TEXT. 22 For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's free-man likewise also he, that is called being free, is Christ's servant. : 23 Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men. 24 Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God. 25 Now, concerning virgins, I have no commandment of the Lord, yet I give my judgment, as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful. PARAPHRASE. a slave? Think thyself not the less a christian, for being a slave; but yet prefer freedom to slavery, if 22 thou canst obtain it. For he that is converted to christianity, being a bond-man, is Christ's freedman. * And he that is converted, being a free-man, is Christ's bondman, under his command and domi23 nion. Ye are bought with a price, † and so belong to Christ; be not, if you can avoid it, slaves to any 24 body. In whatsoever state a man is called, in the same he is to remain, notwithstanding any privileges of the gospel, which gives him no dispensation, or exemption, from any obligation he was in before, 25 to the laws of his country. Now concering virgins I have no express command from Christ to give you: NOTES. their conversion; yet it is certain, it was lawful for them, as well as others, to change, where it was lawful for them to change, without being christians. 22 * 'AπελεÚÐεpos, in Latin, "libertus," signifies not simply a freeman, but one who having been a slave, has had his freedom given him by his master. 23 Slaves were bought and sold in the market, as cattle are; and so, by the price paid, there was a property acquired in them. This, therefore, here is a reason for what he advised, ver. 21, that they should not be slaves to men, because Christ had paid a price for them, and they belonged to him. The slavery he speaks of is civil slavery, which he makes use of here, to convince the corinthians, that the civil ties of marriage were not dissolved by a man's becoming a christian, since slavery itself was not; and, in general, in the next verse, he tells them, that nothing in any man's civil estate, or rights, is altered by his becoming a christian. 25 By virgins, it is plain St. Paul here means those of both sexes, who are in a celibate state. It is probable he had formerly dissuaded them from marriage, in the present state of the church. This, it seems, they were uneasy under, ver. 28 and 35, and therefore, sent some questions to St. Paul about it, and particularly, What, then, should men do with their daughters? Upon which occasion, ver. 25-37, he gives directions to the unmarried, about their marrying, or not marrying; and in the close, ver. 38, answers to the parents, about marrying their daughters; and then, ver. 39 and 40, he speaks of widows. TEXT. 26 I suppose, therefore, that this is good for the present distress; I say, that it is good for a man so to be. 27 Art thou bound unto a wife? Seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? Seek not a wife. 28 But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned; nevertheless, such shall have trouble in the flesh; but I spare you. 29 But this I say, brethren, the time is short. It remaineth, that both they that have wives, be as though they had none; 30 And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not. PARAPHRASE. but I tell you my opinion, as one whom the Lord has been graciously pleased to make credible, * and 26 so you may trust and rely on, in this matter. I tell you, therefore, that I judge a single life to be convenient, because of the present straits of the church; 27 and that it is best for a man to be unmarried. Art thou in the bonds of wedlock? Seek not to be loosed: 28 art thou loosed from a wife? Seek not a wife. But if thou marriest, thou sinnest not; or, if a virgin marry, she sins not: but those that are married, shall have worldly troubles; but I spare you by not representing to you how little enjoyment christians are like to have from a married life, in the present state of things, and so I leave you the liberty of marrying. 29 But give me leave to tell you, that the time for enjoying husbands and wives is but short. † But be that as it will, this is certain, that those who have wives, should be, as if they had them not, and not set their 30 hearts upon them: And they that weep, as if they wept not; and they that rejoice, as if they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as if they possessed not: all these things should be done with resignation and a NOTES. * In this sense he uses πιςὸς ἄνθρωπος, and πιςὸς λόγος, 2 Tim. ii. 2. 29 Said, possibly, out of a prophetical foresight of the approaching persecution under Nero. TEXT. 31 And they that use this world, as not abusing it for the fashion of this world passeth away. 32 But I would have you without carefulness. He, that is unmarried, careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord: 33 But he that is married, careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife. 34 There is difference also between a wife and a virgin: the unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy, both in body and in spirit: but she that is married, careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband. 35 And this I speak for your own profit, not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that upon the Lord without distraction. PARAPHRASE. you may attend 31 christian indifferency. And those who use this world, should use it without an over-relish of it *, without giving themselves up to the enjoyment of it. For the scene of things is always changing in this world, 32 and nothing can be relied on in itt. All the reason why I dissuade you from marriage is, that I would have you free from anxious cares. He that is unmarried, has time and liberty to mind things of 33 religion, how he may please the Lord: But he that is married, is taken up with the cares of the world, 34 how he may please his wife. The like difference there is, between a married woman and a maid; she that is unmarried, has opportunity to mind the things of religion, that she may be holy in mind and body; but the married woman is taken up with the cares 35 of the world, how to please her husband. This I say to you, for your particular advantage, not to lay any constraint upon you ‡, but to put you in a way, wherein you may most suitably, and as best becomes NOTES. 31 Kalaxpμey does not here signify "abusing," in our English sense of the word, but "intently using." ور + All, from the beginning of ver. 28, to the end of this ver. 31, I think, may be looked on, as a parenthesis. 35Bpóxos, which we translate, a snare, signifies a cord, which possibly the apostle might, according to the language of the hebrew school, use here for binding; and then his discourse runs thus: Though I have declared it my opinion VOL. VII. K. TEXT. 36 But if any man think he behaveth himself uncomely towards his virgin, if she pass the flower of her age, and need so require, let him do what he will: he sinneth not; let them marry. 37 Nevertheless, he that standeth stedfast in his heart, having no necessity, but hath power over his own will, and hath so decreed in his heart, that he will keep his virgin, doth well. PARAPHRASE. christianity, apply yourselves to the study and duties 36 of the gospel, without distraction. But, if any one thinks that he carries not himself as becomes him, to his virgin, if he lets her pass the flower of her age unmarried, and need so requires, let him do, as he 37 thinks fit; he sins not, if he marry her. But whoever is settled in a firm resolution of mind, and finds himself under no necessity of marrying, and is master of his own will, or is at his own disposal, and has so determined in his thoughts, that he will keep his virginity, he chooses the better NOTES. that it is best for a virgin to remain unmarried, yet I bind it not, i. e. I do not declare it to be unlawful to marry. 37* Пapfèvov seems used here for the virgin state, and not the person of a virgin; whether there be examples of the like use of it, I know not; and therefore I propose it as my conjecture, upon these grounds: 1. Because the resolution of mind, here spoken of, must be in the person to be married, and not in the father, that has the power over the person concerned; for how will the firmness of mind, of the father, hinder fornication in the child, who has not that firmness? 2. The necessity of marriage can only be judged of by the persons themselves. A father cannot feel the child's flames, which make the need of marriage. The persons themselves only know, whether they burn, or have the gift of continence. 3. Εξεσίαν ἔχει περὶ τῷ ἰδία θελήματος, σε hath the power 66 over his own will," must either signify, "can govern his own desires, is "master of his own will:" but this cannot be meant here, because it is sufficiently expressed before, by ipaños tñ xapdíx, “sted fast in heart;" and afterwards too, by κέκρικεν ἐν τῆ καρδία, "decreed in heart;" or must signify, "has "the disposal of himself," i. e. is free from the father's power, of disposing their children in marriage. For, I think, the words should be translated, "hath a power concerning his own will," i. e. concerning what he willeth. For if, by it, St. Paul meant a power over his own will, one might think he would have expressed that thought, as he does chap. ix. 12, and Rom. ix. 21, without rep, or by the preposition, ì, as it is Luke ix, 1, 4. Because, if "keep his virgin" had here signified, keep his children from marrying, the expression, had been more natural to have used the word rézva, which signifies both sexes, than wapbévos, which belongs only to the female. If therefore xplivos be taken abstractly for virginity, the precedent verse must be understood thus: " But if any one think it a shame to pass the flower of his age un"married, and he finds it necessary to marry, let him do as he pleases; he sins TEXT. 38 So then, he that giveth her in marriage, doth well: but he that giveth her not in marriage, doth better. 39 The wife is bound by the law, as long as her husband liveth: but, if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord. 40 But she is happier, if she so abide, after my judgment: and I think also that I have the Spirit of God. PARAPHRASE. 38 side *. So then he that marrieth, doth well; but he 39 that marrieth † not, doth better. It is unlawful for a woman to leave her husband, as long as he lives: but, when he is dead, she is at liberty to marry, or not to marry, as she pleases, and to whom she pleases; which virgins cannot do, being under the disposal of their parents; only she must take care to 40 marry, as a christian, fearing God. But, in my opinion, she is happier, if she remain a widow; and permit me to say, that whatever any among you may think, or say, of me, "I have the Spirit of "God, so that I may be relied on in this my advice, "that I do not mislead you." NOTES. "not: let such marry." I confess it is hard to bring these two verses to the same sense, and both of them to the design of the apostle here, without taking the words in one, or both of them, very figuratively. St. Paul here seems to obviate an objection, that might be made against his dissuasion from marriage, viz. that it might be an indecency one should be guilty of, if one should live unmarried past one's prime, and afterwards be forced to marry. To which he answers, That no body should abstain upon the account of being a christian, but those, who are of steady resolutions, are at their own disposal, and have fully determined it in their own minds. 37* Kaλws, here, as in ver. 1, 8, and 26, signifies not simply good, but preferable. 38 + Пaptévos being taken in the sense before-mentioned, it is necessary, in this verse, to follow the copies, which read youíço», marrying," for ἐκδαμίζων, giving in marriage." |