First Corinthians 7:1-40
Having just taught and reminded the Corinthian holy-people
(sanctified-people, Christians, saints, children of the only true God)
that their body is the interior-temple of the holy
spirit in them which they have received from God, and they do not
belong to themselves because they were bought of price, and that indeed
they must glorify God in their body, Paul continues:
I Corinthians 7:1 and 2:
7:1But concerning which-things you wrote:
(it is) beautiful for a man not to touch a woman, .2but
because-of fornications each (adult-male) must have the wife
of himself, and each (woman) must have (her) own
husband.
Now Paul is replying to some topics concerning which
these Corinthian holy-people had written to him, which includes how man,
woman, husband, wife, girlfriend (fiancée), boyfriend (fiancé), ought to
behave themselves during the everyday living of their lives. We do not
have their letter or letters to Paul, but thankfully to God we have his
reply to them here. Also, we need to recognize that during this time
many people were hearing the good-message and becoming holy-people,
therefore there were many families where one or more members had become
Christians but others within that same family had not yet become
holy-people, or perhaps they refused to believe what God has given to be
believed and thus refused to receive God's gift of holy spirit.
Paul writes: it is beautiful (there is a manifested decorous, harmonious
and acceptable goodness) for a man not to touch a woman (in the sense of
not applying himself to a woman and thus experiencing her) - referring
to those men who have decided that they do not need to have sexual
relations with a woman as they live their everyday lives and therefore
intend to remain unmarried. There is nothing wrong with being "single"!
But for those holy-people (male and female) who would like to have sexual
relations, then each adult-male (grown-man - translated "husband"
depending on the context) must have the wife (woman - translated "wife"
depending on the context) who belongs to him, and each woman must have
her own husband. Why? On account of fornications -
so as not to allow the possibility of the man or the woman partaking in
wrongful sexual activities or relations.
Verses 3-5:
.3The husband must give-away the debt to the
wife, and likewise also the wife to the husband; .4the
wife does not exercise-authority of (her) own body but
the husband, and likewise also the husband does not
exercise-authority of (his) own body but the wife;
.5you must not deprive one-another if (it is)
not-something out-from agreement towards a time in order that you
may have-convenience for prayer, and again you must come-together on
the same-objective in order that satan may not tempt you because-of
your incontinence;
During the marriage relationship, the husband must
actively give-away (pay back) the debt (that-which is rightfully due,
owed or obligated by him, his indebtedness) to the woman - all that is
rightly due her, which includes conjugal rights and companionship,
because she is his wife. And similarly (in like manner) also the wife
must give-away the debt to the adult-male - all that is rightly due him,
which includes conjugal rights and companionship, because he is her
husband.
In the Christian marriage relationship, the wife does not have exclusive
authoritative-power over her own physical body, but on the contrary, her
husband has the right to exercise authority over her body, to arouse her
and have sexual relations with her. And similarly (in like manner) also
the husband does not have exclusive authoritative-power over his own
physical body, but on the contrary, his wife has the right to exercise
authority over his body, to arouse him and have sexual relations with
him.
You both must not deprive each-other - you must not take something
away-from your husband/wife which he/she needs for completeness
resulting-in his/her not having completeness in that specific-area, even
though he/she may have a portion of it. Neither the husband nor the wife
can fully-satisfy themselves alone in this category.
The exception to this is if the source of your deprivation in this
category is from agreement between you (a sounding-together like a
symphony being musically harmonious, speaking in unison regarding this
matter) for a specific time-period (a temporary occasion) for the
purpose and result that you both may have free-time provided by the
cessation of this activity (have leisure being unoccupied and not
hindered by other things) and so spend that time devoting yourselves to
prayer (communicating to, with and from God privately, the general
speaking towards/with God). After that specific time-period you both
must again come-together for the same objective and purpose (referring
to having sexual relations, etc) – why? – for the purpose and result
that satan (the name emphasizing the devil's opposing and adversarial
attributes) may not tempt you both (try you, make trial of you putting
you to the test with ill intent) on account of your incontinence
(lacking self-restraint or not having power or command over yourselves
as regards your sexual passions - which may lead to fornication and
adultery if it is not attended to).
[Reference: Hebrews 13:4.]
Verses 6 and 7:
.6but I say this according to a
knowing-together - not according to a command; .7but I
intend all men to be as also myself, but each-person has
(his) own gracious-gift from God – indeed he-who (has)
thus and he-who (has) thus.
Paul lays it out for the holy-people reading or hearing this letter that
what he is writing here is in accordance with a knowing-together - a
truly active and relative knowing in conjunction with someone or
something else. Paul knows this together with God and the Lord Jesus
Christ, but it is not a command (an authoritative arrangement, what is
put in order upon or over people and therefore must be obeyed). It is of
course the best course of action for the Corinthian Christians at that
time. This is not a law. Paul has graciously received information from
God and/or the Lord Jesus Christ regarding the Corinthian situation at
that time - but it was not a commandment for them. It is up to every
Christian to walk with God according as it is right for his/her own
situation. Every Christian/holy-person has the spirit of Christ in
him/her and so we can all receive specific information regarding
whatever circumstance we happen to be in (refer to 1st
Corinthians chapters 12 and 13). Of course, it is not a good idea to go
against the spirit in that situation.
What Paul is writing here is not because he has received a command issued
by God Who is the supreme authority, but it is the combination of the
result of his personal knowledge known in his mind which he has received
from God and/or the Lord Jesus Christ plus his knowledge of the
previously revealed written Word of God plus his knowledge of how these
Corinthian holy-people ought to behave themselves during the everyday
living of their lives in accordance with God's will.
Paul is advising the holy-people regarding the marriage relationship, but
he is not giving them a command from God which they absolutely must obey
if they are to walk with and for God. Every marriage relationship is
slightly different and there cannot be strict rules or commands set out
regarding when they should be together, and when they should be apart in
order to pray, and when they should get back together again. But, the
husband and the wife must be in symphony within that relationship,
making sure that they take the time to pray to God, and get back
together again, so that satan does not tempt
them to fornication or anything else which is against the only true God.
But Paul's intention (his will, active volition and desire - regarding
man/woman's relationships here on earth as we await Christ's coming to
gather all the holy-people together with him) is for all men to be in
comparison to himself – which is loving God and believing what God says
and obeying it during the everyday living of his life being unmarried at
that time. But contrary to everybody striving to be another "Paul" and
divorces going on left-right-and-center, each individual holy-person
presently and actively has his/her own gracious-gift originating out
from God whether a person is married or not-married.
Every holy-person presently and actively has his/her own
freely-given-thing within God's grace. Grace is what is freely bestowed
without any merit on the recipient's part; it includes reference to the
attitude and quality of the one giving something favorable to another.
God Who is Holy Spirit freely-bestows His
unmerited or undeserved favor which originates from Himself to each
holy-person. It is not given as a wage or as a corresponding reward for
something he/she has or has-not done; it is not earned or worked-for or
begged-for or anything else on the part of the recipient!
Here, Paul is not referring to God's gift of holy spirit which every
holy-person has already received by means of the Lord Jesus Christ as a
result of believing what God says regarding Himself and His son, the
Lord Jesus Christ (refer to Romans 10:8-13). Holy spirit-life is what
makes a person a holy-person (a true Christian); it is what makes a
man/woman a limb of the one spiritual body of Christ; it is what makes
him/her a son of God.
But, each one of us is to properly practice God's will as we live our
everyday lives which differs from the other limbs, so that all-together
we all bring benefit to the whole body. God and the Lord Jesus Christ
will continue to make known information via holy spirit to each limb if
that limb will be receptive to the workings of his/her holy spirit-life.
Each limb has his/her own individual function or practice to carry-out
and any added information, assignment, etc, given to a limb is given by
grace. It is a gracious-gift to the recipient. It is given by unmerited
favor, and then it is up to the freedom of will of the recipient to
receive it into full manifestation as he/she lives life. Also, it is
noteworthy that Paul does not say that anyone is left-out, or that only
some of the limbs have their own gracious-gift from God but not all of
the limbs!
Each holy-person has his/her own gracious-gift from God – indeed there is
the Christian who has his gracious-gift from God which is in this
manner, but there is also the Christian who has his gracious-gift from
God which is in a different manner. Each holy-person must live his/her
everyday life according as God gives to each one of us to believe
regarding our individual practice/function/duty within the one body of
Christ. Once a gift is given
then it becomes the property of the person who receives the gift. It is
up to the freedom of will of every holy-person to make use of his/her
gracious-gift as it is designed to be used and thus profit now from
having received it. However, if someone misuses it as much as it is
available to do so in its application, he/she does not benefit as much
as they should have, or a holy-person may not use it at all from the
time they receive it and live as if they had never received it!
Some holy-people are able to live their everyday lives for God more
effectively as a married person, but for others it is better for them if
they remain unmarried. Each person receives his own help, information,
etc, from God and/or the Lord Jesus Christ given as a gift of grace to
his/her holy spirit-life which he/she has already received, and that
person is to believe the information and to receive the help with
thanks, and live as it is best for him/her to live loving God.
Christians are to love God, believe and obey what God tells them, and we
are not to live our lives striving to be somebody else and so refusing
to live as God would like us to.
[Reference: Romans 12:3-8; I Corinthians 1:7, and 12:4; Philippians 2:13
and 14; I Peter 4:10.]
Verses 8 and 9:
.8But I say to the unmarried-people and to the
widows: (it is) beautiful for them if-ever they may remain as
I also, .9but if they do not
exercise-self-control they must marry for it is a stronger-thing to
marry than to be set-on-fire.
Paul continues by laying it out to the holy-people who are not married
(for whatever reason that may be) and to the widows (women who were
already bereaved of their husbands) that it is beautiful (there is a
manifested decorous, harmonious and acceptable goodness) for them should
they stay as Paul also is – unmarried at the present time.
But if these unmarried holy-people do not exercise self control (are not
strong within themselves, do not have mastery or dominion over
themselves, do not exert inner force, do not effect power and exercise
strength in themselves regarding their sexual desires) then they must
marry (take a wife, take a husband entering into marriage). Why? In
truth, it is a stronger-thing (it takes comparatively more force with
exerted-power) during their everyday living of life to get married than
to be set-on-fire with passion regarding their situation (allowing
themselves to be figuratively burned, inflamed and glowing with heat as
a furnace, fired-up by and with their sexual desires – this would not be
a stronger-thing on the part of the unmarried person but instead it
would demonstrate the lack of strength).
[Reference: Matthew 19:3-12; Ephesians 6:16; I Timothy 5:1-16.]
Verses 10 and 11:
.10But to the (people) having married2
I charge, not I but the Lord, a wife must not
separate-herself away-from (her) husband - .11but
even if-ever she may be separated she must remain unmarried or she
must be reconciled to the husband - and (the) husband (is)
not to leave (his) wife.
Paul continues teaching regarding the walk/behavior category of how
holy-people ought to conduct their everyday living. He charges (passes a
message on to) the holy-people who have already married and are still
married – but then Paul makes it clear that it is not he himself who is
originating what he is about to write but he is writing by revelation
from the Lord - a wife must not put herself apart-from (sever herself
and therefore be without) her husband.
But even should she be separated from her husband (for whatever reason),
then she must stay in that unmarried state or she must be reconciled to
her husband. To be "reconciled" means to be changed, and that change is
on the part of one party only, and is induced by some action on the part
of another party. So in this context, the wife who has separated must
change her relationship, which is separated and unmarried, back to the
marriage relationship with her husband in response to some action on the
part of the husband to help bring this about. Also, the husband must not
leave his wife (in the sense of sending her away, letting her go from
his concern, dismiss her – he must not divorce her).
[Reference: Matthew 5:32, and 19:6; Ephesians
5:20-33.]
Verses 12-14:
.12But to the remaining-people I say - I, not
the Lord - if some brother has an unbelieving wife and she
considers-it-good-together with (him) to dwell with him, he
must not leave her, .13and if some wife has an
unbelieving husband and this (husband)
considers-it-good-together with (her) to dwell with her, she
must not leave the husband, .14for the husband, the
unbelieving (husband), was made-holy2 in the wife,
and the wife, the unbelieving (wife), was made-holy2
in the brother - since consequently your children are unclean, but
now they are holy.
Now Paul lays it out to the rest of the holy-people in other types of
marriage relationships where one of them has believed God's Word but the
other has not yet believed God's Word, and therefore one of them has
holy spirit-life but the other does not have holy spirit-life. And then
Paul emphasizes that it is he who is saying what he is about to say and
therefore it is not a charge as his previous instruction was. This is a
guideline – it is not a charge nor is it a command that must be followed
at all costs!
If any brother (referring here to an adult-male who is a husband and who
also has the same holy spirit-life within him as all other holy-people)
has a wife who does not believe what God has given to be believed (and
therefore she has not received God's gift of holy spirit by means of the
Lord Jesus Christ – she is not a child of God), and she presently and
actively supposes it to be well, together with her husband who also
supposes that it is good, to dwell (inhabit the same house) in company
and association with him - he must not leave her (in the sense of
sending her away, letting her go from his concern – divorce). Also, if
any woman (who is a wife and a holy-person) has an unbelieving husband,
and this husband supposes it to be well, together with his wife who also
supposes that it is good, to dwell in company and association with her -
she must not leave her husband (in the sense of sending him away,
letting him go from her concern – divorce).
Why should a holy-person stay with his/her unbelieving husband/wife if
their marriage relationship is as detailed above, and what about their
children? In truth, the unbelieving husband was made-holy (from the
moment the wife received holy spirit) and
continues to be holy in (within, at rest within the sphere of action and
emanating from) his Christian wife. He does not automatically become a
holy-person with holy spirit-life within him – what Paul is talking
about is that God has set-apart this unbelieving husband from the rest
of the ungodly-people in the walk/behavior category because of the
manner in-which he behaves with his wife who is a child of God. God will
bless him during his everyday living of life even though he does not
have holy spirit-life within him.
The husband/wife should remain in
their marriage relationship and not divorce.
And likewise, the unbelieving wife was made holy (from the moment the
husband received holy spirit) and continues to be holy in the brother,
the adult-male who is her husband with holy spirit-life within him. She
does not automatically become a holy-person with holy spirit-life within
her – what Paul is talking about is that God has set-apart this
unbelieving wife from the rest of the ungodly-people in the
walk/behavior category because of the manner in-which she behaves with
her husband who is a child of God. God will bless her during her
everyday living of life even though she does not have holy spirit-life
within her. The wife/husband should remain in
their marriage relationship and not divorce.
If God did not make-holy the unbelieving husband/wife who is married to a
wife/husband who has become His child, as detailed above in the
Christian/non-Christian marriage relationship, correspondingly the
children of these holy-people are unclean - as illegitimate children. These children would not be
free from mixture of that-which is against God and therefore they would
be impure and unholy from God's point of view! But it is only because
the unbelieving husband/wife is made-holy in the Christian wife/husband
when this marriage relationship is as detailed above, that now at the
present time their children are holy, just the same as the unbelieving
husband/wife is made-holy in the Christian wife/husband. The children
referred to here are those who are too young to believe God's Word for
themselves – because when they are old enough to hear and believe what
God has given to be believed regarding Himself and His son, the Lord
Jesus Christ, then they too can hear and believe and receive God's gift
of holy spirit for themselves and become holy-people, children of the
only true God with holy spirit-life within them.
Verses 15 and 16:
.15But
if the unbeliever separates himself
(or herself), he
(or she) must be separated
- the brother or the sister was not enslaved2 among the
people-of-this-kind, but God called2 us in peace. .16For what did you know2,
wife, if you will save the husband? Or what did you
know2, husband, if you will save the wife?
If the unbelieving-person, whether it is the husband or the wife,
separates himself or herself from (severs or puts himself/herself
apart-from and therefore without) the Christian wife/husband in their
marriage relationship, then this unbeliever must be separated from the
holy-person, the child of God. And, the brother or the sister (the
husband or the wife who is the child of God with holy spirit-life within
him/her and from-whom the unbeliever voluntarily severed their marriage
relationship) was not enslaved (made a slave and held in bondage to the
unbeliever during the marriage) and, now that this unbeliever has
separated himself/herself from the brother or sister, the brother or
sister continues not to be enslaved among (within the sphere of action
of) such people. Why not? Because God, Who is the Father of every
holy-person, has already called (invited) all of us holy-people in
(within the sphere of action of) peace - and this truth has not changed!
God has called and continues to call His children in peace
(tranquil-harmony without strife), and therefore there is no reason for
a holy-person to get discouraged or upset if such a thing as the
unbelieving husband or wife separating himself/herself from one of us
happens. Our peace is with God because He has invited us to be within
His peace and we have already accepted this invitation by means of the
Lord Jesus Christ and we have already received the gift of
holy spirit which makes us His children.
Paul continues to explain to the Christian husband/wife by asking
questions on an individual basis: in truth, what do you, the Christian
wife, know (perceive) if you will save your unbelieving husband? Or what
do you, the Christian husband, know (perceive) if you will save your
unbelieving wife? Paul does not write the answer because every
holy-person ought to know that not one of us being the husband or wife
in such a Christian/non-Christian marriage relationship can make the
unbelieving spouse believe God's Word in order that he/she would receive
holy spirit. No matter how great an amount of
God's Word is shown to this unbelieving spouse, it is entirely by the
freedom of will of the unbeliever to make his/her own decision to
believe it or not - therefore no child of God should think that it is
his/her fault if the non-Christian spouse continues to refuse to believe
God's Word.
[Reference: Romans 14:17; Colossians 3:15.]
Verse 17:
.17Except as the Lord distributed to
each-person as God called2 each-person - thus he must
walk; and thus I throughly-arrange among all the churches.
It is in this manner with no exception that a holy-person must
walk/behave during the everyday living of life: as the Lord distributed
(as the Master divided or parted into different parts, imparted or
apportioned) to each holy adult male or woman, which is as God called
and still calls (invites) each Christian person. God and His son, the
Lord Jesus Christ, are Whom all of us
holy-people ought to take our information and direction from as we await
the coming of Christ to gather us all together. We receive God's Word
either via the already revealed written Word or via our holy spirit-life
from God Himself or from our Lord Jesus Christ or in whatever manner God
and/or our Lord Jesus Christ may choose to communicate with us – perhaps
via an angel or via another holy-person, etc.
Paul continues by writing that it is in this manner also that he arranges
through-and-through (puts fully in order) among all the churches (within
all the assemblies of holy-people – including Paul himself) no matter
what location they may be physically living in at that time. Therefore,
the Corinthian holy-people were not to think of themselves as "the
exception to the rule" so-to-speak!
[Reference: I Corinthians 1:1-9; II Corinthians
10:13-18, and 11:28; Romans 12:3-8; Ephesians 2:4-10, and 4:1-7; I
Thessalonians 2:12; II Timothy 1:9.]
Verses 18-20:
.18Was someone called having been circumcised2?
He must not pull-himself-over. Was someone called2 in
uncircumcision? He must not be
circumcised. .19Circumcision is nothing and
uncircumcision is nothing – but a
keeping of God's commandments. .20Each-person in the
calling which he was called - in this he must remain.
Paul writes asking: was any of you Corinthian
holy-people called (invited and then you first accepted the invitation
and became a child of God) while you were physically circumcised (having
already been cut-around removing the foreskin or prepuce, being of the
Israeli/Judean background)? Circumcision is physically cutting the
foreskin off from the rest of the person's flesh which necessitated the
shedding of that person's blood while cutting but afterwards being
healed and not having to deal with that flesh anymore; refer to Genesis
chapter 17.
Was someone called having been circumcised and continuing circumcised? If
so, then this holy-person must not pull himself over in his attempt to
draw the skin on top of the area where the evidence of circumcision can
be seen and so try to cover-over the physical effect of circumcision, he
must not try to remove the evidence of being physically circumcised! He
must not attempt to physically change himself into somebody else so as
to gain some kind of favor from God.
Was any of you called and you are still called in
uncircumcision (having the foreskin, being of the Gentile
background you were uncircumcised at the time when you first believed
God's Word and you have not gotten yourself circumcised since then)? If
so, then this holy-person must not be physically circumcised in an
attempt to gain favor from God by doing such an act.
Paul now gives them the reason why they were not to perform all these
different physical actions even though evidently others had said that
they should perform them in order to gain favor with God, and this
reason is true for all holy-people wherever they live their everyday
lives: circumcision is not-one-thing and
uncircumcision is not-one-thing - but contrary to these, a
keeping of the commandments of God is everything!
From the moment that God's gift of holy spirit was first made available
to all men and women by means of the Lord Jesus Christ on the day of
Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4), physical circumcision is nothing from God's
point of view, and physical uncircumcision
is nothing from God's point of view. These fleshy attributes have no
bearing, no influence, they give no help, nothing, to a person who has
received holy spirit because the true life
this holy-person is living is his/her holy spirit-life and therefore
he/she ought to walk in accordance with it, not the flesh.
BUT - contrary to circumcision or uncircumcision
which are nothing - a keeping of God's commandments is definitely
something not to be neglected during the everyday living of life! All of
us, God's children, are to live our everyday lives keeping-an-eye-on
(having in safekeeping, and therefore not neglecting or violating but
able to watch-over, take-care-of, maintain, and be observant of) God's
commandments, what God says, what God has given us to believe and obey
as we await the presence of Christ to gather us all together with him. A
keeping of God's commandments avails from God's point of view.
Each holy-person must remain (stay) within the calling which he/she was
called (the invitation which was issued to him/her and which he/she
accepted). It is the keeping of the commandments of God given to each
man/woman, husband/wife, which he/she must endeavor to carry out – it is
not dependant upon whether he/she is married to somebody or not, whether
he/she is circumcised or not, whether he/she is performing the same
assigned function and ministry as somebody else in the church or not,
etc, etc.
[Reference: Acts 4:3, 5:18, and 15:1-29; Romans 11:29; Galatians 5:1-6,
and 6:15; Ephesians 1:18, and 4:4; Philippians 3:14; I Thessalonians
1:11 and 12; II Timothy 1:9 and 10; Hebrews 3:1; II Peter 1:1-11; I John
2:1-6, and 5:1-5.]
Verses 21-24:
.21Were you called (being) a
slave? It must not be-a-concern to you, but even if
you are able to become a freeman, rather you must use
(it), .22for the (person) in (the)
Lord, having been called (being) a slave, is a freed-man of
(the) Lord; likewise the (person) having been called a
freeman is a slave of Christ. .23You were bought of
price, you must not become slaves of men. .24Each-person
in that-which he was called, brothers, in this he must remain with
God.
Were you (singular, individual) called while you were living as a slave
to some master? Serving as a slave to another man or woman during your
everyday life must not be an object of thought to/for you – your "social
status" has no status in the kingdom
of God! But contrary to being
a slave, even if you have the ability (able-power, capability) to become
a freeman (at liberty) then more-so you must make use of being in that
different position to continue to do what God says.
Paul explains that in truth, the person in the Lord (referring to a
holy-person with holy spirit-life which is the spirit of Christ within
him), having been called (invited) while being a slave, is now a
freed-man (an emancipated slave) of or belonging-to the Lord Jesus
Christ – he has become an emancipated slave spiritually away-from the
mastership of the devil's kingdom in this world. Similarly, the person
who was called while being a freeman living in the world is now a slave
of the resurrected Christ in the service category.
You, all of you holy-people, were bought of price. You were bought as a
person buys in a market-place and pays the correct honorable price, the
holding-worth of the item, the value of the item concerned. Jesus Christ
is the one who paid the price that was necessary for redemption – by his
perfect walk with and for God his Father and his sacrificial-offering of
himself. God then raised him up from among the rest of the dead-people.
The totality and fully-manifested reality of having been bought of price
will come to pass when Christ will come to gather all holy-people
together with him.
Jesus Christ paid the price for you - you must not become slaves of men!
Do not allow yourselves to become slaves of the men who belong to this
world as you live your everyday lives, because the truth is that
spiritually relative-to service you are the slaves of your Lord who is
the resurrected Christ Jesus who paid the price for you.
Each holy-person within the state/position/work/station in the physical
category he was called – brothers. Paul again reminds the Corinthian
Christians that they are all brothers because every holy-person has the
same holy spirit-life within them which makes them children of God and
brothers of one another. Each-person in that-which he was called,
brothers, within this state/position/work/station he must stay at-rest
beside and with the only true God. The primary issue is remaining with
God, not which position in life a person was called in. A person is not
to be trying to change his physical environment thinking that by
changing jobs, house, office, etc, he can change his own spiritual
standing and/or state before God or the entire spirit-realm! God is the
Father of every holy-person. The spiritual standing of every holy-people
in relation to the only true God is "son" - and therefore God's children
ought to keep His commandments, no matter what position we were in
during our everyday life when we first heard the invitation from God to
be His children and then believed what He said. It is the keeping of
God's commandments that determines a holy-person's state of fellowship
in relation to God, not any fleshy attributes or fleshly career.
Also, we should recognize that Paul is not telling these Corinthian
Christians that they cannot change jobs or get a new house or buy a
different car, etc, nor is he telling them that they should change their
physical environment in order to become "more spiritual"! On the
contrary, Paul is emphasizing that it does not matter what job,
position, status, location, or anything else they may be in, or which
they may change to at a future time in the physical category – what
matters is remaining with God, their Father, in the walk/behavior
category!
Our relationship with God in the spirit category cannot change because
all holy-people have received the spirit of Christ in us and therefore
we are sons of God and will continue being sons of God. Even if any of
us should die before Christ comes, he/she will be raised up, and we will
all be given spiritual bodies and we will all be with him at that future
time (refer to 1st Corinthians chapter 15).
[Reference: Galatians 5:13; Ephesians 6:5-8; Colossians 1:27; I John 3:1
and 2.]
Verses 25 and 26:
.25But concerning virgins, I do not have a
command of (the) Lord, but I give a knowing as, having been
shown-mercy2 by (the) Lord, to be believing:
.26therefore I regard-as-customary this beautiful-thing to
begin because-of the constraint having stood-in2 - that
(it is) a beautiful-thing for a man thus to be.
Paul continues to address matters regarding those things that the
Corinthian church had written to him. Concerning both male and female
virgins, he does not have a command being issued from the Lord, but he
gives a knowing (the result of personal knowledge made-known to his mind
and thereby forming the knowing itself). The reason he is able to write
his advice here as part of God's Word is because, after he had initially
been shown-mercy (given active relief whereby merited judgment was
withheld from him) by the power of the Lord Jesus Christ and he is still
being shown-mercy by him, he is believing (adjectively described as one
who believes, he is faithful, trustworthy, he has faith-in, trusts God's
Word, he is a believer, and therefore he can be believed as-regards what
he is writing here). Paul wrote in harmony with God and the Lord Jesus
Christ believing what they told him.
The word "virgins" refers to those holy-people within the church
who had not yet had sexual relations with the
opposite sex and were therefore still unmarried. Also, the usual
implication of this word "virgin" refers to young men and women in this
category who do not expect to remain virgins (unmarried) for the rest of
their lives!
Paul continues: therefore I consider it as customary or lawful that this
beautiful-thing (this manifested decorous, harmonious and acceptable
goodness) of being a virgin began-to-be or originated on account of the
constraint (the necessity forced upon us) presently in force in this
world as we live our everyday lives; and I repeat that it is a
beautiful-thing for a man to be in such a manner - to be a virgin at
this time.
Paul supposed it legally and customarily okay for some of the Corinthian
Christians to be virgins at this time because he believed that it
existed as a necessity arising from the present constraint, by the force
and compulsion of that time-period in which Paul lived. And, Paul
specifically repeats the fact that it is okay for a man to be a virgin -
a man who is a virgin need not be ashamed or feel awkward or anything
else when among other holy-people who are married!
[Reference: Acts 9:1-18; I Corinthians 4:1 and 2; I Timothy 1:12-16.]
Verses 27 and 28:
.27Have you been bound2 to a
wife? You must not seek-after a loosening. Have you
been loosened2 away-from a wife? You must not
seek-after a wife. .28But even if-ever you may
marry, you did not sin; also if-ever the (female)
virgin may marry, she did not sin; but the people-of-this-kind will
have pressure with the flesh - but I spare you.
Paul now advises regarding different sets of circumstances occurring at
that specific time-period. Are you, individual holy-person, bound (tied
or fastened) to a wife? If you are, then you must not look for a
loosening (to loosen what is bound, tied or fastened) which would sever
your bound-relationship with your wife. Are you, individual holy-person,
loosened away-from your wife? If you are, then you must not look for a
wife.
But should you marry at any time, you did not sin. Just because a person
gets married does not mean that he or she has missed the mark or has
erred from the truth of God's Word! And, should the female-virgin marry,
she did not sin. If she is a female-virgin at the time when the
Corinthian church receives Paul's letter and she gets married at a later
date, she will not sin at that time, she will not be missing the mark,
she will not be erring from God's Word!
However, Paul writes that such people who get married at a future time
will have pressure (compression or stress that afflicts them, whatever
may be pressing-upon or squeezing them whether it be physical or mental
or spiritual) with the flesh, they will find it difficult and feel the
pressure of marriage in this world more intensely in the flesh
category - but Paul also writes that he spares them, he is abstaining
from going into detail regarding this pressure in this letter. Paul did
not want to go into explanations. Any pressure which attempts to push a
Christian husband or wife away from the truth of God's Word originates
from satan, the devil, no matter how this
pressure may be shown forth in the physical realm.
Verses 29-31:
.29But this I say, brothers, the time is having
been drawn-together2 as-to-the-rest in order that even
the (people) having wives may be as not having (wives),
.30and the (people) crying as not crying, and the
(people) joying as not
joying, and the (people) buying
as not holding-down, .31and the (people) using the
world as not abusing (it) - for the outward-figure of this
world passes-by.
Again, Paul addresses the Corinthian holy-people as "brothers" reminding
them that they all have received the same gift of
holy spirit from God by means of the Lord Jesus Christ –
including Paul himself.
He writes that he brings this to light - the specific-time (opportune
occasion or season) is now drawn-together (caused to be shortened,
wrapped-together or contracted) as to the rest of our different
relationships one with another. Paul had received revelation from God
and/or the Lord Jesus Christ that the time for this Corinthian church to
freely and outwardly live as Christians in this world during their
everyday lives had been contracted, and so he is advising them how to
conduct their lives in the best way they can with and for God, in
accordance with God's will, in the time they have remaining to them.
The result and consequence is that even the men who have wives may be as
though they did not have wives; and the people crying (weeping, shedding tears, expressing grief,
mourning) as
though they were not crying; and the people joying
(rejoicing) as though they were not joying;
and the people buying or selling in the market-place as though they were
not holding it fast for themselves and so not having their own
possessions; and the people using the world as a means to an end and
making full use of it for their own purposes ought to live as not
abusing it, not over-using or absorbing it. Why not? For the
external-figure or outward-shape of this present world (the current
ordered-arrangement) passes along. Everything pertaining to this present
world is passing by/along, it is temporary, it
is not here to stay!
[Reference: Luke 14:25-33; Romans 12:2 and 15; II
Peter 3:7; I John 2:15-17.]
Then Paul explains why he is instructing them
to live in this manner in the Corinthian church from now on:
Verses 32-35:
.32But I intend you to be without-anxiety. The
unmarried (man) is anxious-about the-things of the Lord how
he may please the Lord, .33but the (man) having
married is anxious-about the-things of the world how he may please
the wife .34and he was distributed2. Also the
woman, the unmarried, and the (female) virgin, the unmarried
- she is anxious-about the-things of the Lord in order that she may
be holy with body and with spirit, but the (woman) having
married is anxious-about the-things of the world how she may please
the husband. .35But this I say towards the contribution
of you yourselves, not in order that I
may throw a noose on you but towards the decorous-thing and
good-attention to the Lord without-distraction.
Very clearly Paul writes that he intends (wills, with active volition and
desire) all the holy-people in
Corinth to be without anxiety (not
to be mentally distracted with care). And next Paul continues to teach
and explain by describing the different ways in which these Corinthian
Christians were at that time allowing themselves
to get all anxious about different circumstances during the everyday
living of their lives.
The man who is presently unmarried (for whatever reason) is distracted
with the things pertaining-to the Lord - how he may please (be
agreeable, acceptable or gratifying to/with) the Lord. But the married
man is distracted with the things pertaining-to the world - how he may
please his wife in the flesh category, and it is for this reason that he
was and still is distributing his thinking, he is divided or parted into
different parts, imparted or apportioned between different things during
the everyday living of his life (partly regarding the Lord and partly
regarding his wife). The things pertaining-to the
world were very evident and freely available at that time in
Corinth.
Also, the same was true regarding the woman who is presently unmarried
(for whatever reason) and the female-virgin who is also presently
unmarried (usually expecting to get marry at a future time) living in
Corinth
at that time. The unmarried woman is distracted with the things
pertaining-to the Lord for the purpose and result that she may be holy
(sanctified) in the walk/behavior category with her body and spirit. But
the married woman is distracted with the things pertaining-to the world
- how she may please her husband, by following the ideas of how to do
this pleasing of her husband from the worldly-things which were so
rampant in Corinth at that time.
Paul continues to teach by explaining the purpose or motive as to why he
is writing such things to these Corinthian holy-people regarding their
relationships one with another in the walk/behavior category. He writes:
I am laying this out for you here for the purpose of the contribution of
you Corinthian holy-people yourselves. A contribution is something that
is brought together with other parts to make one whole-unit, a unifying
collection. It confers help and benefit. It is conducive to any
holy-person's well-being and therefore contributes to the whole church's
well-being in our walk with and for God while living in this world!
I am not saying this for the purpose and result that I may cast a noose
on you (put a rope around your neck causing strangulation, or throw a
mesh or web on top of you) - but on the contrary, I am saying this to
you for the purpose of you being decorous (elegant, well-figured,
seemly) and your good-attention (attentive application as sitting well
beside the object, dedicated, constantly applying yourselves)
to/with/for the Lord without-distraction (without pulling or drawing
anything from the world around you into your mind's thinking and your
everyday living).
Paul intended these Corinthian holy-people to live their lives decorously
and with attentive application to the Lord, and not to be drawing or
directing their attention to different objects or in different
directions at the same time causing mental confusion. They were to be
without anxiety whether they were married or whether they were not
married at that time.
Now Paul continues to give more specific detailed information regarding
the unmarried women who were female-virgins within the Corinthian
church:
Verses 36-38:
.36But if someone regards-as-customary to be
indecorous on his (female) virgin if-ever she may be
beyond-the-bloom-of-youth and thus it is owed to come-to-pass,
that-which he intends he must do, he does not sin, they must marry;
.37but he-who stood2 in his heart not having
constraint but he has authority concerning (his) own
intention, and this he judged2 in (his) own heart:
to keep the (female) virgin of himself, he will do
beautifully; .38so-that both the (person)
getting-married-to his (female) virgin will do beautifully
and the (person) not getting-married will do a
stronger-thing.
If some Christian man considers or supposes it legally and customarily
okay to behave indecorously (not elegantly, not well-figured, not seemly
- here referring to having sexual intercourse) down-on his female-virgin
(the woman to whom he has been betrothed or promised by their families
but they are still unmarried at this point) and this happens when she is
gone-past the bloom of youth (she has reached the highest point and so
is into full-bloom as a flower - she has reached full-age whereby she is
fully-developed physically) and it is in this manner that he considers
that it is owed or indebted to him that it come to pass because his mind
and body cannot wait any longer for the sexual intimacy, that-which he
wills to do with her he must do it – but first he must marry her and
become her husband. The fact that he intends to do this does not mean
that he is committing a sin, he is not missing the mark and erring from
the truth of God's Word - however, they must marry quickly and not wait
so that they can live as husband and wife and then their sexual
activities would be decorous!
But the Christian man who is betrothed or promised to a female-virgin and
who stands firm in his heart (within the center of his being) that he
does not have a necessity to get married quickly arising from constraint
or being forcefully-compelled, but he has authoritative-power about his
own intention (will), and the decision he has made in his heart is to
keep-an-eye-on (have in safekeeping, and therefore not neglecting or
violating but able to watch-over, take-care-of, maintain, and be
observant of) the female-virgin who is rightfully belonging to him
without the need to get married and have sexual relations with her at
this time - he will do beautifully. His actions will have a manifested
decorous, harmonious and acceptable goodness.
The consequence and result of what Paul has just taught is that: both the
holy-person getting married (actively giving himself to marriage,
becoming a married person) to his female-virgin will do beautifully, and
the holy-person who is not getting married to his female-virgin will do
beautifully as stated already in verse 37 and the fact that he does not
get married at this time is a stronger-thing - it takes comparatively
more force with exerted-power on that man's part in the physical/walk
category. This does not mean that it is better or worse from God's point
of view, but Paul is recognizing that it will take strength on that
man's part not to get married yet. Also, some scholars suggest that
verses 36-38 refer to the Eastern culture of a father and his virgin
daughter, how he is to take care of her whether she gets married to a
man whom the father agrees with or whether she remains unmarried.
We should remember that Paul is replying to a letter or letters which the
Corinthian church had sent him and he is instructing them how to live
their everyday lives in Corinth at that time because their days to
freely and outwardly live as Christians had been shortened, and Paul
knew this by revelation and informed them of it in this letter.
Verses 39 and 40:
.39A wife was bound2 on as-much time
as her husband lives, but if-ever the husband may be caused-to-sleep
she is a free-woman to be married to whom she intends, only in
(the) Lord, .40but she is happy if-ever thus she may
remain according to my knowing, and I consider, I also,
(myself) to have (the) spirit of God!
Before ending this portion of this letter, by
revelation Paul specifically addresses the wives living in
Corinth
preparing them for the possibility of their husbands dying.
A holy-person who is a wife was bound (tied or fastened) the moment she
got married and she continues to be bound to that Christian husband for
the length of chronological time that her husband is physically alive,
but should this Christian husband be caused to sleep…. To “be caused to
sleep” refers here to his death, because for every holy-person death is
only a temporary state because at the moment of Christ's coming to
gather all holy-people together with him this Christian husband will be
raised from the dead and will at that future time no-longer be dead but
will be alive in his new spiritual-body the same as every other
holy-person.
Should this Christian husband be caused to sleep before her and/or before
Christ's coming, then she is a free-woman (at liberty) to be married (by
another) to whom she intends or wills - only within the Lord - to
another Christian man (but not to an unbeliever, not to some man who is
not a child of God because he refuses to believe what God has given to
be believed regarding Himself and His son, the Lord Jesus Christ).
Continuing, Paul writes: but she, the Christian woman whose Christian
husband dies, is presently and actively happy should she stay in this
manner of now being single (a widow) which is in accordance with my
knowing (emphasizing that it is mine – my knowing, the result of my
personal knowledge made-known to my mind and thereby forming the knowing
itself). But as well as what I have written being my personal knowing, I
suppose, even I, Paul, that I have and hold God's gift of holy spirit
within myself! In other words, I am not giving you this information
solely from my intellectual mind or bodily experience, but I am writing
this in accordance with the revelation which I am receiving via my holy
spirit-life – the same holy spirit which all of you Corinthian
holy-people have within you.
Paul has now gone through many issues relating to the walk/behavior
category pertaining to the holy-person including his/her interaction
with husband or wife or children or boyfriend (fiancé) or girlfriend
(fiancée) who is also a holy-person or who is not a holy-person.
[Reference: Romans 7:2 and 3; chapter 15 of this "Study of I
Corinthians"; II Corinthians 6:14; I Thessalonians 4:13-18. Note: verbs
with a superscript 2 (2) immediately following them indicate
the "perfect" tense - details are provided in the "Relevant Notes" link
of this study.]
