Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Corinthians 6:6
But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers.
6. But brother goeth to law ] “It is not a question between ecclesiastical and civil courts, but between Law and Equity, Litigation and Arbitration. The remedy is not more elaborate law, nor cheaper law, nor greater facility of law, but more Christianity.” Robertson. Cf. note on 1Co 6:1.
and that before the unbelievers ] Rather, before unbelievers, the fact of appearing before unbelievers at all on such matters being the point to which attention is directed. “Beside the scandal of such a proceeding, as exposing their internal differences to the eyes of the heathen, there were certain formularies to be gone through in the heathen law-courts, such as adjurations by heathen deities, which would involve them in idolatrous practices.” Wordsworth. Cf. also Blunt, Lectures on Ch. History, pp. 110, 149.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
But brother … – One Christian goes to law with another. This is designed as a reproof. This was wrong:
- Because they ought rather to take wrong and suffer themselves to be injured 1Co 6:7;
- Because they might have chosen some persons to settle the matter by arbitration without a formal trial; and,
- Because the civil constitution would have allowed them to have settled all their differences without a lawsuit.
Josephus says that the Romans (who were now masters of Corinth) permitted the Jews in foreign countries to decide private affairs, where nothing capital was in question, among themselves. And Dr. Lardner observes, that the Christians might have availed themselves of this permission to have settled their disputes in the same manner. Credibility, vol. 1:p. 165.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 6. Brother goeth to law with brother] One Christian sues another at law! This is almost as great a scandal as can exist in a Christian society. Those in a religious community who will not submit to a proper arbitration, made by persons among themselves, should be expelled from the Church of God.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
6. Butemphatically answeringthe question in the end of 1Co 6:5in the negative. Translate, “Nay,” &c.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
But brother goeth to law with brother,…. The relation meant is spiritual; it was usual for members of churches to be called brethren, they professing to be born again of the same Father, and belonging to the same family under Christ, the son, firstborn, and master of it: and a very wicked and shameful thing it was, that persons in such a relation, being of such a family, should go to law with one another at all:
and that before the unbelievers; which is an aggravation of their sin and folly. The apostle before calls them “unjust”, now “infidels”, such as had no faith in Christ, disbelieved the Messiah, and denied the whole Gospel, and therefore no faith or confidence should be put in them; for, generally speaking, such as have no faith, are not only wicked, but unreasonable men, men of no reason, conscience, justice, and equity; and therefore very improper persons for believers to bring their causes before.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
And that before unbelievers ( ). Climactic force of . The accusative of general reference with . “That there should be disputes about is bad; that Christian should go to law with Christian is worse; that Christians should do this before unbelievers is worst of all” (Robertson and Plummer).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Goeth to law [] . As in ver. 1, and Mt 5:40. Instead of accepting arbitration.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) But brother goeth to law with brother. (all adelphos meta adelphou krinetai) but a brother with a brother, in close association or colleague of his, goes to law or civil court.
2) And that before the unbelievers. (kai touto epi apiston?) And this thing (goes on) in the presence of the unbelievers? Pauls reprimand or fatherly chiding continued – Is this becoming conduct for brethren who claim to love the Lord, one another, and the church?
This is much like Abrahams chiding Lots herdsmen and his own for domestic bickering over their flocks and the business affairs of managing them. To forbear and even suffer wrong rather than quarrel over material desires is desirable when we be brethren in the Lord and in the same church, especially. Gen 13:5-8; Eph 4:2; Col 3:13. It is, that Gods best bear, is forbear.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(6) But brother goeth to law with brother.It would almost seem as if it were not so. Your dragging these disputes before tribunals of the heathen would imply that it is not possible to find a Christian friend whom you can trust to settle these trivial disputes. Thus the Apostle answers his question of the previous verse.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
6. Brother goeth to law By favour of the Roman government (see note on Act 9:2) the Jews were permitted to establish courts of their own for the trial of cases between Jew and Jew. And by a law of the Jews it was unlawful for a Jew to arraign a Jew before a Gentile court. Christian courts were early established by the Church for settling disputes between Christians. Stanley quotes from the Apostolic Constitution, a document of the middle of the second century, a striking passage to this effect. The Christian rule, however, did not forbid the prosecuting of a heathen by a Christian before a heathen tribunal. A narrative is related of St. Julitta, who, having prosecuted a pagan for theft, withdrew her suit when required by the court, as a condition of a verdict, to renounce her Christian faith. When, at length, Christianity became the established religion of the Roman empire, these courts gradually grew into powerful ecclesiastical courts, and became a stronghold of the popish hierarchy.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
1Co 6:6. Brother goeth to law with brother Josephus observes, that the Romans, who were now masters of Corinth, permitted the Jews in foreign countries to decide private affairs, where nothing capital was in question, among themselves; and hence may be argued the justice of this rebuke of St. Paul, as there is no room to doubt but Christians might have had the same privilege, as they were looked upon as a Jewish sect. Exclusive of that, however, they might doubtless, by mutual consent, have chosen their brethren as referees. See Lardner’s Credibil. vol. 1: p. 165 and on 1Co 6:4.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
1Co 6:6 . Quick reply to the preceding question: No (see Hartung, Partikell . II. p. 37; Baeumlein, Partikell . p. 10 f.) brother goes to law with brother, and that (see on Rom 13:11 ) before unbelievers . [926] How then can there be such a wise man among you? He would assuredly, by his intervention as arbitrator, keep the matter from coming to a lawsuit, which, as between Christian brethren, and that, too, before a heathen court, is altogether unfitting and unworthy! in precisely the same sense as in 1Co 6:1 , .
[926] To take the sentence as a reproachful assertion (so Luther, Beza, Lachmann, Osiander, Hofmann), makes the passage sterner and more telling than the common way of viewing it as a question , which is adopted also by Tischendorf and Ewald.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
6 But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers.
Ver. 6. But brother goeth to law ] Once it was counted ominous to commence actions, and follow suits. Of common barreters, we may say as the historian doth of mathematicians, Genus hominum quod in nostra repub. et vetabitur semper, et retinebitur. (Tacit.)
But brother ] Still Satan is thus busy, and Christians are thus malicious; that, as if they wanted enemies, they fly in one another’s faces, as did Epiphanius and Chrysostom, Luther and Zuinglius, Hooper and Ridley, Taylor and Lambert, those English exiles at Frankfort in Queen Mary’s days, and Knox, &c.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
6. ] (It seems not to be so) : nay , &c., as implied in 1Co 6:1 .
after a question passes rapidly on to the other alternative, the particle negativing the question being suppressed. So Xen. Mem. i. 2. 2, ; , . See Hartung, Partikellehre, ii. 37.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
1Co 6:6 . “Nay, but brother goes to law with brother this too before unbelievers!” This is an answer to the question of 1Co 6:5 , not a continuation of it. The litigation shows that there is no man in the Church wise enough to settle such matters privately; or he would surely have been called in. The of 1Co 6:1 here figure as ; see parls; contrast with (1Co 1:21 ).
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
unbelievers. Greek. apistos. See App-150.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
6.] (It seems not to be so): nay, &c., as implied in 1Co 6:1.
after a question passes rapidly on to the other alternative, the particle negativing the question being suppressed. So Xen. Mem. i. 2. 2, ; , . See Hartung, Partikellehre, ii. 37.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
1Co 6:6. , and that) So also , v. 8; Heb 11:12.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
1Co 6:6
1Co 6:6
but brother goeth to law with brother, and that before unbelievers?-[This question was most humiliating. It is the climax. That there should be disputes about property is bad; that they should go to law is worse; that they should do this before unbelievers is extremely humiliating and sinful.] This is the sinful end they had reached.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
brother: 1Co 6:1, 1Co 6:7, Gen 13:7-9, Gen 45:24, Neh 5:8, Neh 5:9, Psa 133:1-3, Act 7:26, Phi 2:14, Phi 2:15, 1Jo 2:9-11, 1Jo 3:11-15
Reciprocal: Gen 13:8 – Let Deu 15:3 – General Neh 5:1 – their brethren Pro 3:30 – General Mal 2:10 – why Mat 5:9 – are Mat 5:22 – his brother Mat 18:15 – if Rom 12:17 – Provide 1Co 5:11 – called Gal 5:15 – General
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Vv. 6 is the exclamatory conclusion of the foregoing development. The is not a particle of gradation; it is simply the but adversative. To understand the contrast which it marks, we must take exact account of the difference in meaning and tense between the two verbs of 1Co 6:5 and 1Co 6:6, and . The former denotes the summary verdict of an arbiter: hence the aorist; the latter puts us face to face with all the lengthy processes and windings of a lawsuit: hence the present. And that with a brother and before a heathen tribunal! What a scandal! what a shame to the Church!
Fuente: Godet Commentary (Luke, John, Romans and 1 Corinthians)
but brother goeth to law with brother, and that before unbelievers? [This question is a crushing rebuke to their vaunted pride as learned sages. The rebuke is intensified by the phrase “know ye not,” which is used six times in this chapter, four times in the rest of his writing to the Corinthians, and only twice by him elsewhere– Rom 6:16; Rom 11:2; comp. Mat 12:3]
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
6. He again withers them with sarcasm.