Between the time of Paul’s departure
from Corinth, probably in the summer of 51, and the writing of the letter known
as 1 Cor, written perhaps in the fall of 54 . .. the apostle wrote another
letter to his church in the Achaian capital. We know about this letter because
Paul himself refers to it in 1 Cor. 5:9. From this brief reference one learns
that it included a warning to tolerate no immorality within the congregation;
it may be presumed that the apostle had even counseled the expulsion of errant members.
The Corinthian Christians had misunderstood these instructions, however,
thinking that they were being admonished to sever their relationships with all the
non-believers, in effect withdrawing themselves from pagan society. It is to
correct this false impression that Paul writes as he does in 1 Cor 5:9-13. (Victor
Paul Furnish, II Corinthians [AB 32a; Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday &
Company, Inc., 1984], 26-27)