1 Corinthians 6:3

3 Do you not know that we are to sit in judgement upon angels--to say nothing of things belonging to this life?

1 Corinthians 6:3 Meaning and Commentary

1 Corinthians 6:3

Know ye not that we shall judge angels
Meaning not the ministers of the Gospel, and pastors of churches, called "angels", ( Revelation 1:20 ) whose doctrines are examined, tried, and judged by the saints, according to the word of God; nor the good angels, who, were it possible that they could, or should publish a Gospel contrary to what has been preached by the apostle, would be contradicted, condemned, and accursed by him, see ( Galatians 1:8 Galatians 1:9 ) but the evil angels, the devil and his angels: and this is to be understood not of their future final judgment and condemnation at the last day, when saints will subscribe unto, and approve of the sentence pronounced upon them, and will triumph over them in their destruction; but of the judgment of them, and of their ejection out of the Gentile world, out of their oracles, idols, and idol temples, to which Christ refers, ( John 12:31 ) and calls the judgment of this world, and the casting out of the prince of it by the ministry of his apostles; and which was now already begun, and ere long would be fully accomplished: accordingly the Syriac version renders it, "know ye not (Nnynyd akalmld) , that we are about to judge angels?" and the Arabic, "know ye not that we judge angels?" from whence the apostle infers very justly,

how much more things that pertain to this life?
this animal life; to the trade and business of life; to pecuniary matters, to estates and possessions in this world, about which differences may arise between one saint and another.

1 Corinthians 6:3 In-Context

1 If one of you has a grievance against an opponent, does he dare to go to law before irreligious men and not before God's people?

2 Do you not know that God's people will sit in judgement upon the world? And if you are the court before which the world is to be judged, are you unfit to deal with these petty matters?

3 Do you not know that we are to sit in judgement upon angels--to say nothing of things belonging to this life?

4 If therefore you have things belonging to this life which need to be decided, is it men who are absolutely nothing in the Church--is it *they* whom you make your judges?

5 I say this to put you to shame. Has it come to this, that there does not exist among you a single wise man competent to decide between a man and his brother,