7 September 2020

For our paschal lamb, Christ, has been sacrificed. Therefore, let us celebrate the festival, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

 (1 Cor 5:1-8 NRSV)

At the beginning of this reading, Paul has the difficult task of confronting the recently established Christian community in Corinth about an incidence of sexual immorality that has not been dealt with by the community. Paul has been reliably informed that a member of the community is living with his father’s wife. This was not unheard of in the pagan world where such a marriage would ensure that property stayed within the family of the deceased.  One can imagine Paul’s sadness and dismay at having to bring up such a subject, but he wants the community to remember that because of Christ’s sacrifice, there is no need to continue living with an acceptance of the “old ways” . Whilst Paul wants the man in question to be punished by temporary removal from the community, he also wants the punishment to help the man to mend his ways. Just as a small amount of bad yeast can destroy a whole loaf, Paul does not want the community to become corrupted by turning a blind eye to corruption amongst any of  its members.

• • Why does Paul feel this is an issue that needs to be dealt with urgently?  
  • Is Paul were to write to your local Christian community, what are the issues he would point out as necessary to be dealt with?

Pray for those in our communities who have brought the church into disrepute by their actions and for the victims of their actions. Pray also for those charged with the difficult task of dealing with such incidents.