1 Corinthians 5:3-5 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

I verily, as absent Or though absent; in body, but present in spirit Having a full (it seems a miraculous) view of the whole fact; have judged already Passed sentence upon him by my apostolical authority, since you have neglected doing it; as though I were present As deliberately, justly, and authoritatively; that hath so done Hath acted in such a scandalous manner. In the name of our Lord Jesus By his authority and command; when ye are gathered together In an assembly for judgment, and calling upon his name, Matthew 18:20; and my spirit Being present with you; with the power of our Lord Jesus To confirm what you do; to deliver such a one to Satan To expel him from your communion. This was the highest degree of punishment in the Christian Church; and we may observe, the passing this sentence was the act of the apostle, not of the Corinthians: whereupon usually followed terrors of conscience, and bodily pains or diseases inflicted by Satan, the terrible executioner of the divine justice and displeasure. For the destruction Though slowly and gradually; of the flesh Unless prevented by speedy repentance; that the spirit Being brought to true contrition and humiliation; may be saved From those infinitely more insupportable and everlasting agonies to which it might otherwise be doomed. It was observed, in the note on 1 Corinthians 4:21, that the apostles were empowered to punish notorious offenders miraculously with diseases and death. And doubtless the command here given by the apostle to deliver the incestuous person to Satan, was an exertion of that power, especially as it was to be done at the command of the inspired apostle, and by the power of the Lord Jesus. “Accordingly Chrysostom, Theophylact, and Œcumenius conjectured, that in consequence of his being delivered to Satan, the offender's body was weakened and wasted by some painful disease. The Latin fathers and Beza, however, thought no such effect followed that sentence; because when the Corinthians were ordered (2Co 2:7) to forgive him, no mention is made of any bodily disease that was to be removed from him. Wherefore, by the destruction of the flesh, they understood the destruction of the offender's pride, lust, and other fleshly passions; which they thought would be mortified, when he found himself despised and shunned by all. This interpretation, however, does not, in my opinion,” says Macknight, “agree with the threatenings written 1Co 4:21; 2 Corinthians 13:1-2; 2 Corinthians 13:10; nor with the apostle's design in inflicting that punishment. For when the faction found the offender's flesh wasted by some grievous disease, in consequence of the apostle's sentence, it could not fail to terrify such of them as were capable of serious thought.”