Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Corinthians 6:3
Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?
3. Know ye not that we shall judge angels? ] Cf. 2Pe 2:4, and Judges 6. Some have thought that good angels are here meant. But it is difficult to see how (1) men could pronounce sentence upon their conduct openly, or (2) acquit or censure them by the silent sentence of a consistent life. For in the first case there would be no sentence to pronounce, and in the second it would be they who would judge the holiest man that ever lived, and not he who would judge them. “The interpretation squares well with the argument. We shall judge devils, who not only were so noble in their original condition, but are still even when fallen immortal beings. What then! shall the paltry things which concern the belly be withdrawn from our decision?” Calvin. “The good angels are not hereafter to be judged, but they will form a part of Christ’s glorious retinue when He comes to judgment.” Wordsworth.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Shall judge angels – All the angels that shall be judged, good or bad. Probably the reference is to fallen angels, as there is no account that holy angels will then undergo a trial. The sense is, Christians will be qualified to see the justice of even the sentence which is pronounced on fallen angels. They will be able so to embrace and comprehend the nature of law, and the interests of justice, as to see the propriety of their condemnation. And if they can so far enter into these important and eternal relations, assuredly they ought to be regarded as qualified to discern the nature of justice among men, and to settle the unimportant differences which may arise in the church. Or, perhaps, this may mean that the saints shall in the future world be raised to a rank in some respects more elevated than even the angels in heaven. (Prof. Stuart.) In what respects they will be thus elevated, if this is the true interpretation, can be only a matter of conjecture. It may be supposed that it will be because they have been favored by being interested in the plan of salvation – a plan that has done so much to honor God; and that to have been thus saved by the immediate and painful intervention of the Son of God, will be a higher honor than all the privileges which beings can enjoy who are innocent themselves.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 3. Know ye not that we shall judge angels?] Dr. Lightfoot observes that “the apostle does not say here, as he said before, the saints shall judge the angels, but WE shall judge them. By angels, all confess that demons are intended; but certainly all saints, according to the latitude with which that word is understood, i.e. all who profess Christianity, shall not judge angels. Nor is this judging of angels to be understood of the last day; but the apostle speaks of the ministers of the Gospel, himself and others, who, by the preaching of the Gospel, through the power of Christ, should spoil the devils of their oracles and their idols, should deprive them of their worship, should drive them out of their seats, and strip them of their dominion. Thus would God subdue the whole world under the Christian power, so that Christian magistrates should judge men, and Christian ministers judge devils.”
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
That the saints shall judge angels, is here so plainly asserted, as a thing within their knowledge, that none can doubt it; but how, or when, or what angels, is not so easily determined. The best interpreters understand it of the evil angels, that is, the devils, whom the saints shall judge at the last day, agreeing with the Judge of the whole earth in the sentence which he shall then give against the evil angels, confining them to the bottomless pit, who, while this world lasteth, have a greater liberty as princes of the air, to rove abroad in the air, and to work mightily in the children of disobedience. Others understand the judging of angels here mentioned, of the spoiling of the devils of the kingdom that they exercise in the world, in the places where the gospel hath not prevailed, by lying oracles, and seducing men to idolatry, and the worshipping of devils: in which sense Christ said: Now shall the prince of this world be cast out, Joh 12:31. From hence the apostle argues the competency of their brethren to judge of and to determine those little matters which were in difference between them, being but things concerning this life, and so of far less consequence than the judging of the world and the evil angels at the last day.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
3. judge angelsnamely, badangels. We who are now “a spectacle to angels” shall then”judge angels.” The saints shall join in approving thefinal sentence of the Judge on them (Jude6). Believers shall, as administrators of the kingdom underJesus, put down all rule that is hostile to God. Perhaps, too, goodangels shall then receive from the Judge, with the approval of thesaints, higher honors.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Know ye not that we shall judge angels,…. Meaning not the ministers of the Gospel, and pastors of churches, called “angels”, Re 1:20 whose doctrines are examined, tried, and judged by the saints, according to the word of God; nor the good angels, who, were it possible that they could, or should publish a Gospel contrary to what has been preached by the apostle, would be contradicted, condemned, and accursed by him, see Ga 1:8 but the evil angels, the devil and his angels: and this is to be understood not of their future final judgment and condemnation at the last day, when saints will subscribe unto, and approve of the sentence pronounced upon them, and will triumph over them in their destruction; but of the judgment of them, and of their ejection out of the Gentile world, out of their oracles, idols, and idol temples, to which Christ refers, Joh 12:31 and calls the judgment of this world, and the casting out of the prince of it by the ministry of his apostles; and which was now already begun, and ere long would be fully accomplished: accordingly the Syriac version renders it, “know ye not
, that we are about to judge angels?” and the Arabic, “know ye not that we judge angels?” from whence the apostle infers very justly,
how much more things that pertain to this life? this animal life; to the trade and business of life; to pecuniary matters, to estates and possessions in this world, about which differences may arise between one saint and another.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
How much more, things that pertain to this life? ( ;). The question expects the answer no and adds sharp point to Paul’s surprised tone, “Need I so much as say?” It can be understood also as ellipsis, “let me not say” ( ), not to say. occurs first in Aristotle, but is common afterwards. In the papyri it is used of business matters. It is from (manner of life in contrast to , life principle).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
How much more [] . It is hard to render the word accurately. How much more follows the Vulgate quanto magis. It is rather, not to speak of; or to say nothing at all of.
Things that pertain to this life [] . See on Luk 21:34.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) Know ye not that we shall judge angels? (ouk oidate hoti angelous krinoumen) Do you all not perceive or realize that we shall judge angels. The term angels often refers to messengers of God, or servants of God as Luk 7:24; Jas 2:25; Rev 1:20; Rev 2:1; Rev 2:8; Rev 3:1; Rev 3:7; Rev 3:14.
2) How much more things that pertain to this life? (meti ge biotika) not to speak of things of this biological life? If members of Gods church are to make judgments or decisions regarding messengers of God, how much more capable should they be to help resolve practical business matter disputes in council among themselves, rather than to appeal for help to and before the unsaved of the world?
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
3. Know ye not that we shall judge angels ? This passage is taken in different ways. Chrysostom states that some understood it as referring to priests, (325) but this is exceedingly far-fetched. Others understand it of the angels in heaven, in this sense — that the angels are subject to the judgment of God’s word, and may be judged by us, if need be, by means of that word, as it is said in the Epistle to the Galatians —
If an angel from heaven bring any other gospel, let him be accursed. (Gal 1:8.)
Nor does this exposition appear at first view unsuitable to the thread of Paul’s discourse; for if all whom God has enlightened by his word are endowed with such authority, that through means of that word they judge not only men but angels too, how much more will they be prepared to judge of small and trivial matters? As, however, Paul speaks here in the future tense, as referring to the last day, and as his words convey the idea of an actual judgment, (as the common expression is,) it were preferable, in my opinion, to understand him as speaking of apostate (326) angels. For the argument will be not less conclusive in this way: “Devils, who sprang from so illustrious an origin, and even now, when they have fallen from their high estate, are immortal creatures, and superior to this corruptible world, shall be judged by us. What then? Shall those things that are subservient to the belly be exempted from our judgment?
(325) “ Des prestres et ministres;” — “Of priests and ministers.”
(326) “ Apostats et rebelles;” — “Apostate and rebellious.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(3) We shall judge angels.Many conjectures have been made as to the exact significance of the word angels here. Some suggest that it must signify bad angels; but this would be an unusual use of the word without any qualifying adjective. It is better, perhaps, to regard the passage as a climax arising out of the Apostles intense realisation of the unity of Christ and His Church triumphanta point which seems ever present to the mind of St. Paul when he speaks of the dignity of Christianity. In this sense, redeemed humanity will be superior to, and judges of, the spiritual world. That the words have some such large significance, and are not the expression of a hard and literal fact regarding some members of the angelic host, is, I think, borne out by the subsequent words, where the contrast to angels is not men, but things relating to this life.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
3. Shall judge angels Our interpretation dismisses the question so puzzling to some commentators, whether good or bad angels, or both, are meant. For Christ, truly, is Lord and Judge of both heaven and hell; of men and angels good and bad; and those who suffer and rejoice in union with his mystical body here will reign in him and with him through eternity.
Hence Olshausen well says, “Angels themselves stand lower in the order of beings than those in whose hearts Christ is formed.”
This symbolism, of which Paul gives us an occasional glimpse, is unfolded in full volume by John in the Apocalypse. The suppression of the cause of Christ on earth is beautifully represented by the symbolical souls of the martyrs under the altar, (Rev 14:4😉 and its triumphs by the symbol of these same souls having attained to a first resurrection, and reigning in the spirit-world with Christ, over the evangelized earth. Rev 20:4.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
1Co 6:3. Know ye not that we shall judge angels? “Even the fallen angels themselves, who, notwithstanding all their malignity and pride, shall be brought to that tribunal, at which you, having gloriously passed your own trial, shall be seated with Christ, your victorious Lord; when by his righteous sentence he shall send these rebellious spirits to that flaming prison, which divine justice hath prepared for them?” Had the Apostle, as Dr. Whitby and others suppose, referred to the power which many Christians had of driving out demons from those who were possessed by them, he would not have spoken of this as afuture thing; nor can we suppose it to have been common to all Christians; nor would it have afforded an argument equally forcible with that which the interpretation that we have given suggests. There seems a peculiar dignityand propriety in this determination of the great God, that when the devils, who are expressly said to be reserved in chains of darkness, to the judgment of the great day, shall be condemned; the saints, being raised to the seats of glory which these wicked spirits have forfeited and lost, should assist in that sentence, which shall display the victory of Christ over them in these his servants, once their captives; and will, no doubt, render the sentence itself yet more intolerable to creatures of such malignity and pride. See Locke, Whitby, Doddridge, and Reynolds, “of angels,” p. 183.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
1Co 6:3-4 . Climactic parallels to 1Co 6:2 , 1Co 6:3 corresponding to the first half of the preceding verse, and 1Co 6:4 to the second; hence 1Co 6:4 also should be taken as a question .
] angels , and that since no defining epithet is added in the good sense, not as Chrysostom, Theodoret, Oecumenius, Theophylact, Erasmus, Beza, Calovius, Bengel, and most commentators make it, demons (Jud 1:6 ; 2Pe 2:4 ), nor good and bad angels (so Cornelius a Lapide, al [895] ; also, as it would appear, Hofmann). Other expositors, such as Grotius, Billroth, Rckert, de Wette, leave the point undecided. But comp on 1Co 4:9 . That angels themselves shall come within the sphere of the judicial activity of glorified believers, is stated here as a proposition established to the believing consciousness of the readers, a proposition, the ground for which is to be found in the fact that in Christ, whose glorified saints will reign with Him, is given the absolute truth and the absolute right, and, consequently, the highest judicial court of resort, even as regards the world of angels, from the jurisdiction of which not even the loftiest of created beings can be excepted. There is nothing of a more detailed nature on this subject in the N. T.; but comp in general, Heb 1:14 , according to which their service must be one for which they are to render an account; and Gal 1:8 , according to which, in a certain supposed case, they would incur an . [898] All modes of explaining away the simple meaning of the words are just as inadmissible as in 1Co 6:2 ; as, for example, Chrysostom: , ; Erasmus: “vestra pietas illorum impietatem, vestra innocentia illorum impuritatem condemnabit;” Calovius: the judicium is approbativum , making manifest, that is to say, before the whole world the victory of the saints already in this life over the devil; Lightfoot: what is meant is, that the influence of the kingdom of Satan is to be destroyed by Christianity; while Nsselt, Ernesti, and Stolz make it ability to judge, if an angel were to preach a false gospel (Gal 1:8 ).
] is not to be included in the question, so that we should have to put only a comma after (as Tischendorf does). For , things which belong to the necessities of this life, disputes as to the meum and tuum , (comp Polybius, xiii. 1. 3 : ), will not be among the subjects of the future judgment, to which refers. We must retain, therefore, the mark of interrogation after (Lachmann), and put a full stop after ., so that . may be seen to be the condensed conclusio: to say nothing then of private disputes ! i.e. How far less can it be doubtful that we have to judge ! Comp Dem. Ol. i. (ii.) 23, and Bremi in loc [901] p. 159. See generally as to (found only here in the N. T.), nedum sc [902] dicam ; Herm. a [903] Viger. p. 803; Schaefer, Appar. ad Dem. I. p. 265; Hartung, Partikell . II. p. 154 f. Regarding the relation of to the later Greek, see Lobeck, a [904] Phryn. p. 355.
The antithesis of and turns on this, that the former belong to the higher superterrestrial sphere of life ( , Theodore of Mopsuestia). The . without the, article is qualitative .
[895] l. and others; and other passages; and other editions.
[898] Observe also the different classes of angels referred to in Rom 8:38 ; Eph 1:21 ; Col 1:16 ; 1Pe 3:22 . We cannot conceive these distinctions in rank to exist without ethical grounds. Moreover, the angels are not to be regarded as absolutely good, Mar 10:18 . Comp. on Col 1:20 .
[901] n loc. refers to the note of the commentator or editor named on the particular passage.
[902] c. scilicet .
[903] d refers to the note of the commentator or editor named on the particular passage.
[904] d refers to the note of the commentator or editor named on the particular passage.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?
Ver. 3. Things that pertain to this, &c. ] That serve to and satisfy the body only, being nec vera, nec vestra,Luk 16:11-12Luk 16:11-12 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
3 .] The same glorious office of Christians is again referred to, and even a more striking point of contrast brought out.
] always, where not otherwise specified, good angels : and therefore here; the of Heb 1:14 ; but exactly how we shall judge them, is not revealed to us. Chrys., Theodoret, cum., Theophyl., and most Commentators interpret it of bad angels , or of bad and good together: and Chrys. as before, understands that the bad angels will be condemned by comparison with us, , . p. 138. But see above on 1Co 6:2 .
, to say nothing of , ‘ ut omittam :’ so Demosth. p. 24. 23, , . See Hartung, Partikellehre, ii. 155.
, matters relating to , a man’s livelihood : see ref. and Clem [12] Alex. Strom. vii. 12 [69], p. 873 P., , . It is a word of later Greek usage, see Lexx. In classic Greek it would be .
[12] Clement of Alexandria, fl. 194
The meaning here then will be civil causes , matters of meum and tuum , as De Wette. The sense is best with only a comma at .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
1Co 6:3 . The question of 1Co 6:2 urged to its climax: “Know you not that we shall judge angels? ” Paul already does this, hypothetically, in Gal 1:8 . Instructed through the Church (Eph 3:10 ), the heavenly powers will be subject to final correction from the same quarter. The angels were identified, in later Jewish thought, with the forces of nature and the destiny of nations (Psa 104:4 ; Dan 10:13 ; Dan 12:1 ); they must be affected by any judgment embracing the . “There is, it seems, a solidarity between the Princes of the nations ( cf. Paul’s . , 1Co 15:24 , etc.) and the nations directed by them; according to Shir rabba , 27 b , God does not punish a people until He has first humbled its Angel-prince in the higher world, and according to Tanchuma, Beshallach , 13, He will hereafter judge the nations only when He has first judged their Angel-princes” (Weber, Altsynag. palst. Thologie , p. 165); Satan is “the god of this world”(2Co 4:4 ; cf. Joh 14:30 , Luk 4:6 ), and has his “angels” whom P. styles “world-rulers” (Eph 6:12 , Mat 25:41 ). On the throne of world-judgment Christ will sit (Act 17:31 , Mat 25:31 f.), and “the saints” sc. after their own acquittal as His assessors. in this context qualifies its objects as culpable; cf. in 1Co 15:24 ; also 1Co 5:12 above, and other parls. The anarthrous signifies beings of this order, in contrast with men ( cf. 1Co 4:9 ; also Jud 1:6 ); “P. does not wish to mark out this or that class of angels, but to awaken in the Church the sense of its competence and dignity by reminding it that beings of this lofty nature will one day be subject to its jurisdiction” (Gd [898] ; also El [899] ). ( nedum quidem: not surely a continued interrog., as W.H [900] punctuate) in sharp contrast to “angels” “(to say) nothing verily of secular matters!”. ( sc. ) is a N.T. h.l [901] , a sound cl [902] idiom (see Lidd [903] on , also El [904] ad. loc. ), negative syn [905] for (Rom 11:12 ; Rom 11:24 ); for the , cf. 1Co 4:8 . , of later Gr [906] (after Aristotle), denotes matters relating to (one’s “living”), which differs from as vita quam from vita qua vivimus “quae ad hujus vit usum pertinent” (Bz [907] ), or “ad victum pertinentia” (Cv [908] ); see Lt [909] ad loc [910] , and Trench, Syn [911] , 27.
[898] F. Godet’s Commentaire sur la prem. p. aux Corinthiens (Eng. Trans.).
[899] C. J. Ellicott’s St. Paul’s First Epistle to the Corinthians .
[900] Westcott and Hort’s The New Testament in Greek: Critical Text and Notes.
[901] .l. hapax legomenon , a solitary expression.
[902] classical.
[903]idd. Liddell and Scott’s Greek-English Lexicon.
[904]
[905] synonym, synonymous.
[906] Greek, or Grotius’ Annotationes in N.T.
[907]
[908] Calvin’s In Nov. Testamentum Commentarii .
[909] J. B. Lightfoot’s (posthumous) Notes on Epp. of St. Paul (1895).
[910] ad locum , on this passage.
[911] synonym, synonymous.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
how much more. Greek. meti ge. Frequently used with a negative question, as a strong remonstrance. See Mat 26:22. Joh 18:35. Act 10:47.
things, &c. Greek. biotikos. Only here, 1Co 6:4, and Luk 21:34 (which see).
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
3.] The same glorious office of Christians is again referred to, and even a more striking point of contrast brought out.
] always, where not otherwise specified, good angels: and therefore here; the of Heb 1:14; but exactly how we shall judge them, is not revealed to us. Chrys., Theodoret, cum., Theophyl., and most Commentators interpret it of bad angels, or of bad and good together: and Chrys. as before, understands that the bad angels will be condemned by comparison with us, , . p. 138. But see above on 1Co 6:2.
, to say nothing of, ut omittam: so Demosth. p. 24. 23, , . See Hartung, Partikellehre, ii. 155.
, matters relating to , a mans livelihood: see ref. and Clem[12] Alex. Strom. vii. 12 [69], p. 873 P., , . It is a word of later Greek usage, see Lexx. In classic Greek it would be .
[12] Clement of Alexandria, fl. 194
The meaning here then will be civil causes, matters of meum and tuum, as De Wette. The sense is best with only a comma at .
Fuente: The Greek Testament
1Co 6:3. , angels) Those who are not holy [referring to saints], and so also wicked men. The article is not added; a gradation in respect of the world [i.e. an ascending climax, arguing a fortiori; if angels, much more the world].-, things belonging to life) worthless if they be compared with angels.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
1Co 6:3
1Co 6:3
Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more, things that pertain to this life?-Some think we in this verse refers to the apostles, and not to the saints generally; but the latter clause seems to show that it was written to vindicate the right of the saints to judge the temporal questions that come up between Christians. If so, it must refer to them. Angels are generally understood to mean the fallen angels, demons, as the angels ministering for God hardly need to be judged. Some think the saints are to judge these by preaching the gospel, as the power of Christ through it should spoil demons of their oracles and idols; should deprive these of their seats and strip them of their domain. The power of the demon is supposed to have been curtailed, and the demons ceased to dominate persons on earth. These views seem strained and farfetched, hence are unsatisfactory, yet I have nothing better to offer.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
angels
(See Scofield “Heb 1:4”).
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
judge: Mat 25:41, 2Pe 2:4, Jud 1:6
pertain: 1Co 6:4, Psa 17:14, Luk 8:14, Luk 21:34, 2Ti 2:4, 2Ti 4:10
Reciprocal: Job 21:22 – he judgeth Psa 50:5 – my saints Psa 149:9 – this honour Isa 40:28 – thou not known Eze 23:36 – wilt Dan 7:22 – judgment Oba 1:21 – to judge Zec 3:7 – judge Mat 19:28 – ye also Luk 22:30 – and sit Joh 16:11 – judgment Rom 6:3 – Know 1Co 3:16 – Know 1Co 6:9 – Know 1Co 15:19 – this Rev 2:26 – to him will I give Rev 3:21 – to sit Rev 20:4 – thrones
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1Co 6:3. On the same basis as the preceding paragraph, Christians are teaching and applying the divine law that sets forth the judgment of angels. A part of that law is shown in 2Pe 2:4 and Jud 1:6, that tells of the judgment to be pronounced against those angels that sinned. It is in this sense that we shall judge angels, not that any man will literally participate in the procedure at the last day. But the same point is made as that made in the preceding verse, namely, if Christians are entrusted with teaching and applying the law that is to be imposed upon the former inhabitants of Heaven, they certainly should be able to decide matters pertaining to the inhabitants of this life or which concern only temporal life.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
1Co 6:3. Know ye not that we shall judge angels? The word angels usually means the good ones, but here it is clearly the bad.how much more, things that pertain to this life?
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Vv. 3 does not present a new argument; it is the previous one raised to its culminating point. For the angels also, according to Paul, form part of the , the world (see on 1Co 4:9). Again we have the phrase: Do ye not know? but without the particle , or, precisely because here is the continuation of 1Co 6:2. The more striking the fact indicated in this verse,the judgment of angels by the saints,the more entitled is the apostle to express his wonder that his readers can be ignorant of it or can act as if they were in ignorance.
Meyer maintains that the word angels, used simply, denotes in the New Testament only good angels. It is one of those statutes which this excellent commentator loves to set up as a barrier against the caprice of exegetes, but the yoke of which need not be taken up without check. I think that the explanation of the idea contained in the first part of this verse is found in our Epistle itself, 1Co 15:24. If it is so, Paul can only be speaking here of higher powers of wickedness. This meaning is also that which best accords with the meaning of the word the world (1Co 6:2). According to Meyer and Hofmann (who applies the word at once to good and bad angels), the judgment to which good angels shall be subjected will bear on the degree of fidelity with which they have discharged their office as ministering spirits to believers (Heb 1:14); but nowhere in Scripture is there mention of a judgment of the elect angels. And in any case, we must not overlook the absence of the article before the word angels: beings belonging to the category angel. Paul does not mean to designate these or those angels; he wishes to awake within the Church the feeling of its competency and dignity by reminding it that beings of so exalted a nature shall one day be subjected to its jurisdiction.
It is remarkable that in the parables of the tares and of the drag-net, it is the angels who effect the division between men (wheat and tares, good and bad fishes); while in our passage, it is sanctified believers who judge angels. It seems as if God would glorify Himself in each of these orders of His creatures by means of the other.
Let it also be borne in mind that in Daniel’s description (chap. 7) there is not a word said of the judgment of the angels by the saints; this is a detail absolutely peculiar to Paul, and which, like that mentioned 1Th 4:15, rests no doubt on a personal revelation.
The last words, much more things of this life, need not be regarded as the continuation of the previous question, as is done by Tischendorf; it is the conclusion in the form of an exclamation. The form is found nowhere else in the New Testament. The simplest way of explaining it is to understand the verb ; ne () ullo quidem () modo () de rebus ad vitam pertinentibus () loquamur; Not to speak even of earthly things; they follow as a matter of course, after what has been said of angels! So far as sense is concerned, this is very much the same as our rendering: much more. The has here, as usually, the effect of emphasizing the preceding word (), so as to set aside every other supposition.
Fuente: Godet Commentary (Luke, John, Romans and 1 Corinthians)
Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more, things that pertain to this life? [They were permitting themselves to be judged by those whom they were appointed to judge. To prove that the saints will participate with Christ in the final judgment, the following passages are often cited (Psa 49:14; Dan 7:22-27; Mat 19:28; Mat 20:23; Jud 1:6; Rev 2:26; Rev 3:21; Rev 20:4). It is doubtful if any of these are applicable; the manner of our participation is nowhere explained. Barrow suggested that in the order of the judgments the saints would be justified first (Mat 25:41), after which they would sit with Christ as assessors, or associate judges, in the condemnation of the wicked and the evil angels, and his view is pretty generally received. But it is more probable that the saints will only participate as mystically united with Christ the judge, just as, by mystical union, they are kings and priests, though in no sense exercising these offices literally. The church shall judge the world in Christ her head. But the point made by Paul is that those whom God honors by association in so important a judicature may well be entrusted to judge trivial matters; for the weightiest matter of earth is light compared with the questions of eternal destiny decided on that day.]
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
3. Know ye not that we shall rule angels? And not simply things of this life? In this verse the apostolic eye of Paul sweeps away down the coming ages, overlooking the Millennium, in which the saints will rule the world, peering beyond the general resurrection and final judgment (Rev 20:11-15), and the simultaneous cremation of the earth (2Pe 3:10), and its fiery expurgation from all the pollutions of Satans reign, the glorious Creative intervention renewing and transforming it into a bright and beautiful, pure and holy celestial sphere (Rev 21:1) to be reinhabited by the glorified saints (Mat 5:4), who will receive it as an everlasting inheritance to enjoy with other celestial worlds through the flight of eternal ages, the glorified earth ever recognized as our peculiar inheritance, having been created for humanity in the beginning, and also conferred on us as a soldiers bounty, eternally commemorative of our heroic fidelity during the Lords war against sin and Satan. Of course, when this world shall have been sanctified by the purgatorial fires, recreated, beautified, glorified and added back to Heaven, where it belonged before the devil broke it loose in view of adding it to Hell, it will become an angelic resort of universal notoriety, to which multiplied millions of unfallen angels will come that they may visit and enjoy the society of restored and glorified humanity, and especially that they may see the old battle-field of Gods Empire, where His expatriated Son met the hosts of Hell on bloody Calvary, heroically bleeding and dying, but sealing His conquest of this world with His blood. While we will all be delighted with the angelic millions, who will compliment us by their visits and sojourn among us, of course the government of this world will be the peculiar prerogative of humanity, the angels, like the European nobility now visiting the United States, appreciated and honored by all the people, but having no disposition to take part in the government.
Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament
Verse 3
That we shall judge angels; a still stronger expression than the preceding, in regard to, the future advancement of the faithful, servants of Christ.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
1Co 6:3. Another known truth, forming with 1Co 6:2 a climax.
Angel, when not otherwise defined in the New Testament always a good angel. But here the word judge recalls at once the angels who sinned. This verse implies, as 2Pe 2:4; Jud 1:6 plainly assert, that the sentence of the great Day will include at least the fallen angels. We cannot doubt that it will be pronounced by Christ. If so, 1Co 6:2 suggests that in this sentence His people will join. Thus Man and men will pronounce sentence on those mighty powers which have seduced men, but from whose grasp the saints have been saved. The condemnation of wicked angels suggests that in the great Day the faithful angels will receive reward. If so, they may be included here; as in 1Co 6:2, the world may include the saints. All this reveals a mysterious and wonderful connection (cp. Col 1:20) between the moral destiny of our race and that of other races.
The teaching of 1Co 6:2-3 is implied in the great truth that whatever Christ is and does He calls His people to share; and therefore helps us to realize the infinite grandeur of our position. We cannot (1Co 4:5) pronounce judgment now: for the facts are not yet fully before us. But in view of the majesty of that great assize, before which even angels will tremble, matters of this life are unworthy of mention.
Fuente: Beet’s Commentary on Selected Books of the New Testament
Evidently God had not revealed the fact that believers will play a role in judging angels earlier in Scripture. He apparently revealed that for the first time here through Paul (cf. Jud 1:6).