1 Corinthians 6:5

5 I say this to shame you. Surely there is someone among you wise enough to judge a complaint between believers.

1 Corinthians 6:5 Meaning and Commentary

1 Corinthians 6:5

I speak to your shame
Not that they did set such persons to judge, but that they did not; and instead of so doing went to law with their brethren before the unjust:

is it so that there is not a wise man among you?
this also the apostle speaks to their shame, who had so much gloried in their wisdom, and boasted of their parts and abilities to the contempt of others, and even of the apostle himself; and yet acted as if there was not a wise man among them capable of judging and determining trivial matters, but they must carry them before unconverted persons:

no not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren?
for though the above mentioned benches consisted of three persons, yet the contending parties might choose one man to be an arbitrator and judge between them. The rule with the Jews was this ^F6;

``pecuniary judgments are by three, but if he is authorised or approved by the majority, (ydyxy wlypa Nd) , "he may judge alone". Says R. Nachman, as I judge pecuniary judgments alone; and so says R. Chaijah, as I judge pecuniary punishments alone.''

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FOOTNOTES:

F6 T. Bab. Sanhed. fol. 5. 1. Maimon. Hilch. Sanhed. c. 5. sect. 8.

1 Corinthians 6:5 In-Context

3 You know that in the future we will judge angels, so surely we can judge the ordinary things of this life.

4 If you have ordinary cases that must be judged, are you going to appoint people as judges who mean nothing to the church?

5 I say this to shame you. Surely there is someone among you wise enough to judge a complaint between believers.

6 But now one believer goes to court against another believer -- and you do this in front of unbelievers!

7 The fact that you have lawsuits against each other shows that you are already defeated. Why not let yourselves be wronged? Why not let yourselves be cheated?