1 Corinthians 7:17-40

Butler's Comments

SECTION 3

The Pressures of Marriage (1 Corinthians 7:17-40)

17 Only, let every one lead the life which the Lord has assigned to him, and in which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches. 18Was any one at the time of his call already circumcised? Let him not seek to remove the marks of circumcision. Was any one at the time of his call uncircumcised? Let him not seek circumcision. 19For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments of God. 20Every one should remain in the state in which he was called.21 Were you a slave when called? Never mind. But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity. 22For he who was called in the Lord as a slave is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a slave of Christ. 23 You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men. 24So, brethren, in whatever state each was called, there let him remain with God.

25 Now concerning the unmarried, I have no command of the Lord, but I give my opinion as one who by the Lord's mercy is trustworthy. 26I think that in view of the present distress it is well for a person to remain as he Isaiah 27:1-13 Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be free. Are you free from a wife? Do not seek marriage. 28But if you marry, you do not sin, and if a girl marries she does not sin. Yet those who marry will have worldly troubles, and I would spare you that. 29I mean, brethren, the appointed time has grown very short; from now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none, 30and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods, 31and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it; for the form of this world is passing away.

32 I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the affairs of the Lord, how to please the Lord; 33but the married man is anxious about worldly affairs, how to please his wife, 34and his interests are divided. And the unmarried woman or girl is anxious about the affairs of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit; but the married woman is anxious about worldly affairs, how to please her husband. 35I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord.

36 If any one thinks that he is not behaving properly toward his betrothed, if his passions are strong, and it has to be, let him do as he wishes; let them marryit is no sin. 37But whoever is firmly established in his heart, being under no necessity but having his desire under control, and has determined this in his heart, to keep her as his betrothed, he will do well. 38So that he who marries his betrothed does well; and he who refrains from marriage will do better.

39 A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. If the husband dies, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord. 40But in my judgment she is happier if she remains as she is. And I think that I have the Spirit of God.

1 Corinthians 7:17-24 Discomfiture: Some, after having become Christians, were discomfited about their circumstances. Some were apparently convinced that becoming a Christian meant circumstances should change along with changes in behavior. Paul has just discussed the matter that a marriage should not be broken up just because one spouse has become a Christian and the other has not. Wanting to reinforce this principle, Paul states: Only, let every one lead the life which the Lord has assigned to him, and in which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches. Paul does not forbid improving one's circumstances, but he does make it a rule for the church-universal that a Christian is supposed to make the most of his circumstances, whatever they are (unless they are sinful). No violent changes in one's day-by-day circumstances are to be made just because he has become a Christian. The Christian can glorify God in most every circumstance of life. This applies to one's job, marital status, social status, or nationality. These circumstances are said by Paul to be assigned (Gr. emerisen, divided, apportioned) by the Lord. Indeed, the circumstances of our lives are regulated by the providence of God. We are citizens of a particular nation by the providence of God. We are surrounded by opportunities or lack of opportunities by the providence of God. But in whatever circumstance we find ourselves, we are to be content (cf. Philippians 4:11 ff.). We are not responsible for our circumstancesbut we are responsible for our attitudes and actions within those circumstances. It is often a temptation for the new Christian to make violent changes in his circumstances or surroundings. He may want to quit his job, move from his neighborhood, break away from his social circle, and try to make a whole new set of circumstancesa whole new life for himself. But God wants the believer to be a believer in spite of and surrounded by his assigned circumstances. Paul states a number of analogies in order to illustrate his principle.

Strange as it may seem, some of the Jews in Corinth who had become Christians thought they should have the mark of circumcision removed. Jews who wanted to copy Greek ways in the Maccabean era instituted a process for removing the appearance of circumcision (see 1Ma. 1:15; Josephus, Antiquities, 12:5:1). Others in Corinth, Christian Gentiles, thought they should submit to the rite of circumcision. The Judaizers in the earliest days of the church tried to make circumcision a dogma to be obeyed by everyone wishing to become a Christian (cf. Philippians 3:2; Acts 15:1 ff.). Circumcision and uncircumcision are used frequently to symbolize Jewish and Gentile cultural habits. That may even be the case here. Paul certainly practiced many Jewish mores himself as a Christian. He did not violently renounce his Jewishness when he became a Christian. One should not divest himself of his nationality, his culture, or his physical circumstances (so long as they are not sinful) when he becomes a Christian. In whatever circumstance one is when called by the gospel to become a Christianlet him remain.

Again, if man finds himself in the circumstances of slavery when he responds to the gospel and becomes a Christian, he is not to take any violent or socially-destructive means to change his circumstances. Christianity stands for civil order. It does not condone anarchy in any form or for any reason. Jesus, under Roman rule, said: Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and unto God the things that are God'S. Peter wrote, Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do wrong. (1 Peter 2:13-14). Read what Paul said in Romans 13:1-7; remember the examples of Daniel, Nehemiah, and Esther; see what God said to the Jewish prisoners of war in Jeremiah 29:1-8. Of course the Bible teaches by precept that all men are created equal and endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights. God never intended that any man should be exploited or enslaved by another. But then God never intended that any man should live in a society that worships sacred cows and monkeys while millions of people starve to death. Yet, in slavery or freedom, in poverty or plenty, every man's first responsibility is to obey the gospel. Circumstances are irrelevant to faith and love for God. Paul says never mind about circumstances. The Greek phrase could be translated, It must not matter to you what your circumstances are.

Some commentators hold that the Greek sentence (1 Corinthians 7:21 b) all-' ei kai dunassai eleutheros genesthai, mallon chresai, should be translated: And even if you become able to be free, rather remain as you are and use it. Others hold the translation should be: But if you become able to be free, use the opportunity and become free. Since either translation might fit the grammatical construction, we must beware of being dogmatic as to its interpretation. On the one hand, the immediate context seems to demand the meaning: Even if a Christian slave has an opportunity to become a free man he should remain a slave and make use of that lot in life to serve God. On the other hand, the overall context of Christian morality would seem to demand the meaning: And every Christian slave who has an opportunity to become a free man should avail himself of this opportunity to use in the service of Christ. Paul certainly would not advocate any Christian slave running away from his master or using violent means to obtain freedom. Paul personally sent a runaway slave (Onesimus) back to his master (Philemon). But in this case both the master and the slave were Christians and Paul exhorted such brotherhood as would practically erase the distinction between slave and master. Paul did not usurp Philemon's right to have his bondservant returned to his service. Wilbur Fields says in his commentary on Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, (College Press), As Christians, we have come so far in our revulsion against slavery that Paul's attention to Philemon's legal rights as master seems to us more a violation of Onesimus-' greater right to be free than a necessary preservation of Philemon's rights. The Christian should read the following on slavery (Deuteronomy 23:15-16; Galatians 3:28; Colossians 3:22-25; Colossians 4:1; Titus 2:9-10; 1 Timothy 6:1-2; Ephesians 6:5-9; and the entire book of Philemon). We should attempt to keep our subjective feelings about slavery at a minimum in trying to decide what Paul meant here. Paul is emphatic about the principle, Every one should remain in the state in which he was called. He repeats it three times (1 Corinthians 7:17; 1 Corinthians 7:20; 1 Corinthians 7:24)! 1 Corinthians 7:22 seems to reinforce this principle. But our interpretation of 1 Corinthians 7:22 will depend on our interpretation of 1 Corinthians 7:21. What Paul seems to be saying in all this is what we have said at the outset: God wants the believer to be a believer in spite of and surrounded by his assigned circumstances. Whether a Christian is a bondservant or a freeman makes no differencelet him remain there with God (1 Corinthians 7:24).

Any person who becomes a Christian while a slave is set free from the bondage of sin by Christ. This is the only freedom that really matters for eternity. And any person who becomes a Christian while a freeman is in bondage to the Lord Jesus Christ and has no spiritual rights of his own. Christians belong to Jesus as purchased slaves. He is their Master. They are to do what Christ commands; they are to serve Christ. Christians are not to surrender control of their minds or actions to anyone but Jesus. Christ is the Christian's only Master (see 1 Corinthians 6:20). Paul is referring to the Christian's need to keep from letting some external circumstance or some threat of a fellow man usurp the right of Christ to absolute ownership.

Biblical history documents a number of examples of men and women who served God in spite of difficult circumstances. Joseph, sold in slavery, unjustly imprisoned, became second ruler in Egypt; Daniel, taken to Babylon as a prisoner of war, became third ruler in Babylon and, later, in Persia; Esther, a maiden among the exiled Jews, became queen of Persia; Mordecai, Esther's uncle, became a minister of the Persian government; Nehemiah, also of the Jewish exiles, became the king's cupbearer. It is also significant that neither John the Baptist nor Jesus insisted that people change their occupations (soldiers and tax-collectors), residences or cultural traditions (so long as they were not sinful) as a requirement for discipleship. Peter did not require Cornelius to resign his commission as an officer (centurion) in the Roman army to become a Christian; Paul did not require Sergius Paulus (Acts 13:1-52) nor the Philippian jailor (Acts 16:1-40) to change their circumstances when they became Christians.

We must not miss the fact that the main subject being discussed by Paul in this context is marriage. He is stating a general principle and citing various areas of applicationbut the main application is to marriage. If a person becomes a Christian while married to an unbeliever, the new Christian is not to seek dissolution of the marriage. The Christian is free from such a marriage only if the unbeliever divorces the Christian. Paul suggests that by keeping the marriage intact, the believer is able to have such sanctified influence on both unbelieving spouse and any children to the marriage there exists the best possibility of turning the whole family to Christ. Biblical examples might be cited for this principle: Joseph married an Egyptian priest's daughter (Genesis 41:45), retaining his strong faith and bringing up his children in the faith: Boaz married Ruth who was a Moabitess, and she became an ancestress of Christ; Rahab, a Canaanite harlot, married an Israelite (Salmon, Matthew 1:5), and became an ancestress of Christ; Esther, a Jewess, married a heathen emperor, and saved her people. Believers do not seek to reform individuals by social upheaval; they seek to reform society by converting individuals to Christ!

1 Corinthians 7:25-31 Distress: This paragraph plainly states Paul's primary purpose for advocating that it is well for the unmarried and the widows to remain single as he did (1 Corinthians 7:8). His primary purpose is not that celibacy is spiritually superior to marriage. Celibacy was enjoined in this apostolic reply to the Christians at Corinth in 56-57 A.D. because of the stress-laden circumstances coming upon Christians in the latter half of the first century. Persecution of Christians under Nero had already begun in 54 A.D. These persecutions continued for forty more years until they reached an intensity in 81-96 A.D. under Domitian that saw hundreds of thousands of Christians die. Simply because they were Christians, and would not worship the Roman emperor, people from all across the Roman empire were hunted down as conspirators and seditionists, enslaved and worked to death in mines and on galley-ships, starved to death by social ostracization, and slain by the thousands in gladitorial games in Roman arenas. Practically all the writers of the New Testament predicted the fiery ordeal that was about to come (indeed, had already begun) upon first and second century Christians. Paul predicted the Jewish persecution, the destruction of Judaism, and the consequent distress upon Christians in Hebrews chapter 10, in II Thessalonians chapter 2, and in 1 Timothy 4:1-5; 2 Timothy 4:1-8. Peter predicted it in 1 Peter 4:12-19. John predicted and described it in Revelation Chapter s 1 through Revelation 20:6 (see Twenty-Six Lessons on Revelation, by Paul T. Butler, pub. College Press).

Paul addresses those who had never been married in 1 Corinthians 7:25. He uses the Greek word parthenon (almost always translated virgin) translated unmarried in the RSV. Paul says there is no specific commandment of the Lord for his emphasis on celibacy. He gives his judgment (Gr. gnomen, understanding, mind) as one by the Lord's mercy appointed as trustworthy. Judgment is a better translation than opinion (RSV), and Paul is giving a judgment which should be heeded because the Lord has declared him trustworthy. It is apostolic advicenot apostolic commandmentwhich his Corinthian audience, especially, would well have practiced. He had wisdom and revelation about their coming fiery ordeal which they did not have.

The phrase impending distress (Gr. enestosan anagken) might well be translated present distress (as in KJV). The Greek word enestosan is a perfect participlea combination of en and histemi. It could be translated imminent, right here, or at hand. Paul was not talking of the end of the world. He had already cautioned the Thessalonians not to think of the Second Coming of Christ in connection with the impending distress coming upon first and second century Christians (2 Thessalonians 2:1-12). Paul is suggesting unusual life-styles in view of imminently unusual circumstances much in the same way Jesus warned his disciples about their reactions to the fall of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. (Matthew 24:1-34; Luke 21:1-33; Mark 13:1-31; see The Gospel of Luke, by Paul T. Butler, pub. College Press). Paul's understanding in the matter of marriage was that in view of the imminent stresses or pressures (Gr. anagke) a first century Christian should remain in whatever marital state he was. If the Christian was married, he should not seek to be free; if the Christian was not married, he should not seek to be married. That was wise advice for the exegencies of those times (or any similar times afterward), but only if the Christian is able to exercise sexual self-control (1 Corinthians 7:2; 1 Corinthians 7:9; 1 Corinthians 7:36).

In 1 Corinthians 7:28 Paul reassures the Corinthians that marriage is not a sinnot even if it is done against his wise advice about the imminent distress to come upon Christians. He goes on to point out that the distress to come will, of necessity, intensify the focus of married people on things of the world and perhaps divert their priorities away from pleasing the Lord. Those who went against Paul's wisdom and married were going to have worldly (Gr. sarki, fleshly, physical) troubles. They would have to worry about another mouth to feed when as Christians they would be forced to starve; they would worry about seeing a beloved mate or child tortured to death in the arena. These anxieties and many others would constantly plague Christians during the great tribulation period of Roman persecution. Paul was trying to keep Christians from having to bear such burdens. The apostle reiterates that the imminent distress has grown very near. The Greek participle sunestalmenous is a perfect tense verb combined of two words, sun (together) and sustello (draw, contract, compact, tighten). The time of distress of which he had spoken earlier was almost there.

Paul now gives admonitions directing attitudes and behavior in anticipation of the stressful times coming upon the Corinthian Christians. First, those who were married were to make certain their first priority was serving the Lord. The married Christians would have to prepare themselves to deny the very strong temptation to compromise their faith in Christ should harm be threatened toward a spouse or child. Paul is not saying that in times of persecution married people should neglect domestic duties or the responsibilities of marriage. He has just admonished married Christians not to neglect conjugal responsibilities (1 Corinthians 7:3-5). He wrote to Timothy (1 Timothy 5:8) that anyone who does not provide for his own family has denied the faith and is worse than a heathen. Second, Christians must have the attitude that they will not mourn the loss of earthly things. They are not even to grieve the loss of loved ones as others do who have no hope (1 Thessalonians 4:13). Paul reported that some Christians joyfully accepted the plundering of their property (Hebrews 10:32-34). The apostle John predicted how the pagan world would mourn the loss of material wealth at the destruction of the Roman empire (Revelation 18:9-19). Third, Christians who might have occasion to rejoice in earthly circumstances should not do so, but should remember that worldly pleasures are transitory (see 2 Corinthians 4:16-18; 1 Timothy 6:6-19). Fourth, those who make purchases should not do so merely to accumulate things. Whatever is purchased is only acquired in order to be used up in serving the Lord. Only that which is done to serve Christ will last for eternity. The Greek word katechontes would make the phrase read, let those who buy be as those who do not consider their purchases as their possessions. Such earthly goods as a man has are not histhey are a trust, a stewardship from the real Owner of all things. Fifth, let those who use this world, use it sparingly. So long as Christians are residing in this world they must necessarily use certain parts of this world. They must eat to maintain the physical body, they must clothe that body, and there are certain earthly institutions with which they must be associated, but Christians are not to use this world any more than they have to while they serve God. The Greek word katachromenoi means, much use, over use, using to the utmost. Christians are to consider themselves just pilgrims or temporary residents of this world. The Christian's permanent dwelling place is not here. He is not to settle down herenot to find security here. J. B. Phillips paraphrases, ... indeed their every contact with the world must be as light as possible..

The reason for these five admonitions is this world is programmed for destruction. The word form (RSV) in the Greek text is schema; it is the word from which we get the English word schematic. It means, a plan, an outline, a blueprint, a design. Everything in this present existence is designed to pass away. Even the institution of marriage is designed for this world only (Matthew 22:30). Men and women should not get so attached to anything in this cosmic (Gr. kosmos, world-order) scheme of things, not even to marriage, that they cannot serve God without compromise. Not only is this world programmed to pass awayit is presently doing so. The Greek verb paragei (passing away) is present tense meaning action is presently going on. This agrees with Paul's statement in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 that the outer nature (the physical) is wasting away while the inner nature (spiritual) of the Christian is being renewed every day. It is the invisible, spiritual nature that is permanentthe physical is transitory.

1 Corinthians 7:32-35 Deviation: The pressures of marriage, especially in distressing times of social upheaval, might make some Christians deviate from giving first priority to the Lord's will in their lives. Paul's desire in setting forth his wisdom about celibacy is that the Corinthian Christians not yet married may keep themselves free from divided loyalties. The word translated anxieties is amerimnous in Greek and means literally, not divided in mind.

The unmarried man separates his mind from other things and gives it to the things of the Lord. He is under no obligation to provide sustenance, safety and security for a wife. The unmarried man may concentrate all his faculties on being acceptable to the Lord. But the married man separates his mind from the Lord's service in order to concentrate on physical things that he may acceptably fulfill his obligations to his wifeand divided he is. The Greek phrase kai memeristai is translated by the RSV as connected to 1 Corinthians 7:33, and his interests are divided. The best and most ancient Greek manuscripts indicate this translation is to be preferred over the KJV which translates it, There is difference also between a wife and a virgin making it the beginning sentence of 1 Corinthians 7:34.

The same attitudes may be found in the unmarried woman and the virgin (note: Paul distinguishes between the unmarried and the virgin; the unmarried probably referring to widows and women whose unbelieving husbands have divorced them; the virgin referring to those who had not yet been married). Unmarried women separate themselves unto the Lord, dedicating both body and spirit to Christ; but the married woman has to concentrate on many physical things in order to fulfill her marital obligations. There is nothing necessarily sinful in fulfilling one's marital commitments. Paul even exhorted husbands and wives to do so (1 Corinthians 7:3-7). But, he warned, stressful circumstances will always tend to intensify the temptation for a Christian married person to let priorities be diverted from the spiritual and focused on the physical. Martha (probably the wife of Simon the leper, see Matthew 26:6-12; Mark 14:3) was distracted with much serving (Luke 10:40), while Mary, the unmarried sister, sat at the feet of Jesus and chose the best part, (see Luke 10:38-42).

So Paul's advice to these Corinthians, is, if they were presently unmarried (whether widowed, divorced or virginal), do not seek to be married. Paul's advice was for their own benefit. He had nothing to gain from thus advising them. Neither did he intend to restrict their freedom to make their own choice by claiming any personal authority over these Corinthian Christians. The English word restraint is from the Greek word brochon which literally describes a noose, a slipknot, a halter, by which animals were caught and tethered. They are not to think they are tied to Paul's advice. But if they are wise and if they want what is well-planned or in good form (Gr. euschemon), and if they want to be in a position to give unencumbered (Gr. aperispastows, undistracted, undivided) devotion to the Lord, they will do as Paul advises.

Consider how dangerous it would be to marry, just for the sake of appearances, someone whose idea of loyalty to Christ is not your own! God did not create us for marriage at any price! Paul gives three advantages of celibacy: (a) Freedom from troubles due to distressing times; (b) relief from anxiety about the things of the world on which a bread-winner must necessarily concentrate; (c) freedom from distractions in order to serve the Lord more fully and intently. These three attitudes may be achieved whether married or unmarried, of course, but with much less difficulty and with more time for the Lord when not marriedespecially if there are times of social distress like war, persecution, economic depression, etc. Remember, God forbade the prophet Jeremiah to marry (Jeremiah 16:1-4) because of the distressing times in which he lived.

1 Corinthians 7:36-40 Postscript: In these verses, the apostles make a brief summary of this whole dissertation on marriage in view of imminent distress.

The RSV has done an injustice to 1 Corinthians 7:36 in its translation. First, the Greek word parthenon should be translated virgin, and not betrothed. The Greek word used specifically for betrothed is mnesteuo and is found in Matthew 1:18; Luke 1:27; Luke 2:5. Second, the Greek phrase, ean e juperakmos, should be translated, if she is past the apex of her puberty or as the KJV translates it, if she pass the flower of her age. The Greek word huperakmos is a combined word; from huper, meaning, beyond, and akme (English, acme), meaning, apex, highest point of anything, full bloom of the flower.

While the RSV translation makes it appear Paul is directing this last advice toward a young man acting in an unseemly manner (Gr. aschemonein, again the word is a derivative of schema, meaning, not according to design or plan) toward the young lady to whom he is betrothed, the better translation would have Paul advising fathers in their attitudes toward virgin daughters well past the age of puberty. Young ladies of that age might be placed in great danger of succumbing to temptation to fulfill strong sexual urges illicitly should their fathers not permit them to marry.

Marriage customs of that century forbade the young maiden to make any arrangements for marrying a man. She could not even agree to marry a man without her father's approval. It was understood in that culture that the father made all the choices of a marriage partner for his daughter and all the arrangements. If the father said she could not marryshe could not marry! Paul is directing his trustworthy advice toward Christian fathers with daughters of marriageable age, who have reached sexual maturity and, perhaps, have shown signs of sexual desire about to get out of control (see 1 Corinthians 7:37).

The RSV translates the latter half of 1 Corinthians 7:36, ... if his passions are strong. but the Greek text does not have a pronoun in this phraseit has a 3rd person, singular, present subjunctive form of the verb, is, or, to be. The pronoun is merely understood. It could just as well be understood to be her as it could be his. We believe 1 Corinthians 7:36 should read, in its entirety, thus: If any father thinks he is behaving in any unseemly manner toward his virgin daughter, if she is in (present tense verb) the age of sexual desire, and the man (father) thinks she ought to marry, let the father do as he wishes; the father does not sin if he gives her to marry (Gr. gameitosan, give in marriage) a man. This certainly fits the following verses more accurately.

The father who is firmly established in his mind (Gr. kardia, heart), is under no necessity, for his wishes in this matter are under his own authority. If the father decides in his own mind to keep his virgin daughter from marrying, he will do well. The Greek words thelematos (will) and exousian (authority) should not be translated, as the RSV does, as desire and control. The RSV implies in its translation that Paul is talking about sexual desires under control, but Paul is really talking about a father's will or choice about his marriageable daughter being within his own authority and not someone else'S.

1 Corinthians 7:38 should be translated, So the man (father) who gives his virgin daughter in marriage (Gr. gamizon) does well, and the man (father) who does not give in marriage (Gr. ho me gamizon) will do better.

The apostle's final word on marriage is that Christians are to strive for God's highest ideal. That ideal is one man and one woman married until death separates them (see Matthew 19:1-9). This was God's ideal from the beginning of creation. But because man rebels against God and God's ideals, a lesser ethic must be enforced upon rebels. Laws of divorcement may be written to protect those who are divorced against their will. However, for Christians, God expects his ideal to be lovingly chosen, and practiced.

A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. The Greek verb dedetai (bound) is in the perfect tense and means that once bound, that binding is to continue. If the husband dies (Gr. koimethe, sleeps), the Christian woman is free to be married to whom she wishes, only (Gr. monon) in the Lord. Paul has already (1 Corinthians 7:10-16) discussed the hardships in a marriage where one person is a believer and the other an unbeliever. Now he insists that when a Christian woman (and it would also apply to a man) loses her spouse in death, she ought to limit her freedom to remarry to spiritual considerations. She should marry only a Christian. For a Christian to step into any relationship outside the will of God is not only to involve oneself in tragedy, and to jeopardize one's soul, but perhaps to bring sorrow into the whole Christian community and into the lives of a generation yet to be born. Christians are not to be mismated with unbelievers in any venture in life (2 Corinthians 6:14-18; 2 Corinthians 7:1). In Paul's instructions to Timothy about the conduct of Christian widows (1 Timothy 5:9-16) he urged the younger widows to marry. But Paul qualifies even that instruction with this answer to the Corinthians. It is better to remain single if marriage outside the will of God is contemplated.

To sum up, Paul answers the questions of the Corinthian Christians, who are facing imminent distress, that it would be better for those spiritually strong who, by the grace of God, have their sexual drive under control to remain unmarried. All others should marry. They should marry in the Lord. If a Christian's unbelieving spouse divorces her she is free (to remarry) and if a Christian's spouse dies, she is free. The married life is the norm. Celibacy is the exception, and in no way superior to marriage.

In all he wrote here to the Corinthians, Paul claims to have the approval of the Holy Spirit. The following comment on 1 Corinthians 7:40 is good:

He wanted to assure the Corinthians that he was not speaking from human bias and prejudice. That this danger existed is proved by the number of modern Christians who have accused him of just this vice. I think is probably to be taken as meiosis, a figure of speech which emphasizes something by saying less than is meant. Paul believed that his advice had been given under the guidance of the Spirit of God. This does not mean that it was advice for all people in all times. Under other circumstances wise and spiritual men have differed radically from the advice given in this chapter. It does mean that his advice was best under the circumstances then existing. The one point of permanent validity must not be overlooked. The decisions of Christians in all spheres of life should be made in the light of their primary devotion to God in Christ Jesus. If Christians in all ages would make their decisions in view of that which would be most helpful for them in serving the Lord, there would be fewer mistakes to regret.

Commentary on 1 & 2 Corinthians, pg. 126, by Fred Fisher, pub. Word Books, 1975