John Calvin Commentary 1 Corinthians 6:4

"If then ye have to judge things pertaining to this life, do ye set them to judge who are of no account in the church?" — 1 Corinthians 6:4 (ASV)

If you have judgments then as to things pertaining to this life. We must always keep in view what kind of cases he is addressing, for public trials are beyond our scope and should not be transferred to our control. Regarding private matters, however, it is permissible to make decisions without the magistrate's official involvement.

Since, then, we do not in any way diminish the authority of the magistrate by resorting to arbitration, it is not without good reason that the Apostle instructs Christians to refrain from resorting to profane, that is, unbelieving judges. To prevent them from claiming they were deprived of a better remedy, he directs them to choose arbitrators from the Church who can settle disputes amicably and fairly. Furthermore, to prevent them from claiming they do not have a sufficient number of qualified persons, he says that even the least esteemed is competent to perform this duty.

Therefore, there is no diminishing the dignity of the magistrates' office here when he gives orders that their function be entrusted to persons of low esteem. For this (as I have already said) is stated to preempt an objection, as if he had said: “Even the lowest and least esteemed among you will perform this duty better than those unbelieving judges to whom you resort. You are so far from being under any necessity to do this.”

Chrysostom approaches this interpretation, though he adds something to it; for he believes that the Apostle intended to say that, even if the Corinthians found no one among themselves with enough wisdom to judge, they must still choose some, regardless of their character.

Ambrose touches neither heaven nor earth. I believe I have faithfully explained the Apostle’s intention: that he preferred the lowest among believers over unbelievers regarding their ability to judge.

Some propose a completely different meaning, understanding the word καθιζετε to be in the present tense—You set them to judge—and by those that are least esteemed in the Church they understand profane persons. This, however, is more ingenious than solid, for that would be a poor designation for unbelievers. Besides, the phrasing, if you have, would not fit so well with a rebuke, as the expression would rather have needed to be while you have; for that condition reduces its force. Therefore, I am more inclined to think that a remedy for the evil is prescribed here.

That this statement, however, was misunderstood by the ancients is evident from a certain passage in Augustine. For in his book, "On the Work of Monks," where he mentions his duties, he declares that among his many responsibilities, the most disagreeable of all was being obligated to devote part of the day to secular affairs; but that he nevertheless endured it patiently, because he believed the Apostle had imposed this necessity on him.

From this passage, and from a certain letter, it appears that bishops were accustomed to preside at certain hours to settle disputes, as if the Apostle were referring to them here. However, as matters always tend to worsen, from this error, in the course of time, sprang the jurisdiction that bishops' officials claim for themselves in financial matters.

In that ancient custom, there are two things deserving of criticism: that the bishops were involved in matters unrelated to their office, and that they wronged God by using His authority and command as an excuse to neglect their proper calling. This wrongdoing, however, was to some extent excusable; but as for the profane custom that has come to prevail in the Papacy, it would be the height of baseness to excuse or defend it.