1 CORINTHIANS—NOTE ON 1 CORINTHIANS 7:1 Three Issues from the
Corinthians’ Letter. Paul discusses problems raised in a letter from
the Corinthians.
⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for
(var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
1 CORINTHIANS—NOTE ON 1 CORINTHIANS 7:2 HAVE probably refers to
sexual intercourse (compare 1 Corinthians 5:1).
⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for
(var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
1 CORINTHIANS—NOTE ON 1 CORINTHIANS 7:4 Husbands and wives should
act for each other’s benefit. See Ephesians 5:22 and Colossians
3:18.
⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for
(var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
1 CORINTHIANS—NOTE ON 1 CORINTHIANS 7:5 DO NOT DEPRIVE. Married
couples should abstain from sexual relations only for short periods of
time and only when both the husband and wife agree. CONCESSION. Paul
does not demand such abstention. EACH HAS HIS OWN GIFT. Both marriage
and celibacy have their ow... [ Continue Reading ]
1 CORINTHIANS—NOTE ON 1 CORINTHIANS 7:10 Paul’s words are in
contrast to Roman law, which permitted either a husband or a wife to
begin a divorce with no stated cause required.
⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for
(var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
1 CORINTHIANS—NOTE ON 1 CORINTHIANS 7:12 I, NOT THE LORD. Paul knows
Jesus’ sayings on divorce that were later written in the Gospels
(Matthew 5:32; Matthew 19:9; Mark 10:11; Luke 16:18). Jesus never
spoke specifically about the situation of one spouse becoming a
Christian and the other remaining un... [ Continue Reading ]
1 CORINTHIANS—NOTE ON 1 CORINTHIANS 7:14 MADE HOLY... ARE HOLY.
These are the same terms used earlier for God’s separation of
Corinthian Christians from their pagan environment as his special
people (1 Corinthians 1:2; 1 Corinthians 3:17; 1 Corinthians 6:1, 1
Corinthians 6:2,... [ Continue Reading ]
1 CORINTHIANS—NOTE ON 1 CORINTHIANS 7:15 LET IT BE SO. Paul advises
the Christian spouse not to create strife by trying to bring about
reconciliation with an unbelieving spouse who has left the marriage.
NOT ENSLAVED. This at least means that the believing spouse is not
obligated to seek reconciliat... [ Continue Reading ]
1 CORINTHIANS—NOTE ON 1 CORINTHIANS 7:16 HOW DO YOU KNOW? Paul
probably expects a negative answer to these rhetorical questions.
There is no guarantee that an unbelieving spouse will be saved. The
believer is not required to pursue the spouse who has left.
⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByT... [ Continue Reading ]
1 CORINTHIANS—NOTE ON 1 CORINTHIANS 7:17 God calls people to himself
who are in various situations regarding economics (slavery vs.
freedom), family (divorce vs. marriage), and religious background
(circumcision vs. uncircumcision), and often God has a purpose for the
new believer in that very situa... [ Continue Reading ]
1 CORINTHIANS—NOTE ON 1 CORINTHIANS 7:19 Even though circumcision
was no longer commanded (Genesis 17:1), God still had COMMANDMENTS for
his people to keep (Galatians 6:2).
⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for
(var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
1 CORINTHIANS—NOTE ON 1 CORINTHIANS 7:21 Being a BONDSERVANT in NT
times was different from the institution of slavery in North America
during the seventeenth through the nineteenth centuries. Slaves
(bondservants, servants) generally were permitted to work for pay and
to save enough to buy their fr... [ Continue Reading ]
1 CORINTHIANS—NOTE ON 1 CORINTHIANS 7:25 THE BETROTHED translates
the Greek term for “virgins.” The term could apply to either men
or women. Paul’s use of the term in v. 1 Corinthians 7:28 is clearly
feminine, so he probably has women in mind here as well. Given what he
writes in vv. 1 Corinthians 7... [ Continue Reading ]
1 CORINTHIANS—NOTE ON 1 CORINTHIANS 7:26 PRESENT DISTRESS. This may
refer to living in the last days (see note on vv. 29–31), or to some
difficulty the Corinthians were experiencing, such as famine.
⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for
(var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
1 CORINTHIANS—NOTE ON 1 CORINTHIANS 7:28 On deciding whether to
MARRY, see note on vv. 5–7.
⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for
(var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
1 CORINTHIANS—NOTE ON 1 CORINTHIANS 7:29 See 1 Corinthians 10:11.
Paul is not saying that Jesus will definitely return within the
Corinthians’ lifetimes. Elsewhere, he encourages Christians to
continue with their normal daily lives, while awaiting the second
coming (see 1 Corinthians 7:1, 1 Corinthi... [ Continue Reading ]
1 CORINTHIANS—NOTE ON 1 CORINTHIANS 7:32 On living as a single
person, see note on vv. 5–7.
⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for
(var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
1 CORINTHIANS—NOTE ON 1 CORINTHIANS 7:36 IF HIS PASSIONS ARE STRONG
translates a difficult word. The esv is consistent with Paul’s
reasoning in vv. 1 Corinthians 7:2 and 1 Corinthians 7:9. Paul’s
comment is not intended as a disapproval of marriage (see vv. 1
Corinthians 7:28, 1 Corinthians 7:38;... [ Continue Reading ]
1 CORINTHIANS—NOTE ON 1 CORINTHIANS 7:37 KEEP HER AS HIS BETROTHED.
Paul now turns to the person who chooses to remain unmarried. DOES
WELL... EVEN BETTER. Sometimes, one is free to choose between courses
of action, none of which are morally better than the others, and all
of which give unique oppor... [ Continue Reading ]
1 CORINTHIANS—NOTE ON 1 CORINTHIANS 7:39 HER HUSBAND DIES.
Presumably all that Paul has just said about the betrothed person
applies to the widow as well (vv. 1 Corinthians 7:8, 1 Corinthians
7:40). His instruction that she marry ONLY IN THE LORD (that is, she
should marry only a fellow Christian) w... [ Continue Reading ]