1 Corinthians 6:2, 3 Do you not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you… The Christian disciples are called "saints," not because they are actually holy, but because they are (1) consecrated to God; (2) separated for the world; (3) under moral obligation to seek for and attain personal holiness. St. Paul here speaks of them as "saints," to remind them that they hold their Christian standing by virtue of their character, that their "goodness was to be their power. The word judge" should be treated as the equivalent of "govern;" it does not, as used by St. Paul here, merely mean "give legal decisions." Illustrate by the work of the judges in ancient Israel; they were virtually rulers of the country. I. THE SAINTS' JUDGMENT OF THE WORLD. F. W. Robertson says, "Successively have force, hereditary right, talent, wealth, been the aristocracies of the earth. But then, in that kingdom to come, goodness shall be the only condition of supremacy." For the idea of our sharing with Christ in the judgment, at his second coming, see Daniel 7:22; Matthew 19:28; Luke 22:30. It is better, however, to impress the point that the actual presence of good men in the world, in society, is a constant testing and showing up of the evil of the world. II. THE SAINTS' JUDGMENT OF ANGELS. This must refer to evil angels (comp. 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 1:6). We may, however, treat it as an intense expression of the apostle's, uttered under the deep impress of all that might be involved in the spiritual union of Christ and his people. Christ rules the angels, and so do we, since we are in him. "It is better to regard the passage as a climax arising out of the apostle's intense realization of the unity of Christ and his Church triumphant - a point which seems ever present to the mind of St. Paul when he speaks of the dignity of Christianity. In this sense, redeemed humanity will be superior to, and judges of, the spiritual world." III. THE SAINTS' JUDGMENT OF EVERYDAY MATTERS. The argument of the apostle is that, if they recognize their high standing and privilege, and the power and responsibility of judging such external things as the "world" and the "angels," they ought also, and much more anxiously, to recognize their power to rule and judge all small matters arising within the Christian fellowship. What must be their condition if they could not find among themselves an efficient arbitrator? Illustrate by our Lord's advice to his disciples in relation to their disputes. (1) The two disputants were to confer together; (2) if that failed to settle the difficulty, then two or three witnesses might be brought into the conference; if that also failed, then (3) the matter was to be told to the Church, and its decision sought. The apostle does but find adaptation for the comprehensive principle which was laid down by Christ, and can be equally adapted by us in the perplexities and misunderstandings of Church and social life. - R.T. Parallel Verses KJV: Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? |
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