Only Americans could love Judge Judy–the über-mom, as I call her, because of her uncanny ability to make grown men look like disobedient children. Yet I’m sure that if the Corinthians had the technology we have, they too would love Judge Judy. The public airing of personal grievances makes for great theater. This explains Judge Judy’s huge audience in contemporary America. Public quarreling and exposing one’s laundry before an audience was also popular in first century Corinth. To Paul’s chagrin, the Corinthians joined right in.

Roman courts of the first century distinguished between criminal trials and civil disputes. In chapter 6, it is clear that Paul is speaking of civil matters involving litigation (lawsuits or “small claims”),[1] not criminal matters (i.e., murder, assault, theft, etc.). Criminal trials were formal legal procedures and in many cases a jury was present.[2] In Corinth, common legal disputes were usually settled in large public buildings called basilicas which were part of the city’s agoura (marketplace). Whenever the court met to deal with a civil case, the public often gathered to take in the spectacle of well-known townsfolk accusing each other of all kinds of wrongdoing before the court, while a leading citizen appointed by a magistrate served as judge.[3]

Although the public airing of personal disputes could attract large audiences in cities like Corinth, Paul urges Christians not to participate. Christians are to settle their small-claim disputes against their brothers and sisters in the church based upon the wisdom and power of God as revealed in the cross of Christ and in the command to love one’s neighbor. Paul’s rationale is grounded in his eschatology–those who will one day judge the world need to learn to settle their disputes in a God-honoring manner, and not resort to a public spectacle like that found in the courts of Corinth.

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Kim Riddlebarger | “Ancient Corinth, Judge Judy, and Litigious Christians” | July 17, 2024

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Post authored by:

• Kim Riddlebarger

  

  Kim is a graduate of Simon Greenleaf School of Law (M.A.), Westminster Seminary California (M.A., M. Div.), and Fuller Theological Seminary (Ph.D.). From 1995–2020 he was senior pastor of Christ Reformed Church (URCNA) in Anaheim. He was a long-time co-host of the White Horse Inn radio show and is currently Visiting Professor of Systematic Theology at Westminster Seminary California. Follow his work at The Riddleblog.

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