1 Corinthians 5 – a study about sexual sin, using Passover imagery

Here is a surprising teaching from 1 Corinthian 5, concerning sexual sin – which is just as prevalent today as it was in "biblical times."

Take a look:

1 Corinthians 5:1. In short, it is reported, there is sexual sin among you; and such sexual sin as is not even named among the pagans, that a son should even take the wife of his father. 2. And you are puffed up, and have not rather sat down in grief, that he who has done this deed might be separated from you.

3. And I, while distant from you in body but present with you in spirit, have already, as if present, judged him who perpetrated this deed; 4. That all of you assemble together, in the name of our Master Y’shua Mashiyach,* and I with you in spirit, together with the power of our Master Y’shua Mashiyach; 5. And that you deliver him over to Satan, for the destruction of the flesh, that in spirit he may have life, in the day of our Master Y’shua Mashiyach. (AENT)

* That “name” - Y’shua Mashiyach - is the same as YHWH’s (John 17:11) and means “YHWH is salvation.” Once the basic understanding is in place of how all this comes from YHWH, it is acceptable to gather it all together and declare this affirmation of faith in YHWH and give thanks to His Son.

Now here is something most of you have probably never heard – this passage contains some Passover references to this “sexual sin” issue … passages that even serve to help explain what Passover is all about.

1 Corinthians 5:6. Your bragging is not praiseworthy. Don’t you know, that a little leaven leavens the whole mass? 7. Purge out from you the old leaven,** that you may be a new mass, as you are unleavened. For our Passover is the Mashiyach, who was slain for us.*** 8. Therefore let us celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, nor with the leaven of wickedness and bitterness, but with the leaven of purity and sanctity.

** According to the Aramaic, the word for “leaven” here is makhmae, the cognate in Hebrew of which is chometz. Therefore, Rav Shaul is teaching the Corinthians by using Passover imagery, by commanding them to purge the chometz from the house of their hearts, so that they can be sanctified. Of course, the rest of this verse and the next proves this interpretation.

*** While Y’shua was certainly slain, it is imperative to remember that he was NOT “sacrificed”; he was our substitute, the one who willingly redeemed us! Not to mention, the original "Passover lambs" were not even "sin offerings" as most people seem to believe. Those lambs served as SUBSTITUTES; they were OFFERED, not "sacrificed."

BOTTOM LINE: The "angel of death" passed over the believing Hebrews when the lamb's blood was on their door posts. So, the lamb's blood was offered as a SUBSTITUTE, giving the Hebrew first-born males the chance to live. Likewise – the Divine Blood of Y’shua REDEEMED you and me because he willingly “sacrificed” his life on our behalf… (For more on this, please see our website’s article, Was Yeshua the Passover Lamb -https://www.therefinersfire.org/passover_lamb.htm)

Continuing with the lesson on sexual sin in 1 Corinthians 5:

1 Corinthians 5:9. I wrote to you by letter, not to mingle with sexual sinners. 10. But I say not, with the sexual sinners who are in the world, nor (speak I) of the avaricious, or of the rapacious, or of the idol-worshippers, otherwise you would be obliged to go out of the world.

11. But this is what I wrote to you, that you don’t mix, if anyone is called a brother, and is a sexual sinner, or avaricious, or an idol-worshipper, or a charlatan, or a drunkard, or rapacious, with him who is such, not even to eat bread.**** 12. For what business have I to judge them who are without? But those within the body, judge you, 13. And those without, Elohim judges; and remove you the wickedness from among you. (AENT)

NOTES:

**** Breaking of bread, of course, is a timeworn Middle Eastern custom that is done only with family and friends. If you cannot eat with someone (as Peter tried to separate himself in Galatians 2:13), then you cannot associate with them at all.

If the sinner was out of the assembly, you were not permitted to persecute them. However, you could, and in fact you must, demand that such a person put away detestable habits if they are to join the assembly and partake of the communal and havdilah meals that Y’shua and his disciples enjoyed.

THE LESSON here is that we cannot and should not “mix” with sinners. YHWH has always expected HIS people to be HOLY – set apart from the world. We can’t be set apart if we make excuses….