Thomas Aquinas

After the Apostle has pursued those things which pertain to the sacrament of Baptism, here he begins to pursue those things which pertain to marriage. And first he argues against the sin contrary to marriage, namely fornication; second he treats of marriage itself, chapter 7, where it says "now concerning the things you wrote," etc.

Concerning the first he does two things. First he sets down the fault; second he rebukes it, where it says "your glorying is not good," etc.

Concerning the first he does two things. First he sets down the fault of a certain fornicator; second, the fault of the others, who were tolerating the sin of the fornicator, where it says "and you are puffed up," etc.

Concerning the first, first he sets down three things which pertain to the gravity of the fault. First indeed he shows the sin to be notorious, saying: not without cause did I ask, whether you wish that I come to you with a rod. For there is in you something worthy of the rod of discipline, because fornication is heard of among you altogether, in a public manner; against which it is said Eph. 5:3: "but fornication let it not even be named among you"; Isa. 3:9: "they have proclaimed their sin as Sodom, and have not hidden it."

Second, he aggravates the sin by comparison, when he says: and such fornication as is not held lawful or found even among the gentiles. For among the gentiles, simple fornication was not accounted a sin. Whence the apostles, Acts 15:20, to exclude this error, imposed upon the gentiles converted to the faith that they should abstain from fornication. There was, however, a certain species of fornication which was held unlawful even among the gentiles. And therefore he says: so that someone has his father's wife, as it is said Gen. 49:4: "poured out you are like water, may you not increase, for you went up to your father's bed, and defiled his couch." This, however, was horrible even among the gentiles, as being contrary to natural reason. For by the natural reverence of a son toward his parents, in every state and law, the father and the mother are excluded from marriage. So that thus also can be understood what is had in Gen. 2:24: "for this reason a man shall leave father and mother," namely in the contracting of marriage, "and shall cleave to his wife." As indeed it is added there: "and the man and the woman shall be two in one flesh." And therefore the father's wife is excluded from marriage, like the person of the father or of the mother, according to that word Lev. 18:8: "the nakedness of your father's wife you shall not uncover, for it is the nakedness of your father."

Then, when he says "you are puffed up," he sets down the fault of those who were tolerating this sin. And first he reproves their toleration; second he supplies what they were neglecting, where it says "I indeed," etc.

Concerning the first he notes in them three vices. First, pride, when he says "and you are puffed up," namely with the wind of pride, reckoning yourselves innocent by comparison with the sinner, just as, Luke 18:11, the Pharisee said: "I am not as the rest of men, even as also this publican." Wis. 4:19: "I will burst them, puffed up, without a voice."

Second, he touches upon their injustice, when he says "and you have not rather mourned," namely by suffering with the case of the sinner, just as it is said Jer. 9:1: "who will give water to my head, and to my eyes a fountain of tears, that I may weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people?" For true justice, as Gregory says, has compassion, not disdain.

Third, he touches upon their negligence of judgment: "that he who did this deed be taken away from the midst of you." For such compassion of a just man toward a sinner wounds and delivers, according to that word Prov. 23:14: "you strike him with the rod, and you shall deliver his soul from hell." By this also others are corrected, according to that word Prov. 19:25: "the pestilent man being scourged, the fool will become wiser." Whence Eccles. 8:11: "because sentence is not speedily pronounced against the evil, the sons of men commit evils without any fear." But the sinner ought, for the correction of others, sometimes to be separated, where there is fear of contagion, according to that word Prov. 22:10: "cast out the scoffer, and strife shall go out with him, and quarrels and reproaches shall cease."

Then, when he says "I indeed, absent in body," etc., he supplies their negligence, pronouncing sentence against the sinner. And concerning this he does three things. First he sets down the authority of the one judging; second the manner of judging, where it says "you being gathered together," etc.; third the sentence of the judge, where it says "to deliver such a one," etc.

Concerning the first he does two things. First he sets down the authority of the minister, namely of himself. Now it seemed contrary to judicial order that he should condemn one who was absent, according to that word Acts 25:16: "it is not the custom of the Romans to condemn any man, before he who is accused has his accusers present"; but the apostle excuses this, saying "I indeed, absent in body, but present in spirit," that is, in affection and solicitude of mind, according to that word Col. 2:5: "and though I am absent in body, yet in spirit I am with you, rejoicing and seeing your order." Or "present in spirit," because through the spirit he knew the things which were being done among them, as if he were present, just as also Elisha said, 4 Kings 5:26: "was not my heart present, when the man returned from his course?" And because I am present in spirit, I have already judged, that is, I have ordained the sentence of condemnation against him who has so acted.

Second, he sets down the authority of the principal Lord, saying "in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ," that is, in his place and by his authority, or with the power and invocation of his name, according to that word Col. 3:17: "whatever you do, in word or in work, do all in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Then, when he says "you being gathered together into one," he shows the manner of judging, where he touches upon three things: first, the congregation of the faithful, when he says "you being gathered together." For those things which are grave are to be punished by the concordant deliberation of many. Whence also in antiquity judges sat in the gates, where the people gathered, according to that word Deut. 16:18: "you shall appoint judges in all your gates." Whence it is said in Ps. 110:1: "in the council of the just, and in the congregation, great are the works of the Lord." And Matt. 18:20: "where there are two or three gathered in my name, there am I in the midst."

Second, he applies his own assent, when he says "and my spirit," that is, my will and authority, according to what he had said: "but present in spirit." Third, he applies the authority of the principal Lord, namely Christ, saying "with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ," from which the judgment of the Church has the strength of firmness, according to that word Matt. 18:18: "whatsoever you shall bind on earth shall be bound also in heaven."

Then, when he says "to deliver such a one," etc., he sets down the sentence of condemnation, concerning which he sets down three things. First, the penalty, when he says "to deliver such a one to Satan" — supply: I have judged. This can be understood in two ways. First, that, as it is said Matt. 10:8, the Lord gave the apostles power over unclean spirits, that they might cast them out, and by that same power they could command unclean spirits to afflict bodily those whom they judged worthy of this penalty. The apostle therefore commanded the Corinthians, by his authority, to deliver the aforesaid fornicator to Satan to be bodily afflicted. Whence he sets down, second, the effect of this sentence, when he says "unto the destruction of the flesh," that is, unto the vexation of the flesh and the affliction in which he sinned, according to that word Wis. 11:17: "by what things a man sins, by these also he is tormented." Third, he sets down the fruit, when he says "that the spirit may be saved in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ," that is, that he may attain salvation in the day of death, or in the day of judgment, as was expounded above in the third chapter, and thus what is added there is fulfilled: "but he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire," namely of temporal penalty.

For the apostle did not deliver the sinner to Satan that he might be perpetually subject to his power, but that by the affliction of the flesh he might be converted to penance, according to that word Isa. 28:19: "vexation alone shall give understanding to the hearing." This, moreover, is the sentence of the apostle which the Lord observed, Job 2:6, where he said to Satan: "behold, he is in your hand," namely his flesh, "but yet save his soul," namely unharmed.

In another way it can be understood what is said, "to deliver such a one to Satan," namely through the sentence of excommunication, by which someone is separated from the communion of the faithful, and from participation in the sacraments, and is deprived of the suffrages of the Church, by which man is fortified against the assault of Satan; on account of which it is said of the Church, Song 4:9: "terrible as an army set in array," namely to the demons. But what is added, "unto the destruction of the flesh," is understood in this way: that, separated from the Church, and exposed to the temptations of Satan, he may more freely fall into sin, according to that word Apoc., last chapter: "he who is filthy, let him be filthy still." He calls mortal sins "the destruction of the flesh," because, as it is said Gal., last chapter: "he who sows in the flesh, of the flesh shall also reap corruption." He adds, moreover, "that the spirit may be saved," that is, that, recognizing the foulness of his sins, he may be confounded and repent, and thus be healed, according to that word Jer. 31:19: "I am confounded and ashamed, because I have borne the reproach of my youth." It can also be understood that its spirit, namely the Church's, that is, the Holy Spirit of the Church, may be preserved for the faithful unto the day of judgment, lest, namely, they lose him through contagion with the sinner, because, as it is said Wis. 1:5: "the Holy Spirit of discipline will flee from the deceitful," etc.