Webpage adjusted for smaller screen width.
In this IMMEDIATE REPETITION, questions are used to deal with judging legal cases in a corrupt manner. A very strong argument is made that these judges are just as much sinners as are the other types of sinners.
1) The QUESTIONS throughout the chiasm substructure (verses 1 to 7) are inquiries to both the Corinthians and to us as readers. Consider QUESTIONS such as Does any one of you? in verse 1. Each person is prompted to apply those seven QUESTIONS for themselves. The FIRST/LAST elements focus on the unrighteous judges, whereas the two b elements look at the saints as judges. The x CENTER POINT states that the saints should be the ones to judge, even the smallest disputes. The SUBSTRUCTURE SUMMARY, verses 5-7A, presents the sixth rhetorical QUESTION that there are no competent brothers to judge a case? Therefore, you are not to pursue lawsuits against the brothers, for in so doing you have already lost your case.
2) There is an INTENSIFICATION from the accusations about selection of judges in the preliminary (verses 1 to 7A), to the accusation that brothers have wronged and defrauded in the two A elements, to the final accusation about eternal judgment in the B elements. The sins in the B′ element, verses 9B and 10, show their beginning with their choice of judges in less intense lawsuits.
3) The two A verses are a CONTRAST, rather than be defrauded, you defraud others. As the X CENTER POINT states, you even do it to your fellow brethren.
4) The B element in verse 9A, Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? has ten definitive AMPLIFICATION applications within B′, examples of sinners. In that way, those guilty in the questioning of verses 1 to 7 are condemned as guilty, no one more guilty than the other. Therefore, stop judging these forms of immorality. They are not to kid themselves, for theirs is not the kingdom of God.
5) The CLOSING SUMMARY in verse 11 concludes that some of the people in Corinth were unrighteous like those just mentioned. The statement is aimed at restoring their position in Christ.
IMMEDIATE REPETITION:
... the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God ...
a question
BEGINNING MARKER: Does any one of you, (v1A)
QUESTION: in disputes, do you go to unrighteous judges rather than the saints?
a
when he has a case against his neighbor, dare to go to law before the unrighteous and not before the saints? (v1B)
QUESTION: saints will judge the world
b
Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? (v2A)
QUESTION: are you unfit to judge the world?
x
If the world is judged by you, are you not competent to constitute the smallest law courts? (v2B)
QUESTION: we saints will judge angels and earth
b′
Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more matters of this life? (v3)
QUESTION: in selecting judges, do you chose the unrighteous?
a′
So if you have law courts dealing with matters of this life, do you appoint them as judges who are of no account in the church? (v4)
SUBSTRUCTURE SUMMARY: in disputes, you go to court and not your brothers
sum
I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not among you one wise man who will be able to decide between his brethren, but brother goes to law with brother, and that before unbelievers? Actually, then, it is already a defeat for you, that you have lawsuits with one another. (v5-7A)
... you do wrong to others and defraud your brothers ...
QUESTION: be wronged or defrauded?
A
Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded? (v7B)
you wrong and defraud
A′
On the contrary, you yourselves wrong and defraud. (v8A)
you even wrong and defraud your brothers
X
You do this even to your brethren. (v8B)
QUESTION: the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God
B
Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? (v9A)
these unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God
B′
Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. (v9B,10)
CLOSING SUMMARY: Jesus and the Spirit judged you with grace
SUM
Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God. (v11)