1 Corinthians 6:7

6:1-8 Christians should not contend with one another, for they are brethren. This, if duly attended to, would prevent many law-suits, and end many quarrels and disputes. In matters of great damage to ourselves or families, we may use lawful means to right ourselves, but Christians should be of a forgiving temper. Refer the matters in dispute, rather than go to law about them. They are trifles, and may easily be settled, if you first conquer your own spirits. Bear and forbear, and the men of least skill among you may end your quarrels. It is a shame that little quarrels should grow to such a head among Christians, that they cannot be determined by the brethren. The peace of a man's own mind, and the calm of his neighbourhood, are worth more than victory. Lawsuits could not take place among brethren, unless there were faults among them.

Now therefore (ἤδη μὲν οὖν) Μὲν οὖν nay, as in 1 Corinthians 6:4, at once looks back to the preceding thought, and continues it, bringing under special consideration the fact that brother goes to law with brother. Ἤδη already or at once is a temporal adverb, but with a logical force and enhancing the nay. The connection of thought is: Is there not one wise man among you who is competent to act as an arbitrator between brethren, so that christian brethren must needs take their differences into the civil courts and before heathen judges? Nay; such a proceeding at once implies the existence of a litigious spirit generally, which is unchristian, and detrimental to you. Fault among you (ἥττημα ἐν ὑμῖν) Only here and Romans 11:12. See note. Ἥττημα fault, is from ἥττων less. Lit., diminution, decrease. Hence used in the sense of defeat, Isaiah 31:8 : "Young men shall be discomfited lit., shall be for diminution." Similarly the kindred verb ἡττάομαι, in 2 Corinthians 12:13, made inferior; and in 2 Peter 2:19, 2 Peter 2:20, overcome. See note there. Compare 2 Macc. 10:24. In classical Greek ἧττα means defeat, and is contrasted with νίκη victory by Plato and Thucydides. The meaning here is loss. Ἑν among is omitted by the best texts, so that we should read a loss to you, which Rev. gives in margin, reading in the text a defect in you.

The spirit of litigation which runs into wrong and fraud (1 Corinthians 6:8) is a source of damage, resulting in forfeiture of the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9), and in loss of spiritual power. Ye go to law (κρίματα ἔχετε) Rev., more correctly, ye have lawsuits. Not the same phrase as in 1 Corinthians 6:6. Κρίμα in the New Testament almost universally means judgment or decree, as Romans 5:16. See on 2 Peter 2:3. In classical Greek it has also the meaning of the matter of judgment, the question in litigation. So Aeschylus: "The matter (κρίμα) is not easy to judge. Choose me not as judge" ("Suppliants," 391). Here the meaning is legal proceedings, lawsuits. So in Septuagint, Job 31:13; Exodus 23:6. Suffer yourselves to be defrauded (ἀποστερεῖσθε) Rev., more literally, "why not rather be defrauded?" In classical Greek the word means, 1. to rob or despoil. 2. to detach or withdraw one's self from a person or thing. Ἁποστερεῖν ἑαυτόν was a regular phrase for separation from civic life. So Oedipus says: "I, noblest of the sons of Thebes, have cut myself off (ἀπεστέρης ἐμαυτόν. Sophocles, "Oedipus Tyrannus," 1381). 3. To withhold or avert. So Io to Prometheus: "Do not, after proffering me a benefit, withhold it" ("Prometheus," 796). The maidens say: "May King Zeus avert the hateful marriage" (Aeschylus, "Suppliants," 1063). In the New Testament the word occurs five times. In Mark 10:19, defraud not is apparently Mark's rendering of the tenth commandment.

1 Corinthians 6:7-8 . Now therefore — But, indeed, there is plainly a fault in you, whoever may have the right on his side; that ye go to law with one another — Or that ye quarrel with one another at all, whether ye go to law or not. Why do ye not rather take, or suffer, wrong — Endure it patiently, and sit down with the loss? Why do ye not suffer yourselves to be defrauded — Rather than seek a remedy in such a way as this? All men cannot, or will not, receive this saying. Many aim only at this, “I will neither do wrong nor suffer it.” These are honest heathen, but no Christians. Nay — Αλλα , but, ye are so far from bearing injuries and frauds, that ye do wrong to, or injure openly, and defraud — Privately, and that even your Christian brethren.

{6} Now therefore there is utterly a {e} fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. {7} Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded? (6) Now he goes further also, and even though by granting them private arbiters out of the congregation of the faithful, he does not simply condemn, but rather establishes private judgments, so that they are exercise without offence. Yet he shows that if they were such as they ought to be, and as it were to be wished, they should not need to use that remedy either. (e) A weakness of mind which is said to be in those that allow themselves to be overcome by their lusts, and it is a fault that differs greatly from temperance and moderation: so that he nips those who could not endure an injury done to them. (7) This pertains chiefly to the other part of the reprehension, that is, that they went to law even under infidels, whereas they should rather have suffered any loss, than to have given that offence. But yet this is generally true, that we ought rather to depart from our right, than try the uttermost of the law hastily, and upon an affection to revenge an injury. But the Corinthians cared for neither, and therefore he says that they must repent, unless they will be shut out of the inheritance of God.

(7) A fault. —Better, a falling short of your privilege and dignity as Christians. It is the same word as is rendered “diminishing” in Romans 11:12 . The Apostle in this verse goes one step farther, and condemns the Corinthians, not only on the ground of the tribunals to which they resorted being heathen, but further condemns the spirit of litigation itself. He reminds them of how such a temper of mind is the very opposite of that which the Lord Himself had commended to His followers ( Matthew 5:40 ).

1 Corinthians 6:7 . Ὅλως ) A particle implying a feeling; comp. ch. 1 Corinthians 5:1 [note]: it is opposed by implication to μηδόλως . You ought to have no cases ὄλως , at all , against one another, but you have ὅλως , after all, notwithstanding .— ἥττημα , [ a fault ] defect ) even on the part of him, who has the juster cause, and thinks he has the superior cause [ Matthew 5:39 .] He does not say, sin , yet this readily is added in such cases, 1 Corinthians 5:8 ; defect [ fault ] and praise are in opposition; comp. 1 Corinthians 11:17 , note. Praise is not indeed expressly found in this passage. Some such antithetic word, however, is intended, because he does not expressly use the term, sin , either. The thing which is praised , is something as it were more blooming and uncommon than the mere action agreeable to the law. So in its opposite.— ὑμῖν , to you ) There is a similar dative in 1 Corinthians 15:32 .[48]— μᾶλλον , rather ) all men do not understand this word rather . Many desire neither to injure nor to be injured. They do not attempt to inflict an injury, which is a mere pretence to moderation in regard to justice.— ἀδικεῖσθε ) suffer wrong , in the Middle voice; as ἀποστερεῖσθε . [48] Κρίματα , trials ) Although concerning a cause not unjust.—V. g.

Verse 7. - Now therefore; rather, Nay more, already. Utterly ; rather, generally , "altogether," "looking at the question as a whole." A fault. The word means "a defect," or possibly "a loss" ( Romans 11:12 , "the diminishing"). Your going to law is an inferiority or deficiency; you ought to know of "a more excellent way." Why do ye not rather take wrong? Strange as such advice would sound to heathens, who prided themselves on the passionate resentment of injuries as though it were a virtue, this had been the distinct teaching of our Lord; "Resist not evil" ( Matthew 5:39 ). 1 Corinthians 6:7

7. utterly a fault—literally, "a shortcoming" (not so strong as sin). Your going to law at all is a falling short of your high privileges, not to say your doing so before unbelievers, which aggravates it. rather take wrong—(Pr 20:22; Mt 5:39, 40); that is, "suffer yourselves to be wronged."