What does "deliver this man to Satan" mean in 1 Corinthians 5:5? Immediate Literary Context (1 Corinthians 5:1-5) “Everyone has heard that there is sexual immorality among you … A man has his father’s wife. And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have been stricken with grief and removed from your fellowship the man who did this? … When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus and I am with you in spirit, along with the power of our Lord Jesus, hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.” (vv. 1-5) Historical-Cultural Background • First-century Corinth possessed numerous temples and guilds that normalized sexual license, especially incest (banned even by Roman law: Lex Julia de adulteriis, 18 BC). • In the house-church structure the Lord’s Table marked the boundary of covenant fellowship (Didache 9-10). Removal from that fellowship placed one back into the world, “the domain of darkness” (Colossians 1:13). • Early church orders (Ignatius, To Polycarp 4) record similar expulsions “that the spirit may be healed through the rebuke.” The Realm Contrast: Church vs. World Scripture views two spheres: 1) The church = “body of Christ” where Christ rules (Colossians 3:15). 2) The world = sphere of Satan (2 Colossians 4:4; 1 John 5:19). Excommunication transfers a professing believer from the church’s protected realm to the realm where Satan is permitted to afflict (cf. 1 Timothy 1:20—“Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme,”). Purpose 1: Destruction of the Flesh “Flesh” (sarx) here denotes the sinful propensity, not annihilation of the physical body. Paul anticipates severe temporal consequences—social, economic, perhaps physical—that expose the emptiness of sin (cf. Psalm 32:3-4). Church fathers (Tertullian, On Modesty 13) saw the phrase as “penitential suffering.” Purpose 2: Salvation of the Spirit The ultimate goal is restorative: “so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.” Salvation language anticipates eschatological vindication (1 Colossians 3:15; 2 Corinthians 1:14). Discipline is medicinal, not retributive (Hebrews 12:6-11). Canonical Parallels • Job 1-2: Satan permitted to afflict Job under God’s sovereignty. • Luke 22:31-32: “Satan demanded to sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you.” • Revelation 2:20-23: Jesus “casts” Jezebel’s followers into tribulation to prompt repentance. Early Patristic Commentary • Clement of Alexandria (Stromata 4.24) calls the act “chirurgical amputation to save the body.” • Chrysostom (Hom. on 1 Corinthians 15) emphasizes congregational unity: “When the gangrene is cut off, the body is preserved.” • Augustine (Sermon 82) links it to Matthew 18:15-17’s final step, “let him be to you as a pagan.” Theological Implications 1. Church authority: Christ delegates binding/loosing (Matthew 18:18). 2. Satan’s subordination: God employs even evil agents for redemptive ends (Genesis 50:20). 3. Perseverance: Genuine believers ultimately repent; discipline is a means God uses (1 John 3:9). Common Misinterpretations Corrected • Not an exorcism formula; demonic possession is nowhere mentioned. • Not eternal damnation; goal is salvation. • Not vigilantism; the action is communal, orderly, prayerful (v. 4). Practical Steps for Today 1. Private confrontation (Matthew 18:15). 2. Two-or-three witness confirmation (Matthew 18:16). 3. Congregational judgment, accompanied by corporate prayer and grief (1 Corinthians 5:2,4). 4. Removal from ordinances and membership until repentance (2 Colossians 2:6-8 records the man’s restoration). Pastoral Counsel to the Offender • Hold out the promise of restoration (2 Corinthians 7:10). • Encourage accountability and discipleship upon repentance. • Reinforce identity in Christ, not in failure. Ethical and Behavioral Insights Behavioral science affirms that clear boundaries and consistent consequences drive corrective change (operant conditioning, social enclave theory). Scripture anticipated this millennia ago. Conclusion “To deliver this man to Satan” is a solemn, loving act of corporate discipline: temporary expulsion into the world under Satan’s influence, aiming at the mortification of sin and ultimate salvation. It showcases the church’s holiness, God’s sovereignty, and the redemptive hope offered through Christ’s resurrection. |
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