The Leaven of Evil
—1Corinthians 5
After writing about his own troubles, Paul next wrote about a most serious problem in the Corinthian church. There was a shocking attitude to immorality, particularly regarding the sexual immorality of one man in the congregation. This chapter (1Corinthians 5) describes what was wrong, and records what God, through Paul, said about it.
1 Evil was Being Done in Their Midst
Verses 1-3
There was sexual immorality in the church at Corinth. It was not being dealt with. A man was having an affair with his father's wife; something Jews and Gentiles alike thought scandalous, and so did God (Leviticus 18:8). However the scandal was apparently tolerated by the church, and this shocked Paul.
Paul expected the church to be sorrowfu. He also expected the one who did this evil to repent or else be removed from among the church.
Note:— Although Paul was absent in body, he was present in spirit, and able to make a sound judgment. Jesus was able in his spirit to know what people were thinking within themselves (Mark 2:8). Perhaps Jesus gave this gift to Paul, and physical distance was no obstacle to spiritual presence and knowledge.
2 The One Doing Evil was Not Cast Out
Verses 4-5
Paul was putting an end to the overlooking of evil. He said there would be a gathering in which he would be present in spirit, in the name and power of Jesus. The immorality would be dealt with. There would be no postponment or deferment of the matter.
Paul said that the church would deliver the culprit to Satan for the destruction or ruin of the flesh. This is a metaphor meaning that the man would suffer in consequence of the works of the flesh that he committed. He would no longer have Jesus to mitigate that suffering. Rather, he would be a victim of Satan who would worsen it.
The purpose of Satan was not in scope here, but rather the purpose of Jesus. He would allow Satan to persecute the man until, like the prodigal son, he lost his pride, repented, and returned to Jesus and the church.
3 They had Not Learned the Lesson of the Passover
Verses 6-8
The church at Corinth congratulated itself on its tolerance of sin. Perhaps the idea was that grace and love pardoned sin even though it continued without repentance and a concerted effort to quit.
So Paul reminded the church of the Passover lamb, a symbol of Christ and his sacrifice. Paul also mentioned the unleavened bread, a symbol of cleansing from sin. After the Passover, the children of Israel got rid of all leaven (yeast) from their houses, and for a week they ate their bread unleavened. So Paul wrote...
"Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." (NKJV)4 They did Not Understand Whom They Should Deny Company
Verses 9-11
Paul had written an earlier letter not to keep company with immoral persons. This was misunderstood. Paul was not referring to outsiders but to members of the church.
Members of the church were required to genuinely repent if guilty of immorality. With the Lord’s help, they were to work hard to rid their hearts and lives of evil. Any who did not do so were to be expelled; and they were denied social company. However, they were not denied a sincere exhortation, if they were ready to hear the truth.
5 They did Not Understand Whom They Should Judge
Verses 12-13
Paul told the church that it was God’s task to judge those outside the church, but to stop associating with an insider, it was necessary to make judgments about that member. There was also a directive from Jesus to "judge righteous judgment" (John 7:24), judging the heart according to the truth.
So the leaven of evil is cast out of the church of Christ, the house of God. There is always a welcome back waiting for the sinner, but not for his leaven. That must remain cast out.
The Spread of Sin
¶ Your glorying is not good. Don't you know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? (1Corinthians 5:6).