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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers 1 Corinthians 6:1–8. His two-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
Here the apostle reproves them for going to law with one another before heathen judges for little matters; and therein blames all vexatious law-suits. In the previous chapter he had directed them to punish heinous sins among themselves by church-censures. Here he directs them to determine controversies with one another by church-counsel and advice, concerning which observe,
I.The fault he blames them for:
it was going to law. Not but that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully. But,
1.Brother went to law with brother (Co1 6:6), one member of the church with another. The near relation could not preserve peace and good understanding. The bonds of fraternal love were broken through. And a brother offended, as Solomon says, is harder to be won than a strong city; their contentions are like the bars of a castle, Pro 18:19. Note, Christians should not contend with one another, for they are brethren. This, duly attended to, would prevent law-suits, and put an end to quarrels and litigations.
2.They brought the matter before the heathen magistrates: they went to law before the unjust, not before the saints (Co1 6:1), brought the controversy before unbelievers (Co1 6:6), and did not compose it among themselves, Christians and saints, at least in profession. This tended much to the reproach of Christianity. It published at once their folly and unpeaceableness; whereas they pretended to be the children of wisdom, and the followers of the Lamb, the meek and lowly Jesus, the prince of peace. And therefore, says the apostle, "Dare any of you, having a controversy with another, go to law, implead him, bring the matter to a hearing before the unjust?" Note, Christians should not dare to do any thing that tends to the reproach of their Christian name and profession.
3.Here is at least an intimation that they went to law for trivial matters, things of little value; for the apostle blames them that they did not suffer wrong rather than go to law (Co1 6:7), which must be understood of matters not very important. In matters of great damage to ourselves or families, we may use lawful means to right ourselves. We are not bound to sit down and suffer the injury tamely, without stirring for our own relief; but, in matters of small consequence, it is better to put up with the wrong. Christians should be of a forgiving temper. And it is more for their ease and honour to suffer small injuries and inconveniences than seem to be contentious.
II.He lays before them the aggravations of their fault:
Do you not know that the saints shall judge the world (Co1 6:2), shall judge angels? Co1 6:3. And are they unworthy to judge the smallest matters, the things of this life? It was a dishonour to their Christian character, a forgetting of their real dignity, as saints, for them to carry little matters, about the things of life, before heathen magistrates. When they were to judge the world, nay, to judge, it is unaccountable that they could not determine little controversies among one another. By judging the world and angels, some think, is to be understood, their being assessors to Christ in the great judgment-day; it being said of our Saviour's disciples that they should at that day sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel, Mat 19:28. And elsewhere we read of our Lord's coming with ten thousand of his saints to execute judgment on all, etc., Jde 1:14, Jde 1:15. He will come to judgment with all his saints, Th1 3:13. They themselves are indeed to be judged (see Mat 25:31-41), but they may first be acquitted, and then advanced to the bench, to approve and applaud the righteous judgment of Christ both on men and angels. In no other sense can they be judges. They are not partners in their Lord's commission, but they have the honour to sit by, and see his proceeding against the wicked world, and approve it. Others understand this judging of the world to be meant when the empire should become Christian. But it does not appear that the Corinthians had knowledge of the empire's becoming Christian; and, if they had, in what sense could Christian emperors be said to judge angels? Others understand it of their condemning the world by their faith and practice, and casting out evil angels by miraculous power, which was not confined to the first ages, nor to the apostles. The first sense seems to be most natural; and at the same time it gives the utmost force to the argument. "Shall Christians have the honour to sit with the sovereign Judge at the last day, whilst he passes judgment on sinful men and evil angels, and are they not worthy to judge of the trifles about which you contend before heathen magistrates? Cannot they make up your mutual differences? Why must you bring them before heathen judges? When you are to judge them, as it fit to appeal to their judicature? Must you, about the affairs of this life, set those to judge who are of no esteem in the church?" (so some read, and perhaps most properly, Co1 6:4), heathen magistrates, exouthenēmenous, the things that are not, Co1 1:28. "Must those be called in to judge in your controversies of whom you ought to entertain so low an opinion? Is this not shameful?" Co1 6:5. Some who read it as our translators make it an ironical speech: "If you have such controversies depending, set those to judge who are of least esteem among yourselves. The meanest of your own members are able surely to determine these disputes. Refer the matters in variance to any, rather than go to law about them before heathen judges. They are trifles not worth contending about, and may easily be decided, if you have first conquered your own spirits, and brought them into a truly Christian temper. Bear and forbear, and the men of meanest skill among you may end your quarrels. I speak it to your shame," Co1 6:5. Note, It is a shame that little quarrels should grow to such a head among Christians, that they cannot be determined by arbitration of the brethren.
III.He puts them on a method to remedy this fault.
And this twofold: - 1. By referring it to some to make it up: "Is it so that there is no wise man among you, no one able to judge between his brethren? Co1 6:5. You who value yourselves so much upon your wisdom and knowledge, who are so puffed up upon your extraordinary gifts and endowments, is there none among you fit for this office, none that has wisdom enough to judge in these differences? Must brethren quarrel, and the heathen magistrate judge, in a church so famous as yours for knowledge and wisdom? It is a reproach to you that quarrels should run so high, and none of your wise men interpose to prevent them." Note, Christians should never engage in law-suits till all other remedies have been tried in vain. Prudent Christians should prevent, if possible, their disputes, and not courts of judicature decide them, especially in matters of no great importance. 2. By suffering wrong rather than taking this method to right themselves: It is utterly a fault among you to go to law in this matter: it is always a fault of one side to go to law, except in a case where the title is indeed dubious, and there is a friendly agreement of both parties to refer it to the judgment of those learned in the law to decide it. And this is referring it, rather than contending about it, which is the thing the apostle here seems chiefly to condemn: Should you not rather take wrong, rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded? Note, A Christian should rather put up with a little injury than tease himself, and provoke others, by a litigious contest. The peace of his own mind, and the calm of his neighbourhood, are more worth than victory in such a contest, or reclaiming his own right, especially when the quarrel must be decided by those who are enemies to religion. But the apostle tells them they were so far from bearing injuries that they actually did wrong, and defrauded, and that their brethren. Note, It is utterly a fault to wrong and defraud any; but it is an aggravation of this fault to defraud our Christian brethren. The ties of mutual love ought to be stronger between them than between others. And love worketh no ill to his neighbour, Rom 13:10. Those who love the brotherhood can never, under the influence of this principle, hurt or injure them.
Historical interpretation
Two Centuries of Reception
9 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
For in the first Epistle to the Corinthians the divine apostle says: "Dare any of you, having a matter against the other, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints? Know ye not that the saints shall judge the world? "
Whence the apostle withal judges, and that in a case of fornication, that "such a man must be surrendered to Satan for the destruction of the flesh; " chiding them likewise because "brethren" were not "judged at the bar of the saints: " for he goes on and says, "To what (purpose is it) for me to judge those who are without? ""But you remit, in order that remission may be granted you by God.
And she will have to go forth (from her house) by a gate wreathed with laurel, and hung with lanterns, as from some new consistory of public lusts; she will have to sit with her husband ofttimes in club meetings, oft-times in taverns; and, wont as she was formerly to minister to the "saints," will sometimes have to minister to the "unjust." And will she not hence recognise a prejudgment of her own damnation, in that she tends them whom (formerly) she was expecting to judge? whose hand will she yearn after? of whose cup will she partake? What will her husband sing to her, or she to her husband? From the tavern, I suppose, she who sups upon God will hear somewhat! From hell what mention of God (arises)? what invocation of Christ? Where are the fosterings of faith by the interspersion of the Scriptures (in conversation)? Where the Spirit? where refreshment? where the divine benediction? All things are strange, all inimical, all condemned; aimed by the Evil One for the attrition of salvation!
That believers who differ among themselves ought not to refer to a Gentile judge. In the first Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians: "Dares any of you, having a matter against other, to discuss it among the unrighteous, and not among the saints? Know ye not that the saints shall judge this world? " And again: "Now indeed there is altogether a fault among you, because ye have judgments one against another. Wherefore do ye not rather suffer injury? or wherefore are ye not rather defrauded? But ye do wrong, and defraud, and this your brethren. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not obtain the kingdom of God? "
It is therefore a noble encomium for a Christian to have no contest with any one; but if by any management or temptation a contest arises with any one, let him endeavour that it may be composed, though thereby he be obliged to lose somewhat; and let it not come before an heathen tribunal. Nay, indeed, you are not to permit that the rulers of this world should pass sentence against your people; for by them the devil contrives mischief to the servants of God, and occasions a reproach to be cast upon us, as though we had not "one wise man that is able to judge between his brethren," or to decide their controversies.
The Corinthians were wrong in two ways. First, they were unfaithful, and second, they were expounding God’s laws with a show of respect but in reality attributing their authority to idols.
"Dare any one of you, having a matter against his brother, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?"
Here also he again makes his complaint upon acknowledged grounds; for in that other place he says, "It is actually reported that there is fornication among you." And in this place, "Dare any one of you?" From the very first outset giving signs of his anger, and implying that the thing spoken of comes of a daring and lawless spirit.
Now wherefore did he bring in by the way that discourse about covetousness and about the duty of not going to law without the Church? In fulfilment of his own rule. For it is a custom with him to set to right things as they fall in his way; just as when speaking about the tables which they used in common, he launched out into the discourse about the mysteries. So here, you see, since he had made mention of covetous brethren, burning with anxiety to correct those in sin, he brooks not exactly to observe order; but he again corrects the sin which had been introduced out of the regular course, and so returns to the former subject.
Let us hear then what he also says about this. "Dare any of you, having a matter, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?" For a while, he employs those personal terms to expose, discredit, and blame their proceedings: nor does he quite from the beginning subvert the custom of seeking judgment before the believers: but when he had stricken them down by many words, then he even takes away entirely all going to law. "For in the first place," says he, "if one must go to law it were wrong to do so before the unrighteous. But you ought not to go to law at all." This however he adds afterwards. For the present he thoroughly sifts the former subject, namely, that they should not submit matters to external arbitration. "For," says he, "how can it be otherwise than absurd that one who is at variance with his friend should take his enemy to be a reconciler between them? And how can you avoid feeling shame and blushing when a Greek sits to judge a Christian? And if about private matters it is not right to go to law before Greeks, how shall we submit to their decisions about other things of greater importance?"
Observe, moreover, how he speaks. He says not, "Before the unbelievers," but, "Before the unrighteous;" using the expression of which he had most particular need for the matter before him, in order to deter and keep them away. For see that his discourse was about going to law, and those who are engaged in suits seek for nothing so much as that the judges should feel great interest about what is just; he takes this as a ground of dissuasion, all but saying, "Where are you going? What are you doing, O man, bringing on yourself the contrary to what you wish, and in order to obtain justice committing yourself to unjust men?" And because it would have been intolerable to be told at once not to go to law, he did not immediately add this, but only changed the judges, bringing the party engaged in the trial from without into the Church.
This proves that there were no Christian judges at that time, because Paul refers to them all as “unrighteous.”
Paul did not want them to be judged by outsiders because he did not want the shortcomings of those who had been taught propriety and righteousness to become a scandal to those outside the church.
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Summary
The Apostle Paul sternly challenges the Corinthian believers for taking their internal disputes to secular, pagan courts rather than resolving them within the Christian community. Through a rhetorical question, he highlights the spiritual absurdity and dishonor brought upon Christ and the church by seeking judgment from "the unjust" (unbelievers) instead of "the saints" (fellow believers), who are endowed with spiritual discernment and called to embody divine justice. This verse underscores the importance of the church's integrity, its unique spiritual authority, and the imperative for believers to settle conflicts in a manner consistent with their new identity in Christ.
Context
Literary Context
This verse initiates a new section in Paul's letter, directly following his severe rebuke of the Corinthian church for tolerating gross immorality within their ranks in 1 Corinthians 5. Having addressed moral purity, Paul now turns to matters of internal conflict resolution, specifically legal disputes. The transition from sexual sin to lawsuits might seem abrupt, but both issues reveal a profound lack of spiritual discernment, maturity, and a failure to live out their identity as God's holy people. Paul's argument in 1 Corinthians 6:1-11 builds on the idea that believers, as those who will one day judge the world and angels, are certainly competent to judge "the smallest matters" (v. 2). He emphasizes that the church should be capable of self-governance and internal justice, reflecting God's righteousness.
Historical & Cultural Context
Corinth was a major Roman port city, a hub of commerce, and notorious for its diverse population and moral laxity. It was also a highly litigious society, where legal disputes were common, often used for personal gain, vindication, or public shaming. Roman law was pervasive, and the public courts were integral to daily life. For Christians, resorting to these courts meant submitting to judges who operated under pagan deities and worldly principles, often with corruption. Furthermore, it exposed internal church weaknesses and disagreements to public scrutiny, bringing disrepute to the nascent Christian movement. Paul's concern is not just about the act of litigation but about the forum—taking matters before "the unjust" (pagan judges) rather than upholding the spiritual distinctiveness and authority of the Christian community.
Key Themes
This verse introduces several crucial themes that Paul develops throughout the chapter and the letter. First, it highlights the distinctiveness and holiness of the church as a community set apart by God, called to live by different standards than the world. Second, it emphasizes the spiritual competence and authority of believers, who, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, possess the wisdom to resolve disputes justly. Paul later asserts that believers will even judge the world and angels. Third, the passage underscores the importance of the church's witness to the outside world. Taking internal conflicts to pagan courts scandalized the name of Christ and undermined the credibility of the Gospel. Finally, it implicitly calls for humility and self-sacrifice among believers, suggesting that it is better to suffer wrong than to dishonor Christ or damage the unity of the body, a theme echoed in 1 Corinthians 6:7.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This word signifies audacity, boldness, or presumption. Paul uses it to convey his astonishment and indignation. It's not merely a question of whether they can do something, but whether they have the nerve or effrontery to do it, given their identity in Christ. It implies a shocking lack of spiritual sensitivity and an audacious disregard for the implications of their actions.
Derived from a negative particle and the word for "justice," this term literally means "unrighteous" or "without justice." In this context, it refers to those outside the Christian faith, specifically the pagan judges and legal system of Corinth. Paul uses this term to highlight the stark moral and spiritual contrast between these individuals, who operate according to worldly principles, and the "saints" who are called to embody God's righteousness.
This word means "holy ones" or "set apart ones." It refers to believers in Christ, who have been sanctified by God and called to a life of holiness. Paul consistently uses this term to remind the Corinthians of their new identity and status in Christ, emphasizing that they are consecrated to God and thus possess a spiritual capacity and moral obligation to resolve matters according to divine standards, not worldly ones.
Verse Breakdown
"Dare any of you, having a matter against another,"
Paul opens with a rhetorical question, expressing his astonishment and disapproval. The phrase "having a matter against another" refers to a legal dispute or grievance between two believers. The use of "dare" immediately sets a tone of incredulity, implying that such an action is utterly inappropriate for those who bear the name of Christ.
"go to law before the unjust,"
This clause specifies the objectionable action: taking a fellow believer to a secular court. "The unjust" refers to the pagan judges and legal authorities in Corinth who were not followers of Christ. Paul views this as a profound misstep, as these worldly authorities lack the spiritual discernment and moral framework necessary to adjudicate disputes among God's people.
"and not before the saints?"
This is the contrasting and preferred alternative. Paul implies that disputes should be resolved within the community of "the saints"—that is, among believers. This highlights the church's inherent capacity for self-governance and its responsibility to embody God's justice and wisdom, rather than exposing its internal conflicts to the scrutiny and judgment of the unrighteous world.
Literary Devices
Paul employs a powerful Rhetorical Question in 1 Corinthians 6:1, "Dare any of you... go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?" This is not a request for information but a forceful expression of Paul's indignation and a means to challenge the Corinthians' spiritual discernment. The question is designed to provoke self-reflection and lead them to the obvious, divinely intended answer. Furthermore, the verse uses striking Contrast between "the unjust" and "the saints." This antithesis highlights the spiritual chasm between the world's system of justice and God's standard, emphasizing that believers, as "saints," should operate under a different, higher authority and wisdom. There is also an element of Irony in the situation, as those who are "saints" and heirs of God's kingdom are seeking judgment from those who are "unjust" and spiritually alienated from God.
Theological and Thematic Connections
This verse powerfully articulates the theological principle that the church, as the body of Christ, is a distinct spiritual entity with its own internal governance and a divine mandate to reflect God's justice and wisdom. It challenges the notion that believers should uncritically adopt worldly methods for conflict resolution, especially when those methods compromise the church's witness and undermine its spiritual authority. Paul's argument implies that the Holy Spirit indwells believers, granting them the discernment necessary to arbitrate even complex matters, making external, secular arbitration unnecessary and even scandalous. This foundational truth calls the church to cultivate a culture of internal peace, reconciliation, and righteous judgment, demonstrating to the world the transformative power of the Gospel.
Reflection and Application
Paul's sharp rebuke in 1 Corinthians 6:1 serves as a timeless challenge for believers and the church today. It compels us to critically examine how we approach conflict, especially with fellow Christians. The core principle is that the church should be a self-sufficient, Spirit-led community capable of resolving its internal "matters" in a way that honors God and maintains its witness to the world. This requires spiritual maturity, humility, and a willingness to prioritize the reputation of Christ and the unity of the body over personal rights or vindication. While not every dispute can or must be settled internally, Paul's strong language urges us to exhaust all spiritual means of reconciliation and mediation within the church before considering secular avenues. It calls us to cultivate wisdom, grace, and a deep commitment to peace, demonstrating that the wisdom of God, available through the Holy Spirit within the community of "saints," is superior to the wisdom of the world.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why is it wrong for Christians to sue each other in secular courts?
Paul argues it's wrong for several reasons. Primarily, it dishonors Christ and the church's witness by exposing internal conflicts to "the unjust" (unbelievers), who lack spiritual discernment and operate by worldly principles. It suggests that the church, despite being indwelt by the Holy Spirit and comprising "saints" who will one day judge the world, is incapable of resolving its own "matters." This undermines the church's spiritual authority and distinctiveness, bringing scandal to the name of Christ. Paul implies that it's better to suffer wrong than to bring such disrepute upon the Christian community (1 Corinthians 6:7).
Does this mean Christians can never go to court for any reason?
Not necessarily. Paul's specific concern in 1 Corinthians 6:1 is about believers suing fellow believers over "matters" that could and should be resolved within the church. It does not explicitly forbid Christians from engaging with the legal system for other purposes, such as defending themselves, seeking justice against non-believers in cases of criminal activity, or engaging in legal processes that do not involve disputes between Christians (e.g., adoption, property law, or defending religious freedom). The core principle is to avoid scandalizing the church and to seek internal, Spirit-led resolution for conflicts among believers.
Who are "the unjust" and "the saints" in this verse?
"The unjust" (Greek: ádikos) refers to non-believers, specifically the pagan judges and legal authorities in Corinth who were outside the covenant community of God and operated without spiritual understanding or the righteousness of Christ. "The saints" (Greek: hágios) refers to believers in Christ, who have been set apart and made holy by God. Paul uses these terms to highlight the stark spiritual contrast and to emphasize that believers, as God's holy people, possess the spiritual capacity and moral obligation to resolve their disputes according to divine standards, rather than resorting to worldly systems.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
At its heart, 1 Corinthians 6:1 points to the Christ-centered nature of the church and its calling to reflect His character. Jesus Christ is the ultimate Judge, the one to whom all authority in heaven and on earth has been given (Matthew 28:18). He is also the great Peacemaker, who reconciled humanity to God through His atoning sacrifice (Colossians 1:20). The church, as His body, is called to embody this dual reality: to administer justice rooted in His righteousness and to pursue peace and reconciliation that reflects His love. When believers resort to worldly courts against one another, they implicitly deny the sufficiency of Christ's wisdom within His body and His power to unite and guide His people. Instead, the church, empowered by the Holy Spirit, is to be a community where the wisdom of Christ is paramount, enabling "the saints" to judge "the smallest matters" (1 Corinthians 6:2) with discernment that ultimately flows from Him. By resolving conflicts internally, the church demonstrates that it is truly a new creation, governed by the principles of the Kingdom of God, and thus glorifies Christ before a watching world that desperately needs to see His transformative power (John 13:35).