but brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers?
Here the apostle reproves them for going to law with one another before heathen judges for little matters; and therein blames all vexatious law-suits. In the previous chapter he had directed them to punish heinous sins among themselves by church-censures. Here he directs them to determine controversies with one another by church-counsel and advice, concerning which observe, I. The fault he blames them for: it was going to law.
Commenting on 1 Corinthians 6:1-8
But brother goeth to law with brother,.... The relation meant is spiritual; it was usual for members of churches to be called brethren, they professing to be born again of the same Father, and belonging to the same family under Christ, the son, firstborn, and master of it: and a very wicked and shameful thing it was, that persons in such a relation, being of...
Verse 6. But brother, etc. One Christian goes to law with another. This is designed as a reproof. This was wrong, (1.) because they ought rather to take wrong and suffer themselves to be injured, ; (2.) because they might have chosen some persons to settle the matter by arbitration, without a formal trial; and, (3.) because the civil constitution would have allowed them to...