Commentary on 1 Corinthians 7.10–7.40

“To those who are joined in marriage I command, not I but the Lord.” After speaking to the unmarried and to widows, he addresses those who are joined in marriage, with the Lord's own mouth: “That a wife is not to depart from her husband; but if she departs, she is to remain unmarried.” This is the Apostle's counsel: that if she has departed because of her husband's bad conduct, she should now remain unmarried. “Or be reconciled to her husband.” But if she cannot contain herself, he says, because she does not wish to fight against the flesh, let her be reconciled to her husband; for a woman is not permitted to marry if she has put away her husband because of sexual immorality or apostasy, or if, driven by unlawful lust, he seeks [perverted] use of his wife; because the inferior does not in every respect use the same law as the superior. If, however, the husband has apostatized, or seeks to pervert the use of his wife, the woman can neither marry another nor return to him. “And that a husband is not to put away his wife.” But “except for the cause of sexual immorality” is understood. And therefore he did not add, as he did about the woman, “but if he departs, let him remain so”; because a husband is permitted to take a wife if he has put away a wife who sins: for the husband is not bound by the law as the woman is; for the head of the woman is the man.

“But to the rest I say, not the Lord.” He said this to show what the Lord commanded with his own mouth and what he granted to his [the Apostle's] authority; for the Lord speaks through him too. For he says: “Do you seek proof of Christ who speaks in me?”

“If any brother has an unbelieving wife, and she consents to live with him, let him not put her away. And if any woman has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, let her not leave her husband.” He said this because in those beginnings, when both had been Gentiles, it happened that one of them believed; and because the faithless shuddered at the worship of God, and the believers likewise at the defilement of their past error, he therefore commands that, if [the unbelievers] were content to live with those who had changed, the faithful too should be content to be with them.

“For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through the believing wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the believing husband.” He shows that they have the benefit of good will, because they have no horror of the name of Christ; and it belongs to the protection of the household in which the sign of the cross is made, by which death was conquered; for it is sanctification. “Otherwise your children would be unclean.” Their children would be unclean if they put away those who were willing to live with them and joined themselves to others; for they would be adulterers, and through this their children too would be illegitimate, and therefore unclean. “But as it is they are holy.” They are holy because they were born of lawful marriages, and because they were born under the veneration of the Creator on the better side. For as whatever is done through dedication to idols is unclean, so whatever is done under the profession of God the Creator is holy.

“But if the unbeliever departs, let him depart.” He guards the purpose of religion, commanding that Christians not abandon their marriages; but if the unbeliever departs out of hatred of God, the believer will not be guilty of the dissolved marriage; for God's cause is greater than marriage's. “For a brother or sister is not subject to servitude in such cases.” That is, the reverence of marriage is not owed to one who shudders at the author of marriage; for a marriage that is without devotion to God is not ratified; and through this it is not a sin for the one who is put away for God's sake if he joins himself to another. For contempt of the Creator dissolves the right of marriage concerning the one who is left, so that he is not accused when joined to another. But the unbeliever who departs is recognized as sinning both against God and against the marriage, because he would not have the marriage under devotion to God. And so the faith of marriage need not be kept to him, since he withdrew precisely so as not to hear that the God of the Christians is the author of marriage. For if Ezra caused unbelieving wives or husbands to be put away, so that God might be propitious and not angry, if they took others from their own race (for it was not commanded them that, having sent these away, they should not marry others at all), how much more, if the unbeliever departs, will [the believer] have free choice, if [the believer] wishes to marry a husband of the same law? For that ought not to be reckoned a marriage which was made outside God's decree; but when one afterwards recognizes this and grieves at having transgressed, one amends oneself so as to deserve pardon. But if both believe, they confirm the marriage through the knowledge of God. “But God has called us in peace.” It is true that one must not quarrel with one who departs; for he departs out of hatred of God, and through this he is not worthy to be kept.

“For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?” He says this because those who have no horror of the name of Christ can perhaps believe.

“Only, as God has apportioned to each.” The Lord has apportioned to each when he is to be saved; that is, he knows when he can believe, and waits for him. And here he teaches that they are to be waited for, and that one ought not to take offence at them, because their hope must be guarded; but if they themselves depart, they are to be let go. “As God has called each one, so let him walk.” That is, if one who believes is joined in marriage, let him not desert, neither husband nor wife, but let him remain so, whether Jew or Greek. “As I teach in all the churches.” So as to persuade them that he hands on to them nothing different from what he hands on to others; so that, when they hear that others of this faith are taught this, they may follow it more readily. For a person is easily inclined if he sees that a companion has consented.

“Was anyone called circumcised? Let him not draw on a foreskin.” This is what he said, that each should walk as he was called; so that a Jew who has become a Christian should not think himself somewhat unworthy because he has no foreskin, giving glory to the foreskin. “Was anyone called in uncircumcision? Let him not be circumcised.” So that a gentile who has been called may not think he ought to be circumcised, because he hears that the sons of Abraham are preferred. For they are not preferred because they are circumcised, but by the merit of Abraham, whose sons they are in both respects, if they believe; if not, they will be worse than the gentiles; for it is worse to have been and not to be than never to have been.

“Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing.” It is plain that it neither harms nor helps. “But the keeping of the commandments of God”: that is, faith makes God favourable, if it is approved by good works.

“Let each one remain in the calling in which he was called.” This confirms what he said above. “Were you called as a slave? Do not let it trouble you; but even if you can become free, rather make use of it.” He exhorts the slave, serving his earthly master well out of the fear of God, to make himself worthy of freedom; lest, hearing perhaps “Were you called as a slave? Do not let it trouble you”, he become more careless about the good service of his earthly master, and the teaching of Christ be blasphemed; for one who serves well in these earthly matters lays up merit for himself with God, and so wins God's favour; since the Lord said: “Whoever is faithful in the least is faithful also in much” (Luke 16:10).

“For he who was called in the Lord as a slave is the Lord's freedman.” Rescued from sins, which truly prove men slaves, he becomes a freedman; for that man is wholly a slave who acts foolishly, as the ancients also held, who called all the wise free and all the foolish slaves. Hence Solomon too says: “Free men will serve a wise slave” (Prov 17:2). One who believes, then, even if he is a slave for a time, because he does a wise thing in believing in Christ, becomes the Lord's freedman. If, then, sins make men slaves, as Ham the son of Noah was made a slave because of sin and folly, when anyone receives forgiveness of sins he is made a freedman. “Likewise he who was called free is a slave of Christ.” He advanced from being free to becoming a slave of Christ; for he was free from God, which is the greatest crime; and therefore, having lost a bitter freedom contrary to him, he obtained a condition that would profit him, as the Lord says: “Take my yoke upon you, for it is pleasant, and my burden, for it is light” (Matt 11:29–30). So he cut off pride and made unity, so that neither the slave, from shame at his condition, thinks himself despised, nor the free man, puffed up with arrogance, sets himself above the slave.

“You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men.” It is true that we were bought so dearly that we could have been redeemed by no one except Christ, who is rich in all things. One who is bought at a price ought to serve the more, so as to make some return to the buyer. Those bought by God, then, that is, by Christ, ought not to be slaves of men. The slaves of men are those who subject themselves to human superstitions. The Apostle, however, is recalling what he rebuked at the head of the letter, that they said, “I am of Paul”, and another, “I of Apollos” (1 Cor 1:12). Yet he gave a point for confessing Christ as God, when he showed that the slaves of Christ are not to be called slaves of a man.

“Let each one, brothers, remain with God in that in which he was called.” This is what he said above, which he repeats so as to commend it fully.

“Now concerning virgins I have no command of the Lord.” This he answered to their writings, as he said above: “Now concerning the things about which you wrote to me”, and so on (7:1). “But I give counsel, as one who has obtained mercy from the Lord to be faithful.” He says he has not received a command concerning virgins, because the author of marriage could not command a thing contrary to marriage, lest he should condemn his own former act. “But I give counsel”, he says: not because it displeases, nor because it is coloured by flattery; for he obtained grace for this, to be fit to give saving counsel.

“I think, then, that this is good because of the present necessity; because it is best for a man to be so.” He says it is good to remain a virgin. And to show this more absolutely, he says “because of the present necessity, because it is best”, so that it might be recognized that between good and best nothing is so splendid and useful as virginity; for he teaches that virginity is more commendable not only before God but also in the present life, since it does not know the necessities of the time that marriage suffers; and it knows nothing of the sorrows of childbirth, nor of bereavement of children. So, to exhort them to aim at it, he shows that it gains, for those who love it, escape from the troubles of the present necessity; so that, learning that it has a better place not only before God but also in the present, they might seek it with all diligence. For it has only one labour, to conquer the desire of the flesh, and in all other things it is free. For since the flesh is in its origin and nature, its use seems pleasant and its affection sweet; therefore to overcome these things is no small glory.

“Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek release.” These are counsels of remedy; for he says that no one ought to be released from his wife except for the cause of fornication. For often men who put away their own wives, under the cover of continence, deceive other women, when their resolve grows cold. But if one placed with his wife wishes to live a better life, let him exhort her that they may live more purely without offence. “Are you released from a wife? Do not seek a wife.” So that, knowing this to be more acceptable to God and free from necessity, he may not seek a wife; yet in such a way that he refrains from other women. If not, what use is it to suppress the desire of the flesh, that is, to spurn a lawful thing, and to fall under unlawful ones?

“But if you take a wife, you have not sinned.” He certainly does not sin, because he does what is permitted. But if he scorns it, he lays up merit and a crown for himself. For it takes great patience not to touch what is not forbidden. “And if a virgin marries, she has not sinned.” She does not sin, because before God she is free in this matter. “Yet such will have tribulations of the flesh.” That is, even if they are free from sin, yet in this life they will have tribulations: the groaning of the womb, the rearing of children, livelihood, provisions, dowries, sickness, furnishing the house, the needs of a wife, the dominion of a husband. “But I spare you.” He spares when he rather urges them toward the things that exclude the tribulations of the flesh and the cares mentioned. He can also seem to spare in that he permits, and does not oppose those who wish for what he shows to be burdensome.

“This, then, I say, brothers: the time has been shortened, and it remains.” In saying that the time is shortened and remaining, he indicated that the end is imminent for the world, although he knew that times still remained. But he ought not to have written otherwise, for the sake of those who would read these things when a very short time would remain; lest, while the day of judgment was always thought to be far off, it should either not be feared or be thought false. But what is said to be imminent, while it is still far off, is of much profit; for it strikes men with fear to lead a better life. Indeed, here in the present, how anxious are those who have cases before judges when the day of the trial is said to be near? This is the kind of thing he says in another place: “as deceivers, and yet true” (2 Cor 6:8). “So that those who have wives may be as though they had none.” For since the end of the world is near, they ought not to be anxious about begetting nor given to that use itself; so that, more eager and watchful, trained in divine works and in care for the law, they may fight back when the battle is imminent. For there will be afflictions such as there have never been, and many will fall into the snare of the devil; indeed none of us wants these things to come in his time, fearing the afflictions foretold by the Saviour (Matt 24:21 and following). Therefore, as we wish for ourselves, let us provide for others too; so that we may abstain from begetting many children, more devoted to prayer and to God's service, foreseeing the day of judgment; lest both we be unprepared through the hindrances of present necessity, and they incur what we fear. He wants the faithful, then, to refrain even from lawful things, so that they may appear not only innocent but also glorious; for to pass over permitted things belongs to the greatest virtue; and not to desire forbidden things is not far from it.

“And those who weep, as though not weeping”: for, knowing that the end of the world is near, and that the consolation of those who are perhaps oppressed for God's righteousness will soon come, let them console one another with this hope. “And those who rejoice, as though not rejoicing”: for let those who rejoice in the present know that mourning will soon come, namely to those who rejoice in the world, doubting God's judgment. “And those who buy, as though not possessing”: for let believers who buy, knowing that little time remains for the world, so act as not to spend all their care on a thing that will soon perish, but rather to care for their soul, which they know to be eternal.

“And those who use this age, as though not using it”: that is, so that they do not rely on this use, because it will soon perish when the world falls. “For the form of this world is passing away.” Since he said the world will be ended, he shows that its form passes away; and that this is the end, that is, not that its substance passes away, but its form. So if the form of the world will perish, there is surely no doubt that all things in the world perish. It passes away because the world grows old daily.

“I want you to be without anxiety.” For when the anxiety of the age is lessened, one is more eagerly watchful in the things of God. How we can be without anxiety he shows, saying: “He who is without a wife thinks of the things of the Lord.” For when the anxiety of marital affairs, which alone in the world is heavier than all the rest, has been cut away, the mind is trained to win God's favour; provided, however, that the mind strips itself of these troubles with this hope, that it may serve God the more.

“But he who is with a wife is anxious about the things of this world, how he may please his wife.” For care of a wife and children is a thought of the world; for among other things men sometimes commit punishable deeds so as not to offend them, as Zerubbabel, one of the three chamberlains of Artaxerxes, relates (Esdr. 4:13); for a gloomy wife in the house is a great bitterness. He is called divided because he cannot both apply himself to divine things and do his wife's will. “The woman and the virgin are divided.” Divided not by nature but in conduct; for we read in Numbers that women are called virgins (Num 31). The anxiety of a woman, then, is one thing, that of a virgin another; yet when 'woman' is said, it is uncertain what it means unless a specification follows; but when 'virgin' is said, the expression is plain. Here the Apostle put 'virgin' after 'woman' so as to signify a woman who is not a virgin; for by this he wanted to show that the virgin is free from the wearisome labours which a woman joined to a husband suffers.

“For she who is not married is anxious about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit”: that is, in mind; for while, in hope of heavenly things, she does not take on the anxiety for a husband and children, she thinks about the Lord, how she may keep the resolve devoted to God; provided, however, that the mind, in a clean body, casting away earthly things, devotes itself to heavenly things. For it is the mind that either sanctifies or pollutes the body. For what use is it to have a clean body and a polluted soul, since it is by the merit of the soul that the body is either honoured or condemned? “But she who is married thinks of the things of this world, how she may please her husband.” For, bound by the marital law, she is anxious how to fulfil the right of the marital duty, subject to worldly necessities.

“But I say this for your own benefit, not to cast a snare upon you, but toward what is honourable.” Since to some what is more useful or better seems harsh and heavy because of the habit of temporal use, after giving his reasons he exhorts them with the affection of love, simply saying that what he says is more useful and more honourable. It is honourable because holy and clean; useful because it is worthier before God and light in this age. What then shall we say? If virgins think of God, and those joined to husbands of the world, what hope is left for those who marry before God? For if it is so, their salvation is in doubt; but we see virgins thinking of the world, and women joined in marriage devoting themselves to the Lord's works. To these virgins holiness will not be credited by God, and these marriages will have a reward with God; because, though bound by earthly ties and the bonds of the flesh, they took pains to merit some immortal reward in the future. But to those others not only will virginity not be credited, but they will even be subjected to punishment, who, under the cover of a better hope, occupying their life and conduct with worldly care and anxiety, made themselves slow to do God's works; as the prophet Jeremiah says: “Cursed is he who does the works of God negligently” (Jer 48:10). These are the ones of whom he says in another letter: “having indeed the appearance of godliness, but denying its power” (2 Tim 3:5). But the Apostle speaks to those who desire with wonderful devotion to obey the heavenly precepts, showing and teaching by what short cut one goes more quickly to God; for one who wishes to remain a virgin to win God's favour, knowing what reward one can receive who refrains from what is lawful in order to become better, at the same time spurns all the hindrances of the flesh, not unaware that these are what hold back the runner's step like the weight of fetters.

“But if anyone sees something shameful in himself regarding his virgin, if she is past puberty, and so it must be, let him do what he wishes; he does not sin if she marries.” Since above he was so stirred up, with reasons given, about keeping virginity and continence that by comparison with them marriages seemed almost useless and to be cast away, now, lest he be thought to deny marriage, he shows that the virgin does not sin if she marries; but that she undertakes a thing of very great labour, which has no reward with God, as it has no punishment; for he wants Christians to be better in all things. If, then, a girl is in desire of marriage, already ripe for its use, it is better for her to marry publicly according to the law that has been granted than to do it shamefully in secret and be put to shame for it.

“But he who has resolved in his heart, being firm, having no necessity, but having power over his own will, and has decided this in his heart, to keep his virgin, does well.” He says this so that one who has a virgin whose mind is not set on marriage should keep her, and not press on her the kindling of marriage, when he sees she has no wish to marry. If benefits are to be granted, how much more are they not to be taken away?

“So too he who gives his virgin in marriage does well.” He does well, because what he does is lawful. “And he who does not give her in marriage does better.” He does better because he both lays up merit for her with God and frees her from the anxiety of the age.

“A woman is bound by the law as long as her husband lives.” He pursues these things in order to teach that a woman, even if she has been cast out by her husband, does not have permission to marry. “But if her husband has died, she is set free.” These too belong to the reasons given above, so as to show how blessed the virgin is, since she is subject to no one but God alone. For she seems to conquer natural subjection, when she raises up what is humbled by nature. “Let her marry whom she wishes, only in the Lord”: that is, let her marry the one she thinks suitable for her; for unwilling marriages tend to have bad outcomes. “Only in the Lord”: that is, let her marry without suspicion of shamefulness, and marry a man of her own religion; this is to marry in the Lord.

“But she will be more blessed if she remains so, according to my counsel.” When he says above, “let her marry”, he speaks by natural law; although first marriages are from God, while second marriages are permitted. Indeed first marriages are celebrated solemnly under God's blessing; but second marriages lack glory even in the present; they are granted because of incontinence, and because the younger widows tend to fall; and for this reason he concedes second marriages. But since it is better that she contain herself, so as to be worthier in the future, he gives counsel, outstanding by spiritual reasoning, that she contain herself. “For I think that I too have the Spirit of God.” So as to show that his counsel is sound and provident, he commends it with lofty meaning by the humility of his word.