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Here our apostle tells them, that he had written to them in this, or some other epistle, before he was fully acquainted with their affairs, not to company with fornicators; that is, to shun all intimacy and familiarity with infidels: but he did not mean or intend that they should have no converse or commerce with them, because they lived among unbelievers, and could not go out of the world.
But now since he heard of the miscarriage of this incestuous person, who was certainly a Christian, and probably a doctor or teacher among them, he warns them to avoid all brotherly intimacy and familiarity with scandalous Christians, lest the church be thought to favour such: With such an one, says he, no, not to eat; admit not such to your own table, much less to Christ's.
Learn from hence, 1. That all necessary society, and intimate familiarity with scandalous professors, ought to be avoided, that religion may not be thought to favour them, and the church may not suffer by them.
Learn, 2. That as it ought to be the church's care to purge out such, and separate them from her communion; so is it every private Christian's duty to avoid that familiarity with them which is in their power, even that which lieth in friendly eating with them.
Learn, 3. If civil eating with scandalous professors of religion be forbidden at our own table, much less ought any church to permit and suffer them a religious eating at the Lord's table, which was never spread for such guests.