ISSUES OF MARRIAGE AND SINGLENESS FOR DISCIPLES
1 Corinthians 7
Context of 1 Corinthians 7
It is a interest to see the background of 1 Corinthians 7 in order to understand better this chapter of Corinthians. The information in extracted from two sources: 1) The letters to the Corinthians. 2000, c1975 (W. Barclay, lecturer in the University of Glasgow, Ed.). The Daily study Bible series, Rev. ed. Philadelphia: The Westminster Press; and 2) 1 Corinthians. MacArthur, J. (1996, c1984). Includes indexes. Chicago: Moody Press.
Corinth “was a very ancient city. Thucydides, the Greek historian, claims that it was in Corinth that the first triremes, the Greek battleships, were built. Legend has it that it was in Corinth that the Argo was built, the ship in which Jason sailed the seas, searching for the golden fleece. But in 146 B.C. disaster befell her. The Romans were engaged in conquering the world. When they sought to reduce Greece, Corinth was the leader of the opposition. But the Greeks could not stand against the disciplined Romans, and in 146 B.C. Lucius Mummius, the Roman general, captured Corinth and left her a desolate heap of ruins.
But any place with the geographical situation of Corinth could not remain a devastation. Almost exactly one hundred years later, in 46 B.C. Julius Caesar rebuilt her and she arose from her ruins. Now she became a Roman colony. More, she became a capital city, the metropolis of the Roman province of Achaea, which included practically all Greece.
In those days, which were the days of Paul, her population was very mixed. (i) There were the Roman veterans whom Julius Caesar had settled there. When a Roman soldier had served his time, he was granted the citizenship and was then sent out to some newly-founded city and given a grant of land so that he might become a settler there. These Roman colonies were planted all over the world, and always the backbone of them was the contingent of veteran regular soldiers whose faithful service had won them the citizenship. (ii) When Corinth was rebuilt the merchants came back, for her situation still gave her commercial supremacy. (iii) There were many Jews among the population. The rebuilt city offered them commercial opportunities which they were not slow to take. (iv) There was a sprinkling of Phoenicians and Phrygians and people from the east, with their exotic customs and their hysterical ways. Farrar speaks of “this mongrel and heterogeneous population of Greek adventurers and Roman bourgeois, with a tainting infusion of Phoenicians; this mass of Jews, ex-soldiers, philosophers, merchants, sailors, freedmen, slaves, trades-people, hucksters and agents of every form of vice.” He characterizes her as a colony “without aristocracy, without traditions and without well-established citizens.”
Like most Greek cities, Corinth had an acropolis (literally, “high city”), called Acrocorinth, which was used as a place of defense and for pagan worship. From its top on a clear day Athens can be seen, some forty–five miles away. Situated on a 2,000–foot high granite mound, Acrocorinth was large enough to hold all the population of Corinth and of its surrounding farmlands in time of siege. It also held a famous temple to Aphrodite, goddess of love. The temple normally housed some one thousand priestesses, ritual prostitutes, who each night would come down into Corinth and ply their trade among the many foreign travelers and the local men.
Even to the pagan world the city was known for its moral corruption, so much so that in classical Greek corinthiazesthai (“to behave like a Corinthian”) came to represent gross immorality and drunken debauchery. The name of the city became synonymous with moral depravity. In this letter to the church there, Paul lists some of the city’s characteristic sins—fornication (porneia, from which comes our term pornography), idolatry, adultery, effeminacy, homosexuality, stealing, covetousness, drunkenness, reviling (abusive speech), and swindling (6:9–10).
Some of the Corinthian believers had been guilty of practicing those sins before their conversion and had been cleansed (6:11). Others in the church, however, were still living immorally, some involved in sins worse than those—sins that Paul reminds them even pagan Gentiles did not commit, such as incest (5:1).
So in conclusion we can say that the church in Corinth was compound of Jews, Romans and Greeks. Morally, the Corinthian believers had a history of involvement in sexual immorality (6:9-10), and were proud of incest case (5:1-13). A constant temptation for the believers in Corinth was the presence of the temple of Aphrodite, the goddess of love, part of whose worship was sexual intercourses with the its 1000 temple-prostitutes. Problems of pride were evident in this church and are addressed by Paul in chapters 1-4. It is against this background that Paul writes in chapter 7 to the Corinthians “for the matters you wrote about: It is good for a man not to marry” (7:1).
Outline of 1 Corinthians 7
The following is an outline of chapter 1 Corinthians 7.
MARRIAGE AND SINGLENESS (7:1-40)
A. Fulfill The Spousal Duties (7:1-7)
B. Unmarried and Widows (7:8-9)
C. Divorce is Not an Option (7:10-11)
D. Instruction About Mix Marriages (7:12-16)
E. Remain in Your State (7:17-24)
F. Making Eternal Choices (7:25-31)
G. Undivided Devotion (7:32-35)
H. Choosing Between Good and Best (7:36-38)
I. Do Everything In The Lord (7:39-40)
Paul or God?
There is mixture of thought of who is giving these instructions given in 1 Corinthians 7. Verses 6, 10, 12, 17, 25, and 40 give an essence of statements such as “"I say this as a concession, not as a command...not I, but the Lord…I, not the Lord...This is the rule I lay down in all the churches…I have no command from the Lord, but I give a judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy…In my judgment…and I think that I too have the Spirit of God.”
Paul was a single. The Corinthians knew this fact, so it was possible that they could downplay him. It is normal to ask: “What do you Paul know about marriage?” Paul anticipates their questions and makes distinction in what he says. Paul clarifies were he writes commands from the Lord and when he writes as man with a spiritual mind (a man who has the Spirit of God). Paul wants to make sure where to “shut up,” because the Lord has spoken; and where they would be blessed if they follow his godly advice.
Study of The Text
Fulfill The Spousal Duties (7:1-7)
“Now for the matters you wrote about: It is good for a man not to marry. But since there is so much immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband. The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. The wife’s body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband’s body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife. Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. I say this as a concession, not as a command. I wish that all men were as I am. But each man has his own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that.”
As evidenced in the background information Corinth was a center of pagan immoral worship. Sexual immorality (vs. 2) was considered a part of their worship. The temptation around them was hard, and therefore he teaches them to get marry. Marriage would help avoid sexual immorality. But when married, Christians should understand that are marital duties to be fulfilled (3); there is mutuality in marriage (4); and sexual fulfillment of spousal partners is a must (unless agreed for short time) (5).
Paul’s main issue for them is self-control. Writing as his admonishment, he understands that some have the ability of controlling themselves and some do not. Therefore, Paul encourages those who can control themselves to stay single.
Unmarried and Widows (7:8-9)
Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I am. But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
Paul’s words now turn to those who have never married or whose husbands have died. His issue is again self-control. His instruction is to follow his example of celibacy. Sexual drive is strong and the level of self-control needed to maintain spiritual purity. More has more to say about this issue in more detail, when he writes to Timothy (1 Timothy 5).
Divorce is Not an Option (7:10-11)
To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife.
In verses 10-11, Paul addresses the Christian couples who might consider and divorce. He answer is very clear. It is the Lord’s command. Neither partner should initiate divorce. In a society where divorce was granted to both partners, Paul has already spoken about commitment (3) and mutuality (4). He gives no option for them. He says that neither the husband nor the wife should divorce the other partner. He calls for reconciliation not conflict.
Instruction About Mix Marriages (7:12-16)
To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. But if the unbeliever leaves, let him do so. A believing man or woman is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?
Now, the focus has moved to “mix marriages,” marriages in which one of the partners is a Christian and the other is not. It appears that some of the Christians in Corinth had become Christians after their marriage, and not always both of the partners had been converted to Christ.
He calls for the Christian partner not to initiate the divorce. Christians are the “the aroma of Christ” (2 Corinthians 2:15) wherever they are. Every place is the Christian’s field of mission. The Christian partner in a mix marriage should understand this and reflect a spirit of gentleness, that even “…if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior…” (1 Peter 3:1). This attitude will also bring sanctity to the children in marriage.
If the non-believer wants to leave the marriage, the Christian partner should not handcuff him / her to do so. God has called the Christian “in peace” and cannot and should not force the other to stay. Having done all that is in his/her power they are to leave the other to go.
Remain in Your State (7:17-24)
Nevertheless, each one should retain the place in life that the Lord assigned to him and to which God has called him. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches. Was a man already circumcised when he was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Was a man uncircumcised when he was called? He should not be circumcised. Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God’s commands is what counts. Each one should remain in the situation which he was in when God called him. Were you a slave when you were called? Don’t let it trouble you—although if you can gain your freedom, do so. For he who was a slave when he was called by the Lord is the Lord’s freedman; similarly, he who was a free man when he was called is Christ’s slave. You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. Brothers, each man, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation God called him to.
Paul will use two applications in reference to what he has said and will say. He will use the examples of circumcision and slavery to instruct to remain in their state (17, 20 and 24). He calls them not to leave their state seeking betterment. Paul calls for contentment. If partners (singles) are not content about their state they will have a difficult time to be content about the Christian life.
Among the first converts of Paul’s ministry were some Jews (Acts 18:1-8), and this is why Paul appeals to circumcision. Christian life in general, and marriage in the immediate context, has nothing to do with racial status. Also, Corinth had a lot of slaves who were discontent about their social state. Again applying it to marriage, it should never be sought that marriage or celibacy be about social status.
In summary to this verses we can say that Paul’s instructions about marriage and celibacy encourage remaining in the state called without seeking changes about racial or social status, being full of contentment.
Making Eternal Choices (7:25-31)
Now about virgins: I have no command from the Lord, but I give a judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy. Because of the present crisis, I think that it is good for you to remain as you are. Are you married? Do not seek a divorce. Are you unmarried? Do not look for a wife. But if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this. What I mean, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they had none; those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away.
Marriage or singleness is not a sin. It is a blessing when seen in the lights of eternal choices. We should see marriage and celibacy as way to advance the eternal purposes of God in the body of Christ, the church (Eph 1:22-23; 3:10-11). We should live in the present life, in view of eternity with God. This world is passing away, and we should avoid deep connections with this world.
As seen in the verses 1-7, marriage carries responsibilities, and added responsibilities translate into added concerns. Paul wants them to see the eternal future, more than the present world.
Undivided Devotion (7:32-35)
I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs—how he can please the Lord. But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world—how he can please his wife— and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord’s affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world—how she can please her husband. I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord.
God does allow for negligence in marriage. If one marries than he/she will also be concerned about the spouse. The time will be divided and so the focus. Paul’s desire for the Corinthians virgins is “undivided devotion to the Lord” (35). Paul has in heart their “own good,” and not “to restrict” them. He does not want to cause trouble to them, but he wants them to be devoted to God. As Paul has written in the previous chapters there are very much “worldly” or “carnal.”
Choosing Between Good and Best (7:36-38)
If anyone thinks he is acting improperly toward the virgin he is engaged to, and if she is getting along in years and he feels he ought to marry, he should do as he wants. He is not sinning. They should get married. But the man who has settled the matter in his own mind, who is under no compulsion but has control over his own will, and who has made up his mind not to marry the virgin—this man also does the right thing. So then, he who marries the virgin does right, but he who does not marry her does even better.
But if any man thinks that he is acting unbecomingly toward his virgin daughter, if she should be of full age, and if it must be so, let him do what he wishes, he does not sin; let her marry. But he who stands firm in his heart, being under no constraint, but has authority over his own will, and has decided this in his own heart, to keep his own virgin daughter, he will do well. So then both he who gives his own virgin daughter in marriage does well, and he who does not give her in marriage will do better. (NASB).
The reading from these parallel versions (NIV and NASB) makes it difficult to understand if the question is about a young man who is engaged (NIV), or a father who is thinking about her engaged daughter (NASB). Paul answer is the same: “Marriage and singleness are not sins. The choice is marriage (good) and celibacy (better).” In both cases Paul’s appeal self-control.
Do Everything In The Lord (7:39-40)
A woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but he must belong to the Lord. In my judgment, she is happier if she stays as she is—and I think that I too have the Spirit of God.
Marriage is life commitment. It should not be taken easily. If the partner dies, the other partner is free to remarry. He / She does no sin if he/she remarries. The only condition that Paul lays out is “must belong to the Lord.”
Paul concludes this chapter with an appeal to remain single, with the PS, “I think that I too have the Spirit of God.”
Conclusion
Paul’s encouragement in this letter is to remain the state you are. If two Christians are married they have no choice but to remain married and fulfill reciprocally the responsibilities in marriage. He calls the single to remain single and encourages those in mixed marriages not to initiate divorce but leave in peace.
Paul calls for self-control. If a Christian has self-control, he or she should remain single and have undistracted devotion to the Lord. Marriage and singleness are not about racial or social status. They are about servitude, gentleness and contentment. Marriage or singleness like every other aspect of the believer’s life should be lived in edge of eternity.
