7
About marriage
1 Now concerning the things about which you wrote to me: it is good for a man not to touch a woman. 2 But because of the fornications, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband.* Observe that it is just one wife, and just one husband. 3 Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband. 4 The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; similarly also the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. 5 Do not deprive one another except by mutual consent for a season, so that you may devote yourselves to fasting† Less than 7% of the Greek manuscripts omit “to fasting and”, to be followed by NIV, NASB, LB, TEV, etc. (It is a simple case of ‘like ending’.) and to prayer, and come together again so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.‡ The whole paragraph is talking about sexual intercourse.
6 Now I say this§ I take the pronoun to be cataphoric, referring to what follows (most are anaphoric, referring to something in the prior context). as a concession, not as a command 7 (though I wish that all men were even as I myself; but each has his own gift from God, one like this and one like that). 8 Yes I say to the unmarried and the widows: it is good for them if they should remain even as I;* As a practicing Pharisee, Saul of Tarsus would almost certainly have been married, so at this point he is presumably a widower. 9 but if they cannot exercise self-control, let them marry; since it is better to marry than to burn.† This is usually understood as ‘burn with passion’, but if practicing fornicators do not enter the Kingdom, the more literal meaning may obtain.
Mixed marriages
10 Now to the married I command (not I but the Lord): a wife is not to be separated from her husband 11 (but if she does separate herself,‡ Note that it is the woman taking the initiative, for whatever reason. let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband), and a husband is not to divorce his wife. 12 But to the rest I (not the Lord) say: if any brother has an unbelieving wife and she is willing to live with him, let him not divorce her. 13 And a woman who has an unbelieving husband and he is willing to live with her, let her not divorce him. 14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband; otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are consecrated.§ The believing parent consecrates the child to God. 15 But if the unbeliever separates, let him separate—in such cases the brother or the sister is not enslaved, but God has called us to peace.* In verses 10 and 11, where both are believers (evidently), the Lord forbids divorce and remarriage. Here in verse 15 the subject is a mixed marriage where the unbeliever wants out (verses 12-14 make clear that the believer is not to take the initiative in a separation). There are those who argue that if the unbeliever leaves, the believer is free to remarry, but how can that be true? If remarriage is not allowed if a believing partner leaves (verses 10-11), with what logic can it be argued that the rule changes if the partner is an unbeliever? It simply does not follow. On the contrary, the believer is called upon to make a special effort to win the other. However, if the unbeliever is determined to leave, an effort by the believer to go along at any cost will only prolong a climate of strife, and God has called us to peace. The point of marriage is not to make one's life a hell on earth—it is better to live alone than in unrelenting strife. 16 For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?† In any place where the Gospel arrives for the first time, it is predictable that at first only one partner in a marriage will convert. This causes a strained atmosphere in the home, but if they can stick it out, the second partner stands a good chance of converting as well.
About other situations
17 Otherwise, as God has distributed to each, as the Lord has called each one, so let him live (this is what I command in all the congregations). 18 Was anyone already circumcised when called? Let him not reverse it.‡ Attempting to reverse a circumcision was a known surgical procedure at that time, but would be totally unnecessary for a Christian. Was anyone uncircumcised when called? Let him not be circumcised.§ Dear me, Paul, so why did you circumcise Timothy (Acts 16:3)? 19 Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, compared to keeping God's commandments. 20 Let each one remain in the same calling in which he was called. 21 Were you called while a slave? Do not let it bother you, but if you can really become free, do so. 22 For the one in the Lord who was called while a slave is the Lord's freedman. Similarly, the one who was called while free is Christ's slave. 23 You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. 24 Brothers, let each one remain with God in the social condition in which he was called.* We are not to fret, but if the Lord opens the opportunity to improve our situation, I take it that we may (and should) do so, as with the slave.
About virgins
25 Now about the virgins I have no command from the Lord, but I give my judgment as one who has obtained mercy from the Lord to be trustworthy. 26 I consider therefore that this is good because of the current distress—that it is good for a man to remain as he is: 27 Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek release. Have you been released from a wife? Do not seek a wife. 28 However, should you marry, you have not sinned;† Verses 26-28a are addressed to males. and if a virgin should marry, she has not sinned. Still, such will have trouble in the flesh, and I want to spare you.‡ Since we have the indwelling Holy Spirit, we should ask His specific direction before taking on such a serious responsibility.
A sense of urgency
29 Now I say this, brothers, the time has been shortened, so that from now on even those who have wives should be as though they had none, 30 and those who weep as though not weeping, and those who rejoice as though not rejoicing, and those who buy as though not possessing, 31 and those who use this world as though not abusing it; because this world's mode is passing away.§ If the time was short two thousand years ago, it is now that much shorter. The point is that our lives should revolve around Jesus Christ and His Kingdom, not around our own desires and ambitions. There is no lack of marriage seminars that teach how to make each other happy, as if that were the major purpose in life. Not so. Everything in our lives should be subordinated to the interests of Christ's Kingdom, not stroking each other's ego. We like to forget 1 John 2:15-17, but to do so is not smart.
Marriage again
32 Now I want you to be without anxiety. He who is unmarried cares about the things of the Lord: how he will please the Lord. 33 While he who is married cares about the things of the world: how he will please his wife.* Paul is not being sarcastic; he is just stating a plain fact (as we who are married know). 34 The wife and the virgin are also different. She who is unmarried cares about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit; while she who is married cares about the things of the world: how she will please her husband. 35 I am saying this for your own profit, not to put a leash on you, but for what is appropriate, and that you may serve the Lord without distraction.† The level of our commitment to Christ and His Kingdom has a direct bearing upon the ‘strength’ of physical distractions.
36 Now if anyone thinks he is behaving inappropriately toward his virgin, if she is past her prime and thus it should be, let him do what he desires; he does not sin; let them marry. 37 But he who stands steadfast in his heart, not having necessity, but has control over his own will, and has determined in his heart to preserve his own virginity, does well. 38 So then, he who gives in marriage does well, but he who does not give in marriage does better.‡ I suppose that for a couple that is considering marriage, both of them being sincere disciples of Sovereign Jesus, the question should be: “Can we make the greatest contribution to Christ's Kingdom together, or apart?”
Verses 36-38 have given considerable exercise to modern commentators, as also to copyists of Greek manuscripts since the third century. The ‘difficulty’ appears to have been to understand just what Paul meant by “virgin”, which resulted in the variant ‘marry’, instead of “give in marriage”.
39 A woman is bound by law for as long as her husband lives, but if the man should die, she is free to be married to whom she wishes—only in the Lord. 40 But she is more blessed if she remains as she is, according to my judgment—and I think I also have God's Spirit.

*7:2 Observe that it is just one wife, and just one husband.

†7:5 Less than 7% of the Greek manuscripts omit “to fasting and”, to be followed by NIV, NASB, LB, TEV, etc. (It is a simple case of ‘like ending’.)

‡7:5 The whole paragraph is talking about sexual intercourse.

§7:6 I take the pronoun to be cataphoric, referring to what follows (most are anaphoric, referring to something in the prior context).

*7:8 As a practicing Pharisee, Saul of Tarsus would almost certainly have been married, so at this point he is presumably a widower.

†7:9 This is usually understood as ‘burn with passion’, but if practicing fornicators do not enter the Kingdom, the more literal meaning may obtain.

‡7:11 Note that it is the woman taking the initiative, for whatever reason.

§7:14 The believing parent consecrates the child to God.

*7:15 In verses 10 and 11, where both are believers (evidently), the Lord forbids divorce and remarriage. Here in verse 15 the subject is a mixed marriage where the unbeliever wants out (verses 12-14 make clear that the believer is not to take the initiative in a separation). There are those who argue that if the unbeliever leaves, the believer is free to remarry, but how can that be true? If remarriage is not allowed if a believing partner leaves (verses 10-11), with what logic can it be argued that the rule changes if the partner is an unbeliever? It simply does not follow. On the contrary, the believer is called upon to make a special effort to win the other. However, if the unbeliever is determined to leave, an effort by the believer to go along at any cost will only prolong a climate of strife, and God has called us to peace. The point of marriage is not to make one's life a hell on earth—it is better to live alone than in unrelenting strife.

†7:16 In any place where the Gospel arrives for the first time, it is predictable that at first only one partner in a marriage will convert. This causes a strained atmosphere in the home, but if they can stick it out, the second partner stands a good chance of converting as well.

‡7:18 Attempting to reverse a circumcision was a known surgical procedure at that time, but would be totally unnecessary for a Christian.

§7:18 Dear me, Paul, so why did you circumcise Timothy (Acts 16:3)?

*7:24 We are not to fret, but if the Lord opens the opportunity to improve our situation, I take it that we may (and should) do so, as with the slave.

†7:28 Verses 26-28a are addressed to males.

‡7:28 Since we have the indwelling Holy Spirit, we should ask His specific direction before taking on such a serious responsibility.

§7:31 If the time was short two thousand years ago, it is now that much shorter. The point is that our lives should revolve around Jesus Christ and His Kingdom, not around our own desires and ambitions. There is no lack of marriage seminars that teach how to make each other happy, as if that were the major purpose in life. Not so. Everything in our lives should be subordinated to the interests of Christ's Kingdom, not stroking each other's ego. We like to forget 1 John 2:15-17, but to do so is not smart.

*7:33 Paul is not being sarcastic; he is just stating a plain fact (as we who are married know).

†7:35 The level of our commitment to Christ and His Kingdom has a direct bearing upon the ‘strength’ of physical distractions.

‡7:38 I suppose that for a couple that is considering marriage, both of them being sincere disciples of Sovereign Jesus, the question should be: “Can we make the greatest contribution to Christ's Kingdom together, or apart?” Verses 36-38 have given considerable exercise to modern commentators, as also to copyists of Greek manuscripts since the third century. The ‘difficulty’ appears to have been to understand just what Paul meant by “virgin”, which resulted in the variant ‘marry’, instead of “give in marriage”.

© 2016 Wilbur N. Pickering, ThM, PhD