Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. The Corinthians in their letter had asked questions tending to disparage marriage, and implied that it was better to break off marriage with an unbeliever. GOOD - i:e., expedient, because of "the pres... [ Continue Reading ]
Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. TO AVOID FORNICATION The general rule is "to avoid fornication" - literally, 'on account of the fornications' [ dia (G1223) tas (G3588) porneias (G4202)] to which, as prevalent at Corin... [ Continue Reading ]
Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. Duty of cohabitation between the married. DUE BENEVOLENCE. 'Aleph (') A B C Delta G f g, Vulgate, read simply [ ofeileen (G3782)], 'Let due' - i:e., conjugal cohabitation, due by marriage contract... [ Continue Reading ]
Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency. DEFRAUD YE NOT - namely, of the conjugal "due" (1 Corinthians 7:3: cf. Septuagint, Exodus 21:10). GIVE... [ Continue Reading ]
But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment. BY PERMISSION ... NOT OF COMMANDMENT - not, by God's permission to me to say it; but, 'by way of permission to you, not as a commandment;' not what you must, but what you may do. "This" refers to the directions, 1 Corinthians 7:2.... [ Continue Reading ]
For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that. EVEN AS I - having the gift of continence (Matthew 19:11). This wish does not hold good absolutely, else the extension of mankind and of the Church would ceas... [ Continue Reading ]
I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I. TO THE UNMARRIED - in general, of both sexes (1 Corinthians 7:10). AND WIDOWS - in particular. EVEN AS I - unmarried ().... [ Continue Reading ]
But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn. IF THEY CANNOT CONTAIN (). BURN - with the flame of lust, which consumes the whole inner man. The dew of God's must stifle the flame, or it will thrust men into hell-fire.... [ Continue Reading ]
And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband: NOT I, BUT THE LORD - (cf. ; ; .) Ordinarily he writes on inspired apostolic authority (); here on the direct authority of the Lord Himself (Mark 10:11). In both cases the things written are inspir... [ Continue Reading ]
But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife. BUT AND IF SHE DEPART - `But if even she be separated.' If the sin of separation has been committed, whether owing to her or him, that of a new marriage is not to be added... [ Continue Reading ]
But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away. TO THE REST (besides "the married," 1 Corinthians 7:10, where both husband and wife are believers) - the Corinthians had inquired about believers... [ Continue Reading ]
And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him. THE WOMAN - a believer. LET HER NOT LEAVE HIM. 'Aleph (') A B C Delta G f g, Vulgate, read 'her husband,' for "him." The Greek [ afietoo (G863)] for "leave" is the same as 1 C... [ Continue Reading ]
For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy. SANCTIFIED. Those connected with the people of God are hallowed thereby, so that the latter may retain the connection without impai... [ Continue Reading ]
But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace. IF THE UNBELIEVING DEPART, LET HIM DEPART. Translate, 'separateth himself:' offended with her Christianity, and refusing to live with her unless she renounce... [ Continue Reading ]
For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife? By staying with thy unbelieving partner thou mayest save him or her. Enforcing "peace" with the unbelieving consort (, end). So Ruth the Moabitess became a convert to... [ Continue Reading ]
But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all churches. BUT - Greek [ ei-mee (G1508)], 'If not.' 'Only.' The "But" favours the former view. But if there be no hope of gaining over the unbeliever, still the general principle h... [ Continue Reading ]
Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised Is any called in uncircumcision? Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised. NOT BECOME UNCIRCUMCISED - by surgical operation ( 1Ma 1:15 )... [ Continue Reading ]
Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God. CIRCUMCISION IS NOTHING ... BUT THE KEEPING OF THE COMMANDMENTS OF COD - namely, is all in all. defines the Gospel commandment, "faith which worketh by love;" and , "a new creature" (cf. 1 John 3:... [ Continue Reading ]
Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called. THE SAME CALLING - i:e., the condition from which he is called-a Jew, a Greek, a slave, or a freeman.... [ Continue Reading ]
Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather. CARE NOT FOR IT - let it not be a trouble to thee that thou art a slave. USE IT RATHER. Either, (1) Continue rather in thy state as a servant (1 Corinthians 7:20; Galatians 3:28; 1 Timothy 6:2).... [ Continue Reading ]
For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant. FOR - being spiritually free, one ought to be so bodily also. THE LORD'S FREEMAN () - rather, "freedman," spiritually made free by the Lord: from sin, ;... [ Continue Reading ]
Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men. BE (BECOME) NOT YE. Paul changes from "thou" () to "ye." YE ALL are "bought" with the costly blood of Christ to be free men () - 'become not servants to men,' either externally or spiritually. Christian freemen should not be servile adher... [ Continue Reading ]
Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God. ABIDE WITH GOD - chiefly careful of his standing toward God, rather than toward men. This clause, "with God," limits the precept (). A man may cease to "abide in his calling," and yet not violate the precept here. If a man's cal... [ Continue Reading ]
Now concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord: yet I give my judgment, as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful. NOW ... (GREEK, 'BUT') NO COMMANDMENT OF THE LORD: YET ... MY JUDGMENT - I have no authoritative commandment from the Lord as to their abiding in their sta... [ Continue Reading ]
I suppose therefore that this is good for the present distress, I say, that it is good for a man so to be. I SUPPOSE - `I consider.' THIS - namely, "for a man so to be," in the same state in which he is (1 Corinthians 7:27). FOR [ dia (G1223)] - by reason of. THE PRESENT DISTRESS - to which... [ Continue Reading ]
Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife. Illustrating . Neither the married (those "bound to a wife") nor the unmarried (those "loosed from a wife") are to "seek" a change of state (cf. ; ).... [ Continue Reading ]
But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Nevertheless such shall have trouble in the flesh: but I spare you. TROUBLE IN THE FLESH - in their outward state, by reason of the present distress; not sin, which is the trouble of the spirit. BUT I SPAR... [ Continue Reading ]
But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none; THIS I SAY - a summing up the practical inference from what precedes (1 Corinthians 15:50). THE TIME - the season [ ho (G3588) kairos (G2540)] of this present dispensation up t... [ Continue Reading ]
And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not; THEY THAT WEEP ... WEPT NOT (cf. 2 Corinthians 6:10) - not letting grief gain uncontrolled mastery. THEY THAT BUY ... POSSESSED NOT - (cf. Isaiah 24:... [ Continue Reading ]
And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away. NOT ABUSING IT - by overmuch using of it. "Abusing" here is not so much perverting, as using it to the full, as our chief portion (cf. Luke 10:40). As the planets, turning on their own axis, yet revolve... [ Continue Reading ]
But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord: BUT. Connect with 1 Corinthians 7:31. 'The world's fashion passeth,' and so entails anxious care on its votaries; "but I would have you," etc. WITHOUT CAREFUL... [ Continue Reading ]
But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife. MARRIED CARETH FOR ... WORLD. When marriage ties are made paramount, instead of subordinate to His service (), not when marriage is what God designed ().... [ Continue Reading ]
There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband. DIFFERENCE ALSO - not merely the unmarried and... [ Continue Reading ]
And this I speak for your own profit; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction. FOR YOUR OWN PROFIT - not to display my apostolic authority. NOT ... CAST A SNARE UPON YOU - upon your conscience. Not that, by ha... [ Continue Reading ]
But if any man think that he behaveth himself uncomely toward his virgin, if she pass the flower of her age, and need so require, let him do what he will, he sinneth not: let them marry. BEHAVETH ... UNCOMELY - is not treating his daughter becomingly, in leaving her unmarried beyond the flower o... [ Continue Reading ]
Nevertheless he that standeth stedfast in his heart, having no necessity, but hath power over his own will, and hath so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin, doeth well. STEDFAST - not to be turned from his purpose by obloquy. HAVING NO NECESSITY - arising from the natural inclina... [ Continue Reading ]
So then he that giveth her in marriage doeth well; but he that giveth her not in marriage doeth better. HER. 'Aleph (') A B Delta f, Vulgate, have 'his own virgin daughter.' BUT. A B Delta G 'Aleph (') f g, Vulgate, have 'and.'... [ Continue Reading ]
The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord. BOUND BY THE LAW. So 'Aleph (') G C. But A B Delta f omit "by the law." ONLY IN THE LORD - let her marry only a Christian (), and in the f... [ Continue Reading ]
But she is happier if she so abide, after my judgment: and I think also that I have the Spirit of God. HAPPIER (; ; 1 Corinthians 7:34). I THINK ALSO - `I also;' just as you Corinthians think much of your opinions, so I also give mine by inspiration: so in . Think does not imply doubt, but oft... [ Continue Reading ]