commentary on 1 Corinthians 5:1-8
(Read 1 Corinthians 5:1-8)
The apostle notices a flagrant abuse, winked at by the Corinthians. Party spirit, and a false notion of Christian liberty, seem to have saved the offender from censure. Grievous indeed is it that crimes should sometimes be committed by professors of the gospel, of which even heathens would be ashamed. Spiritual pride and false doctrines tend to bring in, and to spread such scandals. How dreadful the effects of sin! The devil reigns where Christ does not. And a man is in his kingdom, and under his power, when not in Christ. The bad example of a man of influence is very mischievous; it spreads far and wide. Corrupt principles and examples, if not corrected, would hurt the whole church. Believers must have new hearts, and lead new lives. Their common conversation and religious deeds must be holy. So far is the sacrifice of Christ our Passover for us, from rendering personal and public holiness unnecessary, that it furnishes powerful reasons and motives for it. Without holiness we can neither live by faith in him, nor join in his ordinances with comfort and profit.
Commentary on 1 Corinthians 5:9-13
(Read 1 Corinthians 5:9-13)
Christians are to avoid familiar converse with all who disgrace the Christian name. Such are only fit companions for their brethren in sin, and to such company they should be left, whenever it is possible to do so. Alas, that there are many called Christians, whose conversation is more dangerous than that of heathens!