1 Corinthians 5:6-8 | |
6. Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? | 6. Non est bona gloriatio vestra: an nescitis, quod exiguum fermentum totam massam fermentat? |
7. Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us. | 7. Expurgate ergo vetus fermentum, ut sitis nova conspersio, sicut estis azymi: nam Pascha nostrum pro nobis immolatum est, Christus.1 |
8. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. | 8. Proinde epulemur non in fermento veteri, neque in fermento malitiae et pravitatis, sed in azymis sinceritatis veritatis.2 |
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We come now to the subject-matter. Paul, having it in view to exhort the Corinthians to holiness, shows that what was of old figuratively represented in the passover, ought to be at this day accomplished in us, and explains the correspondence which exists between the figure and the reality. In the first place, as the passover consisted of two parts -- a sacrifice and a sacred feast -- he makes mention of both. For although some do not reckon the paschal lamb to have been a sacrifice, yet reason shows that it was properly a sacrifice, for in that rite the people were reconciled to God by the sprinkling of blood. Now there is no reconciliation without a sacrifice; and, besides, the Apostle now expressly confirms if, for he makes use of the word
8. Now, in the solemnity of this sacred feast we must abstain from
1 "Nostre Pasque, assavoir Christ;" -- "Our passover, namely, Christ."
2 "Avec pains sans leuain, c'est a dire, de syncerite et de verite;" -- "With unleavened bread, that is to say, of sincerity and truth."
3 "Ha en ce passage un mesme sens comme ce qu'on dit communeement, Qu'ilne faut qu'vne brebis rongneuse pour gaster tout le troupeau;" -- "Has in this passage the same meaning as what is commonly said: -- There needs but one diseased sheep to infect a whole flock."
4 --
grex totus in agris
Unius scabie cadit, et porrigine porci:
Uvaque conspecta livorem ducit ab uva.
Juv. II. 79-81.
5 "Would any one," asks Hervey, (in his Theroa and Aspasio, volume 1,) "venture to say -- 'Paul our passover is sacrificed for us?' Yet this, I think, may be, or rather is in effect said, by the account which some persons give of Christ's satisfaction. The very thought of such a blasphemous absurdity is too painful and offensive for the serious Christian to dwell upon. I would therefore direct his attention to a more pleasing object. Let him observe the exquisite skill which here and everywhere conducts the zeal of our inspired writer. The odes of Pindar are celebrated for their fine transitions, which, though bold and surprising, are perfectly natural. We have in this place," (1 Corinthians 5:7) "a very masterly stroke of the same beautiful kind. The Apostle, speaking of the incestuous criminal, passes, by a most artful digression, to his daring topic -- a crucified Savior. Who would have expected it on such an occasion? Yet, when thus admitted, who does not see and admire both the propriety of the subject and the delicacy of its introduction?" -- Ed.
6 Our Author gives a similar definition of the expression the old man, when commenting on Romans 6:6. "Totam antem naturam significat, quam afterlinus ex utero, quae adeo regni Dei capax non est, ut interire eatenus oporteat, quatenus in veram vitam instauramur;" -- "It denotes the whole of that nature which we bring with us from the womb, and is so far from being fit for the kingdom of God, that it must perish, in so far as we are renewed to a true life." -- Ed.
7 "Assauoir, Pasque;" -- "Namely, passover."
8 Charnock makes the following pointed observations on the form of expression here employed: -- "Christ the Passover -- i.e. the paschal lamb. The lamb was called the passover. The sign for the thing signified by it. 2 Chronicles 35:11. And they killed the passover, i.e. the lamb; for the passover was properly the angel's passing over Israel, when he was sent as an executioner of God's wrath upon the Egyptians. So Matthew 26:17. Where shall we prepare for thee to eat the passover? i.e. the paschal lamb. Our passover, i.e. our paschal lamb. He is called God's lamb, John 1:29. God's in regard of the author, ours in regard of the end: God's lamb in regard of designation, ours in regard of acceptation. Our passover, i.e. not only of the Jews, but of the Gentiles. That was restrained to the Israelitish nation, this extends, in the offers of it, to all, and belongs to all that are under the new administration of the covenant of grace. For us, (
9 "I1 ne reste plus sinon que nous en soyons nourris;" -- "Nothing remains, but that we be nourished by it."
10 Our author most probably alludes to Exodus 12:14, "And this day shall be unto you for a memorial," etc. The term used in the Septuagint is