1 Corinthians 7

1 Corinthians 7

7:1-4 – Now concerning the things about which you wrote, it is good for a man not to touch a woman. But because of immoralities, each man is to have his own wife, and each woman is to have her own husband. The husband must fulfill his duty to his wife, and likewise also the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; and likewise also the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.

- “Now Concerning” – Paul is switching gears a little and is going to answer some questions about which they have written him.

- “have his own wife” – In the first century it was not uncommon for marriage to be had without romantic love involved. Women got married so they could try for a male heir and men would sleep with their slaves and concubines as well as the wife. Paul is saying that marriage should be sacred between a man (singular) and a woman (singular). “duty” is a slave term, the same as “being mastered by” in 6:12. “Have authority over” is also a slave term. They have dominion over each other’s bodies but not their own.

7:5 – Stop depriving one another, except by agreement for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer, and come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

- Stop “defrauding” one another. Marriage involves sex and to withhold that from your partner is to defraud a master – It also causes them to be vulnerable to Satan’s temptation.

7:6-9 – But this I say by way of concession, not of command. Yet I wish that all men were even as I myself am. However, each man has his own gift from God, one in this manner, and another in that. But I say to the unmarried and to widows that it is good for them if they remain even as I. But if they do not have self-control, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

- Marriage is advisable for most people because we are fallen and desire physical fulfillment (Verses 1-4 speak to that). The ability to stay single and not sin (long for the relationship) is a gift from God.

7:10 – But to the married I give instructions, not I, but the Lord, that the wife should not leave her husband

- In these verses Paul is saying “I say” and we like to treat that as secondary advice. The truth is, “I Say” from an apostle is just like “I say” from Jesus because they were his representatives.

7:11-14 – (but if she does leave, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband), and that the husband should not divorce his wife. But to the rest I say, not the Lord, that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever and she consents to live with him, he must not divorce her. And a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, she must not send her husband away. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his wife, and she unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband; for otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are holy.

- Don’t leave your spouse just because you’ve become a believer and he/she hasn’t.. Staying will at least witness to them and guard the children.

- In the 1^st century it was common for an 18 year old boy to marry and then spend 3 years in homosexuality (a softie) – a believing parent could protect the children from this.

7:15-17 – Yet if the unbelieving one leaves, let him leave; the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called us to peace. For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife? Only, as the Lord has assigned to eacfh one, as God has called each, in this manner let him walk. And so I direct in all the churches.

- Same as above – God has put you where you are for a reason!

- Just a side note, the authority structure in first century families was way different than today. A father had authority over all of his sons and their families until he chose to emancipate them (like slaves). If he decided not to emancipate them he could have four generations under his authority.

7:18-19 – Was any man called when he was already circumcised? Has anyone been called in uncircumcision? He is not to be circumcised. Circumcision is nothing, but what matters is the keeping of the commandments of God.

- Some Jews had a rare procedure performed where they would have skin re-attached because they were ashamed of being Jews. Paul’s basically saying that it’s not as important as your salvation – stay like you were. There were also Judaisers telling the Gentile believers that they had to be circumcised, but it wasn’t true.

7:20-24 – Each man must remain in that condition in which he was called. Where you called while a slave? Do not worry about it; but if you are able also to become free, rather do that. For he who was called in the Lord while a slave, is the Lord’s freedman; likewise he who was called while free, is Christ’s slave. You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men. Brethren, each one is to remain with God in that condition in which he was called.

- “freed man” is a first generation free person, he used to be a slave. He has been freed by the master but still had obligation to the master. Most slaves were freed around 30-35 years old to avoid another Sparticus, but whether slave or free they still owed allegiance to the master – In this case the master is God.

- We are God’s slaves, and that means something when Jesus comes back. Caesar’s slaves had great authority. They were slaves, but they were Caesar’s Slaves.

7:25-26 – Now concerning virgins I have no command in the Lord, but I give an opinion as one who by the mercy of the Lord is trustworthy. I think then that this is good in view of the present distress, that it is good for a man to remain as he is.

- “Opinion” is a legal term. When a judge or assembly gave an onion it became law

- “presnt distress” is a reference to calamity and disasters – not persecution. There was a amine in Corinth at this time and Paul is saying that it may be good to not have an extra mouth to fd. This isn’t a reference to Nero – Persecution comes with the package and should not be a reason to not have kids.

7:27-31 – Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be released. Are you released from a wife? Do not seek a wife. But if you should marry, you have not sinned and if a virgin should marry, she has not sinned. Yet such will have trouble in his life, and I am trying to spare you. But this I say, brethren, the time has been shortened so that from now on those who have wives should be as though they had none; and those who weep, as though they did not weep; and those who rejoice, as though they did not rejoice; and those who buy, as though they did not possess; and those who use the world, as though they did not make full use of it; for the form of this world is passing away.

- “weep” – an idiom for widows

- “rejoice” – an idiom for those engaged to marry

- Time has been shortened (verse 29) because the world is passing away (verse 31). Regardless of your situation we are running out of time and we are living lives that belong to Christ.

7:32-40 – But I want you to be free from concern. One who is unmarried is concerned about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord; but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how he my please his wife, and his interests are divided. And the woman who is unmarried, and the virgin, is concerned about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and spirit; but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how she may please her husband. And this I say for your own benefit; not to put a restraint upon you ,but to promote what is seemly, and to secure undistracted devotion to the Lord. But if any man thinks that he is acting unbecomingly toward his virgin daughter, if she should be of full age, and if I must be so, let him o what he wishes, he does not in; let her marry. Bt 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 des not give her in marriage will do better. A wife is bound as long as her husband lives; but if her husband is dead, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord. But in my opinion she is happier if she remains as she is; and I think that I also have the Spirit of God.

- I think the first century Corinthians were worried that being unmarried would be wrong. All Paul is saying in this passage is to be content wherever God has you and don’t waste God’s time (You belong to Him..your time is His time) worrying about changing your personal situation. If you are doing God’s bidding and He decides to change your circumstances… You’re at HIS mercy.