Paul's Advice to Corinth
Concerning Folks Who
Practice Whoring
By Jonathan Mitchell

Comments on 1 Cor. 5:9-13

9. I wrote to you folks, in the letter: not to keep on mixing yourselves together again with men who make a practice of whoring, or who are male prostitutes (or: not to be repeatedly intermingled again with male paramours or boys who sell themselves) -

10. and [I am] not wholly or altogether [referring] to this world's (or: secular society's) prostitutes (or: the male prostitutes of this cultural, religious and political system [note: the concept of sexual misconduct also has a figurative aspect in Scripture, denoting unfaithfulness to God]); or to those who are greedy and want to have more than, and to take advantage of, others and/or [are] folks who snatch things away, as extortionists; or [who are] idolaters (or: hirelings of the idols). Otherwise, in that case, you folks continue under obligation to consequently exit the System (go forth from out of the midst of the world of religion, culture and society) -

In vss. 9 and 10, on offer are a number of renderings from the lexicons for the word pornos: whoring, male prostitute; fornicator or male paramour; along with the parenthetical expansions. There are differing opinions among scholars as to the meaning of this term (here in the plural). Because of this, the common, modern translations have opted for rendering it "immoral" or "sexually immoral." The problem that I see with these modern choices is that they are too general, and today's readers will interpret these general terms in a variety of ways. What constitutes immoral (NASB rendering) for one person may well be different for another. The more specific, "sexual immorality," can also have different interpretations, depending on our cultural conditioning. Nyland, The Source NT, does not translate the word, but rather brings it transliterated into her text, stating that there is no equivalent English term. Her research directs us to acts condemned in the Law of Moses. Paul instructions may be an allusion to Deut. 23:17,

"There will not continue being a prostitute from among the daughters of Israel; there will not continue being one that is habitually practicing prostitution from among the sons of Israel" (LXX, JM).

He has moved to general situations regarding the group's ongoing way of life, but it flows from his metaphor of "leaven of bad quality," in vs. 8, and is really a continuation of the topic begun in vs. 1. He cites immoral behavior in vss. 9-10a, then gives other examples of "bad form": those who are greedy and want to have more than, and to take advantage of, others; and/or, folks who snatch things away, as extortionists, or, idolaters (or: hirelings of the idols). These were all examples of typical vices, as a teaching device - he was not insinuating that the community in Corinth had these conditions.

In 10a he gives a qualifier: [I am] not wholly or altogether [referring] to this world's (or: secular society's) fornicators. Then the last statement explains what he means by this: "Otherwise, in that case, you folks continue under obligation to consequently exit the System (go forth from out of the midst of the world of religion, culture and society)." And he is not suggesting that they should do such a thing. After all, they are to be the Light in Corinth. His statement in Rom. 7:6 sheds further light on what he means, here:

"But now (at the present time), we [= Israel] are (or: were instantly) rendered inactive (brought down to living without labor, released from employment, made unproductive; discharged) away from the Law (= the Torah; [some MSS add: of Death]), dying within that in which we were constantly being held down (held in possession and detained), so that it is [for] us to be habitually performing as slaves within newness of spirit (a newness pertaining to spirit and has its source in the Breath-effect; freshness and new quality of attitude) and not in oldness (obsoleteness; outdatedness) of Letter (or: not in outwornness of written Scripture)."

11. yet at this time (or: so now) I write for you folks not to continue mixing yourselves back together with anyone being regularly recognized as (usually designated; habitually named or called) a "brother," if he should continue being a prostitute, or a covetous and greedy person, or an idolater, or a verbally abusive one, or a drunkard, or a snatching one (or: an extortioner) - to not even be habitually eating with such a person.

Notice the continuous or habitual action that Paul is speaking about, since he chose the present tense for the words "continue mixing," and "continue being," and "habitually eating." If the community regularly did these things they would not present themselves to Corinth as being different from the norm (or: set-apart). The image that they would bear would be the same as the image of their surrounding society. But Paul is not telling them to be as the Pharisees or even the Jews (who were not to have intimate dealings with non-Jews; cf Peter's concern about this in Acts 10).

Now is this different from the pattern that Jesus demonstrated by eating with the outcasts of the Jewish society (sinners, tax collectors, prostitutes, etc.)? It would appear to be. Is Paul stressing purity laws for those at Corinth? To the first question, we would say, "Yes." To the second question, we would say, "No." We suspect that the reason is that Paul is writing to those who are immature in Christ, and thus, could be led astray, or would be too weak to maintain the kind of witness of the Truth, the Way and the Life that Jesus was able to maintain. Recall "the weak" in Rom. 14, cited above. Furthermore, Roman society already considered the Christians as atheists (they denied the pagan gods). Secondly, history records that Christians were accused of immorality, and other false charges, by their Roman opponents. Walking circumspectly would be the wisdom of God for these situations.

The sequence of the terms,

"a covetous and greedy person, or an idolater,"

may be an echo of the 2nd century BC Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs, Judah 19:1,

"My children, love of money leads to idolatry, because once they are led astray by money, they designate as gods those who are not gods" (trans. by H.C. Kee in The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, Vol 1, Hendrickson Pub. 2013 p 800).

Similar prohibitions in Judean ethics carried on into the first century AD:

"every prostitute (or: male prostitute; paramour), or unclean (impure [in character]; morally indecent) person, or greedy one (person who is covetous: insatiably desiring advantage or more than one's due), [i.e.,] the person who exists as (or: that is) an idolater, is not now holding enjoyment of an inheritance (does not currently continue having use of an allotment) within the Christ's and God's reign or sphere of sovereign activity" (Eph. 5:5). Cf 6:9, below; Gal. 5:20

Then Paul puts it this way in Col. 3:5-6,

"Make dead, therefore, these members (body parts; = aspects of your life) upon the earth: prostitution, uncleanness, [unbridled] passion, worthless over-desire (rushing upon bad things; obsessive, evil cravings), and the desire to have more and gain advantage over another (or: selfish, greedy, grasping thoughts and behavior) - which is idolatry (the worship of forms, shapes, images or figures; or: service to pagan concepts) - because of which things God's inherent fervor (natural impulse and propensity; internal swelling and teeming passion of desire; or: anger; wrath) is repeatedly (or: continuously; progressively) coming."

12. For what [right is it] for me to be making decisions about or judging those [who are] "outside"? Are you yourselves not repeatedly sifting and critiquing (or: separating and judging) those "inside"? Now those "outside" God habitually sifts and makes decisions about (is constantly judging).

13. "Lift up out and carry forth (Expel; Remove) the degenerate person (the misery-gushed, worthless, base or evil one who brings pain) out of the midst of yourselves." [Deut. 13:5; 17:7; etc.]

Verse 12a is missing a finite verb, so the text is ambiguous. The Concordant Literal NT reads,

"For what [is it] to me to be judging..."

Since the last clause of this verse says that it is God who is judging those "outside" the community, in the first clause I have added the word [right] with the ellipsis [is it]. He is saying that it is NOT right for him to be judging all the folks he has just, above, told the community not to continuously hang around. That is God's business. He "habitually sifts and makes decisions about (is constantly judging) those 'outside'" the community. This calls to mind Jn. 3:36b,

"the person now continuing being unpersuaded by the Son (or: presently being constantly incompliant, disobedient or disbelieving to the Son; being repeatedly stubborn toward the Son) will not be catching sight of (seeing; observing; perceiving) [this] life. To the contrary (or: Yet, nevertheless), God's personal emotion and inherent fervor (or: the teeming passion and swelling desire, which is God; the mental bent, natural impulse, propensity and disposition from God; or: the ire, anger, wrath or indignation having the quality and character of God) presently continues remaining (keeps on resting, dwelling and abiding) upon him."

But then he challenges them: are they not repeatedly evaluating and making decisions concerning those in their own covenant community? This rhetorical question would expect a "Yes," from his listeners.

We want to point out the present tense (continuous or habitual action) that Paul uses of God's judging. Yes, God is CONTINUOUSLY judging those outside the called-out communities. He is NOT waiting for some imaginary "end of time" to do this. God is constantly involved in world affairs and among the peoples of the world. But He has not informed us, so as to answer our little questions, such as: "Why don't You do this? Why do You allow that? Etc." We are called to live a life of trust in God, and put our faith in His good Character. God never gave Job an answer to Job's "Why?"

For the practical situation with which this chapter has been dealing, Paul quotes the Torah. You see, His grace is sufficient to deal with this person who would now become one that was "outside." Jesus spoke of doing this to the Jewish leadership, who would within His generation be fired from their jobs of representing God's reign, and would be cast into outer darkness - outside the ongoing sovereign activities of Christ's movement of bringing Light into the world.

This community in Corinth represented God's kingdom, His sovereign activities and influences in the world. So just as the Jewish leadership of the first century had the kingdom taken from them for not properly representing God to the world, this individual was to lose his place within the called-out of Corinth: he was "old leaven" to them. But like the unbelieving Jews, he too could later be "grafted back in again" (Rom. 11:23).

By quoting Deut. 13, Paul is understanding that the man referenced in vs. 1, above, is a "degenerate person." As the parenthetical expansion offers, the semantic range of the word could indicate that this situation was bringing someone pain, and thus the entire community was being affected (cf 12:26, below). The next chapter opens in dealing with another situation, but Paul is still addressing the community's need to take action concerning disruptive things that arise. In 6:12a, he states that,

"To me, all things are presently out-of-Being (Everything continues from existence for me; or: All is authorized, allowed, permitted by and in me). But yet not everything proceeds to bear together for advantage, profit or help."

The "advantage, profit and help" is the same as "building the house" in 3:10, above. The ongoing behavior of the man in vs. 1, above, was adding wood, hay and stubble to the Corinthian temple of God. Paul's assessment, and the directives given in vs. 5, above, and here in vs. 13, was

"fire issuing (or: proceeding) out of [his] mouth" (Rev. 11:5)

to burn up this worthless behavior. His words are the "rod" of which he spoke, in 4:21, above.

If we consider the "garden" descriptions of the New Jerusalem (Rev. 22:1-5) and perceive that this is an allusion to the Garden of Eden (Gen. 2:8-16) we may be able to see the correlation between the New Jerusalem (the City was now God's temple/dwelling place) and the community in Corinth, which Paul describes as

"the temple of God."

This being the case, and bringing in the concept of God's reign and "kingdom" (cf 6:9-10, below), just as Adam and Eve were ejected from the original Garden, we can better understand why Paul followed suit in his instructions about the man who partook of the "tree" of intimate knowledge of "evil" in this chapter. To be continued...

Jonathan

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