1 Corinthians 6:5

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,

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.''

---

FOOTNOTES:

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

1 Corinthians 6:5 In-Context

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,

6 but brother goes to law with brother, and that before unbelievers?

7 To say no more, then, it is altogether a defect in you that you have law-suits with one another. Why not rather endure injustice? Why not rather submit to being defrauded?