1 Corinthians 6:3

1Co 6:3. Ἀγγέλους, angels) Those who are not holy [referring to saints], and so also wicked men. The article is not added; a gradation in respect of the world [i.e. an ascending climax, arguing a fortiori; if angels, much more the world].—βιωτικὰ, things belonging to life) worthless if they be compared with angels.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Co_6:3-4. Climactic parallels to 1Co_6:2, 1Co_6:3 corresponding to the first half of the preceding verse, and 1Co_6:4 to the second; hence 1Co_6:4 also should be taken as a question.

ἀγγέλους] angels, and thatsince no defining epithet is addedin the good sense, not as Chrysostom, Theodoret, Oecumenius, Theophylact, Erasmus, Beza, Calovius, Bengel, and most commentators make it, demons (Jud_1:6; 2Pe_2:4), nor good and bad angels (so Cornelius a Lapide, al[895]; also, as it would appear, Hofmann). Other expositors, such as Grotius, Billroth, Rückert, de Wette, leave the point undecided. But comp on 1Co_4:9. That angels themselves shall come within the sphere of the judicial activity of glorified believers, is stated here as a proposition established to the believing consciousness of the readers,a proposition, the ground for which is to be found in the fact that in Christ, whose glorified saints will reign with Him, is given the absolute truth and the absolute right, and, consequently, the highest judicial court of resort, even as regards the world of angels, from the jurisdiction of which not even the loftiest of created beings can be excepted. There is nothing of a more detailed nature on this subject in the N. T.; but comp in general, Heb_1:14, according to which their service must be one for which they are to render an account; and Gal_1:8, according to which, in a certain supposed case, they would incur an ἀνάθεμα.[898] All modes of explaining away the simple meaning of the words are just as inadmissible as in 1Co_6:2; as, for example, Chrysostom: ὅταν γὰρ αἱ ἀσώματοι δυνάμεις αὗται ἔλαττον ἡμῶν εὑρεθῶσιν ἔχουσαι τῶν σάρκα περιβεβλημένων, χαλεπωτέραν δώσουσι δίκην; Erasmus: vestra pietas illorum impietatem, vestra innocentia illorum impuritatem condemnabit; Calovius: the judicium is approbativum, making manifest, that is to say, before the whole world the victory of the saints already in this life over the devil; Lightfoot: what is meant is, that the influence of the kingdom of Satan is to be destroyed by Christianity; while Nösselt, Ernesti, and Stolz make it ability to judge, if an angel were to preach a false gospel (Gal_1:8).

μήτιγε βιωτικά] is not to be included in the question, so that we should have to put only a comma after κρινοῦμεν (as Tischendorf does). For βιωτικά, things which belong to the necessities of this life, disputes as to the meum and tuum, (comp Polybius, xiii. 1. 3 : τῶν βιωτικῶν συναλλαγμάτων), will not be among the subjects of the future judgment, to which κρινοῦμεν refers. We must retain, therefore, the mark of interrogation after κρινοῦμεν (Lachmann), and put a full stop after βιωτ., so that μήτιγε βιωτ. may be seen to be the condensed conclusio: to say nothing then of private disputes! i.e. How far less can it be doubtful that we have to judge βιωτικά! Comp Dem. Ol. i. (ii.) 23, and Bremi in loc[901] p. 159. See generally as to μήτιγε (found only here in the N. T.), nedum sc[902] dicam; Herm. a[903] Viger. p. 803; Schaefer, Appar. ad Dem. I. p. 265; Hartung, Partikell. II. p. 154 f. Regarding the relation of βιωτικός to the later Greek, see Lobeck, a[904] Phryn. p. 355.

The antithesis of ἀγγέλους and βιωτικά turns on this, that the former belong to the higher superterrestrial sphere of life (ὡς ἂν ἐκείνων οὐ κατὰ τὸν βίον τοῦτον ὄντων, Theodore of Mopsuestia). The ἀγγέλ. without the, article is qualitative.

[895] l. and others; and other passages; and other editions.

[898] Observe also the different classes of angels referred to in Rom_8:38; Eph_1:21; Col_1:16; 1Pe_3:22. We cannot conceive these distinctions in rank to exist without ethical grounds. Moreover, the angels are not to be regarded as absolutely good, Mar_10:18. Comp. on Col_1:20.

[901] n loc. refers to the note of the commentator or editor named on the particular passage.

[902] c. scilicet.

[903] d refers to the note of the commentator or editor named on the particular passage.

[904] d refers to the note of the commentator or editor named on the particular passage.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Co 6:3 . The question of 1Co 6:2 urged to its climax: “Know you not that we shall judge angels? ” Paul already does this, hypothetically, in Gal 1:8 . Instructed through the Church (Eph 3:10 ), the heavenly powers will be subject to final correction from the same quarter. The angels were identified, in later Jewish thought, with the forces of nature and the destiny of nations (Psa 104:4 ; Dan 10:13 ; Dan 12:1 ); they must be affected by any judgment embracing the κόσμος . “There is, it seems, a solidarity between the Princes of the nations ( cf. Paul’s ἀρχαὶ κ . ἐξουσίαι , 1Co 15:24 , etc.) and the nations directed by them; according to Shir rabba , 27 b , God does not punish a people until He has first humbled its Angel-prince in the higher world, and according to Tanchuma, Beshallach , 13, He will hereafter judge the nations only when He has first judged their Angel-princes” (Weber, Altsynag. paläst. Théologie , p. 165); Satan is κατʼ ἐξοχὴν “the god of this world”(2Co 4:4 ; cf. Joh 14:30 , Luk 4:6 ), and has his “angels” whom P. styles “world-rulers” (Eph 6:12 , Mat 25:41 ). On the throne of world-judgment Christ will sit (Act 17:31 , Mat 25:31 f.), and “the saints” sc. after their own acquittal as His assessors. κρινοῦσιν in this context qualifies its objects as culpable; cf. ἵνα καταργήσῃ in 1Co 15:24 ; also 1Co 5:12 above, and other parls. The anarthrous ἀγγέλους signifies beings of this order, in contrast with men ( cf. 1Co 4:9 ; also Jud 1:6 ); “P. does not wish to mark out this or that class of angels, but to awaken in the Church the sense of its competence and dignity by reminding it that beings of this lofty nature will one day be subject to its jurisdiction” (Gd [898] ; also El [899] ). μήτιγε βιωτικά ( nedum quidem: not surely a continued interrog., as W.H [900] punctuate) in sharp contrast to “angels” “(to say) nothing verily of secular matters!”. μήτιγε ( sc. λέγωμεν ) is a N.T. h.l [901] , a sound cl [902] idiom (see Lidd [903] on μήτις , also El [904] ad. loc. ), negative syn [905] for πόσῳ μᾶλλον (Rom 11:12 ; Rom 11:24 ); for the γε , cf. 1Co 4:8 . βιωτικός , of later Gr [906] (after Aristotle), denotes matters relating to βίος (one’s “living”), which differs from ζωὴ as vita quam from vita qua vivimus “quae ad hujus vitæ usum pertinent” (Bz [907] ), or “ad victum pertinentia” (Cv [908] ); see Lt [909] ad loc [910] , and Trench, Syn [911] , § 27.

[898] F. Godet’s Commentaire sur la prem. Ép. aux Corinthiens (Eng. Trans.).

[899] C. J. Ellicott’s St. Paul’s First Epistle to the Corinthians .

[900] Westcott and Hort’s The New Testament in Greek: Critical Text and Notes.

[901] .l. hapax legomenon , a solitary expression.

[902] classical.

[903]idd. Liddell and Scott’s Greek-English Lexicon.

[904] C. J. Ellicott’s St. Paul’s First Epistle to the Corinthians .

[905] synonym, synonymous.

[906] Greek, or Grotius’ Annotationes in N.T.

[907] Beza’s Nov. Testamentum: Interpretatio et Annotationes (Cantab., 1642).

[908] Calvin’s In Nov. Testamentum Commentarii .

[909] J. B. Lightfoot’s (posthumous) Notes on Epp. of St. Paul (1895).

[910] ad locum , on this passage.

[911] synonym, synonymous.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Co_6:3

Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?

As, according to Scripture, only the fallen angels are to be judged in the last day, most commentators suppose the word must here be restricted to that class. Not only men, but fallen angels are to stand before that tribunal on which Christ and his church shall sit in judgment. If agreeably to the constant usage of the Scriptures, according to which (as remarked above, 1Co_4:9) the word when unqualified means good angels, it be understood of that class here, then the explanation is probably to be sought in the comprehensive sense of the word to judge. As kings were always judges, and as the administration of justice was one of the principal functions of their office, hence to rule and to judge are in Scripture often convertible terms. To judge Israel, and to rule Israel, mean the same thing. And in Mat_19:28, sitting on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel, means presiding over the twelve tribes. So in the case before us, Know ye not that we shall judge angels? may mean, Know ye not that we are to be exalted above the angels, and preside over them; shall we not then preside over earthly things? This explanation avoids the difficulty of supposing that the good angels are to be called into judgment; and is consistent with what the Bible teaches of the subordination of angels to Christ, and to the church in him.

Charles Hodge — Commentary on Romans (1835), First Corinthians (1857), and Ephesians (1856) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

judge angels--namely, bad angels. We who are now "a spectacle to angels" shall then "judge angels." The saints shall join in approving the final sentence of the Judge on them (Jde 1:6). Believers shall, as administrators of the kingdom under Jesus, put down all rule that is hostile to God. Perhaps, too, good angels shall then receive from the Judge, with the approval of the saints, higher honors.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 3. Know ye not that we shall judge angels?] Dr. Lightfoot observes that "the apostle does not say here, as he said before, the saints shall judge the angels, but WE shall judge them. By angels, all confess that demons are intended; but certainly all saints, according to the latitude with which that word is understood, i.e. all who profess Christianity, shall not judge angels. Nor is this judging of angels to be understood of the last day; but the apostle speaks of the ministers of the Gospel, himself and others, who, by the preaching of the Gospel, through the power of Christ, should spoil the devils of their oracles and their idols, should deprive them of their worship, should drive them out of their seats, and strip them of their dominion. Thus would God subdue the whole world under the Christian power, so that Christian magistrates should judge men, and Christian ministers judge devils."

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

3. Know ye not that we shall judge angels? This passage is taken in different ways. Chrysostom states that some understood it as referring to priests, but this is exceedingly far-fetched. Others understand it of the angels in heaven, in this sense — that the angels are subject to the judgment of God’s word, and may be judged by us, if need be, by means of that word, as it is said in the Epistle to the Galatians —

If an angel from heaven bring any other gospel, let him be accursed. (Galatians 1:8.)

Nor does this exposition appear at first view unsuitable to the thread of Paul’s discourse; for if all whom God has enlightened by his word are endowed with such authority, that through means of that word they judge not only men but angels too, how much more will they be prepared to judge of small and trivial matters? As, however, Paul speaks here in the future tense, as referring to the last day, and as his words convey the idea of an actual judgment, (as the common expression is,) it were preferable, in my opinion, to understand him as speaking of apostate angels. For the argument will be not less conclusive in this way: “Devils, who sprang from so illustrious an origin, and even now, when they have fallen from their high estate, are immortal creatures, and superior to this corruptible world, shall be judged by us. What then? Shall those things that are subservient to the belly be exempted from our judgment?

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(3) We shall judge angels.—Many conjectures have been made as to the exact significance of the word “angels” here. Some suggest that it must signify bad angels; but this would be an unusual use of the word without any qualifying adjective. It is better, perhaps, to regard the passage as a climax arising out of the Apostle’s intense realisation 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. That the words have some such large significance, and are not the expression of a hard and literal fact regarding some members of the angelic host, is, I think, borne out by the subsequent words, where the contrast to “angels” is not “men,” but “things” relating to this life.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

3. Know ye not that we shall judge angels?] Cf. 2Pe_2:4, and Judges 6. Some have thought that good angels are here meant. But it is difficult to see how (1) men could pronounce sentence upon their conduct openly, or (2) acquit or censure them by the silent sentence of a consistent life. For in the first case there would be no sentence to pronounce, and in the second it would be they who would judge the holiest man that ever lived, and not he who would judge them. “The interpretation squares well with the argument. We shall judge devils, who not only were so noble in their original condition, but are still even when fallen immortal beings. What then! shall the paltry things which concern the belly be withdrawn from our decision?”—Calvin. “The good angels are not hereafter to be judged, but they will form a part of Christ’s glorious retinue when He comes to judgment.”—Wordsworth.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Know ye not that we shall judge angels,.... Meaning not the ministers of the Gospel, and pastors of churches, called "angels", Rev 1:20 whose doctrines are examined, tried, and judged by the saints, according to the word of God; nor the good angels, who, were it possible that they could, or should publish a Gospel contrary to what has been preached by the apostle, would be contradicted, condemned, and accursed by him, see Gal 1:8 but the evil angels, the devil and his angels: and this is to be understood not of their future final judgment and condemnation at the last day, when saints will subscribe unto, and approve of the sentence pronounced upon them, and will triumph over them in their destruction; but of the judgment of them, and of their ejection out of the Gentile world, out of their oracles, idols, and idol temples, to which Christ refers, Joh 12:31 and calls the judgment of this world, and the casting out of the prince of it by the ministry of his apostles; and which was now already begun, and ere long would be fully accomplished: accordingly the Syriac version renders it, "know ye not , that we are about to judge angels?" and the Arabic, "know ye not that we judge angels?" from whence the apostle infers very justly,

how much more things that pertain to this life? this animal life; to the trade and business of life; to pecuniary matters, to estates and possessions in this world, about which differences may arise between one saint and another.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?

Ver. 3. Things that pertain to this, &c.] That serve to and satisfy the body only, being nec vera, nec vestra, Luk 16:11-12.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Shall judge angels - All the angels that shall be judged, good or bad. Probably the reference is to fallen angels, as there is no account that holy angels will then undergo a trial. The sense is, “Christians will be qualified to see the justice of even the sentence which is pronounced on fallen angels. They will be able so to embrace and comprehend the nature of law, and the interests of justice, as to see the propriety of their condemnation. And if they can so far enter into these important and eternal relations, assuredly they ought to be regarded as qualified to discern the nature of justice ‘among men,’ and to settle the unimportant differences which may arise in the church.” Or, perhaps, this may mean that the saints shall in the future world be raised to a rank in some respects more elevated than even the angels in heaven. (Prof. Stuart.) In what respects they will be thus elevated, if this is the true interpretation, can be only a matter of conjecture. It may be supposed that it will be because they have been favored by being interested in the plan of salvation - a plan that has done so much to honor God; and that “to have been” thus saved by the “immediate and painful” intervention of the Son of God, will be a higher honor than all the privileges which beings can enjoy who are innocent themselves.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Judge angels? That is, the wicked angels, the devils. (St. Thomas Aquinas)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

That the saints shall judge angels, is here so plainly asserted, as a thing within their knowledge, that none can doubt it; but how, or when, or what angels, is not so easily determined. The best interpreters understand it of the evil angels, that is, the devils, whom the saints shall judge at the last day, agreeing with the Judge of the whole earth in the sentence which he shall then give against the evil angels, confining them to the bottomless pit, who, while this world lasteth, have a greater liberty as princes of the air, to rove abroad in the air, and to work mightily in the children of disobedience. Others understand the judging of angels here mentioned, of the spoiling of the devils of the kingdom that they exercise in the world, in the places where the gospel hath not prevailed, by lying oracles, and seducing men to idolatry, and the worshipping of devils: in which sense Christ said: Now shall the prince of this world be cast out, Joh 12:31. From hence the apostle argues the competency of their brethren to judge of and to determine those little matters which were in difference between them, being but things concerning this life, and so of far less consequence than the judging of the world and the evil angels at the last day.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

3. Shall judge angels—Our interpretation dismisses the question so puzzling to some commentators, whether good or bad angels, or both, are meant. For Christ, truly, is Lord and Judge of both heaven and hell; of men and angels good and bad; and those who suffer and rejoice in union with his mystical body here will reign in him and with him through eternity.

Hence Olshausen well says, “Angels themselves stand lower in the order of beings than those in whose hearts Christ is formed.”

This symbolism, of which Paul gives us an occasional glimpse, is unfolded in full volume by John in the Apocalypse. The suppression of the cause of Christ on earth is beautifully represented by the symbolical souls of the martyrs under the altar, (Rev_14:4;) and its triumphs by the symbol of these same souls having attained to a first resurrection, and reigning in the spirit-world with Christ, over the evangelized earth. Rev_20:4.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

That we shall judge angels. Angels, i.e. some who belong, or once did belong, to that class. The statement furnishes no data for further speculation. It can hardly mean "evil spirits," for where the word is entirely unqualified it always means good angels; otherwise we might refer it to the "angels which kept not their first estate". (Jud_1:6) It is impossible, and not straightforward, to explain away the word "angels" as meaning Church officials, etc., or to make the word "judge" mean "involve a condemnation of them by comparison with ourselves." All that we can say is that "God chargeth even his angels with folly, and in his sight the very heavens are not clean"; (Job_4:18) and that "to angels hath he not subjected the world to come". (Heb_2:5) We must take the plain meaning of the apostle"s words, whether we can throw any light on his conceptions or not. The only alternative is to suppose that the word means "those who once were good angels," but are now fallen spirits. It was so understood by Tertullian, Chrysostom, etc. How much more; rather, to say nothing of. The accurate rendering of these verses is a matter of some difficulty, but not to an extent which affects the material sense, or which can be explained without a minute knowledge of Greek.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

angels

(See Scofield "Heb 1:4").

The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

3. “Know ye not that we shall rule angels? And not simply things of this life?” In this verse the apostolic eye of Paul sweeps away down the coming ages, overlooking the Millennium, in which the saints will rule the world, peering beyond the general resurrection and final judgment (Rev 20:11-15), and the simultaneous cremation of the earth (2Pe 3:10), and its fiery expurgation from all the pollutions of Satan’s reign, the glorious Creative intervention renewing and transforming it into a bright and beautiful, pure and holy celestial sphere (Rev 21:1) to be reinhabited by the glorified saints (Mat 5:4), who will receive it as an everlasting inheritance to enjoy with other celestial worlds through the flight of eternal ages, the glorified earth ever recognized as our peculiar inheritance, having been created for humanity in the beginning, and also conferred on us as a soldier’s bounty, eternally commemorative of our heroic fidelity during the Lord’s war against sin and Satan. Of course, when this world shall have been sanctified by the purgatorial fires, recreated, beautified, glorified and added back to Heaven, where it belonged before the devil broke it loose in view of adding it to Hell, it will become an angelic resort of universal notoriety, to which multiplied millions of unfallen angels will come that they may visit and enjoy the society of restored and glorified humanity, and especially that they may see the old battle-field of God’s Empire, where His expatriated Son met the hosts of Hell on bloody Calvary, heroically bleeding and dying, but sealing His conquest of this world with His blood. While we will all be delighted with the angelic millions, who will compliment us by their visits and sojourn among us, of course the government of this world will be the peculiar prerogative of humanity, the angels, like the European nobility now visiting the United States, appreciated and honored by all the people, but having no disposition to take part in the government.

William B. Godbey, Commentary on the New Testament (1896–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more, things that pertain to this life? [They were permitting themselves to be judged by those whom they were appointed to judge. To prove that the saints will participate with Christ in the final judgment, the following passages are often cited ( Psa_49:14 ; Dan_7:22-27 ; Mat_19:28 ; Mat_20:23 ; Jud_1:6 ; Rev_2:26 ; Rev_3:21 ; Rev_20:4 ). It is doubtful if any of these are applicable; the manner of our participation is nowhere explained. Barrow suggested that in the order of the judgments the saints would be justified first ( Mat_25:41 ), after which they would sit with Christ as assessors, or associate judges, in the condemnation of the wicked and the evil angels, and his view is pretty generally received. But it is more probable that the saints will only participate as mystically united with Christ the judge, just as, by mystical union, they are kings and priests, though in no sense exercising these offices literally. The church shall judge the world in Christ her head. But the point made by Paul is that those whom God honors by association in so important a judicature may well be entrusted to judge trivial matters; for the weightiest matter of earth is light compared with the questions of eternal destiny decided on that day.]

J. W. McGarvey (with Philip Y. Pendleton), Commentaries on the New Testament (The Fourfold Gospel, 1914; Acts; and the epistles) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

3. Know ye not that we shall judge angels? Evidently the bad angels, who shall be judged when the world is judged.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

3. ἀγγέλους κρινοῦμεν. Cf. 2Pe 2:4, and Jud 1:6. Some have thought that good angels are here meant. But it is difficult to see how (1) men could pronounce sentence upon their conduct openly, or (2) acquit or censure them by the silent sentence of a consistent life. For in the first case there would be no sentence to pronounce, and in the second it would be they who would judge the holiest man that ever lived, and not he who would judge them. And, besides, it is ἀγγέλους, not τοὺς ἀγγέλους, some angels, not all. ‘The interpretation squares well with the argument. We shall judge devils, who not only were so noble in their original condition, but are still even when fallen immortal beings. What then! shall the paltry things which concern the belly be withdrawn from our decision?’—Calvin. ‘The good angels are not hereafter to be judged, but they will form a part of Christ’s glorious retinue when He comes to judgment.’—Bp. Wordsworth.

μήτι γε. To say nothing of.

βιωτικά. βίος relates to our manner of living in this life. Hence βιωτικά means matters concerning this life, worldly affairs, as we now say. Epictetus (in Arrian. Diatrib. I. 26) distinguishes between the θεωρία of the philosopher and the distractions of worldly affairs (βιωτικά).

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

3.] The same glorious office of Christians is again referred to, and even a more striking point of contrast brought out.

ἀγγέλους] always, where not otherwise specified, good angels: and therefore here; the λειτουργικὰ πνεύματα of Heb 1:14: but exactly how we shall judge them, is not revealed to us. Chrys., Theodoret, Œcum., Theophyl., and most Commentators interpret it of bad angels, or of bad and good together: and Chrys. as before, understands that the bad angels will be condemned by comparison with us, ὅταν γὰρ αἱ ἀσώματοι δυνάμεις αὐταὶ ἔλαττον ἡμῶν εὑρεθῶσιν ἔχουσαι τῶν σάρκα περιβεβλημένων, χαλεπώτερον δώσουσι δίκην. p. 138. But see above on ver. 2.

μήτιγε, to say nothing of, ‘ut omittam:’ so Demosth. p. 24. 23, οὐκ ἔνι δʼ αὐτὸν ἀργοῦντα οὐδὲ τοῖς φίλοις ἐπιτάττειν ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ τι ποιεῖν, μή τί γε δὴ τοῖς θεοῖς. See Hartung, Partikellehre, ii. 155.

βιωτικά, matters relating to ὁ βίος, a man’s livelihood: see ref. and Alex. Strom. vii. 12 [69], p. 873 P., θλιβόμενον ἐπικουφίζει παραμνθίαις …, ταῖς βιωτικαῖς χρείαις ἐπικουρῶν. It is a word of later Greek usage, see Lexx. In classic Greek it would be τὰ τοῦ βίου.

The meaning here then will be civil causes, matters of meum and tuum, as De Wette. The sense is best with only a comma at κρινοῦμεν.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

3. The thought of v. 2 is repeated and expanded. To say that Christians will judge angels restates ‘will judge the world’ in an extreme form, for the sake of sharpening the contrast. Ἄγγελοι are the highest order of beings under God, yet they are creatures and are part of the κόσμος. But the members of Christ are to be crowned with glory and honour (Psa 8:6), and are to share in His regal exaltation, which exceeds any angelic dignity. He ‘judges,’ i.e. rules over, angels, and the saints share to that rule. The words may mean that the saints are to be His assessors in the Day of Judgment, that angels will then be judged, and that the saints will take part in sentencing them. If so, this must refer to fallen angels, for it is difficult to believe that St Paul held that all angels, good and bad, will be judged hereafter. But he gives no epithet to angels here, because it is not needed for his argument; indeed, to have said ‘fallen angels,’ or ‘evil angels,’ would rather have marred his argument. As Evans rightly insists, it is the exalted nature of angels that is the Apostle’s point. ‘You are to judge the world. Nay, you are to judge, not only men, but angels. Are you unable to settle petty disputes among yourselves?’ St Paul’s purpose is to emphasize the augustness of the ‘judging’ to which members of Christ are called.* To press the statement in such a way as to raise the question of the exact nature, scope, or details, of the judgment of angels, is to go altogether beyond the Apostle’s purpose. Thackeray (St Paul and Contemporary Jewish Thought, pp. 152 f.) has shown from Jud 1:6, Wisd. 3:8, and Enoch 13-16 that there is nothing in this unique statement to which a Jew of that day would not have subscribed. See Abbott, The Son of Man, p. 213.

μήτιγε βιωτικά. The γε strengthens the force of the μήτι, which is that of a condensed question; ‘need I so much as mention?’ Nedum quae ad hujus vitae usum pertinent (Beza): quanto magis saecularia. The clause may be regarded as part of the preceding question (WH.), or as a separate question (AV., RV.), or as an appended remark, ‘to say nothing at all of things of this life’ (Ellicott). The adjective occurs Luk 21:34, but is not found in LXX, nor earlier than Aristotle. Following the well-known difference in N.T. between βίος and ζωή (see on Luk 8:43), βιωτικά means questions relating to our life on earth on its merely human side, or to the resources of life, such as food, clothing, property, etc. Philo (Vit. Mos. iii.18), πρὸς τὰὶς βιωτικὰς χρείας ὑπηρετεῖν. See Trench, Syn. § xxvii.; Cremer, Lex. p. 272; Lightfoot on Ign. Rom 7:3.

Μήτιγε is written by different editors as one word, or as two (μήτε γε), or as three. Tregelles is perhaps alone in writing μή τι γε.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

How much more [μητιγε] . It is hard to render the word accurately. How much more follows the Vulgate quanto magis. It is rather, not to speak of; or to say nothing at all of.

Things that pertain to this life [βιωτικα] . See on Luk 21:34.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Vv. 3 does not present a new argument; it is the previous one raised to its culminating point. For the angels also, according to Paul, form part of the κόσμος, the world (see on 1Co 4:9). Again we have the phrase: Do ye not know? but without the particle ἤ, or, precisely because here is the continuation of 1Co 6:2. The more striking the fact indicated in this verse,—the judgment of angels by the saints,—the more entitled is the apostle to express his wonder that his readers can be ignorant of it or can act as if they were in ignorance.

Meyer maintains that the word angels, used simply, denotes in the New Testament only good angels. It is one of those statutes which this excellent commentator loves to set up as a barrier against the caprice of exegetes, but the yoke of which need not be taken up without check. I think that the explanation of the idea contained in the first part of this verse is found in our Epistle itself, 1Co 15:24. If it is so, Paul can only be speaking here of higher powers of wickedness. This meaning is also that which best accords with the meaning of the word the world (1Co 6:2). According to Meyer and Hofmann (who applies the word at once to good and bad angels), the judgment to which good angels shall be subjected will bear on the degree of fidelity with which they have discharged their office as ministering spirits to believers (Heb 1:14); but nowhere in Scripture is there mention of a judgment of the elect angels. And in any case, we must not overlook the absence of the article before the word angels: “beings belonging to the category angel.” Paul does not mean to designate these or those angels; he wishes to awake within the Church the feeling of its competency and dignity by reminding it that beings of so exalted a nature shall one day be subjected to its jurisdiction.

It is remarkable that in the parables of the tares and of the drag-net, it is the angels who effect the division between men (wheat and tares, good and bad fishes); while in our passage, it is sanctified believers who judge angels. It seems as if God would glorify Himself in each of these orders of His creatures by means of the other.

Let it also be borne in mind that in Daniel’s description (chap. 7) there is not a word said of the judgment of the angels by the saints; this is a detail absolutely peculiar to Paul, and which, like that mentioned 1Th 4:15, rests no doubt on a personal revelation.

The last words, much more things of this life, need not be regarded as the continuation of the previous question, as is done by Tischendorf; it is the conclusion in the form of an exclamation. The form μήτι γε is found nowhere else in the New Testament. The simplest way of explaining it is to understand the verb λέγωμεν; ne (μή) ullo quidem (γε) modo (τι) de rebus ad vitam pertinentibus (βιωτικά) loquamur; “Not to speak even of earthly things; they follow as a matter of course, after what has been said of angels!” So far as sense is concerned, this is very much the same as our rendering: “much more.” The γέ has here, as usually, the effect of emphasizing the preceding word (μήτι), so as to set aside every other supposition.

Frédéric Louis Godet — Commentaries on Luke, John, Romans, and 1 Corinthians — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1870s–1890s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.