1 Corinthians 6:1-4

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Corinthians 6:1-8

Here the apostle reproves them for going to law with one another before heathen judges for little matters; and therein blames all vexatious law-suits. In the previous chapter he had directed them to punish heinous sins among themselves by church-censures. Here he directs them to determine controversies with one another by church-counsel and advice, concerning which observe, I. The fault he blames them for: it was going to law. Not but that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully. But, 1.... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - 1 Corinthians 6:1-8

6:1-8 When any of you has a ground of complaint against his fellow, does he dare to go to law before unrighteous men, and not before God's dedicated people? Are you not aware that God's dedicated people will one day judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you unfit to deal with the smallest matters of judgment? Are you not aware that we will judge angels--let alone things which have to do with ordinary everyday life? If then you have questions of judgment which have to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 6:1

Dare any of you, having a matter against another ,...., Any thing in difference, an action, cause, or suit. The apostle having dispatched the affair of the incestuous person, and blamed this church for their conduct therein: and having given them instructions what they should do, proceeds to lay before them another evil among them he had to complain of; which was, when any difference arose among them about their worldly concerns, they would go to law before the unjust , and not before... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 6:2

Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world ,.... The apostle appeals to them concerning this matter, as a thing well known unto them, or might easily be known by them; for this was either a traditional notion among the Jews, many of whom were in this church, that good men should judge the world; as is said of the righteous in the apocryphal book: "They shall judge the nations, and have dominion over the people, and their Lord shall reign for ever.' (Wisdom 3:8) and so the Jews... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 6:3

Know ye not that we shall judge angels ,.... Meaning not the ministers of the Gospel, and pastors of churches, called "angels", Revelation 1:20 whose doctrines are examined, tried, and judged by the saints, according to the word of God; nor the good angels, who, were it possible that they could, or should publish a Gospel contrary to what has been preached by the apostle, would be contradicted, condemned, and accursed by him, see Galatians 1:8 but the evil angels, the devil and his... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 6:4

If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life ,.... Not judgements relating to life and death, for these were not in the power of a Jewish sanhedrim now, and much less of a Christian community, but were wholly in the power of the Roman magistrates; but judgments relating to the common affairs of life, or what the Jews call דיני ממונות , "pecuniary judgments" F2 Misn Sanhedrin, c. 1. sect. 1. , in distinction from דיני נפשות , "judgments of souls", or capital ones.... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Corinthians 6:1

Dare any of you, etc. - From the many things that are here reprehended by the apostle, we learn that the Christian Church at Corinth was in a state of great imperfection, notwithstanding there were very many eminent characters among them. Divided as they were among themselves, there was no one person who possessed any public authority to settle differences between man and man; therefore, as one party would not submit to the decisions of another, they were obliged to carry their contentions... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Corinthians 6:2

The saints shall judge the world? - Nothing can be more evident than that the writers of the New Testament often use ὁ κοσμος , the world, to signify the Jewish people; and sometimes the Roman empire, and the Jewish state; and in the former sense it is often used by our Lord. When, says he, the Son of man shall sit on the throne of his glory, then shall ye sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel, Matthew 19:28 . It is supposed that he refers to the same subject as... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Corinthians 6:3

Know ye not that we shall judge angels? - Dr. Lightfoot observes that "the apostle does not say here, as he said before, the saints shall judge the angels, but We shall judge them. By angels, all confess that demons are intended; but certainly all saints, according to the latitude with which that word is understood, i.e. all who profess Christianity, shall not judge angels. Nor is this judging of angels to be understood of the last day; but the apostle speaks of the ministers of the Gospel,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Corinthians 6:4

Things pertaining to this life - They could examine all civil cases among themselves, which they were permitted to determine without any hinderance from the heathen governments under which they lived. Who are least esteemed in the Church - Τους εξουθενημενους , Those who were in the lowest order of judges; for the apostle may refer here to the order in the Jewish benches, as Dr. Lightfoot conjectures, of which there were five, viz.: - The great Sanhedrin, consisting of seventy-two... read more

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