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Commentary on the First Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians, Chapter 5:

Chapter 5 brings us into the section of this letter where Paul responds to what has been reported to him about the Church in Corinth. What Paul is aware of could have been what was relayed to him by Chloe’s people (1:11) or information reported to him through other messengers or written correspondence. These sections are like a modern Q&A—question and answer session where Paul answers the issue at hand and then builds in supporting teachings (probably beyond what the people in Corinth might have expected!). The first thing we hear of “reported” to Paul is that a particular member of the community is acting immorally to a degree “not found even among pagans” (vs. 1) and even more concerningly to Paul, “you are arrogant” about the behavior. Instead, Paul wants the community to “mourn” and not associate with this believer who is acting immorally, until this person repents (vs. 2, 5, 11, 13). Paul emphasizes that this approach is only for those who are already part of the Christian community. Those who are not believers, are not to be avoided or judged for behavior considered immoral for a Christian (vs. 9-13).

First Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthian,  Chapter 5:

Sexual Immorality Defiles the Church

1 It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and of a kind that is not found even among pagans; for a man is living with his father’s wife. 2 And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be re­moved from among you.
3 For though absent in body I am present in spirit, and as if pres­ent, I have already pronounced judgment 4 in the name of the Lord Jesus on the man who has done such a thing. When you are assembled, and my spirit is pres­ent, with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5 you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruc­tion of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
6 Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens all the dough? 7 Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be new dough, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Pas­chal Lamb, has been sacrificed. 8 Let us, therefore, celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Immorality and Judgment

9 I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with immoral men; 10 not at all meaning the immoral† of this world, or the greedy and robbers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. 11 But rather I wrote to you not to associate with any one who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of immo­rality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or robber— not even to eat with such a one. 12 For what have I to do with judg­ing outsiders? Is it not those in­ side the Church whom you are to judge? 13 God judges those out­ side. “Drive out the wicked person from among you.”

*Daily Lectio Divina Question:

St. Paul points out the problem with arrogance, boasting, and pride is that they can prevent us from recognizing our sins, repenting of them, and asking for the mercy of Christ. These faults act as roadblocks in seeing clearly what we need to repent of. Where are these elements present in my own life? What sins are they attached to? What sins have I not been able to overcome because my pride has caused me to hold onto them? Present these to the Lord, and ask for his mercy and forgiveness.

Revised Standard Version; Second Catholic Edition. (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2006).
Permission to use the RSV-2CE given for Bishop's Year of the Bible by Ignatius Press. Many thanks to Ignatius for this. If you're looking for a good Catholic edition of the Bible, look no further