1 Corinthians 5:1-5

Broad term for sexual immorality, but here specified as incest (having one's father's wife), which was scandalous even among Gentiles. It does not refer to any sin, but to a serious and public sexual transgression that the church was tolerating.

The problem is not just the sin, but the church's attitude: arrogance instead of mourning. Their pride prevented them from acting. This underscores that discipline is not out of moral superiority, but for the holiness of the body and with an attitude of humility.

Implies an action by the community to remove the unrepentant sinner from their fellowship. It is not an act of vengeance, but of protecting the church's purity and confronting the individual for restoration. The subjunctive indicates a desired purpose or result.

This is the most complex phrase. It is not a magical curse. It means removing the individual from the protection and fellowship of the church (the kingdom of Christ) and returning them to the "world" (Satan's realm), where they will experience the consequences of their sin ("destruction of the flesh" – not necessarily physical death, but suffering, shame, or the ruin of their carnal life). The ultimate purpose (hina) is the salvation of their spirit, implying repentance and restoration.

Patristic

Chrysostom (347-407) in his Homilies on 1 Corinthians (Homily 15 on 1 Cor 5:1-5, PG 61, cols. 123-132) emphasized the extreme gravity of the sin committed in Corinth—surpassing even what was tolerated among the Gentiles—and the urgent need for ecclesiastical discipline both to preserve the purity of the community and to seek the sinner's salvation. He interpreted 'delivery to Satan' not as a literal curse of physical death, but as exclusion from the protection and grace afforded by ecclesial communion, exposing the sinner to the trials and afflictions of the world under the power of the Adversary, with the medicinal and pedagogical aim that bodily suffering would produce repentance and the salvation of the spirit on the day of the Lord. Chrysostom further stressed the collective responsibility of the Corinthian community for having tolerated such a situation with pride rather than mourning.

Reformed

Calvin (1509-1564) in his Commentaries on 1 Corinthians, saw this passage as the biblical basis for ecclesiastical discipline, essential for maintaining the doctrinal and moral purity of the church. He emphasized that excommunication is an extreme measure for serious and unrepentant sins, and that its purpose is twofold: to protect the church from corruption and to lead the sinner to repentance. "Delivery to Satan" is exclusion from the communion of saints, where Satan has more power to afflict, but always with the goal of restoration.

Interpretive tension: Within the Reformed system, tension arises in practical application: what constitutes a "serious" sin warranting excommunication? How is the need for purity balanced with grace and patience? To what extent does church authority extend to members' private lives, especially when the sin is not publicly "notorious"? The text does not provide an exhaustive list of sins or a detailed procedural manual.

Arminian

Wesley (1703-1791) and the Arminian tradition also recognized the necessity of ecclesiastical discipline for the holiness of the church and the restoration of the sinner. They emphasized the importance of repentance and the possibility of falling from grace, making discipline a means to call the sinner back. "Delivery to Satan" is understood as removal from fellowship and exposure to the temptations and afflictions of the world, with the hope that this will prompt repentance and salvation. The emphasis lies on the individual's responsibility to respond to discipline.

Interpretive tension: Tension in the Arminian tradition can arise in balancing God's sovereignty in discipline with human freedom and responsibility. If the purpose is the salvation of the spirit, how is it ensured that discipline does not become a coercive tool that nullifies true freedom of repentance, or that it is applied in a way that does not allow for restoration if the individual does not "respond" as expected?

Contemporary

Contemporary theologians like Gordon Fee and Anthony Thiselton emphasize the pastoral context of the letter: Paul seeks the holiness of the church and the restoration of the individual. They underscore that discipline is an act of love, not condemnatory judgment, and that it must be done with humility and sorrow, not arrogance. "Delivery to Satan" is interpreted as exclusion from the community, where the sinner loses the benefits of Christian fellowship and faces the realities of the fallen world, which can lead to repentance. The need for a clear, transparent process with the goal of restoration, as seen in 2 Corinthians, is emphasized.