原罪（original sin）的概念在聖經裏並沒有出現，它是怎麽發展起來的呢？有了原罪，自由意志好像都不怎麽真實了。王峙軍博士寫過一本比較基督教人論和中國人性論的書，詳細回顧了原罪概念的發展。以下是從他書裏摘下來的。
根據聖經，概括出“原罪”概念的邏輯起點，必定是創世記第三章始祖的墮落；但在新約中所記載的主耶穌教訓中，卻未見談及人類始祖在伊甸園的墮落，他也未曾對人的原罪有過某種暗示。原罪這一教義可以說主要地是從保羅書信中（羅馬書5章12-21節，哥林多前書15章）提取出來的。但神學家們對這些經文並非沒有不同的解釋。早期基督教教義史表明，由於神學家們的不同解釋，曾經導致了兩种主要傾向或思路：一種是東方（或稱希臘）教父的觀點，一種是西方（或稱拉丁）教父的觀點。
在早期教父所處的哲學環境中，諾斯底主義Gnosticism十分興盛。爲了反對諾斯底主義的罪論，希臘教父們強烈堅持人被造時是聖潔的、自由的、有道德能力的獨立自主個體（agent）；但由於人錯誤地使用他的道德自由而犯了罪。希臘教父們對原罪說並未有同意的見解。
相反，拉丁教父們在考察人類本性時，是把目光集中在人的“原罪”上的。第一個“罪可以遺傳”的觀念是由神學家特土良（Tertullian160-240AD）表達出來的。特土良認爲靈魂也是物質，它像身體一樣可以由父親遺傳給孩子，孩子的靈魂來自于父親的靈魂。由此他指出，每個人最終都是來自始祖亞當，亞當因犯罪遭到污染的人性，也就自然通過身體與靈魂的遺傳，留給了他所有的後代。特土良的名言是“靈魂的遺傳即罪的遺傳”。
米蘭的安布魯斯（Ambrose of Milan 340-397AD）發展了特土良的原罪說。在他看來，罪不是一個行爲，而是一種狀態。這種敗壞的人性狀態，在人墮落是即告形成。安佈魯斯認爲在亞當的罪裏呈現出一種人性的驕傲。
真正把原罪說明晰化和系統化的，不能不首推奧古斯丁。除了啓示的光照和對前人思想的借助外，個人生命體驗是奧古斯丁建構原罪說的一根重要支柱。他的《懺悔錄》所記述的正是這樣一種生命過程：作爲罪人的他，如何在罪惡中經基督的救贖而進入神的恩典。所以罪與恩典的教義是奧古斯丁神學的兩個重要方面，他通過討論人的罪性回答人爲什麽需要恩典的問題。除了從創世記中，他也在聖經的詩篇51篇、約伯記和以弗所書2章3節找到了關於原罪的證據。羅馬書5章12節成了他把原罪教義系統化的基礎：罪是從一人入了世界，死又是從罪來的；於是死就臨到眾人，因為眾人都犯了罪。
如果聖經的確幫助了奧古斯丁，那麽他的個人生活經驗及心靈體驗，就是原罪存在之真實性的一個内在證明。他承認自己從意志到罪性都是對亞當的模仿，這種深切體驗使奧古斯丁無法不得出這樣的結論：人性在亞當的罪中已全然敗壞，殘存的自由意志對克服敗壞無所助益，於是人類必須經由神的恩典方能得以救拔。
與奧古斯丁同時代的英國修士伯拉糾是原罪說的明確反對者。他認爲人來到世界上只是中性的，既沒有德行也沒有罪惡。418年的迦太基會議否定了伯拉糾的教義。整個的中世紀，重要的神學家們在對原罪的見解上，並沒有為奧古斯丁的理論增加更多的新東西，但提出“神存在的本體論證”而著稱的安瑟倫和阿奎那卻必須提到。
安瑟倫認爲作爲理性的受造物，人類有義務服從神的旨意。順服是一種債務，他把罪定義為人對順服神旨意的債務無力償付，由此形成了人對神的完全偏離。亞當用自由意志犯了不支付債務的罪，於是人類不支付債務的罪，若得不到抵償，就會為神的國度帶來混亂，這是神的名譽（the honor of God）所不允許的。有兩種可能性會使神的名譽不致損污，即贖罪（補償satisfaction）或懲罰（懲罰）。神採取了前者，而基督就是這行動的承擔者。原罪需要補償satisfaction，否則每個在原罪中出生的人都要被定罪。只有真正懺悔和受洗禮，原罪才能得到饒恕。
阿奎那同樣，把原罪看作是人對原初公義的缺乏。人正是在這種原初公義的狀態中被創造。阿奎那把原罪區分於本罪，本罪是指由於人的理性被原罪遮蔽以後所作出的選擇。安瑟倫和阿奎那都強調為嬰兒施洗的重要性，他們認爲帶有原罪的嬰孩在受洗前死去時不可進天國的，這個觀點在奧古斯丁那裏已被重視。但聖經中並沒有關於這個問題的明確教訓。
安瑟倫和阿奎那在看待人性或人的罪性等問題時都過多地使用了哲學，或哲學化的神學的目光。特別是阿奎那，當他試圖用亞理士多德精神去融合奧古斯丁的神學思想時，至少令人感到兩點缺憾：一是不能體現出信仰與生命體驗之間的密切關係（這並不是說阿奎那也一定要寫一部《懺悔錄》），二是在依靠啓示和執著於理性之間發生了矛盾。
馬丁路德的Augsburg信條是這樣規定原罪的：“自亞當墮落之後，凡循自然規律而生的人就生而有罪，就是不敬畏上帝，不信靠上帝，有屬肉體的嗜慾；這疾病，或說這原始的過犯，是實實在在的罪，叫凡沒有借聖洗和聖靈重生的人（嬰孩）都被定罪，永遠滅亡”。
加爾文認爲詩篇51篇5節就是在論説原罪：“我是在罪孽裡生的，在我母親懷胎的時候就有了罪”。約伯也說從不潔淨中不能生出潔淨的來（14章4節），表明原罪的存在。原罪的教義在很大程度上成了加爾文確立“全然敗壞說”的基礎。
看來路德的宗教改革並未改變原罪說，但是為原罪說找到了一些聖經根據。
摘自http://seminary-students.blogspot.com
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2011年11月19日星期六
小笑话-吃的文化
奥巴马对胡总书记说：“我终于明白了中国文化其实就是吃的文化：岗位叫饭碗,谋生叫糊口；受雇叫混饭，混得好叫吃得开，受人欢迎叫吃香；受到照顾叫吃小灶，花积蓄叫吃老本；占女人便宜叫吃豆腐；男人老是用女人的钱叫吃软饭；干活多了叫吃不消，受人伤害叫吃亏，男女嫉妒叫吃醋；犹豫不决叫吃不准，办事不力叫吃干饭, 负不起责任叫吃不了兜着走”。 胡总书记听后很生气，说：“要你总结中美关系，你却总结中国文化，是不是吃饱了撑的！”
摘自http://huabinguan.blogspot.com
摘自http://huabinguan.blogspot.com
Church Discipline: Taking Sin Seriously (1 Cor. 5:1-13)
Study By: Bob Deffinbaugh
Introduction
When a friend’s car began to behave in a strange manner, I volunteered to bring it home to take a look at it. I took my daughter, Jenny, and a friend by this fellow’s house and exchanged cars with him, which meant I had to drive his car past the girls’ school on the way home. Just as we approached the school, the car began to behave very badly, missing and backfiring noisily so that we sounded like a very troubled version of Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang! As we passed by the school, I looked back in the mirror just in time to see my daughter and her friend, without any signal, dive down into the seat. They did not want anyone to see them in that old, sickly car. The car was no status symbol—I would have ducked myself, but someone had to drive.
If likened to an automobile, the church at Corinth is a wreck. The engine barely runs (on just a few cylinders), the transmission slips, and the wheels are about to fall off. The irony is that the Corinthians drive about in this car with heads held high. They are proud of their car (church), and they let everyone know it.
In the first four chapters of 1 Corinthians, Paul introduces a shameful problem in the church. The Corinthians proudly attach themselves to certain leaders, whose teaching seems to disclose a “wisdom” not known or taught by other teachers, and certainly not by Paul or his fellow-apostles. These cliques and factions are undermining the unity of the church and are a denial of the gospel of Jesus Christ. In chapters 5 and 6, Paul calls attention to two other problems plaguing the church: immorality and lawsuits.
Chapter 5 is not actually about the immorality of one church member, as much as it is about the pride and passivity of the entire church in response to this sinner. It is not until the end of chapter 6 (verses 12-20) that Paul exposes the evil of immorality. We see then that chapters 5 and 6 are a unit. Chapter 5 introduces the matter of immorality and the obligation of the church to exercise discipline. Chapter 6 takes up the issue of Christians taking each other to law courts (verses 1-11), and then concludes with Paul’s teaching on immorality.
We might look at chapters 1-6 in this way. Chapters 1-4 address “in house” sin, sins that are not recognized or regarded by the unsaved. These first four chapters speak of divisions which are neither biblical nor godly, those based upon leaders, pride, human wisdom, and power. Chapters 5 and 6 deal with sins which are being practiced in public, while the world looks on in amazement. Chapter 5 exposes a situation in which the Corinthians should divide; that is, they should separate themselves from one who professes to be saved, but who is living in sin. Not only those in Corinth, but others elsewhere are aware of the immorality of this man in the Corinthian church, and even the pagans are shocked. In the first 11 verses of chapter 6, Paul shows how unholy divisions have been taken into the public view, when believers are taking each other to court to settle their differences. In verses 12-20, Paul returns to the issue of immorality to show why this is such a great evil.
A Shocking Sin
(5:1)
It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and immorality of such a kind as does not exist even among the Gentiles, that someone has his father’s wife.
Even though far removed from the Corinthians, news reaches Paul of immorality in the church. Paul’s introductory words, “It is actually reported…,” are instructive. The translation “actually” expresses Paul’s shock and dismay. But the same term is rendered “commonly” in the King James Version. The emphasis here falls on the fact that the immorality in the Corinthian church is common knowledge. Thus, the New Jerusalem Bible renders Paul’s words, “I have been told as an undoubted fact.…” I am inclined to think Paul intends us to get both of these nuances. Paul is shocked that immorality is taking place in the church, and that this fact is such common knowledge that no one doubts it.
It is bad enough that Paul hears of immorality in the Corinthian church, but what Paul has yet to say is even more disturbing. While it is possible, even likely, that immorality is commonplace in the church, Paul turns to a specific instance. It seems that this is a “worst case scenario;” that is, there are other cases of immorality in the church which may have been known to Paul, but the specific instance he refers to is the situation in which a son has taken his father’s wife. Paul’s words seem to inform us that this is not a “one night fling,” because he says, “someone has his father’s wife.” The sin is still going on as Paul writes! Whether or not the father is alive is unclear. Whether this man is married to his father’s wife is also not clearly indicated. Neither are we told that the woman is a professing Christian. We do know that Paul does not instruct the church to cast the woman out, but only the man. It is very clear that a man is living immorally with his father’s wife, something which would be shocking to an Old Testament saint (Leviticus 18:8; Deuteronomy 22:30; 27:20), something which was forbidden by the apostles (Acts 15:20, 29; 21:25), and something which is considered taboo by the pagan Corinthians.
Sin Has Spread Throughout the Church
(5:2 )
And you have become arrogant, and have not mourned instead, in order that the one who had done this deed might be removed from your midst.
The sin of this one man is but the tip of the iceberg. Other cases of immorality (acceptable to the Gentiles!) can no doubt be revealed. But while Paul is distressed by the sin of this one man, he is even more disturbed by the sinful response of the church. They have “become arrogant,” and at the same time, are virtually doing nothing to correct this matter. Paul is distressed by the arrogance of the saints at Corinth. We have already been told of their arrogance in the first four chapters of 1 Corinthians. Now Paul speaks of it in relationship to this case of immorality.
We could understand this arrogance in relation to this sin in the church in several ways:
First, the Corinthians may be proud of this man’s sin. In the secular world, this “pride in sin” is evidenced by those who parade their sins publicly on television talk shows. Something similar may be happening at Corinth. Remember that in the pagan religions of Corinth, immorality was practiced as a part of their heathen “worship.” The Corinthians could have redefined the rules so that this sinful act is looked upon as enlightened Christianity. Do you think this suggestion is groundless? I encourage you to read about the false teachers in 2 Peter and Jude and to read the accounts of the teaching and lifestyle of David Koresh on his compound just an hour’s drive from Dallas, Texas.
Second, the Corinthians might be puffed up and proud, not because of this man’s sin, but because of the “loving way in which they deal with him.” In this therapeutic age when the church is often looked upon more as a “support group” than a “holy temple,” church members refuse to discipline members and continue to embrace sinning saints, even when it is clear they have no intention of repenting of their sins, and even when they publicly persist in their sinful ways. If this is the case in Corinth, they would love the expression of our day, “unconditional acceptance.” I have never seen this expression in the Bible, but I often hear it on the lips of Christians. It is a banner some hold high. It is a banner some hold with pride.
Third, the Corinthians may be proud and arrogant, not because of this sin or their response to it, but in spite of this sin. We have already been informed about the pride of the Corinthians. Of what are they so proud? Well, they take pride in their leaders, in their message, and in their methods. They take pride in their “wisdom,” a wisdom which is worldly that looks down on the simple message of Christ crucified and the apostles who proclaim it. It may just be that these saints are so proud that they cannot or will not acknowledge or act upon the sins which are public and undeniable. J. B. Phillips seems to understand the Corinthians’ pride in this way, for he renders Paul’s words, “Are you still proud of your church?” The New English Bible reads, “And you can still be proud of yourselves!” Pride is the result of turning from the truth. Pride keeps one from seeing the truth. The Corinthians maintain an attitude of pride when the situation should produce mourning.
The last part of verse 2 indicates that while the Corinthians should excommunicate this man from the church, they have not done so. Paul also gives us insight into why the Corinthians do not act and what would change this. These saints are proud when they should be mourning. Pride is what keeps the church from expelling the wayward and willful saint. Mourning is what should be taking place in the church, and if it does, the saints will expel the immoral man.
When my wife has gone to school for the day, I am left at home alone. Our cats know that when my wife leaves and the front door closes, a whole new set of rules are in place. Our cats love to jump up on the table. If there is a clothes basket filled with clothes, so much the better. What they really love is a basket full of warm clothes, just out of the drier. I almost never make the cats get down. When I do, it is because Jeannette is home. But those cats look so cute all curled up in a clothes basket. I’m proud of our cats, and that is why I don’t correct them, even though I know that what they are doing is wrong.
Now, if one of our cats broke its back and was in terrible pain, Jeannette and I would mourn. We would be deeply saddened by this malady. And even though it would break our hearts, we would take him to the vet and have him put to sleep. I do not seek to correct that in which I take pride. I do seek to correct any situation which causes me to mourn. Sin should cause the Corinthians to mourn, but it does not. Instead, as strange as it may seem, these saints continue to be puffed up with pride. One can hardly expect a proud church to commence the painful process of correction. At this point, Paul simply says that this person should be removed from their midst. In the next verses, we shall see the form that Paul expects correction to take, the correction in which Paul himself is a participant.
Paul’s Response In Absentia
(5:3-5)
3 For I, on my part, though absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged him who has so committed this, as though I were present. 4 In the name of our Lord Jesus, when you are assembled, and I with you in spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5 I have decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
What a great excuse Paul has for not getting involved in this ugly situation in Corinth. After all, he is far removed. What can he do? Well for one thing, Paul can write a letter. For another, he can act even from a distance. Paul describes the discipline process in verses 3-5, and he speaks of himself as an active participant. He thereby sets the example and hopes the Corinthians will follow.
Paul may be physically absent, but he is never spiritually absent. This is true not only of the Corinthian church, but of the other churches (see Colossians 2:5). Paul’s references to his prayers (see Romans 1:9;Ephesians 1:17; Philippians 1:3-5; 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3, etc.) and his personal knowledge of people in churches where he has never yet visited (e.g. Romans 16) are indicative of his spiritual presence beyond his physical local church. Many of the Corinthians are Paul’s spiritual children (see 4:14-16). He not only writes to them, but he makes every effort to obtain reports of how they are coming along. When word of problems in Corinth reaches Paul, he does not allow his absence to keep him from doing the right thing. He is with these saints in spirit, and so while the Corinthians have not yet done anything to correct the situation, Paul informs them that he has taken action. He has already acted as though he were present. He has done what he would do if he were present, and what those who are present should do. In following Paul’s example, they will carry out the kind of discipline which the Scriptures require.
15 “And if your brother sins, go and reprove him in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. 16 “But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed. 17 “And if he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax-gatherer. 18 “Truly I say to you, whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19 “Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. 20 “For where two or three have gathered together in My name, there I am in their midst” (Matthew 18:15-20; see also Galatians 6:1-2; 2 Thessalonians 3:6, 14-15; Titus 3:10-11).
This text in Matthew 18 is our Lord’s instructions to His disciples—the apostles—among whom Paul has been added as the replacement of Judas. What our Lord commanded the apostles, they were to instruct the churches, so that church discipline would be an on-going practice throughout the history of the church. More than any other text, Matthew 18 spells out the process of discipline. Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 5 closely parallel those of our Lord. Let us consider some of the key elements of church discipline, as taught by our Lord and reiterated by Paul in our text.
(1) Church discipline is a process. Here, in 1 Corinthians 5, Paul speaks of the final step of discipline.Matthew 18 spells out the full process of church discipline, from the private rebuke of a single saint, to the collective expulsion from the congregation by the whole church. The reason Paul deals only with the last step of this process in 1 Corinthians 5 is that the willful rebellion of the sinner is evident, and his sin has already become public knowledge. Discipline must be as public as the sin.
(2) Church discipline is the obligation of the whole church. Paul speaks of the discipline process taking place when “you are assembled.” Our Lord instructed that the matter be told “to the church” (Matthew 18:17). In the Matthew text, it is assumed that this will happen after the wayward individual has been privately confronted. In the case of the immoral man in the church at Corinth, the matter has already become a matter of public knowledge. Consequently, the correction must be as public as the sin. We see in the Scriptures that the final step of discipline is taken by the entire church, when they have assembled. The Lord promises His special presence when such a gathering is assembled for discipline:
19 “Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. 20 “For where two or three have gathered together in My name, there I am in their midst” (Matthew 18:19-20).
How often this text is misapplied, as though our Lord is referring to just any gathering of two or three saints. In the context, the gathering of but two or three is sufficient for the Lord to be specially present in this most difficult duty.
(3) Church discipline involves all of the local church, and it has implications for the church at large. Paul calls for the whole Corinthian church to be involved. This is a most difficult assignment, for the Corinthian church is divided into various factions that seem unable to work together on anything. Church discipline should be exercised in unity. But Paul goes even further than requiring the whole church to participate in this act of discipline. Paul, acting with the church in this matter, strongly implies that church discipline should be exercised more generally, by all the churches. In our day of great mobility and many churches to attend, someone who is under discipline usually finds it easy to simply attend elsewhere. It seems that word of discipline needs to be communicated to other churches, and that other churches have an obligation to honor that act of discipline if the wayward party attempts to “move his membership” to that church. It also suggests that newcomers to any church should be interviewed, to be certain that they are not under discipline elsewhere.
(4) Church discipline is to be done in the name and in the power of our Lord. The church acts on behalf of the Lord in carrying out discipline. This is why the Lord’s presence is promised in discipline. This is why Paul speaks of acting “in the name of the Lord Jesus” and in “the power of the Lord Jesus” (1 Corinthians 5:4). We act on God’s behalf, and thus when we act, God acts as well (see Matthew 18:18-19).
(5) Church discipline delivers the sinner into the power of Satan. Church discipline expels the wayward and unrepentant saint from the church, from participating in its worship (i.e., the Lord’s Table), and from fellowship with individuals or small groups of believers. In so doing, the sinning saint not only loses the positive benefits of being a part of the church body, but is placed in the very dangerous position of being vulnerable to Satan’s attacks. In Paul’s words, the one who is disciplined is “delivered to Satan” (see also 1 Timothy 1:20). Satan is a destroyer, a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour (see 1 Peter 5:8). When the church expels a wayward member, that person is given over to Satan, knowing that he delights in destruction. It is not a pretty picture, nor is it something any church should take lightly. When we deliver one over to Satan, we are simply giving the unrepentant Christian what he has chosen. To remain in sin is to be in the bondage of Satan (2 Timothy 2:24-26). To be disciplined is simply to hand that one over fully to Satan. Discipline confirms a choice that the sinner has already made.
(6) While Satan has the power to destroy the flesh, he does not have the authority to destroy the spirit. At Satan’s request, he was given the authority to attack Job, but this authority has always had boundaries. Given God’s permission, Satan could do so much to Job and no more (see Job 1:12; 2:6). Satan does not have the power to spiritually destroy one who is saved by the blood of Jesus Christ:
27 “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; 28 and I give eternal life to them, and they shall never perish; and no one shall snatch them out of My hand. 29 “My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand” (John 10:27-29).
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? 33 Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; 34 who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 Just as it is written, “For Thy sake we are being put to death all day long; We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:31-39).
Satan’s destructive powers and desires extend only as far as the flesh:
“And do not fear those who kill the body, but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28).
“And the nations were enraged, and Thy wrath came, and the time came for the dead to be judged, and the time to give their reward to Thy bond-servants the prophets and to the saints and to those who fear Thy name, the small and the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth” (Revelation 11:18).
(7) Church discipline is only for those who are saints or for those who profess to be saints. Paul makes it very clear in verses 12 and 13 that church discipline is for those who are inside the church, and not for those who are outside. The Lord makes the same point in Matthew 18:15, where He begins, “If your brother sins. …” The final outcome of church discipline is that a believer who willfully remains in sin is treated as a Gentile and a tax-gatherer (18:17). Association with the believer under discipline is to be terminated, but he is still to be regarded as a brother, and not as an enemy (2 Thessalonians 3:14-15).
(8) Church discipline is not a final judgment which condemns one to eternal hell, but one which has the goal of the sinner’s repentance and final salvation. Church discipline is to be exercised for the highest good of the sinning saint. Consequently, Paul makes it very clear that “turning one over to Satan” in church discipline is not a final act of condemnation, but an action taken with a view to the wayward saint’s repentance from sin in this life, or at least his spiritual salvation in the next. Discipline is a severe mercy, which is painful to those who discipline, and to the one disciplined. It is mercy in that it seeks the highest good of the wayward saint.
A Biblical Mandate for Church Discipline
(5:6-8)
6 Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough? 7 Clean out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed. 8 Let us therefore celebrate the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
In verse 2, Paul indicates that the response of the Corinthians to this great sin is just the opposite of what it should be. They should mourn and then remove this one from their midst. Instead they are puffed up with pride and do nothing about this evil. Paul wants to be absolutely clear that the arrogance of the Corinthians is not good. Why not? Because it is destructive. We surely know it is harmful to the man living in sin. But now Paul seeks to show us how destructive failing to deal with sin is to the church. He does so by an Old Testament ritual, which was fulfilled in Christ, but also has much application to the New Testament saint.
Paul turns his readers to imagery of leaven, and the way a little bit of leaven can change the whole lump of dough in which it is found. The sinner whom the Corinthians embrace and fail to put out of the church is likened to a little leaven placed in a lump of dough. If left there for long, it changes the whole batch of dough. If this sinner is allowed to remain in the fellowship of the saints at Corinth, he will contaminate the entire church, just as Achan brought harm to the entire nation of Israel (see Joshua 7). By removing this man from their midst, the church at Corinth not only seeks the sinner’s restoration, they also promote their own purity.
Now Paul begins to fine tune this leaven and lump analogy, turning to a specific celebration in the Old Testament. Paul reminds his readers of the feast of unleavened bread, which was to begin immediately after the Passover lamb was sacrificed:
1 “Observe the month of Abib and celebrate the Passover to the Lord your God, for in the month of Abib the Lord your God brought you out of Egypt by night. 2 “And you shall sacrifice the Passover to the Lord your God from the flock and the herd, in the place where the Lord chooses to establish His name. 3 “You shall not eat leavened bread with it; seven days you shall eat with it unleavened bread, the bread of affliction (for you came out of the land of Egypt in haste), in order that you may remember all the days of your life the day when you came out of the land of Egypt. 4 “For seven days no leaven shall be seen with you in all your territory, and none of the flesh which you sacrifice on the evening of the first day shall remain overnight until morning” (Deuteronomy 16:1-4).
After the Passover was celebrated, the Feast of Unleavened Bread commenced. The Israelites were to go throughout their dwellings, seeking to find any leaven and remove it. They were to eat unleavened bread. Leaven is a symbol of sin, and the Passover lamb was a prophetic foreshadowing of our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul calls Him “Christ our Passover” (verse 7) and reminds us that He has been sacrificed. If Christ is our Passover and He has been sacrificed, what is to follow, given the Old Testament prototype? The leaven is to be removed. Since Christ has been sacrificed, we are not to harbor sin in our lives, but to seek to identify sin and remove it. Week after week when we celebrate the Lord’s Table, we are commemorating the fulfillment of Passover. This is no mere ritual; it is a reminder of what should follow the sacrifice of the Lamb—cleansing in the camp! The leaven in the Corinthian church (the camp) is this sinner. He must be removed. What better time and place is there than in the meeting of the church, where the Lord’s Table is celebrated?
Paul is not content to allow us to think that Christ’s atoning death, celebrated at the Lord’s Table, should only be applied to this man and his expulsion from the church. In verse 8, Paul broadens the application, indicating other forms of “leaven” which are all too evident in the church. The “old leaven” (this sinner who needs to be expelled) and the “new leaven,” that of malice and wickedness, must be put away. Malice and wickedness refers to that whole spectrum of “sacred sins” which are harbored and even nurtured in the church. They must go, and in their place there should be the “unleavened bread of sincerity and truth” (verse 8). We are to put off the hypocrisy and the false wisdom we have embraced and return to purity of motivation and of doctrine.
Clarification on Separation
(5:9-13)
9 I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; 10 I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters; for then you would have to go out of the world. 11 But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he should be an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler— not even to eat with such a one. 12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? 13 But those who are outside, God judges. Remove the wicked man from among yourselves (1 Corinthians 5:9-13).
This is not the first letter Paul has written to the Corinthians. Paul indicates in verse 9 that he has previously written to the Corinthians on the subject of separation. In that first letter, he instructs them not to associate with immoral people. Paul’s previous instructions include unbelieving sinners of all kinds, those who are immoral, those who are covetous, those who swindle, and those who are idolaters. The Corinthians either misunderstand or twist Paul’s words to mean something other than what Paul intends. They, like the Jews of Jesus’ day, equate holiness with separation from unbelievers. When he writes to the Corinthians, Paul is not instructing them to avoid contact with unbelievers. There is no way to avoid contact with unsaved sinners, other than by means of death. The only way to avoid “the world” is not to live in the world. Besides this, our task is not to avoid sinners, but to live among them in such a way as to reveal Christ to them:
13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how will it be made salty again? It is good for nothing anymore, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. 14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 “Nor do men light a lamp, and put it under the peck-measure, but on the lampstand; and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:13-16).
9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a HOLY NATION, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 11 Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts, which wage war against the soul. 12 Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may on account of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation (1 Peter 2:9-12).
The Christian must live in the world and rub shoulders with it in order to be a witness to the lost. What a Christian cannot do is participate with the world in sin. We are to be in the world, but we are to be unlike the world, living out the life of Christ as lights in a dark place:
3 But do not let immorality or any impurity or greed even be named among you, as is proper among saints; 4 and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. 5 For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not be partakers with them; 8 for you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), 10 trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 And do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; 12 for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. 13 But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light. 14 For this reason it says, “Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you” (Ephesians 5:3-14).
Paul does not mean for the Corinthians to try to keep the church out of the world, but to keep the world out of the church. He means that those who profess to be saved must live like one who is saved. A person should not be embraced as a believer whose profession and practice are in contradiction. The Corinthians are not to associate with a person claiming to be a Christian, who continues to live in sin. Immorality is not the only basis for church discipline; there is also covetousness, idolatry, slanderous speech, drunkenness, or swindling. Fellowship with someone who falls into this category is forbidden. This does not simply mean that this person is excommunicated from the meeting(s) of the church; it also means that individual believers must withdraw any manifestations of fellowship. This includes the sharing of a meal, which in biblical times was an intimate act of fellowship (see Revelation 3:20).
Church discipline is a form of judging, a form which is not only permitted but required. Outsiders are not a proper sphere of judgment, but those who profess Christ are to be scrutinized so far as their conduct is concerned. God will judge unbelievers at the proper time. Some unbelievers will be saved by the grace of God and, like us, escape the wrath of God through faith in Christ. Others will be judged of God, but this is not our responsibility. The bottom line for the Corinthians is that they must put this immoral man out of their church.
This last expression, “Remove the wicked man from among yourselves,” is virtually a quotation ofDeuteronomy 17:7 from the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament:
2 “If there is found in your midst, in any of your towns, which the Lord your God is giving you, a man or a woman who does what is evil in the sight of the Lord your God, by transgressing His covenant, 3 and has gone and served other gods and worshiped them, or the sun or the moon or any of the heavenly host, which I have not commanded, 4 and if it is told you and you have heard of it, then you shall inquire thoroughly. And behold, if it is true and the thing certain that this detestable thing has been done in Israel, 5 then you shall bring out that man or that woman who has done this evil deed, to your gates, that is, the man or the woman, and you shall stone them to death. 6 “On the evidence of two witnesses or three witnesses, he who is to die shall be put to death; he shall not be put to death on the evidence of one witness. 7 “The hand of the witnesses shall be first against him to put him to death, and afterward the hand of all the people. So you shall purge the evil from your midst(Deuteronomy 17:2-7, emphasis mine).
The expression is similar to that found elsewhere in the Old Testament:
7 “If a man is caught kidnapping any of his countrymen of the sons of Israel, and he deals with him violently, or sells him, then that thief shall die; so you shall purge the evil from among you” (Deuteronomy 24:7).
What Paul calls for in the New Testament church is not significantly different from what Moses communicated to the nation Israel. After all, in the Old Testament, God dwelt in the midst of His people, and thus the Israelites were required to remove sin and sinners from their midst. In the New Testament, Paul informs the Corinthians that God now indwells His temple, the church. They too must remove sin from their midst, because a holy God indwells them. In both cases, it is recognized that removing the sinner may include death. This is a most serious step, one which we will take only when we take sin and God’s commandments seriously.
Conclusion
Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 5 are sobering. They are meant to be. He has already written, “If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are” (1 Corinthians 4:17). Now, the Corinthians are reminded of their duty to play a part in this process by removing the wayward and willful sinner from their midst. Our text raises a number of issues. Allow me to summarize some of them.
Whatever happened to sin? Years ago, a secular psychiatrist, Dr. Karl Menninger, wrote a book entitled,Whatever Became of Sin. Even this man realizes that evils have become too “psychologized,” and that a simple diagnosis of “sin” is needed. I can imagine the kinds of diagnosis we would have today for the malady of this Corinthian man, living with his father’s wife. We could delve into his past and probably find some excuse for “abuse.” Some would argue that he must have some kind of genetic predisposition (biological predestination?) for this kind of conduct. Others would argue that his conduct is normal, and that the problem in the church is with narrow-minded church members. Those who buy into the therapeutic mentality would prescribe long, intensive (and expensive) therapy. Many, I am sure, would tell us that this man’s problem is “poor self-esteem.” The cure is for him to “feel better about himself.” This would certainly mean that church discipline would be considered harmful, rather than helpful. For Paul, the diagnosis is simple, and so is the prescription. The problem is the sin of immorality, and the prescription is to remove him from the church. When the Bible is the standard for conduct, and it is viewed and used for defining sin and righteousness, the diagnosis of this man’s problem is not that difficult.
Whatever happened to discipline (church and otherwise)? The Corinthian church fails to exercise discipline on the immoral man to whom Paul is referring. At the same time, Paul accuses the church of being arrogant. How can this be? I can think of one way. To exercise discipline is to acknowledge that you have done all that you can, and that you have failed. If we are thinking clearly as Christians, we realize that there is nothing spiritual which we can accomplish. We cannot save anyone; we can only proclaim the message of Christ crucified, and know that God, through His Spirit, will draw those to Himself whom He has chosen. We cannot bring about the sanctification of a believer. Once again, we can, as faithful stewards, do what God has given us to do, but we cannot produce the results. In Paul’s words, we may plant or water, but it is God who gives the growth.
In our arrogance, we can sometimes convince ourselves that, given enough time, we can turn someone from their sin. There is a great deal of emphasis on counseling in our culture, and even in the church. There is a place for counsel, but we often give ourselves and our system of counseling too much credit. We don’t want to admit failure, and so we refuse to take that final step of “removing the wicked person from ourselves.” Just a little more time, we suppose, and we can correct this person’s thinking. Church discipline is based upon the recognition that we have done what we can in the context of the church, and that God can turn that wayward person to repentance apart from us and apart from our ministry, whether that be teaching, or helps, or exhortation.
The church has unconsciously begun to think of itself as a “support group.” There are no doubt some senses in which we do function as a “support group.” But the support group mentality is a very dangerous one. Support groups can cause individuals to put their trust in “the group” rather than in God. Support groups often pride themselves for “being there,” no matter what the wayward one has done, or will do. The support group purposes to always “be there,” while the church purposes not to be there indefinitely for the one who refuses to heed a rebuke and to turn from willful sin.
The therapeutic movement within Christianity has propagated a term which, to my knowledge, is never found in the Bible. Those who frequently employ this term advocate a practice which is antithetical to the duty of exercising church discipline. The term is “unconditional acceptance” or “unconditional love.” The assumption is that we must love one another unconditionally. There is a sense in which this is true, of course. But we are not to “love” others unconditionally in terms of the way they wish to define love. To exercise discipline on a wayward saint is to love that person and to seek their highest good. To unconditionally accept that person is to never refuse to have fellowship with them, thinking which directly opposes Paul’s teaching in our text. “Pop” psychology and “pop” theology must never set aside biblical commands. Paul’s words to the Corinthians in chapter 5 end with a clear command. When called for, we will either obey this command, or we will sin.
Whatever has happened to church discipline? I have seen very little of it. Even when such discipline is taken, all too many church members are tempted to second-guess the church and to privately continue to fellowship with the one under discipline. This is a most serious matter, for if I understand the Scriptures correctly, to do so is to become a partner with that person in his or her sin.
Church discipline is one of those very clear duties of the church and of the individual Christian. Why, then, is it not practiced more often? I have previously suggested that arrogance may be one cause. I would also suggest that these days fear may now be a cause for not taking disciplinary action. We may be afraid to take a stand against sin because we are afraid of rejection. We may be afraid of appearing to be narrow and unloving. We may be unwilling to lose the friendship and the fellowship of those we love. Some church leaders are afraid of being sued for taking disciplinary action against a church member. It can and does happen. I suspect that it will happen more and more in the coming days.
Sometimes we are afraid that the work of God will be thwarted by church discipline. In several instances of which I am aware, a Christian leader was the brother in sin. That leader, when rebuked, would not repent. Sadly some faithless saints responded: “But the work that God is doing in this person is so great, we can’t afford to jeopardize it by exercising discipline.” God’s work is bigger than any man or any organization. God’s work is making sinners holy, to His glory. When a leader continues in sin, the church should discipline him publicly, as an example to all (1 Timothy 5:19-20). When any saint is placed under discipline, it serves notice to the world that the church does not accommodate sin.
Finally, the popular teachings and practices of the “church growth movement” have tended (whether consciously or unconsciously) to discourage church discipline. The church growth experts tend to measure the success of a church in terms of numerical growth. This movement seeks to attract unbelievers to the church by being “seeker-friendly,” by making unbelieving “seekers” (here is an oxymoron—see Romans 3:10-11; Ephesians 2:1-3) feel comfortable with the church and with the Christian message. How can this possibly be in the light of Paul’s teaching in chapters 1 and 2? The message of the cross is foolish. Divine truth concerning God is incomprehensible to the lost. Men and women are not saved by getting comfortable with God, but by becoming uncomfortable by the conviction of the Holy Spirit that they are sinners, that God is righteous, and that judgment awaits the sinner (John 16:7-11). When God struck Ananias and Sapphira dead for their deception, the unbelieving world was not comfortable; in fact, it caused them to stay away from the church. Nevertheless, many were being saved (see Acts 5:11-16). Sinful men should not and cannot be comfortable in the presence of a holy God, save through the cleansing of their sins by the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Men and women cannot come to faith without first becoming uncomfortable about their sin and God’s judgment. That is what being saved is all about—being saved from the wrath of God upon sinners.
Our duty to discipline provides a strong incentive for preventative action. We all know these words addressed to parents in the Old Testament:
6 “And these words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart; 7 and you shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. 8 “And you shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. 9 “And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates” (Deuteronomy 6:6-9).
We know this command comes from the Lord, and that we, as parents, should keep it. The following command is further motivation to obey the command to teach our children the way of the Lord:
18 “If any man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey his father or his mother, and when they chastise him, he will not even listen to them, 19 then his father and mother shall seize him, and bring him out to the elders of his city at the gateway of his home town. 20 “And they shall say to the elders of his city, ‘This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey us, he is a glutton and a drunkard.’ 21 “Then all the men of his city shall stone him to death; so you shall remove the evil from your midst, and all Israel shall hear of it and fear” (Deuteronomy 21:18-21).
If we lived in Old Testament times, and knew that we must stone our own child for being disobedient and rebellious, it would give us good reason to be diligent in performing those duties aimed at preventing such rebellion and disobedience in our children. Parents today—Christian parents—do not even spank their children. Many of them are proud of this fact, as though such discipline is brutal and primitive. It does not matter that the Scriptures teach us that spanking our children is one55 means of dealing with sin. Spanking provides a lesson that informs our children that sin has very real, very painful consequences. Hell, my Christian friend, is not going to be a “time out.” There may be occasions when a “time out” is appropriate, but there are also times when painful physical consequences are experienced. No, I do not advocate beating a child. No, I do not defend those who abuse their children. Yes, there is a time to spank, and most of us have forgotten when it is. If we will not spank a wayward child, when would we possibly “deliver someone over to Satan for the destruction of their flesh”?
Now for the bottom line. Why would we discipline a wayward saint, when we will not discipline ourselves? I find myself very passive and quiet about those sins in others which are present in my life as well. As we shall soon see in 1 Corinthians (e.g., chapter 9), the Corinthians have very little self-discipline. This being the case, why would we expect this church to be strong on discipline? If we would discipline others, we must first discipline ourselves. This discipline is not that which comes only from within ourselves (see Colossians 2:20-23), but which comes from the Spirit of God (see 2 Timothy 1:7; 2 Peter 1:4-7).
In the past, I have been involved in prison ministry, and on more than one occasion I have seen a commitment to take sin seriously. I was told of one occasion when a particular inmate was acting inappropriately toward a young woman volunteer, who came with a group to minister to the inmates. A number of these inmates were new Christians, who were serious about their own Christian walk and about obeying the Lord Jesus. They talked among themselves about this one inmate, who was acting inappropriately. They talked about 1 Corinthians 5, and concluded that they should “discipline” the sinning inmate. Given their violent past and their lack of depth in the Scriptures, they thought this man should be put to death and were actually ready to do it. Fortunately, a more mature Christian helped them come to a more accurate understanding of church discipline. But the fact is that these men were serious about sin and about obeying the Scriptures. Would that you and I were as serious about sin as they were! We must begin by taking up our cross, by mortifying the flesh daily. Then, and only then, will we be willing and able to deal with sin in the lives of others.
God takes sin seriously. That is why the cross of Calvary was necessary. God took our sin so seriously that He sent His Son to die in our place, to suffer the punishment for our sins. The good news of the gospel is that while God takes our sin seriously, and while our sin must be judged, He has judged our sins in Christ. To enter into this forgiveness, all we need do is to receive the gift of salvation which God offers to us by faith in His Son. When we see how seriously God has taken our sins, we see how serious we must be about sin as well.
55 Listen well. I am not saying that spanking is the only way to deal with disobedient children. I am saying, on the basis of the Word of God, that it is one means of doing so. To reject this means entirely is as wrong as constantly resorting to spanking as the only way to deal with children. Let us not err in either direction.
Introduction
When a friend’s car began to behave in a strange manner, I volunteered to bring it home to take a look at it. I took my daughter, Jenny, and a friend by this fellow’s house and exchanged cars with him, which meant I had to drive his car past the girls’ school on the way home. Just as we approached the school, the car began to behave very badly, missing and backfiring noisily so that we sounded like a very troubled version of Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang! As we passed by the school, I looked back in the mirror just in time to see my daughter and her friend, without any signal, dive down into the seat. They did not want anyone to see them in that old, sickly car. The car was no status symbol—I would have ducked myself, but someone had to drive.
If likened to an automobile, the church at Corinth is a wreck. The engine barely runs (on just a few cylinders), the transmission slips, and the wheels are about to fall off. The irony is that the Corinthians drive about in this car with heads held high. They are proud of their car (church), and they let everyone know it.
In the first four chapters of 1 Corinthians, Paul introduces a shameful problem in the church. The Corinthians proudly attach themselves to certain leaders, whose teaching seems to disclose a “wisdom” not known or taught by other teachers, and certainly not by Paul or his fellow-apostles. These cliques and factions are undermining the unity of the church and are a denial of the gospel of Jesus Christ. In chapters 5 and 6, Paul calls attention to two other problems plaguing the church: immorality and lawsuits.
Chapter 5 is not actually about the immorality of one church member, as much as it is about the pride and passivity of the entire church in response to this sinner. It is not until the end of chapter 6 (verses 12-20) that Paul exposes the evil of immorality. We see then that chapters 5 and 6 are a unit. Chapter 5 introduces the matter of immorality and the obligation of the church to exercise discipline. Chapter 6 takes up the issue of Christians taking each other to law courts (verses 1-11), and then concludes with Paul’s teaching on immorality.
We might look at chapters 1-6 in this way. Chapters 1-4 address “in house” sin, sins that are not recognized or regarded by the unsaved. These first four chapters speak of divisions which are neither biblical nor godly, those based upon leaders, pride, human wisdom, and power. Chapters 5 and 6 deal with sins which are being practiced in public, while the world looks on in amazement. Chapter 5 exposes a situation in which the Corinthians should divide; that is, they should separate themselves from one who professes to be saved, but who is living in sin. Not only those in Corinth, but others elsewhere are aware of the immorality of this man in the Corinthian church, and even the pagans are shocked. In the first 11 verses of chapter 6, Paul shows how unholy divisions have been taken into the public view, when believers are taking each other to court to settle their differences. In verses 12-20, Paul returns to the issue of immorality to show why this is such a great evil.
A Shocking Sin
(5:1)
It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and immorality of such a kind as does not exist even among the Gentiles, that someone has his father’s wife.
Even though far removed from the Corinthians, news reaches Paul of immorality in the church. Paul’s introductory words, “It is actually reported…,” are instructive. The translation “actually” expresses Paul’s shock and dismay. But the same term is rendered “commonly” in the King James Version. The emphasis here falls on the fact that the immorality in the Corinthian church is common knowledge. Thus, the New Jerusalem Bible renders Paul’s words, “I have been told as an undoubted fact.…” I am inclined to think Paul intends us to get both of these nuances. Paul is shocked that immorality is taking place in the church, and that this fact is such common knowledge that no one doubts it.
It is bad enough that Paul hears of immorality in the Corinthian church, but what Paul has yet to say is even more disturbing. While it is possible, even likely, that immorality is commonplace in the church, Paul turns to a specific instance. It seems that this is a “worst case scenario;” that is, there are other cases of immorality in the church which may have been known to Paul, but the specific instance he refers to is the situation in which a son has taken his father’s wife. Paul’s words seem to inform us that this is not a “one night fling,” because he says, “someone has his father’s wife.” The sin is still going on as Paul writes! Whether or not the father is alive is unclear. Whether this man is married to his father’s wife is also not clearly indicated. Neither are we told that the woman is a professing Christian. We do know that Paul does not instruct the church to cast the woman out, but only the man. It is very clear that a man is living immorally with his father’s wife, something which would be shocking to an Old Testament saint (Leviticus 18:8; Deuteronomy 22:30; 27:20), something which was forbidden by the apostles (Acts 15:20, 29; 21:25), and something which is considered taboo by the pagan Corinthians.
Sin Has Spread Throughout the Church
(5:2 )
And you have become arrogant, and have not mourned instead, in order that the one who had done this deed might be removed from your midst.
The sin of this one man is but the tip of the iceberg. Other cases of immorality (acceptable to the Gentiles!) can no doubt be revealed. But while Paul is distressed by the sin of this one man, he is even more disturbed by the sinful response of the church. They have “become arrogant,” and at the same time, are virtually doing nothing to correct this matter. Paul is distressed by the arrogance of the saints at Corinth. We have already been told of their arrogance in the first four chapters of 1 Corinthians. Now Paul speaks of it in relationship to this case of immorality.
We could understand this arrogance in relation to this sin in the church in several ways:
First, the Corinthians may be proud of this man’s sin. In the secular world, this “pride in sin” is evidenced by those who parade their sins publicly on television talk shows. Something similar may be happening at Corinth. Remember that in the pagan religions of Corinth, immorality was practiced as a part of their heathen “worship.” The Corinthians could have redefined the rules so that this sinful act is looked upon as enlightened Christianity. Do you think this suggestion is groundless? I encourage you to read about the false teachers in 2 Peter and Jude and to read the accounts of the teaching and lifestyle of David Koresh on his compound just an hour’s drive from Dallas, Texas.
Second, the Corinthians might be puffed up and proud, not because of this man’s sin, but because of the “loving way in which they deal with him.” In this therapeutic age when the church is often looked upon more as a “support group” than a “holy temple,” church members refuse to discipline members and continue to embrace sinning saints, even when it is clear they have no intention of repenting of their sins, and even when they publicly persist in their sinful ways. If this is the case in Corinth, they would love the expression of our day, “unconditional acceptance.” I have never seen this expression in the Bible, but I often hear it on the lips of Christians. It is a banner some hold high. It is a banner some hold with pride.
Third, the Corinthians may be proud and arrogant, not because of this sin or their response to it, but in spite of this sin. We have already been informed about the pride of the Corinthians. Of what are they so proud? Well, they take pride in their leaders, in their message, and in their methods. They take pride in their “wisdom,” a wisdom which is worldly that looks down on the simple message of Christ crucified and the apostles who proclaim it. It may just be that these saints are so proud that they cannot or will not acknowledge or act upon the sins which are public and undeniable. J. B. Phillips seems to understand the Corinthians’ pride in this way, for he renders Paul’s words, “Are you still proud of your church?” The New English Bible reads, “And you can still be proud of yourselves!” Pride is the result of turning from the truth. Pride keeps one from seeing the truth. The Corinthians maintain an attitude of pride when the situation should produce mourning.
The last part of verse 2 indicates that while the Corinthians should excommunicate this man from the church, they have not done so. Paul also gives us insight into why the Corinthians do not act and what would change this. These saints are proud when they should be mourning. Pride is what keeps the church from expelling the wayward and willful saint. Mourning is what should be taking place in the church, and if it does, the saints will expel the immoral man.
When my wife has gone to school for the day, I am left at home alone. Our cats know that when my wife leaves and the front door closes, a whole new set of rules are in place. Our cats love to jump up on the table. If there is a clothes basket filled with clothes, so much the better. What they really love is a basket full of warm clothes, just out of the drier. I almost never make the cats get down. When I do, it is because Jeannette is home. But those cats look so cute all curled up in a clothes basket. I’m proud of our cats, and that is why I don’t correct them, even though I know that what they are doing is wrong.
Now, if one of our cats broke its back and was in terrible pain, Jeannette and I would mourn. We would be deeply saddened by this malady. And even though it would break our hearts, we would take him to the vet and have him put to sleep. I do not seek to correct that in which I take pride. I do seek to correct any situation which causes me to mourn. Sin should cause the Corinthians to mourn, but it does not. Instead, as strange as it may seem, these saints continue to be puffed up with pride. One can hardly expect a proud church to commence the painful process of correction. At this point, Paul simply says that this person should be removed from their midst. In the next verses, we shall see the form that Paul expects correction to take, the correction in which Paul himself is a participant.
Paul’s Response In Absentia
(5:3-5)
3 For I, on my part, though absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged him who has so committed this, as though I were present. 4 In the name of our Lord Jesus, when you are assembled, and I with you in spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5 I have decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
What a great excuse Paul has for not getting involved in this ugly situation in Corinth. After all, he is far removed. What can he do? Well for one thing, Paul can write a letter. For another, he can act even from a distance. Paul describes the discipline process in verses 3-5, and he speaks of himself as an active participant. He thereby sets the example and hopes the Corinthians will follow.
Paul may be physically absent, but he is never spiritually absent. This is true not only of the Corinthian church, but of the other churches (see Colossians 2:5). Paul’s references to his prayers (see Romans 1:9;Ephesians 1:17; Philippians 1:3-5; 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3, etc.) and his personal knowledge of people in churches where he has never yet visited (e.g. Romans 16) are indicative of his spiritual presence beyond his physical local church. Many of the Corinthians are Paul’s spiritual children (see 4:14-16). He not only writes to them, but he makes every effort to obtain reports of how they are coming along. When word of problems in Corinth reaches Paul, he does not allow his absence to keep him from doing the right thing. He is with these saints in spirit, and so while the Corinthians have not yet done anything to correct the situation, Paul informs them that he has taken action. He has already acted as though he were present. He has done what he would do if he were present, and what those who are present should do. In following Paul’s example, they will carry out the kind of discipline which the Scriptures require.
15 “And if your brother sins, go and reprove him in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. 16 “But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed. 17 “And if he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax-gatherer. 18 “Truly I say to you, whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19 “Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. 20 “For where two or three have gathered together in My name, there I am in their midst” (Matthew 18:15-20; see also Galatians 6:1-2; 2 Thessalonians 3:6, 14-15; Titus 3:10-11).
This text in Matthew 18 is our Lord’s instructions to His disciples—the apostles—among whom Paul has been added as the replacement of Judas. What our Lord commanded the apostles, they were to instruct the churches, so that church discipline would be an on-going practice throughout the history of the church. More than any other text, Matthew 18 spells out the process of discipline. Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 5 closely parallel those of our Lord. Let us consider some of the key elements of church discipline, as taught by our Lord and reiterated by Paul in our text.
(1) Church discipline is a process. Here, in 1 Corinthians 5, Paul speaks of the final step of discipline.Matthew 18 spells out the full process of church discipline, from the private rebuke of a single saint, to the collective expulsion from the congregation by the whole church. The reason Paul deals only with the last step of this process in 1 Corinthians 5 is that the willful rebellion of the sinner is evident, and his sin has already become public knowledge. Discipline must be as public as the sin.
(2) Church discipline is the obligation of the whole church. Paul speaks of the discipline process taking place when “you are assembled.” Our Lord instructed that the matter be told “to the church” (Matthew 18:17). In the Matthew text, it is assumed that this will happen after the wayward individual has been privately confronted. In the case of the immoral man in the church at Corinth, the matter has already become a matter of public knowledge. Consequently, the correction must be as public as the sin. We see in the Scriptures that the final step of discipline is taken by the entire church, when they have assembled. The Lord promises His special presence when such a gathering is assembled for discipline:
19 “Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. 20 “For where two or three have gathered together in My name, there I am in their midst” (Matthew 18:19-20).
How often this text is misapplied, as though our Lord is referring to just any gathering of two or three saints. In the context, the gathering of but two or three is sufficient for the Lord to be specially present in this most difficult duty.
(3) Church discipline involves all of the local church, and it has implications for the church at large. Paul calls for the whole Corinthian church to be involved. This is a most difficult assignment, for the Corinthian church is divided into various factions that seem unable to work together on anything. Church discipline should be exercised in unity. But Paul goes even further than requiring the whole church to participate in this act of discipline. Paul, acting with the church in this matter, strongly implies that church discipline should be exercised more generally, by all the churches. In our day of great mobility and many churches to attend, someone who is under discipline usually finds it easy to simply attend elsewhere. It seems that word of discipline needs to be communicated to other churches, and that other churches have an obligation to honor that act of discipline if the wayward party attempts to “move his membership” to that church. It also suggests that newcomers to any church should be interviewed, to be certain that they are not under discipline elsewhere.
(4) Church discipline is to be done in the name and in the power of our Lord. The church acts on behalf of the Lord in carrying out discipline. This is why the Lord’s presence is promised in discipline. This is why Paul speaks of acting “in the name of the Lord Jesus” and in “the power of the Lord Jesus” (1 Corinthians 5:4). We act on God’s behalf, and thus when we act, God acts as well (see Matthew 18:18-19).
(5) Church discipline delivers the sinner into the power of Satan. Church discipline expels the wayward and unrepentant saint from the church, from participating in its worship (i.e., the Lord’s Table), and from fellowship with individuals or small groups of believers. In so doing, the sinning saint not only loses the positive benefits of being a part of the church body, but is placed in the very dangerous position of being vulnerable to Satan’s attacks. In Paul’s words, the one who is disciplined is “delivered to Satan” (see also 1 Timothy 1:20). Satan is a destroyer, a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour (see 1 Peter 5:8). When the church expels a wayward member, that person is given over to Satan, knowing that he delights in destruction. It is not a pretty picture, nor is it something any church should take lightly. When we deliver one over to Satan, we are simply giving the unrepentant Christian what he has chosen. To remain in sin is to be in the bondage of Satan (2 Timothy 2:24-26). To be disciplined is simply to hand that one over fully to Satan. Discipline confirms a choice that the sinner has already made.
(6) While Satan has the power to destroy the flesh, he does not have the authority to destroy the spirit. At Satan’s request, he was given the authority to attack Job, but this authority has always had boundaries. Given God’s permission, Satan could do so much to Job and no more (see Job 1:12; 2:6). Satan does not have the power to spiritually destroy one who is saved by the blood of Jesus Christ:
27 “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; 28 and I give eternal life to them, and they shall never perish; and no one shall snatch them out of My hand. 29 “My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand” (John 10:27-29).
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? 33 Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; 34 who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 Just as it is written, “For Thy sake we are being put to death all day long; We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:31-39).
Satan’s destructive powers and desires extend only as far as the flesh:
“And do not fear those who kill the body, but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28).
“And the nations were enraged, and Thy wrath came, and the time came for the dead to be judged, and the time to give their reward to Thy bond-servants the prophets and to the saints and to those who fear Thy name, the small and the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth” (Revelation 11:18).
(7) Church discipline is only for those who are saints or for those who profess to be saints. Paul makes it very clear in verses 12 and 13 that church discipline is for those who are inside the church, and not for those who are outside. The Lord makes the same point in Matthew 18:15, where He begins, “If your brother sins. …” The final outcome of church discipline is that a believer who willfully remains in sin is treated as a Gentile and a tax-gatherer (18:17). Association with the believer under discipline is to be terminated, but he is still to be regarded as a brother, and not as an enemy (2 Thessalonians 3:14-15).
(8) Church discipline is not a final judgment which condemns one to eternal hell, but one which has the goal of the sinner’s repentance and final salvation. Church discipline is to be exercised for the highest good of the sinning saint. Consequently, Paul makes it very clear that “turning one over to Satan” in church discipline is not a final act of condemnation, but an action taken with a view to the wayward saint’s repentance from sin in this life, or at least his spiritual salvation in the next. Discipline is a severe mercy, which is painful to those who discipline, and to the one disciplined. It is mercy in that it seeks the highest good of the wayward saint.
A Biblical Mandate for Church Discipline
(5:6-8)
6 Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough? 7 Clean out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed. 8 Let us therefore celebrate the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
In verse 2, Paul indicates that the response of the Corinthians to this great sin is just the opposite of what it should be. They should mourn and then remove this one from their midst. Instead they are puffed up with pride and do nothing about this evil. Paul wants to be absolutely clear that the arrogance of the Corinthians is not good. Why not? Because it is destructive. We surely know it is harmful to the man living in sin. But now Paul seeks to show us how destructive failing to deal with sin is to the church. He does so by an Old Testament ritual, which was fulfilled in Christ, but also has much application to the New Testament saint.
Paul turns his readers to imagery of leaven, and the way a little bit of leaven can change the whole lump of dough in which it is found. The sinner whom the Corinthians embrace and fail to put out of the church is likened to a little leaven placed in a lump of dough. If left there for long, it changes the whole batch of dough. If this sinner is allowed to remain in the fellowship of the saints at Corinth, he will contaminate the entire church, just as Achan brought harm to the entire nation of Israel (see Joshua 7). By removing this man from their midst, the church at Corinth not only seeks the sinner’s restoration, they also promote their own purity.
Now Paul begins to fine tune this leaven and lump analogy, turning to a specific celebration in the Old Testament. Paul reminds his readers of the feast of unleavened bread, which was to begin immediately after the Passover lamb was sacrificed:
1 “Observe the month of Abib and celebrate the Passover to the Lord your God, for in the month of Abib the Lord your God brought you out of Egypt by night. 2 “And you shall sacrifice the Passover to the Lord your God from the flock and the herd, in the place where the Lord chooses to establish His name. 3 “You shall not eat leavened bread with it; seven days you shall eat with it unleavened bread, the bread of affliction (for you came out of the land of Egypt in haste), in order that you may remember all the days of your life the day when you came out of the land of Egypt. 4 “For seven days no leaven shall be seen with you in all your territory, and none of the flesh which you sacrifice on the evening of the first day shall remain overnight until morning” (Deuteronomy 16:1-4).
After the Passover was celebrated, the Feast of Unleavened Bread commenced. The Israelites were to go throughout their dwellings, seeking to find any leaven and remove it. They were to eat unleavened bread. Leaven is a symbol of sin, and the Passover lamb was a prophetic foreshadowing of our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul calls Him “Christ our Passover” (verse 7) and reminds us that He has been sacrificed. If Christ is our Passover and He has been sacrificed, what is to follow, given the Old Testament prototype? The leaven is to be removed. Since Christ has been sacrificed, we are not to harbor sin in our lives, but to seek to identify sin and remove it. Week after week when we celebrate the Lord’s Table, we are commemorating the fulfillment of Passover. This is no mere ritual; it is a reminder of what should follow the sacrifice of the Lamb—cleansing in the camp! The leaven in the Corinthian church (the camp) is this sinner. He must be removed. What better time and place is there than in the meeting of the church, where the Lord’s Table is celebrated?
Paul is not content to allow us to think that Christ’s atoning death, celebrated at the Lord’s Table, should only be applied to this man and his expulsion from the church. In verse 8, Paul broadens the application, indicating other forms of “leaven” which are all too evident in the church. The “old leaven” (this sinner who needs to be expelled) and the “new leaven,” that of malice and wickedness, must be put away. Malice and wickedness refers to that whole spectrum of “sacred sins” which are harbored and even nurtured in the church. They must go, and in their place there should be the “unleavened bread of sincerity and truth” (verse 8). We are to put off the hypocrisy and the false wisdom we have embraced and return to purity of motivation and of doctrine.
Clarification on Separation
(5:9-13)
9 I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; 10 I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters; for then you would have to go out of the world. 11 But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he should be an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler— not even to eat with such a one. 12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? 13 But those who are outside, God judges. Remove the wicked man from among yourselves (1 Corinthians 5:9-13).
This is not the first letter Paul has written to the Corinthians. Paul indicates in verse 9 that he has previously written to the Corinthians on the subject of separation. In that first letter, he instructs them not to associate with immoral people. Paul’s previous instructions include unbelieving sinners of all kinds, those who are immoral, those who are covetous, those who swindle, and those who are idolaters. The Corinthians either misunderstand or twist Paul’s words to mean something other than what Paul intends. They, like the Jews of Jesus’ day, equate holiness with separation from unbelievers. When he writes to the Corinthians, Paul is not instructing them to avoid contact with unbelievers. There is no way to avoid contact with unsaved sinners, other than by means of death. The only way to avoid “the world” is not to live in the world. Besides this, our task is not to avoid sinners, but to live among them in such a way as to reveal Christ to them:
13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how will it be made salty again? It is good for nothing anymore, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. 14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 “Nor do men light a lamp, and put it under the peck-measure, but on the lampstand; and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:13-16).
9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a HOLY NATION, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 11 Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts, which wage war against the soul. 12 Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may on account of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation (1 Peter 2:9-12).
The Christian must live in the world and rub shoulders with it in order to be a witness to the lost. What a Christian cannot do is participate with the world in sin. We are to be in the world, but we are to be unlike the world, living out the life of Christ as lights in a dark place:
3 But do not let immorality or any impurity or greed even be named among you, as is proper among saints; 4 and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. 5 For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not be partakers with them; 8 for you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), 10 trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 And do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; 12 for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. 13 But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light. 14 For this reason it says, “Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you” (Ephesians 5:3-14).
Paul does not mean for the Corinthians to try to keep the church out of the world, but to keep the world out of the church. He means that those who profess to be saved must live like one who is saved. A person should not be embraced as a believer whose profession and practice are in contradiction. The Corinthians are not to associate with a person claiming to be a Christian, who continues to live in sin. Immorality is not the only basis for church discipline; there is also covetousness, idolatry, slanderous speech, drunkenness, or swindling. Fellowship with someone who falls into this category is forbidden. This does not simply mean that this person is excommunicated from the meeting(s) of the church; it also means that individual believers must withdraw any manifestations of fellowship. This includes the sharing of a meal, which in biblical times was an intimate act of fellowship (see Revelation 3:20).
Church discipline is a form of judging, a form which is not only permitted but required. Outsiders are not a proper sphere of judgment, but those who profess Christ are to be scrutinized so far as their conduct is concerned. God will judge unbelievers at the proper time. Some unbelievers will be saved by the grace of God and, like us, escape the wrath of God through faith in Christ. Others will be judged of God, but this is not our responsibility. The bottom line for the Corinthians is that they must put this immoral man out of their church.
This last expression, “Remove the wicked man from among yourselves,” is virtually a quotation ofDeuteronomy 17:7 from the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament:
2 “If there is found in your midst, in any of your towns, which the Lord your God is giving you, a man or a woman who does what is evil in the sight of the Lord your God, by transgressing His covenant, 3 and has gone and served other gods and worshiped them, or the sun or the moon or any of the heavenly host, which I have not commanded, 4 and if it is told you and you have heard of it, then you shall inquire thoroughly. And behold, if it is true and the thing certain that this detestable thing has been done in Israel, 5 then you shall bring out that man or that woman who has done this evil deed, to your gates, that is, the man or the woman, and you shall stone them to death. 6 “On the evidence of two witnesses or three witnesses, he who is to die shall be put to death; he shall not be put to death on the evidence of one witness. 7 “The hand of the witnesses shall be first against him to put him to death, and afterward the hand of all the people. So you shall purge the evil from your midst(Deuteronomy 17:2-7, emphasis mine).
The expression is similar to that found elsewhere in the Old Testament:
7 “If a man is caught kidnapping any of his countrymen of the sons of Israel, and he deals with him violently, or sells him, then that thief shall die; so you shall purge the evil from among you” (Deuteronomy 24:7).
What Paul calls for in the New Testament church is not significantly different from what Moses communicated to the nation Israel. After all, in the Old Testament, God dwelt in the midst of His people, and thus the Israelites were required to remove sin and sinners from their midst. In the New Testament, Paul informs the Corinthians that God now indwells His temple, the church. They too must remove sin from their midst, because a holy God indwells them. In both cases, it is recognized that removing the sinner may include death. This is a most serious step, one which we will take only when we take sin and God’s commandments seriously.
Conclusion
Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 5 are sobering. They are meant to be. He has already written, “If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are” (1 Corinthians 4:17). Now, the Corinthians are reminded of their duty to play a part in this process by removing the wayward and willful sinner from their midst. Our text raises a number of issues. Allow me to summarize some of them.
Whatever happened to sin? Years ago, a secular psychiatrist, Dr. Karl Menninger, wrote a book entitled,Whatever Became of Sin. Even this man realizes that evils have become too “psychologized,” and that a simple diagnosis of “sin” is needed. I can imagine the kinds of diagnosis we would have today for the malady of this Corinthian man, living with his father’s wife. We could delve into his past and probably find some excuse for “abuse.” Some would argue that he must have some kind of genetic predisposition (biological predestination?) for this kind of conduct. Others would argue that his conduct is normal, and that the problem in the church is with narrow-minded church members. Those who buy into the therapeutic mentality would prescribe long, intensive (and expensive) therapy. Many, I am sure, would tell us that this man’s problem is “poor self-esteem.” The cure is for him to “feel better about himself.” This would certainly mean that church discipline would be considered harmful, rather than helpful. For Paul, the diagnosis is simple, and so is the prescription. The problem is the sin of immorality, and the prescription is to remove him from the church. When the Bible is the standard for conduct, and it is viewed and used for defining sin and righteousness, the diagnosis of this man’s problem is not that difficult.
Whatever happened to discipline (church and otherwise)? The Corinthian church fails to exercise discipline on the immoral man to whom Paul is referring. At the same time, Paul accuses the church of being arrogant. How can this be? I can think of one way. To exercise discipline is to acknowledge that you have done all that you can, and that you have failed. If we are thinking clearly as Christians, we realize that there is nothing spiritual which we can accomplish. We cannot save anyone; we can only proclaim the message of Christ crucified, and know that God, through His Spirit, will draw those to Himself whom He has chosen. We cannot bring about the sanctification of a believer. Once again, we can, as faithful stewards, do what God has given us to do, but we cannot produce the results. In Paul’s words, we may plant or water, but it is God who gives the growth.
In our arrogance, we can sometimes convince ourselves that, given enough time, we can turn someone from their sin. There is a great deal of emphasis on counseling in our culture, and even in the church. There is a place for counsel, but we often give ourselves and our system of counseling too much credit. We don’t want to admit failure, and so we refuse to take that final step of “removing the wicked person from ourselves.” Just a little more time, we suppose, and we can correct this person’s thinking. Church discipline is based upon the recognition that we have done what we can in the context of the church, and that God can turn that wayward person to repentance apart from us and apart from our ministry, whether that be teaching, or helps, or exhortation.
The church has unconsciously begun to think of itself as a “support group.” There are no doubt some senses in which we do function as a “support group.” But the support group mentality is a very dangerous one. Support groups can cause individuals to put their trust in “the group” rather than in God. Support groups often pride themselves for “being there,” no matter what the wayward one has done, or will do. The support group purposes to always “be there,” while the church purposes not to be there indefinitely for the one who refuses to heed a rebuke and to turn from willful sin.
The therapeutic movement within Christianity has propagated a term which, to my knowledge, is never found in the Bible. Those who frequently employ this term advocate a practice which is antithetical to the duty of exercising church discipline. The term is “unconditional acceptance” or “unconditional love.” The assumption is that we must love one another unconditionally. There is a sense in which this is true, of course. But we are not to “love” others unconditionally in terms of the way they wish to define love. To exercise discipline on a wayward saint is to love that person and to seek their highest good. To unconditionally accept that person is to never refuse to have fellowship with them, thinking which directly opposes Paul’s teaching in our text. “Pop” psychology and “pop” theology must never set aside biblical commands. Paul’s words to the Corinthians in chapter 5 end with a clear command. When called for, we will either obey this command, or we will sin.
Whatever has happened to church discipline? I have seen very little of it. Even when such discipline is taken, all too many church members are tempted to second-guess the church and to privately continue to fellowship with the one under discipline. This is a most serious matter, for if I understand the Scriptures correctly, to do so is to become a partner with that person in his or her sin.
Church discipline is one of those very clear duties of the church and of the individual Christian. Why, then, is it not practiced more often? I have previously suggested that arrogance may be one cause. I would also suggest that these days fear may now be a cause for not taking disciplinary action. We may be afraid to take a stand against sin because we are afraid of rejection. We may be afraid of appearing to be narrow and unloving. We may be unwilling to lose the friendship and the fellowship of those we love. Some church leaders are afraid of being sued for taking disciplinary action against a church member. It can and does happen. I suspect that it will happen more and more in the coming days.
Sometimes we are afraid that the work of God will be thwarted by church discipline. In several instances of which I am aware, a Christian leader was the brother in sin. That leader, when rebuked, would not repent. Sadly some faithless saints responded: “But the work that God is doing in this person is so great, we can’t afford to jeopardize it by exercising discipline.” God’s work is bigger than any man or any organization. God’s work is making sinners holy, to His glory. When a leader continues in sin, the church should discipline him publicly, as an example to all (1 Timothy 5:19-20). When any saint is placed under discipline, it serves notice to the world that the church does not accommodate sin.
Finally, the popular teachings and practices of the “church growth movement” have tended (whether consciously or unconsciously) to discourage church discipline. The church growth experts tend to measure the success of a church in terms of numerical growth. This movement seeks to attract unbelievers to the church by being “seeker-friendly,” by making unbelieving “seekers” (here is an oxymoron—see Romans 3:10-11; Ephesians 2:1-3) feel comfortable with the church and with the Christian message. How can this possibly be in the light of Paul’s teaching in chapters 1 and 2? The message of the cross is foolish. Divine truth concerning God is incomprehensible to the lost. Men and women are not saved by getting comfortable with God, but by becoming uncomfortable by the conviction of the Holy Spirit that they are sinners, that God is righteous, and that judgment awaits the sinner (John 16:7-11). When God struck Ananias and Sapphira dead for their deception, the unbelieving world was not comfortable; in fact, it caused them to stay away from the church. Nevertheless, many were being saved (see Acts 5:11-16). Sinful men should not and cannot be comfortable in the presence of a holy God, save through the cleansing of their sins by the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Men and women cannot come to faith without first becoming uncomfortable about their sin and God’s judgment. That is what being saved is all about—being saved from the wrath of God upon sinners.
Our duty to discipline provides a strong incentive for preventative action. We all know these words addressed to parents in the Old Testament:
6 “And these words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart; 7 and you shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. 8 “And you shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. 9 “And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates” (Deuteronomy 6:6-9).
We know this command comes from the Lord, and that we, as parents, should keep it. The following command is further motivation to obey the command to teach our children the way of the Lord:
18 “If any man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey his father or his mother, and when they chastise him, he will not even listen to them, 19 then his father and mother shall seize him, and bring him out to the elders of his city at the gateway of his home town. 20 “And they shall say to the elders of his city, ‘This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey us, he is a glutton and a drunkard.’ 21 “Then all the men of his city shall stone him to death; so you shall remove the evil from your midst, and all Israel shall hear of it and fear” (Deuteronomy 21:18-21).
If we lived in Old Testament times, and knew that we must stone our own child for being disobedient and rebellious, it would give us good reason to be diligent in performing those duties aimed at preventing such rebellion and disobedience in our children. Parents today—Christian parents—do not even spank their children. Many of them are proud of this fact, as though such discipline is brutal and primitive. It does not matter that the Scriptures teach us that spanking our children is one55 means of dealing with sin. Spanking provides a lesson that informs our children that sin has very real, very painful consequences. Hell, my Christian friend, is not going to be a “time out.” There may be occasions when a “time out” is appropriate, but there are also times when painful physical consequences are experienced. No, I do not advocate beating a child. No, I do not defend those who abuse their children. Yes, there is a time to spank, and most of us have forgotten when it is. If we will not spank a wayward child, when would we possibly “deliver someone over to Satan for the destruction of their flesh”?
Now for the bottom line. Why would we discipline a wayward saint, when we will not discipline ourselves? I find myself very passive and quiet about those sins in others which are present in my life as well. As we shall soon see in 1 Corinthians (e.g., chapter 9), the Corinthians have very little self-discipline. This being the case, why would we expect this church to be strong on discipline? If we would discipline others, we must first discipline ourselves. This discipline is not that which comes only from within ourselves (see Colossians 2:20-23), but which comes from the Spirit of God (see 2 Timothy 1:7; 2 Peter 1:4-7).
In the past, I have been involved in prison ministry, and on more than one occasion I have seen a commitment to take sin seriously. I was told of one occasion when a particular inmate was acting inappropriately toward a young woman volunteer, who came with a group to minister to the inmates. A number of these inmates were new Christians, who were serious about their own Christian walk and about obeying the Lord Jesus. They talked among themselves about this one inmate, who was acting inappropriately. They talked about 1 Corinthians 5, and concluded that they should “discipline” the sinning inmate. Given their violent past and their lack of depth in the Scriptures, they thought this man should be put to death and were actually ready to do it. Fortunately, a more mature Christian helped them come to a more accurate understanding of church discipline. But the fact is that these men were serious about sin and about obeying the Scriptures. Would that you and I were as serious about sin as they were! We must begin by taking up our cross, by mortifying the flesh daily. Then, and only then, will we be willing and able to deal with sin in the lives of others.
God takes sin seriously. That is why the cross of Calvary was necessary. God took our sin so seriously that He sent His Son to die in our place, to suffer the punishment for our sins. The good news of the gospel is that while God takes our sin seriously, and while our sin must be judged, He has judged our sins in Christ. To enter into this forgiveness, all we need do is to receive the gift of salvation which God offers to us by faith in His Son. When we see how seriously God has taken our sins, we see how serious we must be about sin as well.
55 Listen well. I am not saying that spanking is the only way to deal with disobedient children. I am saying, on the basis of the Word of God, that it is one means of doing so. To reject this means entirely is as wrong as constantly resorting to spanking as the only way to deal with children. Let us not err in either direction.
When Sin Persists in the Church
By Dr. Dale A. Robbins
There is crisis of sin and immorality in America’s churches. Across our land, many professing Christians are practicing shameful lifestyles that are little different than those of unbelievers. Sins of adultery, fornication, drunkenness, drug abuse (just to name a few) are rampant among those to claim to be followers of Jesus.
Perhaps it comes as no surprise to learn that there is little preaching against sin from today’s pulpits. And those churches who do voice their opposition against such lifestyles, rarely do anything to actually hold Christians accountable for their behavior. Without doubt, this is why sin seems to flourish among many professing believers... and perhaps why the church has been so powerless and ineffectual in America.
Let’s face an important fact right up front. Persons who profess to be Christians, yet practice a continued lifestyle of sin and immorality, are really not Christians. The Bible makes it crystal clear that persons who practice lifestyles of “adultery, fornication, uncleanness, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries,” and so forth, will NOT inherit the kingdom of God (Gal. 5:19-21). It doesn’t matter whether they claim Jesus as their Lord or not. Persons who live like this are not right with God. Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven” (Matt 7:21).
What Should We Do?
The question is, what should be done about persons who profess to be believers, yet demonstrate a persistent lifestyle of gross immorality and sin? Among these persons, perhaps there are those who once knew the Lord but backslid away from Him — and others who never really knew the Lord in the first place. But regardless of how they came to profess Christianity, Jesus has charged each of us with a responsibility to confront other professing Christians who practice sin — not only for the sake of their soul, but also to help eliminate the spread of sin’s infection within the body of Christ (Matt. 18:15-17). The noted theologian, F.F. Bruce said, “Since all sin damages, the Christian should not be indifferent to a brother’s sin.”
This, however, is not to suggest that we should become judgmental faultfinders, looking for every trace of imperfection in other believers. Nor are we advocating the idea of becoming a snoop and gossip, listening to unfounded rumors and stories (which is wicked and sinful). What we are talking about is that if you personally observe, or personally know for an absolute proven fact that another professing believer is involved in gross sin or immorality, you have a responsibility to confront them with the truth.
Confronting a Fallen Brother
According to Matt 18:15-17, if we observe a person who claims to be a brother, yet whose behavior is immoral and sinful, we should privately and gently confront this person with the truth of their sin, and seek to restore them to Christ through repentance. “Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted” (Gal 6:1). If they refuse to hear us in the matter, we should make another attempt with the assistance of one or two more Christians. Still, if there is no satisfactory response, we should then tell it to the church. And finally, if the restorative attempts of the church and it’s authorities are further rejected, we are no longer to esteem them as a brother (Matt 18:15-17).
When such repetitive efforts to restore a fallen brother are met by the absence of genuine repentance (turning away from sin), the church is left with a sad and unpleasant task — to excommunicate the individual, as described in 1 Corinthians chapter 5. In this particular case, a man in the church of Corinth was persisting in a matter of sexual immorality (with his father’s wife), and Paul told the leaders that such continued sin by a professing believer was not to be tolerated within the church. He told them, “In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus” (1 Cor. 5:4-5).
To implement this action, it appears that the church publicly dismissed the man from the church fellowship, as Paul said to “...put away from yourselves that wicked person” (1 Cor. 5:13). It appears that expulsion was intended to remove this individual from the protective environment of the church, exposing him to the harsh reality of the Holy Spirit’s absence — thus turning him over to Satan’s world of darkness and torments. Some suggest that “destruction of the flesh” may mean a visitation of a physical affliction or even death.
The Purpose of Excommunication
Nevertheless, the purpose of turning a person over to Satan is not merely punitive, but for the same familiar objectives:
(1) Restoration - God’s desire is, and always will be, to reconcile the sinner back to Himself. “...that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus...” (1 Cor 5:5). The hope is that when abandoned to the wages of sin, the inevitable loss of peace, and subjected to Satan’s torments, the rebellious soul will eventually seek repentance and restoration.
(2) Protection - The unrepentant is removed from the church to protect the body from further infection by such sinful behavior. “...Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?” (1 Cor 5:6). Paul reminds us that it is one thing to be among immoral people in the world, but it is not acceptable to fellowship with immoral people who profess to be Christians. “But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; not even to eat with such a person” (1 Cor. 5:11). Persons in the church fellowship who resist correction and repentance in this type of immoral behavior, should be expelled. Furthermore, their dismissal is not a secret, but is made public so that Christians will no longer keep their company.
Excommunication is never the first choice for the church. The Lord is a reconciler and wants His church to restore people whenever possible. Our Lord is the Father of the prodigal, whom He so much wants to repent and to receive His forgiveness (1 John 1:9). But despite our best efforts, there are times when loving correction is not accepted and fails to alter infectious sinful behavior. In those cases, God requires that such persons be removed from the fellowship to prevent sin from spreading, and to impress upon them their need for repentance.
In Matthew 18:8, Jesus used the metaphor of a spreading infection to warn us from withholding personal sin in any area of our life. Similarly, if the infection of sin is allowed to spread unabated within the body of Christ, it will bring gangrene that will destroy the whole body. Obviously, to expel anyone from Christ’s body is a dreaded and painful task, no more desirable than to amputate one of our own limbs or organs, but there will be times where there is no other choice. Jesus said, “...if your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire” (Matt 18:8-9).
The Sins that Warrant Excommunication
It would not be possible to rid the body of Christ of all traces of sin, lest we expel most everyone from the church. However, expulsion is a fate reserved for those matters of sin that are especially blatant and infectious to the body -- and which have resisted our sincere efforts of correction. While it is clear that the church could potentially expel persons for persisting in any of the sins listed in Gal. 5:19-21, the Victor Bible Source Book says that scripture specifies at least seven sins for which excommunication is prescribed if repentance is not secured (See Prov. 22:10, 1 Cor. 5:1-13, Titus 3:10-11, Matt. 18:15-20). These are:(1) Immorality — adultery, fornication, homosexuality, lesbianism, incest, rape, sexual impurity, etc. (2) Greed — The desire to accumulate gain by base methods. (3) Idolatry — Participation in occult practices. (4) Drunkenness — Intoxication with alcohol. (5) Extortion — Robbery, theft, stealing. (6) Foul tongue — A railer, verbally abusive, reviling, slanderous, insulting, contentious, speech which causes injury or damage. (7) Heretic — One who causes division by a party spirit, a self-willed opinion, or contentions over false or exotic doctrines.
There is crisis of sin and immorality in America’s churches. Across our land, many professing Christians are practicing shameful lifestyles that are little different than those of unbelievers. Sins of adultery, fornication, drunkenness, drug abuse (just to name a few) are rampant among those to claim to be followers of Jesus.
Perhaps it comes as no surprise to learn that there is little preaching against sin from today’s pulpits. And those churches who do voice their opposition against such lifestyles, rarely do anything to actually hold Christians accountable for their behavior. Without doubt, this is why sin seems to flourish among many professing believers... and perhaps why the church has been so powerless and ineffectual in America.
Let’s face an important fact right up front. Persons who profess to be Christians, yet practice a continued lifestyle of sin and immorality, are really not Christians. The Bible makes it crystal clear that persons who practice lifestyles of “adultery, fornication, uncleanness, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries,” and so forth, will NOT inherit the kingdom of God (Gal. 5:19-21). It doesn’t matter whether they claim Jesus as their Lord or not. Persons who live like this are not right with God. Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven” (Matt 7:21).
What Should We Do?
The question is, what should be done about persons who profess to be believers, yet demonstrate a persistent lifestyle of gross immorality and sin? Among these persons, perhaps there are those who once knew the Lord but backslid away from Him — and others who never really knew the Lord in the first place. But regardless of how they came to profess Christianity, Jesus has charged each of us with a responsibility to confront other professing Christians who practice sin — not only for the sake of their soul, but also to help eliminate the spread of sin’s infection within the body of Christ (Matt. 18:15-17). The noted theologian, F.F. Bruce said, “Since all sin damages, the Christian should not be indifferent to a brother’s sin.”
This, however, is not to suggest that we should become judgmental faultfinders, looking for every trace of imperfection in other believers. Nor are we advocating the idea of becoming a snoop and gossip, listening to unfounded rumors and stories (which is wicked and sinful). What we are talking about is that if you personally observe, or personally know for an absolute proven fact that another professing believer is involved in gross sin or immorality, you have a responsibility to confront them with the truth.
Confronting a Fallen Brother
According to Matt 18:15-17, if we observe a person who claims to be a brother, yet whose behavior is immoral and sinful, we should privately and gently confront this person with the truth of their sin, and seek to restore them to Christ through repentance. “Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted” (Gal 6:1). If they refuse to hear us in the matter, we should make another attempt with the assistance of one or two more Christians. Still, if there is no satisfactory response, we should then tell it to the church. And finally, if the restorative attempts of the church and it’s authorities are further rejected, we are no longer to esteem them as a brother (Matt 18:15-17).
When such repetitive efforts to restore a fallen brother are met by the absence of genuine repentance (turning away from sin), the church is left with a sad and unpleasant task — to excommunicate the individual, as described in 1 Corinthians chapter 5. In this particular case, a man in the church of Corinth was persisting in a matter of sexual immorality (with his father’s wife), and Paul told the leaders that such continued sin by a professing believer was not to be tolerated within the church. He told them, “In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus” (1 Cor. 5:4-5).
To implement this action, it appears that the church publicly dismissed the man from the church fellowship, as Paul said to “...put away from yourselves that wicked person” (1 Cor. 5:13). It appears that expulsion was intended to remove this individual from the protective environment of the church, exposing him to the harsh reality of the Holy Spirit’s absence — thus turning him over to Satan’s world of darkness and torments. Some suggest that “destruction of the flesh” may mean a visitation of a physical affliction or even death.
The Purpose of Excommunication
Nevertheless, the purpose of turning a person over to Satan is not merely punitive, but for the same familiar objectives:
(1) Restoration - God’s desire is, and always will be, to reconcile the sinner back to Himself. “...that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus...” (1 Cor 5:5). The hope is that when abandoned to the wages of sin, the inevitable loss of peace, and subjected to Satan’s torments, the rebellious soul will eventually seek repentance and restoration.
(2) Protection - The unrepentant is removed from the church to protect the body from further infection by such sinful behavior. “...Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?” (1 Cor 5:6). Paul reminds us that it is one thing to be among immoral people in the world, but it is not acceptable to fellowship with immoral people who profess to be Christians. “But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; not even to eat with such a person” (1 Cor. 5:11). Persons in the church fellowship who resist correction and repentance in this type of immoral behavior, should be expelled. Furthermore, their dismissal is not a secret, but is made public so that Christians will no longer keep their company.
Excommunication is never the first choice for the church. The Lord is a reconciler and wants His church to restore people whenever possible. Our Lord is the Father of the prodigal, whom He so much wants to repent and to receive His forgiveness (1 John 1:9). But despite our best efforts, there are times when loving correction is not accepted and fails to alter infectious sinful behavior. In those cases, God requires that such persons be removed from the fellowship to prevent sin from spreading, and to impress upon them their need for repentance.
In Matthew 18:8, Jesus used the metaphor of a spreading infection to warn us from withholding personal sin in any area of our life. Similarly, if the infection of sin is allowed to spread unabated within the body of Christ, it will bring gangrene that will destroy the whole body. Obviously, to expel anyone from Christ’s body is a dreaded and painful task, no more desirable than to amputate one of our own limbs or organs, but there will be times where there is no other choice. Jesus said, “...if your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire” (Matt 18:8-9).
The Sins that Warrant Excommunication
It would not be possible to rid the body of Christ of all traces of sin, lest we expel most everyone from the church. However, expulsion is a fate reserved for those matters of sin that are especially blatant and infectious to the body -- and which have resisted our sincere efforts of correction. While it is clear that the church could potentially expel persons for persisting in any of the sins listed in Gal. 5:19-21, the Victor Bible Source Book says that scripture specifies at least seven sins for which excommunication is prescribed if repentance is not secured (See Prov. 22:10, 1 Cor. 5:1-13, Titus 3:10-11, Matt. 18:15-20). These are:(1) Immorality — adultery, fornication, homosexuality, lesbianism, incest, rape, sexual impurity, etc. (2) Greed — The desire to accumulate gain by base methods. (3) Idolatry — Participation in occult practices. (4) Drunkenness — Intoxication with alcohol. (5) Extortion — Robbery, theft, stealing. (6) Foul tongue — A railer, verbally abusive, reviling, slanderous, insulting, contentious, speech which causes injury or damage. (7) Heretic — One who causes division by a party spirit, a self-willed opinion, or contentions over false or exotic doctrines.
Sin in the Church
Sin in the Church
A Study of I Corinthians 6:9-10
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton
Context
The church at Corinth had many problems in living the Christian life. Their problems did not come from a rebellious attitude toward God. Most of their problems came from a misunderstanding of God's law.
In I Corinthians 5:1-8, Paul takes the Corinthians to task for accepting an immoral person as a member of their congregation. In this particular instance, the man was having sex with his father's wife (I Corinthians 5:1). Because of the wording, we can conclude that the woman was not his biological mother. The church was tolerant of the man's practice. In fact, Paul said that the church was proud to have him as a member (I Corinthians 5:2). Perhaps they mistakenly believed that a person was better off in the church than in the world even if he was not morally perfect. Paul shows the flaw in their reasoning and shows that their acceptance would lead to the downfall of the congregation.
In I Corinthians 5:9-13, Paul explains that Christians must live to a higher moral standard than that which is accepted by the world. While we must live in the world and associate with the corrupt people of the world, Christians are not to tolerate moral corruption among their own number.
In I Corinthians 6:1-8, Paul proves that Christians have the right and the obligation to judge the actions of other Christians. Their judgement will be superior to anyone of the world because they have a superior law with which to live.
The Passage
"Or do you not know"
What Paul is about to say should be clear to every Christian, but the Corinthians have been acting as if they were ignorant of these basic truths.
"That the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God?"
The kingdom of God is simply another way of referring to the church. (For example, compare Hebrews 12:23 to Hebrews 12:28.) The inheritance is referring to the time when the church receives the eternal reward prepared for its members (Matthew 25:31-34). Paul is simply stating the obvious: Sinners cannot go to heaven.
"Do not be deceived:"
The reason the Corinthians were accepting the opposite was because they were deceiving themselves. This is the way Satan works. The truth is obvious, but to get us to accept a lie, Satan deceives us into believing the truth is not so clear. This is what Satan did with Eve in the Garden in Genesis 3 and it is what he continues to do in the world today.
"Neither fornicators"
This is a person who has sex outside of the covenant of marriage.
"Nor idolators"
This is a person who worships other gods. As you go through the rest of the sins listed in verse 9 you will notice that all of them have to do with some form of sexual sin, except for this one. Yet, even this word hints at sexual sins. Corinth was a major seaport and the center of worship for the goddess Aphrodites, the goddess of love. The temple in Corinth was said to have 1,000 prostitutes serving the goddess and the main form of "worship" was having sex. In Corinth, idol worship was an immoral sexual act.
"Nor adulterers"
This is a person who is having sex with another person and one of them is married, but they are not married each other. It is listed separately from fornication because not only is immoral sex is taking place, but the covenant of marriage is also being violated.
"Nor effeminate"
This is a person who acts and dresses as a person of the opposite sex. Such behavior has been condemned in the Old as well as the New Law (Deuteronomy 22:5).
"Nor homosexuals"
This is a person who engages in sexual acts with a person of the same gender. A man having sex with a man or a woman with a woman. (See also Romans 1:26-27.)
"Nor thieves"
This is a person who takes things that belong to someone else.
"Nor the covetous"
This is a person who wants what belongs to someone else. This is not simply a matter of seeing a person with a new chair and thinking "I would like a new chair too." This a person who sees the chair and thinks he deserves the chair more than the owner and is willing to "correct" the situation by helping himself to the chair.
Covetousness is often connected with adultery because the person engaged in it desires the spouse of another and is willing to take what doesn't belong to him. (See Ephesians 5:5).
"Nor drunkard"
This is a person under the influence of alcohol.
"Nor revilers"
This is a person who constantly gets into mischief. He abuses others verbally.
"Nor swindler"
This is the person who takes other people's money by deception or by force.
"Shall inherit the kingdom of God"
A person cannot practice these sins and expect to enter heaven.
Verse 11 tells us that some of the Corinthians had once engaged in these sinful acts, but they have left their sins behind when they became Christians.
约翰福音16-21章注释
一六1 门徒可能一如其它的犹太人，希望弥赛亚建立他的国度，粉碎罗马的政权。然而，主却告诉他们，他将去受死、复活、回到天上。圣灵将降临，门徒要四出为基督作见证，他们将会为世人所憎恨、迫害。主预先将这一切告诉他们，使他们不致幻想破灭、跌倒、惊愕。
一六2、3 犹太人认为被赶出会堂是人生一大憾事，但跟从耶稣的犹太人将蒙受此厄运。世人会恨恶基督的信仰，甚至毁灭、破坏这信仰，但仍然以为是讨神喜悦。由此证明人可能是虔诚、热心，同时也可能是大错特错的。但一切起自人不认识基督的神性。犹太人不接待他，结果也不接待父。
一六4 主再次预先警告他们，好叫他们遭受磨炼时，不会动摇。让他们想起主曾预言会有逼迫，他们会晓得这是他在他们生命中计划的一部分，主一路和他们一起，故先前并没有对他们提过这些事。他不想让这些困扰他们，令他们分心，不专注他要教训他们的。但这时主快要离开，他必须告诉他们前头要走的路。
一六5 本节似乎道出主失望的心情，门徒不大关心他前头要走的路。虽然他们也顺带问过他要往那里去，但他们似乎却不大着意。
一六6 门徒关心自己的前途多于基督。在主前头有十字架、坟墓；他们事奉基督时，前面将有迫害来到。他们满心忧愁，只因想起自己未来的际遇境况，并不是想起主。
一六7 然而，主不会剩下他们无助、沮丧。基督将要差圣灵来做他们的保惠师。保惠师来，对门徒有益。他会赐他们力量、勇气，并且教导他们，使他们能前所未有地亲身感受到基督。主耶稣不回到天上，得荣耀，保惠师就不来。当然，圣灵先前已到过世上，但这次他会有一崭新的使命──是叫世人知道偏差；并伺候得赎的人。
一六8 圣灵会叫世人为偏差、为义、为审判，自己责备自己。很多人以为这是说圣灵会叫每个有偏差的人，内心觉察到这些事情。虽然这是对的，但却不是这段话的原意。圣灵责备世人，只因他在世上。因为圣灵本不在世界，在世界的该是主耶稣，他要统治全地。可是世人弃绝他，他才回到天上。圣灵在世界是要代替遭人弃绝的基督，而这事实就显出了世人的偏差。
一六9 圣灵叫世人知道不相信基督，是出了偏差。基督是配受人相信的。他身上本无任何东西拦阻人去信他，但他们仍然拒绝了，圣灵在这世界，就是见证了他们的偏差。
一六10 救主向世人宣称他是公义的，世人却说他是被鬼附着。神有最后的话要说，大意是：「我的儿子正直公义。我会叫他从死里复活，接他回天上，证明给你们看。」圣灵作证，基督是对的，世人是错的。
一六11 圣灵的同在，叫世人知道将来要受审判。他在世界，意味着魔鬼早在十字架上被定为有偏差，凡不相信基督的，将来都要遭受同一可怕的审判。
一六12 主还有好些事要告诉门徒，但门徒却不能领会。教导的工夫也应按照这大原则。在授予门徒深奥的真理之前，门徒一定要有好的基础，循序渐进。主不会滔滔不绝教训门徒，使他们吃不消。他教训他们，总是按部就班，有条有理。
一六13 主一路所做的工作将由真理的圣灵接续下去。他会引导他们明白一切的真理。一切的真理将会在众使徒有生之年给他们启示出来。他们把启示记下，就是今日我们所拥有的新约圣经。连同旧约，就完成神给人类写下的启示。当然，圣灵在历世历代也会引导神的百姓进入一切的真理。他藉着圣经作工。圣灵只会说父与子吩咐他说的话。「并要把将来的事告诉你们。」将来的事自然是藉着新约，尤其是启示录，向各人揭开的事。
一六14 圣灵首要的工作就是要荣耀基督。我们能以此试验所有传道教训，若是彰显救主的，就是出于圣灵。「他要将受于我的」意即圣灵会得到一切有关基督的真理。他会将这些事向信徒揭示，讲之不尽！
一六15 父所有的属性，子皆尽有。基督在14节中谈到的，就是这些美事。圣灵向使徒揭示了主耶稣的荣美、职事、地位、恩典和完全。
一六16 本节所说的时限不大清楚。主可能是说他会离开门徒三天，待他复活后才再次向他们显现。也可能是说他将回到在天上的父那里，然后等不多时（即现今的世代），他再来见他们（第二次来临）。又或者这是指不多时之后，他们将不能凭肉眼见主，直等到圣灵在五旬节降在他们身上，门徒才能前所未有的，凭信心见主。
一六17 门徒大惑不解，因为救主在第10节中曾说：「我往父那里去，你们就不再见我」，如今又说：「等不多时，你们就不得见我；再等不多时，你们还要见我。」两句话很矛盾，他们不能理解。
一六18 他们就讨论「不多时」是什么意思。奇怪得很，今天我们竟然也有同样的问题。我们不知道这是否指他复活前的三天，或是尚离五旬节前的四十日，又或是他再来前的一千九百多年！
一六19、20 主耶稣是神，能体察他们的心思意念。他问他们的问题，正反映出他全知，明白他们的困恼。
主没有直接回答他们的问题，只就「不多时」的情形，多给一点资料。世人将会喜乐，因为他们把主耶稣钉了十字架。而门徒要痛哭、哀号，但等不多时，他们的忧愁要变为喜乐。首先有主的复活，其次有圣灵的来临。在主再来的那刻，所有历世历代的信徒也将转忧为喜。
一六21 孩子出世时，母亲便忘了生产的痛苦，心情转变之快，世上无可比拟。门徒也是一样，主离他们而去后，他们会忧愁。但当他们再见他时，忧愁便一下子消散了。
一六22 主说「我要再见你们」，但我们不得不承认我们不知道这时候何时才到。这是否指他的复活，他在五旬节差圣灵降临，又或是他第二次来临世界呢？这三者都叫人喜乐，而这喜乐也没有人能夺去。
一六23 直到这个时候，门徒常向主诸多请求，多多题问。到那日（由圣灵在五旬节降临开始的新时代），主不会亲身与他们同在，门徒也不能再问他问题。但这是否意味着他们已无人可投靠呢？不是。到那日，他们有权向父求。父也会因耶稣的缘故，答应他们的请求，父答应我们，并不是因为我们应得，乃是因为主耶稣是配。
一六24 在这以前，门徒从没有奉主的名向父神祷告。这时候，主叫他们去求。因着父应允祷告，门徒的喜乐可以满足了。
一六25 主大多的教训都不是显浅易明的，他常用比喻来教训人。甚至本章中，我们很多时也不大清楚其确实意思。但圣灵来临以后，父的教训将变得更平白。在使徒行传和书信中，真理不再是隐藏在比喻之中，而是直接的告诉我们。
一六26 「那日」是指圣灵的时代，就是我们现今活着的时代。我们能奉主耶稣的名向父祈求。「我并不对你们说，我要为你们求父。」父不需我们的催促，好回应我们的祷告。主并不需要人恳求他，但我们应当记着主耶稣是神和人之间的中保，他定会在神的宝座前替百姓祈求。
一六27 因为门徒接受了基督，爱他又相信他是神，父也爱他们。所以，主毋须向父祈求。圣灵来临后，门徒与父将会更亲密。他们能无畏地靠近他，一切全因为他们爱他的儿子。
一六28 主重申他是与父神同等。他不是说：「我从神出来。」这样说的话，他似乎只是一位受神差遣的先知。但主的话是：「我从父出来。」他是永生父的永生儿子，与父神同等。他来到世界。他来以前，他在别的地方居住。他升天以后，便离开世界，回到父那里去。本节可算是简述了荣耀之主的一生。
一六29、30 耶稣的门徒以为他们终于能够明白他，他们说耶稣不再用比喻了。
他们以为自己如今能够认识耶稣真正的身分。现在他们晓得，他凡事都知道，并且是从神出来的。但主刚才曾说他从父出来。到底门徒是否明白这句话的含意呢？他们是否知道耶稣就是神本体的一位呢？
一六31 耶稣这一提问，暗示了他们的信还未完全。他知道门徒是爱他，信靠他的，但他们是否真的知道耶稣就是神在肉身显现呢？
一六32 不久，耶稣就会被捕、受审、钉死在十字架上。门徒也将会舍他而去，各自逃回自己的家。但耶稣不是孤单的一人，他有父与他同在。门徒正是不明白他与父神这种合一的关系。因为父与他同在，纵使门徒逃命去，耶稣也有父支持他。
一六33 耶稣对门徒说这些话，是要叫门徒有平安。当他们被人恨恶、追捕、迫害、诬陷，甚至虐待时，门徒能在他里面有平安。主已在加略山的十字架上胜了世界。故门徒遭受苦难时，他们能大可放心，深信胜利已属他们那方。
此外，圣灵的来临，给他们新的力量和新的勇气，去容忍、面对他们的敌人。
我们将要读到的这段经文，一般都认为是主耶稣作大祭司的祷告。在祷告中，他为属自己的人祈求，同时也反映出现在他身在天上为他百姓祈求，雷思福形容的好：
整段祷告好好的表露出我们可称颂的主如何在神的右边为我们祷告。他不说半句话责难他的百姓，也不提到他们的过失、弱点……。不，他半点也没说。主挂在口边的人，仿佛都是行在父的旨意中，与他在一起，满满的接下了他从天上赐下来的福……。每一个为百姓的祈求，都与属灵的事有关，所有都是属天的祝福。主没有求他们有富足、尊荣、世上的影响力，受人爱戴。他恳切所求的，是要他们脱离偏差，从世界中分别为圣，有能力完成工作，平安的被接回天家。真正的丰盛，就是心灵的丰盛，那是最丰最盛。（注45）
一七1 时候到了。耶稣的仇敌数次擒他不获，只因他时候尚未到。但现在时候到了，主将要被他们处死。他祈求说：「愿你荣耀你的儿子。」主心里想着他将要在十字架上受死。若他死后只留在坟墓里，世人只会认为他是一个凡人。但若神荣耀他，叫他从死里复活，就证明他是神的儿子，世人的救主了。他应允了主耶稣的祷告，在第三天叫他从死里复活，稍后更接他回天家，给他荣耀尊贵的冠冕。
主继续说：「使儿子也荣耀你。」这句话的解释在下面两节中述明。耶稣把永生赐给凡信靠他的人，藉此荣耀父神；本来不敬虔的人归向神，在地上活出主耶稣的样式，就为神带来大大的荣耀。
一七2 因着基督在十字架上所成就的救赎，神赐了他儿子权柄、管理全人类。他也靠着这权柄赐永生给父所赐给他的人。我们再次记起，在世界创立以先，神标识了一些属他基督的人。但请记着神是要拯救凡接受耶稣基督的人。人若信靠主，无一个不能得救。
一七3 本节简单陈述人能获得永生的途径，乃是要认识神和耶稣基督。独一的真神跟偶像不同，其它的根本不是真正的神。本节并不是说耶稣基督不是真神。他的名与父神并列，为永生的源头，意味着二者是同等的。这里主称自己为耶稣基督。基督就是弥赛亚的意思。本节否决有人声称耶稣从没有认自己为弥赛亚的说法。
一七4 主说这些话时，语气如同自己已经受死，埋葬并复活了。他无偏差的一生、所行的神迹、受过的苦楚与死亡、其后的复活，一一都荣耀了父神。他已成全了父神所托付他的救恩工作。赖尔这样评论：
基督死在十字架上为父带来了荣耀，这作为荣耀了他的智慧、信实、圣洁和爱。这事显出父的智慧，构思出这个计划，使他能存公义，又能称有偏差的人为义；显出他的信实，又信守应许，女人的后裔要伤蛇的头；显出他的圣洁，要我们伟大的代偏者符合律法的要求；同时显出他的爱，给人这样的一个中保，这样的一个救赎主，这样愿意亲近有偏差的人的一个朋友，看他们与他同为永生的儿子。
十字架也为子神带来荣耀，荣耀他的怜悯、坚忍和能力。这显出他挚爱的同情心。他愿为我们死，为我们受苦，为我们的缘故，容让自己受人咒诅，被列在罪犯之中，用自己的宝血赎回我们；显出基督无比的坚忍，他的死不是普普通通的死。他甘愿忍受极大的痛楚、无名的折磨，是人做梦也想不到的；他也忍耐到底，没有唤召父的天使营救他；同时也显出他无比的权能，承受世人所出的偏差，战胜撒但，夺过他手中的猎物。（注46）
一七5 基督来到世界以先，本在天上与父同住。天使仰望主，见到的尽是神的荣光。在每对眼睛中，他都是神。但当他来到人中，他神性的荣光隐藏了。虽然他仍是神，但大部分人不知道，只视他为一个普通木匠的儿子。这里救主祈求他能再次发出在天上耀目的荣光。「求你使我同你得享荣耀」，意思就是：「求在天上的父荣耀我，使我能再次复得在降世以先，本与你同享的荣耀。」本节清楚教我们基督的先存性，就是说他在创造以先已经存在。
一七6 耶稣已将父的名显明给门徒看。圣经中的名指他的位格、属性与性情。基督已完全的彰显了父的本性。门徒就是父从世上赐给子的人。他们从不信的人中分别出来，归于基督。柏勒写道：「他们是父从创世以先所拣选出来的，藉着宝血的赎价，由父赐给基督的。」
主说：「他们也遵守了你的道。」纵然门徒有很多过失和不是之处，主仍称他们为相信他、遵从他教训的人。雷思福写道：「主没有说他百姓半句坏话，也没有暗暗介怀他们曾做过或将要做的──就是离弃他。」
一七7、8 救主完美地代表了父。他向门徒解释过，凡他所说所做的，都不是出于自己，乃是按父所吩咐的。所以，他们相信子是由父差来的。
而且，基督不是自作主张，行自己的使命。他来是遵照父的旨意。他是耶和华完美的仆人。
一七9 耶稣又是作大祭司，为门徒祷告。他说他不为世人祈求，不是说他从不为世人祷告。在十字架上，基督祷告说：「父阿，宽恕他们；因为他们所作的，他们不晓得。」
但这里他代表着所有信徒，在神的宝座前祷告。故此，他只为属他的人祈求。
一七10 父与子之间的完全合一，在这里显明出来。一个普通的人说这话，这话就不真。我们至多也只能对神说：「凡是我的，都是你的。」但不能够说：「你的也是我的。」因为子与父同等，才能说这些话，在这段（6至19节）中，耶稣向父介绍了他这群可怜胆怯的羊，替他们每只穿上彩衣，说：「我因他们得了荣耀。」
一七11 主再次预言他将回到天上。他祷告，仿佛他已不在他们身边。主称父为圣父。圣就是至高无上的意思；父就是亲密、接近的那位。
耶稣向父祷告，「叫他们合而为一」。合而为一就是一致，都有基督徒的特质。父与子在道德形象上一致，信徒也应有这样的合一，学习主耶稣的样式。
一七12 救主与门徒同在时，因父的名，就是他的权柄和能力，保守了他们，使他们对他尽忠。耶稣说：「除了那灭亡之子，没有一个灭亡的。」灭亡之子就是犹大。他不是父所拣选赐给子的，也从不是个真信徒。这句的意思是：「你所赐给我的，我都保全了，一个也不失掉。但那灭亡之子，应验了经上的话，失掉、灭亡了。」犹大是「灭亡之子」，他已万劫不复，永远灭亡，他出卖基督，不是被逼的要应验经上的预言；他拣选了出卖救主这条路，因而应验了经上的话。
一七13 主说出为何他要在门徒面前，作这样的祷告。他似乎是对门徒说：「我要在天上，神的面前，不停的这样祷告，这样祈求。但现在我还在世上的时候，让你们听到我这样祷告，是要你们更清楚明白，我会在那里如何谋求你们的福祉，好叫你们多多的分享我的喜乐。」
一七14 主将神的道赐给门徒，门徒也接受了。从此，世界便与他们反目，仇恨他们。因他们有主耶稣的特质，便遭世人鄙视。他们与世人的谋算格格不入。
一七15 主不求父叫他们立即离开世界，归回天家。门徒要留在这里，在恩典中成长，为基督作见证。但基督祈求他们能脱离那恶者，不是逃脱，而是蒙保守脱离。
一七16 基督徒不属世界，正如基督不属世界一样。我们要铭记于心，好叫我们不受引诱，参与不欢迎主名的世俗游戏或组织之中。
一七17 成圣就是分别出来的意思。神的道能使信徒成圣，当信徒读到又遵守时，他们就分别出来，成为主人合用的器具。主耶稣在这里所祈求的就是如此。他想他的子民能从世界分别出来，属乎神，并为神所用。耶稣说：「你的道就是真理。」他不如现代人般说「你的道有道理」，而是说「你的道就是真理」。
一七18 父差主耶稣来到世上，将神的性情显明给人类看。从主的祷告中，他知道他将会返回天上。但未来的世代仍需要人见证主，门徒就肩负起此任务，藉着圣灵的能力去完成。当然，基督徒不可能象基督那样，完全地代表神，因为他们永不可能与神同等。但信徒要做的，就如基督一样，在世人面前代表神。为此，耶稣就差他们到世上。
一七19 分别为圣不一定解成为圣洁。主耶稣的为人是圣洁的。但这里，主的意思是将自己分别出来，去完成父所差他做的工作，就是牺牲在十字架上。这也可解作他将自己抽离世界，分别出来，进入荣耀，温尼说：「主的分别为圣是我们学习的典范，我们的力量。」我们应该从世界分别出来，将生命交托给主。
一七20 现在耶稣这位大祭司不单只为门徒祈求，也为以后历世历代尚未出生的人祈求。今天每一位信徒读到这节，也能说：「耶稣在一千九百多年前，已为我祷告了。」
一七21 主祈求信徒能合一，这次是为了使有偏差的人得救。基督所祈求的合一，不是外在教会的合一，而是在基督徒道德形象上的合一。他祈求信徒能合而为一，彰显神并基督的性情。这样，就能叫世人相信神差了基督来。这合一能令世界说：「我看见基督在那些基督徒里面，正如父在基督里面一样。」
一七22 在第11节，主祈求门徒能在相交上合一；在第21节，他祈求他们能在见证上合一。而在本节，就是在荣耀上合一。主期待有一天，所有圣徒会得着他们荣耀的身体。「你所赐给我的荣耀」就是复活升天的荣耀。
我们尚未有这荣耀。主说他已赐给了我们，是因为神定意这样做，但一直要到救主再来，接我们回天上，我们才有这荣耀。当基督再来，要在地上建立他的国度时，世人便目睹这荣耀。届时，世人便晓得父与子，子与信徒间的紧密合一关系，也相信（但已太迟）耶稣是神所差来的了。
一七23 世人不但会晓得耶稣是神的儿子，也会知道信徒为神所爱，正如基督为神所爱一样。我们蒙神如此宠爱，虽似是难以置信，但事实的确如是。
一七24 子切望他的子民能与他同享荣耀。当有信徒离世，从一方面看来，是应允了这个祷告。若我们晓得这理，在悲痛中仍有安慰。辞世的，就是去与基督一起，看见他的荣耀，这荣耀不单只是主在创世以先，他与神同享的荣耀，还是他为救主、救赎主的荣耀。这荣耀证明神早在创立世界之前，已深爱基督了。
一七25 世人体察不到耶稣已将神彰显出来。但这里的几位门徒，却体察得到，相信神差了耶稣来。在主被钉十字架的前夕，云云众生之中，只有这几颗忠信的心──但可惜连他们也将要离弃主！
一七26 主与门徒同在时，已将父的名指示他们，就是显露父给他们看。主的言行举止，就是父的言行举止。他们在基督身上见到父。藉着圣灵的工作，耶稣还要继续将父的名指示他们。从五旬节那天起，圣灵便负起教导信徒认识父神的工作。特别透过圣经的话语，我们就能认识到神是何模样的。人若接受主耶稣所彰显的父，就成为父所亲爱的。因为主耶稣住在信徒心里，父更能照顾他们，如照顾自己的独生子一样。罗斯论说：
在创造物质世界以前，神的爱全放在子一个身上，但在新的属灵世界出现后，凡与子合一的，都蒙受神的爱。（注47）
高德补充说：
神差他的儿子到世上来，是要在人类众生中建立一个家庭，儿女都象他。（注47）
因为主耶稣在信徒里面，神能爱他，象爱基督一样。
亲爱，对神是这么亲爱，
不能更加亲爱了；
他竟以对子同样的爱，
来爱我！
～巴吉特
雷思福认为，基督替子民的祈求是：
……都与属灵的事有关，所有都是属天的祝福。主不曾求他们有富足、尊荣、属世影响力，而是要他们能脱离偏差，从世界中分别为圣，有能力完成工作，平平安安地到达天上。（注48）
捌．神儿子的受难与死亡（一八～一九）
一八1 第十三至十七章的话都是在耶路撒冷说的。这时，耶稣离城，东行往橄榄山，途中渡过汲沦溪，上了橄榄山西坡上一个园子──客西马尼园。
一八2、3 犹大知道耶稣曾在那里花了不少时间祷告。他知道要找耶稣，最好就是在他祷告的地方。
犹大所领的一队兵大抵是罗马士兵，那些差役是犹太人的官，代表祭司长并法利赛人而来。他们拿着灯笼，火把、兵器前来。「他们竟拿着灯笼来找这世界的光。」
一八4 耶稣没有等候他们前来找他，就自行出来会见他们，显示出他上十字架是心甘情愿的。那些士兵反而大可以将武器留在家里，因为救主会欣然就范。主问「你们找谁」是要叫他们亲口说出此行的目的。
一八5 他们要找的是拿撒勒人耶稣。他们丝毫也没想到这人就是他们的创造主、维护者，也是他们最好的朋友。耶稣说：「我就是。」他不单只认了是拿撒勒人耶稣那么简单，他还是耶和华。如前所述，「我是」是耶和华在旧约中一个名字。当时犹大也同其它人站在一起，这会否令他重新感到惊讶呢？
一八6 当主耶稣对他们说「我是」，指出他就是全能的神后不久，他们被这话一慑，竟退后倒在地上。
一八7 主再次问他们要找的是谁，他们照样答复，也管不得基督刚才一语如何慑怕他们。
一八8、9 耶稣再次回答他们，他就是那位，也是耶和华。「我已经告诉你们，我就是。」现在他们要找耶稣，耶稣叫他们让门徒走。在他生命危在旦夕之际，他那无私的心仍在关心着别人。这么一来，又应验了约翰福音十七章12节的话。
一八10 西门彼得认为现在是时候用武，从这群人中救出他的主人。他尚未得主的同意，就拔出刀来，将大祭司的仆人砍了一刀。显然，彼得是想要杀他，但刀却被一只无形的手挡开了，只削掉了仆人的右耳。
一八11 耶稣责难彼得那轻率的热诚。父已给耶稣苦难与死亡之杯，主也预备要喝。医生路加记录了这时主如何触摸马勒古的耳朵，治好了他（路二二51）。
一八12、13 那群心肠恶毒的人第一次能拿住耶稣，捆绑他双手。
亚那曾任大祭司。但主耶稣为何先要带到亚那面前，而不是到他的女婿，现任大祭司该亚法面前，个中原委就不大清楚。首先，主耶稣被提到犹太人面前受审，他们试图证明他出了亵渎、异端的罪。这就是所谓的宗教审讯。其后，主才被提到罗马官员面前受审，要证明他是该撒的敌人，那就是公民审讯。因为当时犹太人在罗马管治之下，他们入罪定要经过罗马法院，否则他们就不能执行死刑等处罚。这等罪必须由希律宣判。
一八14 约翰指出这个该亚法，就是从前预言一个人替百姓死那位（参阅约一一50）。现在，他将有分成就此预言。司徒雅各认为：
这人受派出任举国属灵的老师。他已被分别出来，为至高者最权威的诠释人和代表。他拥有无上的光荣，每年能进入至圣所一次。但又正正是此人，定神儿子的罪，历史上从没有这样令人咋舌的例证。世上最佳的宗教地位、最有利的工作环境，也不能确保某人能得着救恩，或某人的灵魂能否变得高尚。本仁约翰收起手上的书，徐徐地说：「由此我看见了，即使在天上的大门前，也有往地狱的通道。」（注49）
一八15 圣经学者大多相信那另一个门徒，就是约翰，只因他心存谦卑，又见彼得饮恨的失败，才不自述其名。我们不知道约翰如何认识了大祭司，但因这关系，他才能进入大祭司的院子。
一八16、17 等到约翰出来，与看门的使女说了一声，彼得才能进入院子。回想起来，我们诧异约翰这样运用他的影响力，是否人情。值得留意的是，彼得第一次不认主，不是在英勇无比、面目慑人的士兵面前。他只对着一个看门的使女，否认自己是耶稣的门徒。
一八18 彼得这时身在主的敌人中间，隐藏身分。象很多门徒一样，他在这世界的火旁，站着烤火取暖。
一八19 不大清楚这大祭司究竟是谁，是亚那还是该亚法？若是大多人认为的亚那，那称他为大祭司的，只属礼貌，只因他曾出任此职。大祭司就以耶稣的门徒和他的教训盘问他。似乎在他心中，这些都危害摩西律法和罗马政府。明显地，他们没有真实的案子要起诉耶稣，所以正在捏造一个。
一八20 耶稣回答他，以往他是明明的、公开的传道，他没有隐藏什么。他教训人，在会堂，也在殿里，每次都当着犹太人面前，并没什么秘密。
一八21 耶稣要大祭司宣召一些听过他说话的犹太人，看他们是否有证据控诉他。若他做错或说错什么，可以叫证人指证他。
一八22 这话定气怒了犹太人，因他们实在没有理、没有案。故他们只有打他泄愤。旁边的一个差役掌掴耶稣，说他无礼，这样对大祭司说话。
一八23 主耶稣以不卑不亢的神情，理直气壮的逻辑，证明自己是含冤的，告他的人是不实不正的。他们不能告他说恶言，却因他说的是真话，就对他动粗。
一八24 以上的章节都是主在亚那面前受审的情形，约翰没有记载该亚法审耶稣的情景，这些都在十八章24至28节中间带过了。
一八25 笔触一转，落在西门彼得身上。早上的时分，寒气刺骨，彼得正烤火取暖。但他的衣着和口音败露了他是个加利利的渔夫。在旁站着的一个人，问他是否耶稣的门徒，他再次不承认主了。
一八26 马勒古的亲属找着彼得说话，他亲眼看见彼得割掉他亲戚的耳朵。「我不是看见你同这个耶稣在园子里么？」
一八27 彼得第三次不承认主。立时他听到鸡啼，想起了主曾对他说的话：「今日鸡叫以先，你要三次不认我。」在其它福音书里，我们知道彼得就在此时，夺门而出，恸哭非常。
一八28 宗教审讯已告一段落，公民审讯随即开始。地点是一法院大堂，或是官员的府邸，但犹太人却不愿进入外邦人的府邸，恐怕染了污秽，不能吃逾越节的筵席。他们甚至不在乎，要设法害的正是神的儿子。他们看进入一个外邦人的家为憾事，却视谋害为等闲。奥古斯丁论道：
这不虔敬的瞎子！他们以为一所陌生人的房子会沾污他们，却视他们所出的偏差为洁净。他们害怕污染他们的竟是一位异国法官的官邸，却无惧流了无辜兄弟的血。（注50）
贺尔叹道：
你们这群祭司、文士、长老、伪君子有难了！世上还有屋瓦象你们心胸一样污秽吗？不洁的，不是彼拉多的墙壁，而是你们的心。杀人不是你们此行的目的吗？你们以为可以停在一个污秽的地方吗？你们这些粉白的墙，神会毁了你们！你们不是期待要满口鲜血──满手神的血吗？你们真的害怕被彼拉多的廊子沾污吗？你们正吞下的这头穷凶极恶的骆驼，会给这么小的蚁虫窒住气息吗？你们这群假仁假义的不信之徒，若要自保其身，就快离开耶路撒冷！要害怕的该是彼拉多，有你们这等穷凶极恶的大魔头，他家的四壁该要小心被沾污。（注51）
普尔说：「没有东西比人因拘泥礼仪而失掉德行，更常见，更普遍了。」（注52）「吃逾越节的筵席」，该是逾越节过后的宴会。真正逾越节的晚餐已在前天晚上用过了。
一八29 彼拉多这位罗马人的官也顺了犹太人的宗教法规，出到了他们那里。他开始审讯，问他们要告这出人什么。
一八30 他们答得横蛮无礼。他们暗示已审过他，知道他有偏差了，只须彼拉多宣判处罚。
一八31 彼拉多想要卸责，交回犹太人处理。若他们已审过耶稣，知道他有偏差，为何不按他们的律法定他的偏差呢？犹太人的答复意味深长，他们似是说：「我们不是独立自主的民族，由罗马政权统治了。我们的公民政府由他们管理，已没有杀人的权柄。」他们的答复证明他们受着外邦人统治和箝制，而且想将杀害基督的公责转嫁给彼拉多。
一八32 本节有两个可能的解释。（1）在约翰福音二十章19节，耶稣曾预言他会被解到外邦人那里受死。现在犹太人所做的正是如此。（2）主曾三番四次的说过，他要被举起（约三14，八28，一二32、34），正是指他要死在十字架上。犹太人行死刑用是石头，钉十字架是罗马人的方法。所以，犹太人拒绝自行执行死刑，却不知不觉的应验了关乎弥赛亚这两个预言（又参看诗二二16）。
一八33 彼拉多带耶稣进了衙门，私下查问他。他开门见山的问他：「你是犹太人的王么？」
一八34 耶稣回答，仿佛是说：「你是巡抚，有否听过我要颠覆罗马政府呢？有否听过我自称为王，要反该撒的帝国呢？这指控是你要告我的，还是人云亦云，听那些犹太人说的呢？」
一八35 彼拉多语带鄙视，问耶稣：「我岂是犹太人呢？」他暗示自己位高权重，事务繁忙，无瑕顾及这些犹太人地方的分争。他同时暗认了他不知道有什么真的指控耶稣，他所知的只是犹太人领袖告诉他的。
一八36 主继而承认他是个王，但不是犹太人指控他的那样，也不会威胁罗马政府。基督的国不是人的武器所推动的，否则他的门徒必出来争战，挡开捉拿耶稣的犹太人，基督的国不属这世界，不在这里。国权不是建立在世上，其宗旨及目标都不是属肉体的。
一八37 彼拉多问耶稣，他是不是王……耶稣回答说：「你说我是王。」他的国是真理的国，不是刀枪的国。主来到世间，他的国要给真理作见证。真理就是神、基督、圣灵、人、偏差、救赎及其它基督信仰的真理。凡属真理的人都听主的话，他的国就是这样的长成。
一八38 彼拉多说：「真理是什么呢？」他真正的意思实在很难捉模。到底他是大惑不解，挖苦耶稣，还是有兴趣想要知道呢？但我们知道，道成肉身的真理者就站在他面前，彼拉多却不认识他。彼拉多赶回犹太人那里去，表明查不出耶稣有什么过错来。
一八39 犹太人有个规矩，就是在逾越节，要求罗马政府释放一些犹太出人。彼拉多想藉这规矩来讨好犹太人，释放耶稣。
一八40 彼拉多的如意算盘打不响，犹太人不要耶稣，要巴拉巴。这巴拉巴是个强盗。人邪恶的心竟要强盗，反而不要造物主。
一九1 彼拉多鞭打一个无罪的人，极不公允。但也许他希望这样会令犹太人满意，不会要求处死耶稣。鞭打是罗马式的处罚，出人要受鞭或棒打。鞭上有骨或金属碎片，打在人的身上，会伤痕累累。
一九2、3 兵丁嘲弄耶稣自称是王。他们还有皇冠给他呢？但这是个荆棘的冠冕，带在主的眉额上，定有锥心刺骨之痛。荆棘代表诅咒，是偏差所带给人类的。我们看见主耶稣背负我们的偏差，我们的诅咒，好使我们能够戴上荣耀的冠冕。紫色的袍也是讽刺。紫是王族之色，叫我们想起主耶稣如何承受我们的偏差，好使我们能穿戴神公义的袍子。
永生神的儿子受他所造的人这样掌掴，是多么沉重、发人深省的事！受造之物的口舌现在竟谩骂他！
一九4 彼拉多然后出来，向那群暴徒宣布，他将要带耶稣出来见他们，但他是无罪的。彼拉多的话已定了自己的罪。他虽然查不出基督有什么罪，但却不放他走。
一九5 耶稣出来，戴着荆棘冠冕，穿着紫袍。彼拉多称他为「这个人」，真不知他是在嘲讽他、同情他，还是没有什么感觉的。
一九6 祭司长察觉到彼拉多开始动摇，于是厉声喊着，要钉耶稣十字架。谋害耶稣的元凶就是这群宗教分子。在后来的岁月，也常有宗教领袖狠狠的迫害真正的信徒。彼拉多似乎讨厌他们，和他们对耶稣无理的憎恨。他说话也是这个意思：「若你们真的这样想，何不带走他，把他钉十字架？我所知道的，是他没有过错。」彼拉多心知犹太人不能这样做，因为只有罗马人才可在当时执行死刑。
一九7 犹太人发觉他们不能指控耶稣颠覆该撒政府，于是以宗教的理由指控他。基督自称与神同等，是神的儿子。犹太人认为这就是亵渎，该处死他。
一九8、9 彼拉多为耶稣可能是神的儿子，顿感苦恼。他本已为整件事坐立不安，现在他越发害怕起来。
彼拉多将耶稣带进衙门，问他是从那里来的。在整件事中，彼拉多是个悲剧的人物。他虽然亲口承认耶稣没有罪，但却没有胆量放他走，因他害怕犹太人。耶稣为何不回答他呢？也许他知道彼拉多不愿照他的指引去做。彼拉多浑噩浪费了他的机会，他犯了罪。人不照着已得的启示去行，就不会得到更多的亮光。
一九10 彼拉多试图要胁主，叫他回答，他恃着自己是罗马人的官，操着放他、或是钉他十字架的权柄。
一九11 主耶稣有着出众的定力，他比彼拉多更冷静。他徐徐答道，彼拉多所拥有的权柄，不过是神所赐给他的。所有掌权的政府都是神所命定的；所有权柄，不论是公民的、灵里的，都是出于神。
「把我交给你的那人」可能是指：（1)大祭司该亚法；（2)卖主的犹大；（3)犹太的百姓。三者都是犹太人，应该深明大义。在他们手上的圣经，预言弥赛亚来临；在他出现时，应该认出他才是。但他们竟拒绝了他，并喊着要害他的命。这节教导我们，偏差是有分轻重的。彼拉多有偏差，但该亚法、犹大及那些恶毒的犹太人，偏差就更大了。
一九12 彼拉多立意要释放耶稣时，犹太人就用他们最有力的论据：「你若释放这个人，就不是该撒的朋友。」（该撒就是罗马皇帝的称号）他们说话时，仿佛很关心该撒似的。他们心底却恨他，希望除掉他，脱离他的控制。但这里，他们却装作象要捍卫该撒的帝国似的，免受这自称为王的耶稣威胁云云。他们这般虚伪，后来终自食其果。在主后七十年，罗马人攻陷耶路撒冷，彻底破坏整座城，对百姓施行杀戮。
一九13 彼拉多不能让犹太人称他不忠于该撒，于是无奈地附和这群暴徒。他带耶稣出来，到名叫「铺华石处」的地方。这里常用作办理审讯的事。
一九14 事实上，逾越节的筵席已在前一天晚上用过。那日是预备逾越节的日子，预备的是节后的筵席。约有午正（大概是清晨六时），但福音书中记录时间的方法不统一，不能作准。「看哪，这是你们的王！」彼拉多说这话，肯定想要激动犹太人。无疑他责怪犹太人设计要他定耶稣的罪。
一九15 犹太人坚持要钉耶稣在十字架上。彼拉多讥笑他们，问：「你们是要我把你们自己的王钉十字架么？」然后，犹太人卑躬屈膝的回答：「除了该撒，我们没有王。」这民族不忠不义！竟放弃神，认一败坏的、异国的君主为王。
一九16 彼拉多愿讨好犹太人，于是将耶稣交给兵丁，把他钉十字架。他爱人的称赞，多于神的称赞。
一九17 这里译作十字架的，可能是用一块木头制成的刑具（刑柱），也可能是两块交错的木板。但无论如何，它的大小该是一个正常人能负担的。耶稣背自己的十字架走了一段路。然后，根据其它福音书的记载，由一古利奈人名叫西门的代劳。髑髅地的来由该是以下二者之一：（1）此地地势酷似一髑髅，大概是一座两旁有洞的小山。今天以色列「戈登的髑髅地」就是这样。（2）这地因为是处决出人的地方，也许随处可找着髑髅、骸骨，但因为摩西有埋葬的律法，这说法该不大可能。
一九18 主耶稣被钉在十字架上，双手双脚都入了钉。然后由他人将十字架举起，插进地上的洞里。世上唯一的完全人，他的子民竟然这样待他！若你不曾以他为救主，但读过这简单的数节，知道他如何为你死，会否就立下决心以他为救主呢？同时有两个强盗和他同钉十字架，一边一个，应验了以赛亚书五十三章12节的预言：「他也被列在罪犯之中。」
一九19 通常在钉十字架的人头上都有一个名号，显示所犯之罪，彼拉多下令放在十字架中间，耶稣头上的名号为犹太人的王，拿撒勒人耶稣。
一九20 奥莱山侃侃谈道：
希伯来文是族长和先知神圣的语言。希腊文是音乐和奇妙的语言，使灵魂有意识，肉体能明白哲学的语文。而拉丁文原本就是世上最强民族的语言。三种语文，三个民族，三种思想──启示、艺术、文学；进步、战争、法理。那里有人类这三种意念，那里人就能用语文宣布事情；那里有人心出偏差，有口能言，有眼能看，那里十字架就都有话要说。（注53）
耶稣被钉十字架的地方与城相近。基督受死之处在城以外，正确地点无人确知。
一九21 祭司长不大喜欢这名号。他们想要改成是耶稣自称的，并不是事实（但确是）。
一九22 彼拉多不想改。他已对犹太人感到不耐烦，不会再作让步。但他这坚决的心该早些有才是！
一九23 这样的处罚，通常兵丁获准摊分死者的财物。这里，兵丁分了基督的衣服，总数有五件，他们各自取一件后，余下一件里衣，是没有缝儿的，若将它剪开，就一文不值了。
一九24 他们就为主的里衣拈阄，由一不知名的兵丁取得。他们毫不知道，他们这样做，就应验了千多年前一个着名的预言（诗二二18）！这些应验了的预言，重新提醒我们，圣经是神所默示的道，耶稣基督就是那应许的弥赛亚。
一九25 很多研读圣经的人认为这节提到了四个女人如下：（1）耶稣的母亲马利亚；（2）马利亚的姊妹撒罗米；（3）革罗罢的妻子马利亚；（4）抹大拉的马利亚。
一九26、27 虽然有无比的痛苦，主对别人仍有着体贴的关怀。耶稣看见他母亲和门徒约翰，就将母亲介绍给约翰，托付约翰从此视她为母。耶稣称呼母亲为妇人，并不是对她不敬。耶稣不称马利亚为母亲，对那些想要尊崇马利亚的人，是否有什么要学习的呢？耶稣指示约翰要待马利亚如自己的母亲，照顾她。约翰从了，并接了马利亚到自己家里。
一九28 第27至28节之间，相隔三小时的黑暗，从正午到下午三时。这段时期之内，神离弃了基督。他背负我们的偏差，受偏差的刑罚。他说：「我渴了。」这是真正的口渴，被钉在十字架上的口渴很难熬。但我们要记着，比口渴更大的，是耶稣心灵的渴望，他要世人灵魂得救。
一九29 兵丁就给他醋喝。他们大概是将海绒绑在牛膝草杆子的末端，按在他的嘴唇上。（牛膝草是一种植物，过逾越节时要用──出一二22。）这醋不是那用苦胆调和的酒，那酒在先前已给主尝过了（太二七34）。主不喝，因这醋有止痛作用。他得要在完全清醒的情况下，承受我们的偏差。
一九30 「成了！」父所交给他的工作，他已完成！他已倾出自己的灵魂，作为赎偏差的祭牲！这是拯救赎偏差的工作！不错，那时主还未死去，但他的受死、埋葬、升天已成定局，如同已完成了一样。所以主耶稣能向世人宣布，有偏差的人如何能得救。感谢神，耶稣在各各他的十字架上完成了工作！
一些圣经学者认为主低下头可能是指他仰头向后。温尼认为：「这不是死后绝望的垂头，而是主动的仰头休息。」
主将灵魂交付神，表明他的死是自愿的。他定了牺牲的时分，主完全控制他的心思、能力，他交出他的灵魂，是人所不能的。
一九31 我们再次见到这群犹太的宗教分子如何用心，完成这冷血的谋杀。他们「吞下骆驼时，还挑出内里的虫」呢。他们认为让尸首当安息日（星期六）仍留在十字架上不大妥当。城中将有宗教喜庆筵席。所以，他们向彼拉多提出，要求打断他们三人的腿，让他们快点死去。
一九32 圣经没有记载兵丁如何打断出人的腿。但他们一定要打断腿的多处，因为单单一个伤处不会导致人丧命。
一九33 兵丁办这些事经验老到。他们知道耶稣……已经死了。他不可能只是晕倒或昏迷，所以，他们就不打断他的腿。
一九34 圣经没有告诉我们，为何一个兵丁会拿枪扎他的肋旁。也许在最后的时刻，人心的丑恶都败露了。「这是战后落败一方所遭遇的惨况，显出人心中久存对神和基督的仇恨。」血和水的重要性，尚未有一致定论。有人以为这代表主耶稣因心碎而死──但我们先前已读过他受死是自愿的。另外有人认为这说明洗礼和圣餐，但此说未免太牵强。血是代表偏差给洗净，水代表藉着神的道洁净偏差的污染，以下的诗句正好说出意思：
愿你所流血与水，
从你被扎肋旁流下；
救我脱离偏差双重枷锁，
医治我脱离偏差的权势。
～杜普莱迪
一九35 本节的事实是指主的腿没有给打断，兵丁刺穿他的肋旁；或是整个钉十字架的景象。看见这事的那人就是写下此记录的约翰。
一九36 本节回应第33节所记载的事，是应验出埃及记十二章46节说：「羔羊的骨头一根也不可折断。」这里说的羔羊是逾越节的羔羊。神下命不可折断羊的骨头。基督是真正逾越节的羔羊，确确实实的成就了这预表。
一九37 本节回应第34节。虽然兵丁不知，但他的行为却出奇地应验了圣经上另一句话（亚一二10）。「人走偏差之途，但神却依其法而行。」撒迦利亚预言将有一天，相信的犹太人会见主再临大地。「他们必仰望我，就是他们所扎的；必为我悲哀，如丧独生子。」
一九38 本节开始记载安葬耶稣的始末。直到这时候，亚利马太人约瑟仍是个不公开的信徒。他害怕犹太人，不敢公开承认相信基督。但现在他敢站出来，领耶稣的身休，好好安葬。他这样做，便招被逐出会堂、迫害、毒打之险。但遗憾的就是他在耶稣在世、还向群众传道时，不表态支持这位被人唾弃之主。
一九39、42 约翰福音的读者对尼哥底母这人相信不会陌生。他先前曾在夜里去见耶稣（第三章），也曾在犹太教公会中力陈应该公平聆讯耶稣（约七50、51）。这时，他联同约瑟，带了一百斤没药和沉香前来。这些香料大概也是粉状的，用来敷在耶稣身体上，然后才用细麻布将尸首裹好。
一九41 这段中差不多每个细节都应验经上的预言。以赛亚曾预言人本想将弥赛亚与恶人同埋，但他死时却与财主同葬（赛五三9）。园子里的一座新坟墓当然是有钱人家拥有的。约翰福音记载，这所坟是亚利马太人约瑟的。
一九42 耶稣的尸首放在坟墓里。犹太人急于要清理那些尸体，因为在日夕时分，筵席就要开始。这也是因为神已决意叫耶稣的尸体被埋在地里三日三夜。按犹太人的历法计算只要是当天的一部分，也作一天计算。所以主在坟墓里留了不足三整天，但仍然应验他在约翰福音十二章40节的预言。
玖．神儿子的得胜（二○）
二○1 七日的第一日就是星期日。抹大拉的马利亚在天还未亮的时候，来到坟墓那里。那坟墓该是一个在山边或峭壁上开凿出来的地方，墓外的石头象钱币──又圆又扁。放在坟前的凹槽上，可以转动，封上墓穴。当马利亚走到那里，石头早已给挪开。从约翰福音第二十八章的记载，我们知道在基督复活之后，石头才给挪开。
二○2 马利亚立即跑到彼得和约翰那里，告知他们这令人喘不过气的消息，说有人把主的尸首从坟墓里挪了去。她并不知道是谁干的，她只说有人，她所知就是这样。这些女人在我主被钉十字架并复活时所显出的忠诚和委身，实在值得我们仿效，门徒都离弃了主，逃命去了。这些女人还站在主旁，毫不顾性命安危。这并不是没意思的。
二○3、4 实在很难想象当彼得和约翰冲出城外，跑向各各他附近的园子时，到底在想些什么。约翰大概比彼得年轻，先到达坟墓。
二○5 坟墓的门大抵开得比较低，人要蹲下俯身才能进入或观察内里的情景。约翰见到只有细麻布放在那里。细麻布的形状到底是散开放在地上，还是仍然象个人形，似裹着尸首那样呢？我们觉得后者居多。但约翰没有进去。
二○6、7 彼得从后赶至，毫不犹豫的走进墓内。这是我们所熟悉他一贯冲动、停不下来的性格。墓内，他见到细麻布还放在那里，只是见不到耶稣的身体。
有关裹头巾摆放的细节，说明救主离开是不慌不忙、有条不紊的。若有人偷走了尸体，他才不会这么小心卷好那裹头巾呢！
二○8 约翰也进了坟墓，见到细麻布和裹头巾好好地放着。经上记道，他看见就信了。他看见，不单是肉眼的看见，且是明白。在他眼前，放着基督复活的确据，表明发生何事，而他……信了。
二○9 直至这时，门徒还不明白旧约圣经指出，弥赛亚必要从死里复活的意思。主已反复的告诉他们，但总是听不懂。约翰是第一个明白的。
二○10 于是两个门徒就返回自己的住处，大概是在耶路撒冷。无疑他们定认为呆在墓前等，没有大用，回去告诉门徒看见了什么，才是上策。
二○11 以马利亚却这句话开头实很触目──两个门徒已回家，只有马利亚留下。我们再次看到这女子对耶稣的爱和奉献的心志。主大大宽恕了她，她也深深的爱主。她在墓前守着，眼泪盈眶。当她想到，主的尸首可能被敌人盗去，就不禁泪下了。
二○12 这回当她望进坟里，看见有两个天使，在安放耶稣身体的地方坐着。圣经记载这惊人的大事，语调平和，不偏不倚，实在令人佩服。
二○13 马利亚似乎并不感诧异、惊惶。她回覆他们，似乎只是觉得很平常。从她的答案中，她仍不知道耶稣已复活了。
二○14 就在这时，她觉得背后有些东西，回头一望。他就是耶稣，但她却认不得他。那时尚是晨曦，天还未亮：马利亚不断哭哭啼啼，双眼也昏了。也许神暂不让她认出主，直等到时机成熟。
二○15 主当然知道马利亚的答案，但他想要亲口听她说。她以为他只是个看园的。这世人的救主有时会很亲近，但却不为人认出。他并不会以伟人的姿态出现，他常会显得很平实、卑微。从马利亚的口中，她并没有提到主的名。她三次都称耶稣为他。在马利亚心中，只有耶稣一人。她全情的着紧主，忘形得认为并不需要指名道姓。
二○16 马利亚听到一熟悉的声音呼叫她的名字。没有错──那定是耶稣！她称他为拉波尼，就是「我伟大夫子」的意思。马利亚仍以耶稣为她所认识最伟大的老师。然而，她还不知道主现在不单只是她的夫子──还是她的主和救主。所以主正要预备，以新的，更全面的方法，向她解释自己的身分。
二○17 马利亚以前只以耶稣为人。她曾见过耶稣在世，与她一起时所行的神迹。她以为若耶稣不在她眼前，她就没有机会蒙福了。主定要纠正她此观念。他说：「不要摸我，单单以为我是个有血有肉的人。我还没有升上去见我的父。当我回到天上，圣灵就被差到地上。他一来，就会启示你心，教你认识我，是你以前所不懂的。我将与你更亲更近，比我在世时还要好。」
然后耶稣就叫她往他弟兄那里，告诉他们将有新的秩序出现。耶稣第一次称门徒为「我弟兄」。他们将要知道主的父，就是他们的父，主的神，就是他们的神。到这时，信从才成为神的儿子，神的后嗣。
主耶稣没有说「我们的父」，而是「我的父，也是你们的父」。神是耶稣的父，父这意思与我们的不同。神自始至终，永远也是主耶稣的父。基督永远也是他的子。子与父是同等的。我们是神领回来的儿子。从我们得救时，这关系就开始，直到永远。我们虽分属儿子，但不与神同等，永远也不会。
二○18 抹大拉的马利亚受任此命，有人称她为「蒙差到使徒中的使徒」。我们还会以为她这般荣幸，不是她全心奉献基督的回报吗？
二○19 时值星期天的晚上。门徒聚在一起，也许是在三晚前一起聚集的楼房。因怕犹太人，门都关了。突然，他们竟见到耶稣来站在他们当中，听见他的声音，说：「平安。」主进入屋子，显然不用开门。这是个神迹。他复活后的身体，仍是个真真正正有肉有骨的身体。但他有能力穿墙越壁，这等都违反了自然定律。「愿你们平安」一句有新意思，基督在十字架上的宝血，已成就了和平，那些因信称义的人，已与神和好。
二○20 耶稣祝了他们平安，就指给他们看他受苦受死所留下的印记，他着此带给世人平安。门徒看见钉痕和被扎的伤处，喜上心头，因他们知道这真是主。他已照他所说的话成就了。他已从死里复活。复活的主，就是基督徒喜乐的泉源。
二○21 本节写得很美。信徒不是自私地，白享着平安。他们要与他人分享。所以，主差他们到世界，正如父也差了他一样：
基督来到世上，是个卑微的人，
他来，是个仆人。
他倒出了自己。
他乐于成就父的旨意，
他亲自做人。
他四处行善。
他藉着圣灵的能力，成就万事。
他朝十字架走。
现在他对门徒说：「我也照样差遣 你们。」
二○22 这是圣经中最难懂的一节，记载到耶稣向门徒吹一口气，说：「你们受圣灵。」难处在于门徒不是在此时受圣灵，而是在后来的五旬节。但若不是真的发生了此事，为何耶稣当时会说这话呢？
有数个解释可供参考。（1）有人以为主只是承诺，他们在五旬节会受圣灵。但这解释未免强差人意。（2）有人指出主所说的是：「受圣灵」，而不是「全面接受圣灵」。他们论定门徒接受的并不是圣灵的丰满，只是其中一些能力，如对真理更加认识、完成使命的能力和导引。他们认为门徒得到圣灵的保证，或说是先尝圣灵的恩膏。（3）有人认为当时圣灵的确完全临到门徒身上。但路加福音二十四章49节和使徒行传一章4、5及8节指出圣灵降临还是日后的事，这说不大可能。且约翰福音七章39节清楚指出，耶稣得了荣耀，就是他回到天上之后，圣灵才会完全降临。
二○23 这也是一节难解的经文，至今仍惹起不少争论。（1）有人认为耶稣的确给了门徒（及其继任人）权柄，宽恕人的偏差，留下人的偏差。但这直接与圣经的教导相违背，因只有神才能宽恕人的偏差（路五21）。（2）盖伯林引述他人指出：「这应许的能力和权柄是与传福音有关的，表示偏差何时获宽恕，若不接受，偏差就留下了。」（3）这第三种见解（与第二种类似），是我们所接受的，就是主赐了门徒宣布偏差得宽恕的权力。
让我们多解释一下第三种说法。门徒出外传福音。有人悔改，接受了主耶稣。门徒获权能对他们宣告，他们的偏差已给宽恕了。有些人拒绝悔改，不相信基督。门徒告诉他们，谓其仍在偏差中，一旦死亡，就会永远灭亡。
再者，我们也要知道主赐了门徒一些特别权力，处理一些偏差，如在使徒行传五章1至11节，彼得用此权柄，结果亚拿尼亚和撒非喇都死了。我们也读过保罗在哥林多前书五章3至5节、12及13节留下作恶的人的偏差。在哥林多后书二章4至8节也执行过宽恕偏差的权柄，例子是说明藉着今生的惩罚，让偏差获宽恕了。
二○24 我们见多马不在，切不要草率论定，认为他该受责。圣经没有半句话说明他不在的原因。
二○25 但多马所持不信的态度，就该受责。他定要见到实在的证据，否则总不相信主已复活。今天很多人也是这样。但这是不合理的，今天有很多科学家也相信他们看不见、摸不到的东西。
二○26 一星期后，主再次向门徒显现。这次多马也和他们同在。主耶稣再次用神奇的方法进了房子，同样地问他们安：「愿你们平安！」
二○27 主耶稣对那不信他的信徒，仍然温婉耐心。他请他放手探入他肋旁的伤处，证明他真的复活了。
二○28 多马信了。我们不知道他最终有否亲手探入主的肋旁。但他最后相信耶稣已复活，他是主，也是神。博义斯说得好：「他看见累累伤痕，就信了他所看不见的神性。」
二○29 值得注意的是，耶稣接受人以他为神般敬拜。这事尤为重要。若他只是个人，他当拒绝。然而，多马的信心并不是最令神称心的。多马的信，是因为看见了。那没有看见就信的，就更有福了。
肯定的确据就是神的道。神若说了什么，我们以相信去崇敬他。若再要求更多的证据，就是不尊不敬了，因为神不说谎、不会错。只要是他说的，我们就该信。
不是所有耶稣行过的神迹，都记在约翰福音里。圣灵选了最合他目的的，记了在本福音书里。
本节陈述了约翰着书的目的，就是叫那些读了本书的人，能相信耶稣是真正的弥赛亚，是神的儿子。信了他，他们就能奉他的名得生命。
你相信吗？
拾．终章：复活的神子与属他的人（二一）
二一1 笔头一转，来到提比哩亚（加利利）海边。门徒往北返回加利利的家乡，主耶稣在那里会见他们。他怎样显现记在下面，是说约翰将要陈述的，就是基督向门徒显现的情形。
二一2 有七个门徒聚在一起──彼得、多马、拿但业、雅各、约翰（西庇太的两个儿子），还有两个没有记载名字的门徒。
二一3 西门彼得决定到湖上打鱼，其它人也一块儿跟他去。这是最自然不过的事，也合情合理，但仍有些圣经学者认为此行不是神的旨意。他们去时，没有先祷告主。那一夜并没有打着什么。他们也不是初当渔夫，花了整晚工夫，仍是徒劳无功的！这表明人力实不足恃，尤其在领人归主时，没有神的帮助，只有徒然！
二一4 门徒的船在天将亮的时候靠岸，耶稣正在岸上等着他们，但门徒却不认得他。也许是因为天阴，又或者是神故意不让他们太早看见。
二一5 主问门徒：「小子，你们有吃的没有？」他们失望的回答说：「没有。」
二一6 他们只以为他是个陌路人，路过岸边。他们照他的话去做，把网撒在船的右边。啊，你看！得着的是一大网鱼，多得连他们也没法把网拉上来！主耶稣完全知晓鱼在湖的何方。只有主引领我们事奉，就没有空手而回的。他知道已准备好接受救恩的人在那里，也乐意指示我们前去──只要我们愿意。
二一7 约翰第一个认出是主，立即告诉彼得。彼得束上一件外衣，就急急回岸。我们不知他是游，是涉，还是（如一些人所说）在水面上走回岸上的。
二一8 其余的门徒从大渔船上转到一小划艇上，把那网拖了三百尺回岸。
二一9 救主已为他们预备好早饭 ──有烧鱼和饼。我们不知他是捉鱼还是行神迹得鱼的。但我们学会了主不需靠我们的微力。可以肯定在天上，纵然有很多人靠着传道和个人作见证而得救，也有很多人是主亲手救回来，没有借助半点人力。
二一10 主吩咐他们去把满了鱼获的网拖回来，不是要煮熟它们，而是数一数有多少条。门徒这样做，就会记起：「成功之道，是要遵主吩咐而得，对他的道，要言听计从。」
二一11 圣经记载了网中渔获的实数──一百五十三条。对于这个数目的意义,有很多有趣的解释。（１）这是当时世上所有语言的数目。（2）是世界部落民族的数目，是福音的网所要撒向的。（3）是加利利海或世上所有不同鱼类的数目。无疑，这数目代表着不同的人，将要因福音传遍而得救──他们来自各民各族。打鱼的人见网也没有破，感到惊奇，再次证明「只要用神的方法作神的工，是永不愁没有神的供给的。」主会看着，网不会破。
二一12 听见主叫他们用早饭，门徒就围着炭火，分享主供给他们的美食。彼得见了火堆，定有感触。他会否记起当他不认主时，所暖着身子的火堆呢？门徒见主同在，有异样敬畏严肃的感觉。耶稣就在那里站着，身子是复活的身躯。在他们心里，定有千万个问题想要问他，但他们却不敢开口。他们知道是主──纵使对于他的身分，他们感到一阵迷糊。
二一13 耶稣侍候他们用餐，门徒也许会记起一次，耶稣用五饼二鱼喂饱了五千人。
二一14 这是约翰记述耶稣向门徒显现的第三次。在其它福音书，当然有另外的显现。在约翰福音，主曾在复活当日的黄昏向门徒显现，也在一星期后，这时又在蔚蓝的加利利湖边。
二一15 主先照顾了他们身体的需要，然后当他们吃饱食物，暖了身子，就转过来对着彼得，照顾他属灵的需要。彼得曾三次当众不认主。事后，他忏悔过失，与主恢复交通。在这段中，主亲口承认了彼得与主的和好。
常有人指出这段中所用的爱字，其实有两个。我们可将本节解为：「约拿的儿子西门（注54），你爱我比这其它的门徒更深么？」彼得对主说：「主阿，是的，你知道我十分爱戴你。」彼得不再自夸他在众人都离弃主时，他也永不会离弃主。他学乖了。
耶稣说：「你喂养我的小羊。」表达对基督的爱，最实际的方法，就是喂养年幼的群羊。话题已巧妙地由打鱼转到牧羊。前者代表着福音的工作，后者则是教导牧养的照顾。
二一16 主第二次问彼得是否爱他。彼得第二次回答主，带着不自恃的心，说：「你知道我十分爱戴你。」这次耶稣对他说：「你牧养我的羊。」在基督的羊群中，有羊又有小羊，他们都需要那爱好牧人的人悉心的关顾。
二一17 彼得曾不认主三次，主也给他三次机会承认他。
这次，彼得回应耶稣，他是神，无所不知。他已第三次对主说：「你知道我十分爱戴你。」主最后一次告诉他，他可以喂养基督的羊，以表他爱基督之心。这段圣经教导我们，服侍基督的原因只有一个，就是因为爱他。
二一18 彼得年少的时候，他能任意往来，随意到自己喜欢的地方。但主告诉他，在他临终之时，他会被他捕、缚起，带到行刑的地方被处死。
二一19 本节为第18节的附话。彼得会为主殉道、荣耀神。那曾不认主的人，主会赐他勇气，为他捐躯，本节告诉我们，或生或死，都可以荣耀神，然后耶稣对他说：「你跟从我罢！」主说这话时，已起步行走了。
二一20 彼得似也起步跟从耶稣，转过身来，看见约翰也跟着。这里约翰提笔表明自己的身分，是那位在逾越节晚饭的时候，靠着耶稣的胸膛，问主卖他的人是谁的那位。
二一21 彼得看见约翰，顿时想到：「约翰又如何呢？」他是否也会殉道呢？还是会活着，直等到主再来呢？他这样问主有关约翰的将来。
二一22 主叫彼得不要管约翰将来的事情，即使他会活着，等到基督第二次来临，也与彼得无关。彼得不会因此而有任何改变。现今多人事奉基督失败，是因为他们太多管他人的事，而忽略了主。
二一23 转转折折传开之后，主的话给误解了，他不是说约翰在主再来之时，仍会活着。他只是说，若真是如此，又与彼得何干呢！很多人观察到耶稣在此将约翰与他再来的事相提并论，而约翰也蒙恩写了耶稣基督的启示录，描述末日之时的情节。
二一24 约翰最后附上他个人的见证，证明他所写的事千真万确。有人认为这是以弗所教会长老对约翰福音的证明。
二一25 我们按字面意思领受本节也无妨！耶稣是神，是无限的。他说话的含意和他所行的事迹，都是无止境的。他在世行事时，也掌管着万物 ──太阳、月亮、星宿。谁人能尽录掌管宇宙运作所涉及的事情呢？甚至主在地上所行的神迹，我们也只能概述。单单一个医治的神迹，又有多少神经、肌肉、血球等是在主掌握中呢？想想他如何指示细菌，鱼群、动物的运作；想想他如何处理人的事；想想他如何控制宇宙万物的原子结构。世界又如何能容得下这么多的书，讲述这无穷无尽的事情呢？答案是「不能！」
现已来到约翰福音注释的尾声。也许我们会更多了解为何本福音书成为圣经中最为人喜爱的一卷。人若是真的用心去读、思想，不断的祷告，鲜有能不爱书中所述、那位当受称颂的耶稣。
评注
1（一18）批判性文本（新英王钦定本页边的NU）作「唯一的独生神」。传统的译法「独生子」可在大部分手抄本找到，并参看三章16节。
2（一29）钟士林 (Cynddylan Jones), Studies in the Gospel According to St. John, 页103。
3（一45）司徒雅各 (James S. Stewart), The Life and Teaching of Jesus Christ, 页66-67。
4（一51）只有约翰记录「两个阿们」（和合本作「实实在在」）。其它福音书很明显浓缩我们主的表达，作「阿们」。
5（二4）威廉斯 (George Williams), The Student's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures, 页194。
6（二11）钟士林 (Jones), Studies, 页148。
7（三1）希腊文连接字de，意思可作：和、现在、但等。现代英语圣经往往省略了这个连接词；此处是英王钦定本删去的少数地方之一，新英王钦定本也仿效其做法。
8（三5）另一个符合对比属灵和肉身出生的上文下理的合理诠释，是水指肉身的出生，灵指圣灵。拉比以「水」作男性的后裔，水也可指一个婴儿出生时要冲破的一袋水汪汪的液体。
9（三16）博雷亨 (F. W. Boreham)，出处不详。
10（四41、42）批判性的（NU）文本省略了基督一词（和合本同）。
11（四48）在希腊文中，称呼一个人有不同的形式（参看旧式英文thou, thee），并多于一个形式（参看ye, you）。这里用的是复数字。
12（五2）批判性文本作毕沙大，但经考古确定，大部分手抄本和英王钦定本所用的传统名字，是正确的。
13（五3）柏勒 (J. G. Bellett), The Evangelists, 页50。
14（五18）巴斯德 (J. Sidlow Baxter),《圣经研究》种籽出版。
15（五24）有其它经文教导，信徒有一天要站在基督的审判台前（罗一四10；林后五10）。然而，他的罪的问题不会在那时提堂判刑，罪的问题已在加略山上解决了。在基督的审判台前，信徒的生活和事奉会被检验，他不是得奖赏就是受损失。那时不再是灵魂得救的问题，也是生命结果实的问题。
16（五29）如果这是圣经中唯一论到复活这题目的经文，人们可能会以为所有死人都同时复活。然而，我们从圣经其它部分，尤其是启示录第二十章知道，两次复活之间至少相距一千年。第一次复活是那些藉着信靠基督而得救的人，第二次复活包括了所有未信主而死去的人。
17（五39）「查考」的希腊文动词形式不明确，可以是祈使语气（「查考」，英王钦定本），或是陈述语气（「你们查考」，新英王钦定本）。上下文支持新英王钦定本的译法。
18（五47）金尔 (Guy King), To My Son, 页104。
19（六11）谭姆士 (W. H. Griffith Thomas), The Apostle John: His Life and Writings, 页173,174。
20（六15）迈耳 (F. B. Meyer), Tried by Fire，页152。
21（六31）「吗哪」是一种体积很小的圆形白色食物，神奇妙地供应给在旷野中的以色列人。他们每周的前六天，清早就要起来在地上捡拾吗哪。
22（六55）NU文本作「真食物……真饮料」，意思实际上是相同的。
23（六59）会堂是本地犹太人举行宗教集会的地方，跟耶路撒冷的圣殿不同；只有在圣殿才可献牲畜为祭。
24（六69）批判性文本（NU）作「你是神的那圣者。」
25（七1）「犹太人」（Ioudaios）一词的希腊文可以解作（1）犹大省人（相对于加利利省人来说）；（2）任何种类的犹太人（包括那些接受基督的）；（3）或是反对基督信仰的人，特别是宗教领袖。约翰多半取其最后一个解释，虽然他自己是第二种解释的犹太人。
26（七7）迈耳 (Meyer), Tried, 页129。
27（七8）批判性（NU）文本略去「现在」是不适当的，好象暗示我们的主欺瞒人似的。
28（八5）达秘 (J. N. Darby)，出处不详。
29（八11）第七章53节至八章11节在最古老的约翰福音抄本中是没有的，但在超过九百个希腊文抄本（绝大多数）中却可以找到。这些经文是否原来文本的一部分便成疑问。我们相信并接纳这些经文为神所默示的一部分，经文的教训跟圣经其它部分完全协调。奥古斯丁写道，有些抄本省去这段经文，是恐怕它会鼓吹宽松的道德观念。
30（八45）蓝斯基 (R. C. H. Lenski), The Interpretation of Colossians, Thessalonians, Timothy, Titus, Philemon, 页 701-702。
31（九35）NU文本在此作「人子」，几乎不配合敬拜的背景，及大部分的译法。
32（一○28）希腊文中有双重否定作强调之用（标准英语是不允许的）。
33（一○36）格林 (Samuel Green), Scripture Testimony to the Deity of Christ, 页7。
34（一一１）宾克 (A. W. Pink), Exposition of the Gospel of John, III:12。
35（一一25）伯基特 (Burkitt)，出处不详。
36（一一35）希腊文新约中最短的一节经文，刚好是表达一种相反的情绪：「要常常喜乐」（Pantote chairete，帖前五16）。
37（一一47） 赖尔 (J. C. Ryle), Expository Thoughts on the Gospel, St. John, II: 295。
38（一一48）迈耳 (Meyer), Tried, 页112。
39（一二5）赖尔 (Ryle), John, II:309-10。
40（一二7）批判性的文本作「她可能是为……存留的」，而不是「她是为（过去完成时态）……存留的」。这似乎跟上文下理，并马利亚在复活节的早晨没有出现在墓地产生矛盾。新国际标准本用解释来处理了此问题。
41（一二24）拉格兰德 (T. G. Rayland)，无法取得进一步资料。
42（一三13、14）当然，有一段时间，尤其在东方，一个人会实际地洗另一个人的脚；但这只是谦卑服事的一个例子。
43（一三32）希腊文文法（第一类条件加上ei，直述语气）假设是真实的。
44（一四20）其它常用的例子包括：雀鸟在空气里面，空气在雀鸟里面，和鱼在水里面，水在鱼里面。
45（一七1）雷思福 (Marcus Rainsford), Our Lord Prays for His Own,页173。
46（一七4）赖尔 (Ryle), John, III:40-41。
47（一七26）高德 (F. L. Godet）, Commentary one the Gospel of John, II:345。
48（一七26）雷思福 (Rainsford), Our Lord Prays, 页173。
49（一八14）司徒雅各 (Stewart), Life and Teaching, 页157。
50（一八28）奥古斯丁 (Augustine)，由赖尔引述， John, IV:248。
51（一八28）贺尔 (Bishop Hall)，同上。
52（一八28）普尔 (Poole)，同上。
53（一九20）奥莱士特 (Alexander)，出处不详。
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