Verse 4
The first part of this verse seems to refer to the disputes and judicial procedures the Christians should have used with one another rather than to the heathen law courts. The context seems to argue for this interpretation. Paul was speaking here of Christians resolving their differences in the church rather than in the civil law courts.
The second part of the verse is capable of two interpretations. Paul may have been speaking ironically, as the next verse may imply (cf. 1 Corinthians 4:8). If so, he may have meant that the Corinthians should select the least qualified people in the church to settle these disputes. His meaning in this case was that any Christian was capable of settling disputes among his brethren. He did not mean that the Corinthians should really choose as judges the most feebleminded Christians in the church. The statement is ironical. This is the interpretation of the NIV. [Note: See also Robertson and Plummer, p. 113.]
On the other hand he may have been asking a question rather than making an ironical statement. This is how the NASB translators took Paul’s words. In this case he was asking if the Corinthians chose as judges in their church disputes the members who had the fewest qualifications to arbitrate. The obvious answer would be no. They would choose the brethren with the best qualifications. This interpretation understands Paul as advocating the choice of the best qualified in the church forthrightly rather than ironically. This seems to me to be a better interpretation. [Note: See also Barrett, p. 137.]
A third possibility is that Paul really advocated the selection of the least qualified in the church for these judicial functions. He was not speaking ironically. The main argument against this view is its improbability. Why choose less qualified people for any job when better qualified people are available?
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