How can any one of you with a case against another dare to bring it to the unjust for judgment instead of to the holy ones? 2 Do you not know that the holy ones will judge the world? If the world is to be judged by you, are you unqualified for the lowest law courts? 3 Do you not know that we will judge angels? Then why not everyday matters? 4 If, therefore, you have courts for everyday matters, do you seat as judges people of no standing in the church? 5 I say this to shame you. Can it be that there is not one among you wise enough to be able to settle a case between brothers? 6 But rather brother goes to court against brother, and that before unbelievers? 7 Now indeed [then] it is, in any case, a failure on your part that you have lawsuits against one another. Why not rather put up with injustice? Why not rather let yourselves be cheated? 8 Instead, you inflict injustice and cheat, and this to brothers. 9 Do you not know that the unjust will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor boy prostitutes nor sodomites 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor robbers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 That is what some of you used to be; but now you have had yourselves washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.
Paul rebukes the Corinthian Christians for taking their legal disputes before secular courts rather than resolving them within the Christian community. They should be able to resolve legal issues with each other without going before unrighteous and unjust pagan judges who may not apply Christian values in their judgments in Roman courts. Minor disputes and crimes could be judged within some communities in the Greco-Roman world at that time. Major disputes were typically brought before the Roman governor as was the ‘dispute’ between the Jewish leaders and Jesus. He reminded them that believers reconciled to God through the blood of His Son, are to be judges alongside Christ in the end times (Dan 7:22). If they will participate in judging the world, they should be competent in this age to judge ordinary cases among themselves (Mt. 19:28). The angels who sinned will also be judged by the righteous at the Parousia (2 Pt. 2:4; Jude 1:6).
Paul seems to be concerned that the Corinthians were allowing individuals who lacked spiritual discernment or authority to pass judgment on their affairs, which undermines the integrity of the Christian community. Appointing unjust judges to judge everyday matters in God’s holy community is absurd and a failure in the community. He tells them that it would be better for them to endure injustice or allow themselves to be cheated rather than engage in litigation that damages the unity and witness of the Christian community. This should not occur within the community. A Christian who sues his brother sues himself because of the unity of the Body of Christ (Rom 12:5). Paul charges the Corinthians with committing injustice and deceit against their fellow believers through litigation and the unjust will not inherit the kingdom of God (Gal. 5:21).
Paul addresses moral conduct in general and lists sins the Corinthians practiced before they were baptized and set apart in Christ (1 Cor 1:2). Such sins exclude individuals from inheriting the kingdom of God. However, despite their past sins, they have experienced the transformative power of the Gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit. They have been washed clean, sanctified, and justified before God.
Heavenly Father, through our baptism you brought us into the unity of the Church built with the wood of the cross and cleansed with the blood of Christ. Help us to live in your peace, uplifting each other and bearing each other’s wounds. Protect us from sin so that we will not be judged but sit in judgment with Christ at the Parousia. This we pray through the same Christ our Lord. Amen!
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Sources:
- Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Prentice Hall, 1990.
- Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
- Faculty of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: New Testament Expanded Edition. Four Courts / Scepter, 2008.
- Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.
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