Please read the Scripture passage before the homily.
“A man living with his father’s wife.” In the second book of Samuel (16:20-2), Absalom slept with the concubines of his father, King David. He did this to infuriate his father.
In today’s passage from Corinthians, we learn that the Corinthians had a member who was living with his father’s wife. The wife was very probably not his mother. Nonetheless, this was considered a very serious taboo even in the pagan world of Paul’s time.
Such an action in Paul’s time would have had serious consequences for the culprit. He would have been expelled from the community and made to live apart from the community until such time as he repented of his actions.
What had the Corinthian Church done in this case? Absolutely nothing! What should they have done? At least they should have done what the pagans would have done, expulsion from the community until such time as he would repent. This also is what Paul had already done even though he had been absent in body.
The Corinthians lived in a time when community was very important for humans and for animals. If a person or an animal should be cut off the herd or expelled from the community, the loner was easy prey for enemies. There was safety in numbers.
There still is safety in numbers. Armies put individuals into groups, and small groups into larger groups. High school teams practice in groups, even for cross-country. A swimmer should not swim alone. My brother and I used to walk my sisters’ friends home after dark for their safety.
The family is a community. The places where we live are supposed to be communities. Our church are communities. Even nations are supposed to be communities.
Communities watch out for the good of all and protect individuals from harm. The Corinthians were not acting like a community and Paul was very upset about this.