1 Corinthians 7

1 Corinthians 7  •  4 min. read  •  grade level: 8
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The apostle now turns to matters whereof they had written to him. The subject of 1 Cor. 7:1-101Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. 2Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. 3Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. 4The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife. 5Defraud 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. 6But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment. 7For 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. 8I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I. 9But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn. 10And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband: (1 Corinthians 7:1‑10) is concerning marriage, whether it is better to do so or not, under various circumstances; with some regulations to the married. It was better not to marry, by the apostle’s judgment, nevertheless to avoid fornication let every man have his own wife; every one has not the gift to live above nature. Cp. Matt. 19:10-1210His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry. 11But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given. 12For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother's womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it. (Matthew 19:10‑12). 1 Cor. 7:10-1710And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband: 11But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife. 12But 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. 13And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him. 14For 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. 15But 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. 16For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife? 17But 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. (1 Corinthians 7:10‑17) take up the case of those already married, and whether it be better or not to remain in that state, bringing in the special cases of a Christian husband married to a heathen wife, and of a Christian wife married to an unbelieving husband. In such cases, if the unbeliever was pleased to dwell with the other, they were not to part. This was different to what a Jew was to do under Judaism (cp. Ezra 9, Neh. 9). The unbelieving wife was sanctified by the husband, and the unbelieving husband sanctified by the wife, else were their children unclean, but now are they holy. They are brought into the outward privileges of Christianity. Besides, the believing wife was encouraged to count on the salvation of her husband, and vice-versa, according to the passage,
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved and thy house (Acts 16:3030And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? (Acts 16:30)).
Ver. 25. With regard to virgins, he had no commandment from the Lord; he would only therefore give his judgment, as one who had obtained mercy to be faithful. He judged it was good to abide so in the present necessitous times. Yet there was perfect liberty for such an one to marry, whether man or woman, only they would be likely to have trial in the flesh in these troublous, persecuting times. But what regulated every state was this, the time was short; those that had wives should be as those that had not; those that wept and rejoiced, as though they did not; those that bought, as though they possessed not; those that used this world, as not abusing it, for the fashion of this world passeth away. Let the light of the Coming of the Lord shine on every thing. He would have them without carefulness. The unmarried cared for the things of the Lord; the married cared for the things of the world and how to please his wife, ver. 34. There was a difference also between a wife and a virgin. The latter, unmarried, cared for the things of the Lord; the former was in danger of putting the world and her husband first. All this was spoken for their profit, that, as he had said before, and with the light of the second Coming of the Lord also thrown upon it — cp. Phil. 4:44Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. (Philippians 4:4), — they might attend upon the Lord without distraction.
1 Cor. 7:36-3836But 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. 37Nevertheless 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. 38So then he that giveth her in marriage doeth well; but he that giveth her not in marriage doeth better. (1 Corinthians 7:36‑38) refer to the case of a father having an unmarried virgin, and to whether he is to give her in marriage or not. The wife was bound to her husband as long as he lived, but if her husband died she was free to marry again (ver. 39). In all these regulations we see the bond of marriage as instituted in the Garden of Eden upheld in all its integrity, yet a superior power in Christianity introduced, so that one might live above nature by the power of the Spirit of God. We also see here the apostle affirming the inspiration of his writings (ver. 10); at the same time making a distinction between what the Lord said, and that which was the result of his own spiritual judgment as one whom the Lord had found faithful (vers. 12, 25).