ADVICE CONCERNING MARRIAGE AND CELIBACY The newly-converted Corinthians had evidently found themselves in a difficulty concerning marriage. The Jews in general, whatever ascetics like the Essenes and Therapeutæ among them may have done, set a high value upon it; while the best of the heathen philoso... [ Continue Reading ]
ΔΈ. This carries on the thought from the last chapter. St Paul has not left the subject of glorifying God with the body. He has only entered upon a fresh branch of it. Having dismissed the question of the unlawful profanation of the body as a thing impossible for Christians, he proceeds to discuss w... [ Continue Reading ]
ΔΙᾺ ΔῈ ΤᾺΣ ΠΟΡΝΕΊΑΣ. Literally, ON ACCOUNT OF THE FORNICATIONS, i.e. the habitual practice of this vice in Corinth. See note on ch. 1 Corinthians 6:13. We are not to suppose (see Meyer) that we have the whole of the Apostle’s view of marriage, but simply that which connects itself with the question... [ Continue Reading ]
ΤῊΝ ὈΦΕΙΛΉΝ אABCDEFG, Vetus Lat., Vulg., Tertullian, and every version of importance except the Peshito, which, with rec., has τὴν ὀφειλομένην εὔνοιαν. 3. ΤῊΝ ὈΦΕΙΛΉΝ. WHAT IS DUE, the DEBT.... [ Continue Reading ]
ΟΥ̓Κ ἘΞΟΥΣΙΆΖΕΙ. A.V. _hath not power_. Better, HATH NO RIGHT. ἐξουσία sometimes stands for _power_, as in Revelation 9:3. But the more usual sense of the word is _authority_. ΤΟΥ͂ ἸΔΊΟΥ ΣΏΜΑΤΟΣ. OVER HER OWN BODY. Because in everything connected with the duties of married life each should consult... [ Continue Reading ]
5. [ΤΗ͂Ι ΝΗΣΤΕΊΑΙ ΚΑΊ] rec. before τῇ προσευχῇ with Peshito. Text אABCDEFG, Vetus Lat. Vulg. ἮΤΕ אABCDEFG. Rec. συνέρχησθε is supported by some versions. But Vetus Lat. Vulg. and Peshito support a different reading to rec., while some copies of the first omit the verb altogether. The evidence, there... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΑΤᾺ ΣΥΝΓΝΏΜΗΝ. A.V. _by permission_. Other commentators translate, _by way of indulgence_. But συνγνώμη properly means _pardon_, or _excuse_. So Calvin and Estius here. See Plato _Phaed._ 88 C νὴ τοὺς θεούς, ὦ Φαίδων, συγγνώμην γε ἔχω ὑμῖν. And Herod. I. 39 συγγνώμη μέν, ὦ πάτερ, τοι. See also Aris... [ Continue Reading ]
ΘΈΛΩ ΔΈ. The rec. text has γάρ, which makes the passage far clearer, and was probably substituted for that reason. We must render ‘BUT _I wish_.’ ἝΚΑΣΤΟΣ ἼΔΙΟΝ ἜΧΕΙ ΧΆΡΙΣΜΑ. Cf. Matthew 19:11, and Epictetus, _Enchir._ c. 33 μὴ μέντοι ἐπαχθὴς γίνου τοῖς χρωμένοις, μηδὲ ἐλεγκτικός, μηδὲ πολλαχοῦ τό,... [ Continue Reading ]
ΧΉΡΑΙΣ. Cf. 1 Timothy 5:11; 1 Timothy 5:14.... [ Continue Reading ]
ΟΥ̓Κ ἘΓῺ�. The Apostle is quoting our Lord’s words in Mark 10:11-12. No distinction is intended between what he, as a private individual, enjoined, and what God commanded. ‘He never wrote of himself, being a vessel of the Holy Ghost, Who ever spoke by him to the Church.’ Dean Alford. ΧΩΡΙΣΘΗ͂ΝΑΙ. Li... [ Continue Reading ]
MUTUAL OBLIGATIONS OF MARRIED PERSONS... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘᾺΝ ΔῈ ΚΑΊ. Nearly equivalent to our ‘but if, after all,’ or ‘but if she _be_ separated’ (with the emphasis on ‘be’). ΧΩΡΙΣΘΗ͂Ι. Literally, BE SEPARATED, as above. There were great facilities for divorce, both under the law of Greece and that of Rome, in St Paul’s day, but the facilities were greate... [ Continue Reading ]
ΟΥ̓Χ Ὁ ΚΎΡΙΟΣ. That is, there has been no precept given by Christ Himself in the particular case now referred to, therefore St Paul falls back on the general inspiration given by Christ to His Apostles. Compare 1 Corinthians 7:40 (where see note), and John 16:13. ‘Christ lays down the general rule,... [ Continue Reading ]
ΤῸΝ ἌΝΔΡΑ. אABCDEFG, Vet. Lat., Vulg., Peshito. Rec. αὐτόν.... [ Continue Reading ]
ἈΔΕΛΦΩ͂Ι. אABCDEFG, Vetus Lat. ἀνδρί rec. with Peshito and Vulg. Irenaeus however (Lat. vers.) and Tertullian support the rec. They may, however, have been quoting loosely. The word ἀνδρί would naturally occur to the mind of a copyist, while it is difficult to understand the introduction of ἀδελφῷ.... [ Continue Reading ]
ΟΥ̓ ΔΕΔΟΎΛΩΤΑΙ. Literally, IS NOT ENSLAVED. The Roman Catholic divines, e.g. à Lapide and Ambrosiaster, as well as the Canon law, held that in the case of the heathen partner divorcing the other when he or she embraced Christianity, the Christian was justified in contracting a fresh marriage. See Wo... [ Continue Reading ]
ΤΊ ΓᾺΡ ΟἾΔΑΣ. Until the 14th century the meaning of this passage was supposed to be that the believing partner was to remain with the unbeliever, in hope of bringing about his conversion. See 1 Peter 3:1. But Lyra then pointed out that the opposite view was more agreeable to the context. The precedi... [ Continue Reading ]
ΜΕΜΈΡΙΚΕΝ אB. ἐμέρισεν ACDEFG. 17. ΕἸ ΜΉ. ONLY. Not exactly equivalent to ‘but,’ for this (see Bp Lightfoot on Galatians 1:19) is never the case. The meaning is no general rule can be laid down to meet all cases, except this, ‘let every one walk in the course God has marked out to him.’ See next no... [ Continue Reading ]
CHRISTIANITY NOT INTENDED TO REVOLUTIONIZE THE RELATIONS BETWEEN THE BELIEVER AND SOCIETY... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΈΚΛΗΤΑΙ אABDFG. Rec. ἐκλήθη. 18. ΠΕΡΙΤΕΤΜΗΜΈΝΟΣ ΤΙΣ. Many Jews, we are assured, were ashamed of their Judaism, and were desirous to obliterate all the outward signs of it. (1Ma 1:15.) This feeling would receive an additional impulse from conversion to Christianity. But though St Paul evidently con... [ Continue Reading ]
Ἡ ΠΕΡΙΤΟΜῊ ΟΥ̓ΔΈΝ ἘΣΤΙΝ. It is not circumcision or uncircumcision that are of any value in themselves. No external act has any inherent value. It is simply the keeping of God’s commands which avails with Him. It is obvious that this reasoning is equally true of the two Sacraments of the Christian co... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΛΉΣΕΙ. The word (see note on ch. 1 Corinthians 1:26) does not mean _calling_ in our modern sense of the life to _which_ a man has been called; but refers to God’s act. ‘Let every man abide,’ not in the condition which God _placed_ him by the call, but in the condition in which that call _found_ him... [ Continue Reading ]
ΜΉ ΣΟΙ ΜΕΛΈΤΩ. Trouble not thyself about it. ΜΑ͂ΛΛΟΝ ΧΡΗ͂ΣΑΙ. This may either be interpreted (1) ‘use _freedom_,’ or (2) ‘use _slavery_.’ Dean Stanley remarks of this passage that its interpretation ‘is one of the most evenly balanced questions in the New Testament.’ But the context, the position of... [ Continue Reading ]
ἈΠΕΛΕΎΘΕΡΟΣ. Not _freeman_, with most of the English translators, but with Vulg., Calvin, Beza and the R.V. FREEDMAN. Cf. Soph. _Fragm._ 677 εἰ σῶμα δοῦλον, ἀλλ' ὁ νοῦς ἐλεύθερος. It is the glory of the religion of the Cross that it conquers the world by submitting to it. Neander, _Church History_,... [ Continue Reading ]
ΤΙΜΗ͂Σ ἨΓΟΡΆΣΘΗΤΕ. See ch. 1 Corinthians 6:20. ΔΟΥ͂ΛΟΙ�. SLAVES OF MEN. Let your minds and spirits be free, whatever may be your outward condition, i.e. be indifferent to mere external relations altogether, for though man may enslave the body he cannot enslave the soul. We may profitably compare th... [ Continue Reading ]
ΠΑΡᾺ ΘΕΩ͂Ι. Cf. Matthew 19:26; Romans 2:11. ‘With God in union of spirit.’ A repetition of the precept of 1 Corinthians 7:20, under a more solemn sanction. The believer is reminded Who it is that hath ordained his condition, as a _sufficient reason that he should be contented with it_.... [ Continue Reading ]
ΠΑΡΘΈΝΩΝ. Unmarried women. St Paul now returns to the question of marriage. But before he enters upon the question of the marriage of virgins, he treats, according to his usual rule, of the general principle of which theirs is a particular case. The time is short, and he would have all as free from... [ Continue Reading ]
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS CONCERNING THE MARRIAGE OF VIRGINS.... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΑΛΌΝ. See 1 Corinthians 7:1. ΔΙᾺ ΤῊΝ ἘΝΕΣΤΩ͂ΣΑΝ�. ON ACCOUNT OF THE IMMEDIATE NECESSITY, or perhaps _distress_, ἀνάγκη is translated _necessity_ in 1 Corinthians 7:37, and this is its literal meaning. But it frequently in the New Testament, as in the Septuagint, has the sense of distress, as in Luk... [ Continue Reading ]
ΓΑΜΉΣΗΙΣ אB, γαμήσῃ A, λάβῃς γυναῖκα DEFG. Rec. γήμῃς. 28. ΘΛΊΨΙΝ ΔῈ ΤΗ͂Ι ΣΑΡΚΊ. Tribulation, either as in the case of Monica, when she saw her son Augustine falling into sin and infidelity, or as many other Christian parents whose souls the ‘sword’ of the executioner was destined to ‘pierce throug... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΣΤΙΝ ΤῸ ΛΟΙΠΌΝ אABD. Rec. places ἐστιν after τὸ λοιπόν with E. Some MSS. and ancient versions have ἐστιν in both places. The punctuation varies with different editors. But there is early authority for that adopted in the text. 29. ΤΟΥ͂ΤΟ ΔΈ ΦΗΜΙ. The conclusion of the whole matter. The time is sho... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΑῚ ΟἹ ΧΑΊΡΟΝΤΕΣ ὩΣ ΜῊ ΧΑΊΡΟΝΤΕΣ. ‘Look round this beautiful world of God’s: ocean dimpled into myriad smiles; the sky a trembling, quivering mass of blue, thrilling hearts with ecstasy; every tint, every form, replete with beauty. God says, “be glad.” Do not force young, happy hearts to an unnatura... [ Continue Reading ]
ΤῸΝ ΚΌΣΜΟΝ אAB. DFG add τοῦτον. τῷ κόσμῳ τοὐτῳ rec. with E. 31. ΤῸΝ ΚΌΣΜΟΝ. See Critical Note. The rec. text is a grammatical correction. The accusative after χρῆσθαι is not found elsewhere in N. T., nor in classical Greek. See Meyer _in loc._ ΚΑΤΑΧΡΏΜΕΝΟΙ. Either, AS NOT USING IT TO EXCESS, as in... [ Continue Reading ]
ἈΜΕΡΊΜΝΟΥΣ. FREE FROM ANXIETY. One great reason why the Apostle recommends celibacy is the freedom that it gives from anxiety about worldly matters, the opportunity it offers of ‘attending upon the Lord without distraction.’ But the Apostle does not desire his advice to be a snare to entangle those... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΑῚ ΜΕΜΈΡΙΣΤΑΙ ΚΑῚ Ἡ ΓΥΝῊ ΚΑῚ Ἡ ΠΑΡΘΈΝΟΣ Κ.Τ.Λ. The text here is in the greatest possible confusion, nor is it easy to give a clear idea of the various texts, punctuations and translations. First of all Tischendorf adds καί before and after μεμέρισται to the rec. text. He further accepts the rec. te... [ Continue Reading ]
ΣΎΜΦΟΡΟΝ אABD. ΕΥ̓ΠΆΡΕΔΡΟΝ אABDEFG. 35. ΒΡΌΧΟΝ. ‘Snare,’ A.V. Better _noose_. ΕΥ̓ΠΆΡΕΔΡΟΝ. Literally, SITTING CONVENIENTLY BEFORE (or BESIDE). Dean Stanley refers to Martha and Mary in Luke 10:39-41, as an exact illustration of this expression. Martha is ‘cumbered with much serving,’ Mary sits at... [ Continue Reading ]
ΔΈ. _On the other hand_. ἈΣΧΗΜΟΝΕΙ͂Ν. See Lucian, _De Sacrif._ c. 7 ἡ Ῥέα δὲ πῶς οὐκ�; Our modern colloquial English has imitated this expression. It is ‘bad form’ to do this or that. See ch. 1 Corinthians 12:23; 1 Corinthians 13:5, and Romans 1:27; Revelation 16:15. See also εὔσχημον, 1 Corinthians... [ Continue Reading ]
ἸΔΊΑΙ אAB. Rec. αὐτοῦ after καρδίᾳ with DEFG, Vet. Lat. and Vulg. ΤΗΡΕΙ͂Ν אAB. τοῦ before τηρεῖν rec. DEFG. ΠΟΙΉΣΕΙ אAB. ποιεῖ rec. DEFG, Vet. Lat., Vulg., Peshito. 37. ΜῊ ἜΧΩΝ�. This might be the case either (1) if the maiden be not specially desirous for the married life, or (2) if her hand be... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΑῚ Ὁ ΓΑΜΊΖΩΝ. The idea in the Apostle’s mind is that _both_ do well. But whether we read καί or δέ in the apodosis, the sentence involves an _anacolouthon_. The difference between the rec. ἐκγαμίζων and the text is that the former emphasizes the _parting_ with the daughter, ‘marrying her _off_,’ as... [ Continue Reading ]
39. [νόμῳ] rec. with EFG, Peshito and authorized Vulg., after ΔΈΔΕΤΑΙ. Omit אABD, and some copies of Vetus Lat. and Vulg. It is no doubt a marginal gloss. Tertullian and Origen omit it. 39. ΓΥΝῊ ΔΈΔΕΤΑΙ. The perfect marks the permanent nature of the marriage contract. See Romans 7:2. ἘᾺΝ ΔῈ ΚΟΙΜΗΘΗ... [ Continue Reading ]
39, 40. THE SECOND MARRIAGE OF WOMEN... [ Continue Reading ]
ΔΟΚΩ͂ ΔΈ. Not that there was any doubt in the Apostle’s mind on this point. The word used implies full persuasion that in the advice he had given he was speaking under the direction of the Holy Spirit. ΚἈΓΏ. Not, as A.V. ‘I think also,’ but ‘I think that I, too,’ as well as others.... [ Continue Reading ]