5:1
Paul now starts to deal with a number of practical issues. Some of these, such as the one addressed in this chapter, he became aware of through reports of one kind or another. Others were questions that the Corinthians themselves had raised with Paul (1 Cor 7:1). The matter here is one of sexual immorality, and involves a case of incest. A man was sleeping with his father’s wife. This was prohibited in the Old Testament (Lev 18:8; Deut 22:30), and it was even looked down upon in the pagan world. This was a measure of how terrible it was. It is likely that the woman was the man’s step mother, rather than his birth mother.
5:2
“And you are proud!” The Corinthians had a high opinion of themselves, yet they were tolerating this sort of disgusting behaviour. Instead of being proud they should have been in mourning that such a thing could happen among them. The common attitude in much of the church today when someone sins is not to be “judgemental”. Not considering ourselves better than others is a good reaction (Gal 6:1-4), but sin must be taken most seriously (James 4:9). The man should have been dealt with seriously, he should have been put out of the fellowship.
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