1 CORINTHIANS 4:17–5:6a
PAUL IS NOW READY TO begin his second essay, which focuses on sexual practice and its theological foundation. The essay comprises four sections and one extended aside. The outline of the overall essay is as follows:
2.1.Immorality and the Church (4:17–6:8)
2.2.(Three Road Blocks: Leaven, Immorality and the Law Courts [5:6b–6:8])
2.3.Theology of Sexual Practice: Kingdom Ethics (6:9-12)
2.4.Theology of Sexual Practice: Joining the Body (6:13-20)
2.5.Sexual Practice in Harmony with the Gospel (7:1-40)
In each of the five essays, Paul opens with a call to remember the tradition. This is followed (as always) with a presentation of the problem under consideration. The new topic is sexual immorality.
Reference to the tradition (4:17) requires careful scrutiny. The text reads:
1. | 17For this reason I sent to you Timothy, | THE TRADITION |
| my beloved and faithful child in the Lord: |
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| to remind you of my ways in Christ Jesus, |
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| as I teach them everywhere in every church. |
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Many commentators have assumed that 4:17-21 is a conclusion to what precedes, and that Paul’s discussion of sexual practice begins in 5:1. It is also possible to read 4:17 (cameo 1) as the opening of the essay on the topic of sexual practice that follows. The phrase “For this reason I sent to you” (4:17) is thus best seen as looking forward rather than backwards. This question is significant and deserves careful attention. A number of points can be made.
A clear break in the text between 4:16 and 4:17 has been observed for more than a thousand years. Writing an Arabic language commentary on 1 Corinthians in Damascus in A.D. 867, Ibn al-Sari of the Syrian Orthodox church placed his first chapter division between verses 16 and 17.1 Key aspects of the text support Ibn al-Sari’s view.
1. The two verses 16 and 17 (when read side by side) give the reader two occurrences in a row of the idea expressed by the English word therefore. Namely:
16I urge you, therefore [oun], be imitators of me.
17Therefore [dia touto], I sent to you Timothy, to remind you of my ways in Christ as I teach them everywhere in every church.
Both the RSV and the NRSV soften this problem by translating the first “therefore” (oun) as “then.” But it is difficult to argue that Paul is summarizing his previous argument twice in a row with two similar phrases one after another. Rather, the first “therefore” is a word Paul often uses to summarize a previous discussion (cf. 10:31; 11:20; 14:23; 14:26; 15:11; 16:11; 16:18). This leaves the second phrase (dia touto) as an introduction to what follows.
2. The phrase “to remind you” (v. 17) clearly opens a new discussion in two of the following essays (1 Cor 11:2; 15:1), so why not here as well?
3. What Paul “teaches everywhere in every church” is the church tradition. Such a reference begins each of the five essays. This has been widely recognized in essays three, four and five. So why should a reference to these traditions be left here as a conclusion to the first essay?
4. To my knowledge, no ancient Middle Eastern paragraph system divided the text at 1 Corinthians 5:1. However, there is widespread early evidence for a break at the end of verse 4:15. Codex Vaticanus made such a break (adding the admonition “imitate me” of verse 16 to the new paragraph). The ancient paragraph divisions of the northern Coptic tradition and those of the classical Armenian tradition do the same.2 The ancient liturgy of St. James, followed by the Syrian Orthodox Church, and also the liturgy of the Greek Melkite Church of the Middle East break at the end of verse 16 and read 4:17–5:5 as a single passage.3 As noted, Ibn al-Sari placed a chapter division in the text at this point.4
5. In 4:17-19 Paul discusses Timothy’s impending visit and his own. This topic indirectly reappears in 5:3 in reference to the judgment of the immoral man. Paul seems to be saying, “Some think I am not coming [4:18] but I am indeed coming [4:19]; as a matter of fact, although I am absent in body consider me already present in spirit [5:3].”
The references to the visits of Paul and Timothy thus support the inclusion of 4:17-21 with what follows.
6. In 4:18 Paul refers to some who are “arrogant” (ephusiothesan). In 5:2, using the same word, he becomes more pointed with the remark, “and you are arrogant!” That is, 4:18 joins 5:2 on the subject of “arrogance.”
7. In 4:20 Paul refers to “the kingdom of God.” This phrase occurs only nine times in Paul. Six of the nine are specific references to people not entering the kingdom of God. Setting aside the verse under discussion, four out of these five negative references (6:9, 10; Gal 5:21; Eph 5:5) specifically mention sexual immorality as one of the reasons for exclusion from the kingdom. The overwhelming weight of evidence is that when Paul is talking about sin and the kingdom of God, he is thinking of lists of sins that include sexual immorality. Here Paul specifically makes that connection (6:9, 10).
8. An examination of Paul’s use of dia touto (for this reason) leads to the conclusion that this phrase always looks forward in some sense. Often it introduces a new thought with little or no reference to what has come before (cf. Rom 15:9; 1 Cor 11:30; 2 Cor 4:1; 12:10; Eph 1:15; Col 1:9; 2 Thess 2:11). At other times the phrase builds on a previous discussion and moves on to introduce a new idea (cf. Rom 1:26; 4:16; 5:12; 13:6; 1 Cor 11:10; 2 Cor 4:1; 7:13; Eph 5:17; 6:13; 1 Thess 3:5, 7). In most of these cases modern editors (RSV and others) have dia touto introduce a new paragraph. Schultz argues that in 1 Corinthians 4:17 dia touto points forward.5 I suggest a translation of, “For this reason I sent to you Timothy… to remind you of my ways in Christ Jesus as I teach them everywhere.” The reason for Timothy’s visit is to remind them of Paul’s ways in Christ.
9. There is a shift in tone between 4:14-16 (in the previous essay) and 4:17-21 (in the current essay). In verses 14-16 Paul speaks very gently. He wants only to admonish his beloved children not to make them ashamed. But in verses 17-21 he is threatening the arrogant with a rod! C. K. Barrett has noted this dramatic shift of tone and writes,
At verse 14 Paul began to moderate his tone towards his readers; he did not wish to humiliate them, only to see that they were soundly instructed in Christian principles. When however he recalls the actual… state of the Corinthian church he feels obliged to end his paragraph on a firmer note.6
It is easy to see the threat of beating with a rod as related to the new discussion of incest rather than as part of the previous discussion on the cross that concluded with a “gentle admonition.”
10. If 4:14-21 is indeed one paragraph, then what is there in these verses that triggers Paul’s sudden anger? When verses 14-16 end the previous discussion and verses 17-21 are read as the opening volley of the new topic, the answer to this question is obvious. In the first text (vv. 14-16) Paul, the “father” of the Corinthian believers, wants to deal gently with his wayward children. In the second (vv. 17-21) he is angry about their gross immorality. But without that break in the text there is no apparent reason for Paul’s intense flare-up of anger.
Why then, we naturally ask, have commentators and editors placed the break in subject matter at 5:1 for so long? There are at least three possible reasons as to why this has happened.
1. First is the visit. In 4:18-21 Paul is talking about his coming visit. Chapter 5 discusses incest. They seem unrelated. But this reference to the coming visit is indirectly mentioned in 5:3. Paul’s visit is an introduction to his discussion of the case of incest. His point is, “I am coming, and you had better get this matter taken care of, or on my arrival I will have to use a rod (4:18-21)! Do not await my return, but consider me already present in spirit and proceed (5:3-5).”
2. The discussion of “I am coming!” moves naturally into the directive “Here is the problem (5:1-2), and you must deal with it before I arrive (5:2b-6).” But if this connection is not noted, it is easy to see 5:1 as a major division.
3. Finally, there is the matter of the tradition. When the translator does not observe that in the other four essays Paul refers to the tradition at the opening of a new essay, making a chapter division in 5:1 becomes an option.
In conclusion, there are numerous reasons for seeing 4:17-21 as an introduction to the topic of immorality and not as a dangling personal aside. Like each of the other four, the second essay opens with a reference to the tradition. As with other essays, this reference is attached to a call to remember.
After invoking the tradition Paul states the problem boldly and gives a firm directive to the Corinthian church regarding what they must do. Once again Paul composes an apostolic homily with seven cameos. The text is displayed in figure 2.1(1).
1. | 4:17For this reason I sent to you Timothy, | THE TRADITION |
| my beloved and faithful child in the Lord: |
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| to remind you of my ways in Christ Jesus, |
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| as I teach them everywhere in every church. |
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2. | 18Some are arrogant, as if I were not coming to you. | ARROGANCE |
| 19But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, | And Power |
| and I will find out not the talk of these arrogant people but their power. |
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| 20For the kingdom of God does not consist of talk but power. | |
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3. | 21What do you want? |
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| Shall I come to you with a rod, | A ROD |
| or with love in a spirit of gentleness? | Or Gentleness? |
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4. | 5:1Everyone has reported that there is immorality among you, |
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| and of a kind that is not found even among the Gentiles; | ARROGANCE |
| for a man has [conjugal relations with] his father’s wife. | And Immorality |
| 2And you are arrogant! |
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| Ought you not rather to mourn? |
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5. | Let him be removed from among you, |
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| the one who has done this. | HIM—REMOVE |
| 3For I, absent in body | My Body |
| yet, present in spirit, | My Spirit |
| I have already judged, as present, | Him—Judge |
| the one who has done this. |
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6. | 4In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. | NAME OF JESUS |
| When you are assembled, | Your “body” |
| and my spirit is present, | My Spirit |
| with the power of our Lord Jesus, | Power of Jesus |
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7. | 5surrender this to Satan | HIM—REMOVE |
| for the destruction of the flesh, | His Flesh |
| that his spirit may be saved | His Spirit |
| in the day of the Lord. | Day of the Lord |
| 6aYour boasting is not good.7 |
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Figure 2.1(1). The problem: Immorality, arrogance and what must be done (1 Cor 4:17–5:6a)
The structure of this apostolic homily is similar to the homily that precedes it in 4:8-16. The one structural difference is that in the previous homily the stand-alone cameo is at the end. Here it is in the beginning. Otherwise the two homilies have the same structure.
Again there are seven cameos. The first affirms the tradition. The other six are divided into two sets of three cameos, each of which has an A-B-A format.8 The first set presents the problem: Incest! The second commands a response: Remove the offender! In 4:8-16 the concluding cameo looks back over the entire essay from 1:10–4:13. In this homily cameo 1 looks forward over the entire second essay that stretches from 4:18–7:40.
As noted Paul opens with an invocation of the tradition.
1. | 4:17For this reason I sent to you Timothy,9 | THE TRADITION |
| my beloved and faithful child in the Lord: |
|
| To remind you of my ways in Christ Jesus, |
|
| as I teach them everywhere in every church. |
|
At the beginning of the first essay Paul wrote about “the testimony of/to Christ” that “was confirmed” among the Corinthians (1:6). Here the tradition is referred to as “my ways in Christ Jesus as I teach them everywhere,” which were not confirmed (as he will quickly point out). What he has to say about sexual morality and its theological foundation is not something he is dreaming up for the occasion. His views on this new topic are known to all the churches. Previously he taught all of this to them. On his recent visit, Timothy repeated his views, and thus they cannot plead ignorance. Paul wants, once again, to set the record straight.
He then sets off a bomb [see fig. 2.1(2)].
After the invocation of the tradition, the pace quickens and the pitch rises. He begins by writing bluntly “some are arrogant.” In cameo 4 he becomes more pointed by saying, “you are arrogant!” He is very angry! The word arrogant is another key word that appears in the definition of love in 13:4-7.
It appears that some in Corinth assumed that Paul would not return. In cameo 2 he affirms that he intends to come soon—and they will therefore have to deal with him. He has not faded out of the picture.
4:18Some are arrogant, as if I were not coming to you. | ARROGANCE | |
| 19But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, | And Power |
| and I will find out not the talk of these arrogant people but their power. | |
| 20For the kingdom of God does not consist of talk but power. | |
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3. | 21What do you want? | I COME WITH |
| Shall I come to you with a rod, | A Rod? |
| or with love in a spirit of gentleness? | Or Gentleness? |
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4. | 5:1Everyone10 has reported that there is immorality among you, |
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| and of a kind that is not found even among the Gentiles; | ARROGANCE |
| for a man has (is living with) his father’s wife. | And Immorality |
| 2And you are arrogant! |
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| Ought you not rather to mourn? |
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Figure 2.1(2). Cameos 2-4 (1 Cor 4:18–5:2)
He then raises the question of “talk” (the use of language) and the reality of “power.” The first essay discussed “talk” (beautiful language/the wisdom of this world) and “power” (the power of the cross and of the Spirit). The power of the cross overcomes the wisdom and power of the world. “The power of the Spirit” gives the ability to understand mysteries, to heal, to prophesy and to speak in tongues. On arrival Paul will want to discuss these things with them.
In 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 Paul offers an important clue to what he means by “power.” He writes, “For the weapons of our warfare are not worldly but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every proud obstacle to the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.” Paul was able to “hold his own” while debating the philosophers in Athens, and he can certainly manage with the Corinthians who are proud of their sexual freedom to commit incest. The issues are not turf problems. Very serious matters are on the table and Paul is fully prepared to defend his views.
In cameo 3 he offers them a choice. He can come in “gentleness” or “with a rod,” and they must choose between the two. Their choice will be made by how they deal with the man sleeping with his father’s wife.
Paul begins his confrontation with the Corinthians over the case of incest with the key word olos that can be translated “actually it is reported” or “every-one has reported.”11 The RSV, NRSV and NIV have chosen “It is actually reported.” This carries the nuance of “I am sorry to have to say this, but it is actually reported that…” The second translation option of “everyone has reported” means “I am hearing this from all my sources.” These English versions show that many in the Western world take the first view. But how have Middle Eastern Christians read this text?
Out of the twenty-three Semitic versions gathered for this study, both the Hebrew and eighteen of the Arabic versions read some form of “Every-one has reported” or “It is known for a fact.”12 Three of these translations have some form of “It is commonly known,” and one lists simply “It is known.”
The winner for more than a thousand years is “Everyone has reported.” This option fits Paul’s cultural context. The Corinthians had reported some things to him in writing (7:1), and he had heard about other things orally “from Chloe’s people” (1:11). No doubt Stephanas (16:17) and Sosthenes (1:1) had their own “grapevines.” But Paul does not reveal his sources. Such a disclosure would have given the Corinthians a chance to immediately shift the subject from the case of incest to the question, Who ratted on us? Paul protects his sources by saying, “The cat is out of the bag, everyone has reported…” That is, “Don’t try to identify the person who gave me this information and then get angry at him or her. I am getting this disgusting news from everyone!”
The key word immorality, which appears in cameo 4, is a general term for all forms of unacceptable sexual behavior. The Mishnah legislates stoning for a man who has sexual relations with “his mother, his father’s wife, his daughter-in-law, a male, or a beast.”13 Roman law also forbade incest. One of the aspects of this particular case that appears to anger Paul the most is that some in the congregation are “boasting” about this matter. Apparently they understood “freedom in Christ” to mean “anything goes!” “No!” thunders Paul— you should be in mourning!
The first trilogy of cameos (1-3) focuses on the problem. The second trilogy (5-7) gives attention to what the Corinthians have to do about it [see fig. 2.1(3)].
2bLet him be removed from among you, |
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| the one who has done this. | HIM—REMOVE |
| 3For I, absent in body | My Body (absent) |
| yet, present in spirit, | My Spirit (present) |
| I have already judged, as present, | Him—Judge |
| the one who has done this. |
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6. | 4In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. | NAME OF JESUS |
| When you are assembled, | Your “body” |
| and my spirit is present, | My Spirit (present) |
| with the power of our Lord Jesus, | Power of Jesus |
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7. | 5surrender this to Satan | HIM—REMOVE |
| for the destruction of the flesh, | His Flesh |
| that his spirit may be saved | His Spirit |
| in the day of the Lord. | Day of the Lord |
| 6Your boasting is not good. |
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Figure 2.1(3). Cameos 5-7 (1 Cor 5:2-6)
These three cameos are also inverted. The removal of the offender is the subject of the two outer stanzas (5, 7). In the center (6) the authority for this action is discussed. They are to act in the name and with the power of our Lord Jesus. The center of each of the three cameos touches on the themes of “body and spirit.” The body and spirit of Paul appear in cameo 5 while the body and spirit of the offender are mentioned in cameo 7. The body of Christ (“when you are assembled”) is subtly introduced into the climax (6). In 6:13-20 Paul argues that sexuality for the Christian is related to the doctrine of the church. Here, he is already reflecting that theological stance.
Paul is asking the congregation to take responsibility for its own life. He is also astutely avoiding a trap. Some in the congregation are at least contemplating (and perhaps urging) leaving this mess for Paul to sort out when he arrives. That way the congregation can avoid the painful and distasteful task of making a decision. Furthermore, whatever Paul decides, they can then blame him. “He said this,” “He failed to do that,” “If only he had…” The discussion can last for months and the damage for years. Regardless of what he says or does, some will blame him. Paul is too intelligent to be caught is such a bind. In short he says,
You have to make a decision and carry it out. Don’t wait for me. You must take responsibility for this problem. You want my opinion? Fine—I will give it to you. Don’t stone him (a Jewish solution) and don’t report him to the authorities for trial and punishment (a Roman solution). Throw him out of the church! Furthermore, this action must be taken by you as a community. Do not delegate the decision to your leaders. You must assemble as the church and “surrender this … to Satan.” The shock may lead him to repentance. It is your only hope for him and for yourselves.
On whose authority is this to be done? They are told to act “in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ” (v. 4a) and in the “power of our Lord Jesus” (v. 4d). Yes, there will be suffering involved for all. But “to us who are being saved” the cross is “the power of God” (1:18). That same cross is also the wisdom of God. Out of that power and wisdom, demonstrated in a cross, they are to act. Literally, Paul writes “surrender this… to Satan.” This is a Middle Eastern way of talking. In English we usually translate it “surrender this man,” but the word man is missing. When Paul writes, “surrender this… to Satan,” the readers can add whatever adjective they want. It can be “this idiot” or “this fool ” or something stronger. This same style of speech appears in the parable of the pounds in Luke 19:14. In that story a group of citizens who hate the nobleman send an emissary (presumably to Rome) to say, “We do not want this… to rule over us.” Western translations again add the word man and offer, “We do not want this man to rule over us.” Abraham Lincoln’s enemies called him a “baboon,” a “hairy ape” and “a gorilla.” Both Jesus and Paul invite their listeners/ readers to add the adjectives of their choices.
The meaning of cameo 7 is elusive. Anthony Thiselton has a full discussion of the many questions and options.14 He writes, “there emerges a further strand to the issue which is relevant equally to Corinth and for today: in certain cases law ministers to trust and to freedom: it does not oppose freedom.”15 Gordon Fee’s discussion is also extensive and helpful.16 He comments on the fact that we live in a world where the church tolerates every kind of sin because (of course) we cannot be “judgmental.” Fee then offers four astute general comments. These are (1) the entire church was told to participate. The problem was affecting all of them. (2) Discipline was intended to be “remedial, not judgmental.” That is, the goal was the salvation of the sinner. (3) That discipline was important because the sin contaminated all of them. (4) In our day the man could simply have gone to another church that might too quickly accept him. Fee reflects on Paul’s day where “exclusion could be a genuinely redemptive action.”17
Yet after nearly two thousand years of study and discussion this text remains partially elusive. Paul’s goal is trying to heal the church and save the man. To accomplish this purpose the church must “draw a line.” “Everything goes” and “whatever society accepts has to be acceptable to us” is not good enough.
At the very end of the homily he tells them bluntly, “Your boasting is not good.” As we will observe, boasting features in chapter 13 as a failure of love.
To summarize this first homily (in this essay), five points can be made
The church has a tradition; it is known and it is important.
Some are arrogantly affirming total freedom in sexual practice. Paul tells them to mourn.
They must come together in a public meeting and throw this man out of the church.
This action has the possibility of redeeming the sinner and restoring the church.
They are to act in the name and power of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul then turns to three roadblocks needing removal before he can lay a theological foundation for sexual practice that is in harmony with the gospel. It is possible to see these three roadblocks as profoundly relevant to the topic. To them we now turn.