1 Corinthians 7:10

But unto the married. give charge, yea not I, but the Lord, That the wife depart not from her husband

'the married' -considering the context, verses 10-11 are specifically directed at. marriage involving two Christians. (1 Corinthians 7:12)

'I give charge' -3853. paraggello par-ang-gel'-lo; from 3844 and the base of 32; to transmit. message, i.e. (by implication) to enjoin: -(give in) charge, (give) command(-ment), declare.

-'I command' (KJV); 'I issue orders (present tense), he means that the order of Jesus has continuous, permanent force.' (Lenski p. 285)

Paul did not "command" marriage nor did he "command" celibacy. In addition, in the previous verses he had given some advice (1 Corinthians 7:6) But to already married Christian couples. direct commands are given. 'Just as they may not reject sexual relations within marriage (1 Corinthians 7:2-5), so they may not dissolve their marriages through divorce.' (Fee p. 290)

'yea not I, but the Lord' -'My command--or rather, the Lord's command.' (Nor)

Points to Note:

1. All of Paul's ethical instructions were the commandments of the Lord (1 Corinthians 14:37; 1 Thessalonians 4:1). Paul is appealing to what Jesus had taught while upon this earth.

2. This demands that some 20-25 years after the ascension of Jesus, in Greece the teachings of Jesus were well known to Christians. In other places, Paul appeals directly to the teaching of Jesus. (1 Corinthians 9:14; 1 Corinthians 11:23; 1 Timothy 5:18; Acts 20:35)

3. Paul may be saying here, 'Concerning this subject, you already know what the Lord said, and it's clear.' 'He cites Christ's words in distinction from his own (12), not as though his word was insufficient (1 Corinthians 7:40;1 Corinthians 5:3f), but inasmuch as this was. principle upon which "the Lord" had pronounced categorically..' (Gr. Ex. N.T. p. 825)

4. Therefore, the conclusion that Paul reaches in verse 11 must be the inspired commentary upon what the Lord taught in such passages as Matthew 5:32; Matthew 19:9; Mark 10:11; and Luke 16:18.

'That the wife depart not from her husband' -'What needs to be noted is that such an action by. woman was generally not allowed among the Jews...But women could, and did, divorce their husbands in the Greco-Roman world, although for obvious socio-economic reasons it was not common for them to do so--this despite Seneca's bitter complaint: "Is there any woman that blushes at divorce now that certain illustrious and noble ladies reckon their years, not by the number of consuls, but by the number of their husbands, and leave home in order to marry, and marry in order to be divorced?' (Fee p. 294)

Since the woman is mentioned first, this has lead some to believe that certain women in Corinth were 'using their slogan (1 Corinthians 7:1b) to reject sexual relations with their husbands (1 Corinthians 7:5), and arguing for divorce if it came to that.' (Fee p. 290) 'This command is probably aimed at those who were advising that Christians should be too spiritually minded to engage in sexual union; hence, they might as well separate.' (Willis p. 220)

'depart' -5562. choreo kho-reh'-o; from 5561; to be in (give) space, i.e. (intransitively) to pass, enter, or (transitively) to hold, admit (literally or figuratively): -come, contain, go, have place, (can, be room to) receive.

Point to Note:

Considering the other uses of the word "depart" (1 Corinthians 7:11), and the fact that after "departure" has happened, the wife is spoken of as "unmarried" (1 Corinthians 7:11). The word must refer to actual divorce, rather than. temporary separation.