What God Has joined together, Sermon 9 of 10
"What About New Covenant Grounds For Remarriage?"
(Children's Sheet for Sermon Interaction is at bottom. Notes for young children to answer are throughout sermon)Pastor Kerry Kinchen, Bridgeway Bible Church
Please turn to 1 Corinthians chapter 7. 1 Corinthians 7 will be our main passage for study this morning. As you are turning there, I want to briefly recap last week's sermon. My purpose in that sermon was to lay the foundation from Scripture concerning an important fact for God's New Covenant people (God's New Covenant people being the body of Christ). I demonstrated that there is no clear support in the New Covenant scriptures (properly exegeted) in respect to God's preceptive will, for a Christian to file for divorce from another Christian. We looked at the historic fact that the New Covenant started at the Crucifixion and subsequent resurrection of Christ. From there, we looked at some Old Covenant teaching issues that Jesus dealt with concerning divorce in Matthew, Mark and Luke. They were teachings concerning nuanced applications of statutes in the Mosaic Law for Israelites to follow in Christ's pre-cross Old Covenant ministry period (cf. Deuteronomy 23-24). Finally, we examined our New Covenant instructions. We looked at the New Covenant church teachings of Romans 7, and 1 Corinthians 7.
In this sermon, I want to cover the other Biblically based position that I hold to that is closely related to the one concerning divorce. I believe, from the biblical record, that God allows Christian remarriage after divorce. Our primary passage this morning is the whole chapter of 1 Corinthians 7. Let's read from it, starting with verses 1, and then I will go to the other pertinent ones. I'm going to abbreviate a bit while we read the lengthy section;
"1 Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: 'It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.' 2 But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. 3 The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. 4 For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. 5 Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 6 Now as a concession, not a command, I say this. 7 I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has his own gift from God, one of one kind and one of another." 8 To the unmarried [agamois] and the widows [chera] I say that it is good for them to remain single as I am. 9 But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn [ The Greek word means "to burn." "With intense sexual desire" is added to modify the sense]. "10 But to the married I give instructions, not I, but the Lord, that the wife should not be separated from her husband 11 (but if she does, she must remain unmarried [agamos which is her status as a divorcee], or else be reconciled to her husband), and that the husband should not divorce his wife. ... 25 Now concerning virgins [parthenon] I have no command of the Lord, but I give an opinion as one who by the mercy of the Lord is trustworthy. 26 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. 27 Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be released [or loosed]. Are you released [or loosed] from a wife? Do not seek a wife. 28 But if you marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin [parthenon] marries, she has not sinned. Yet such will have trouble in this life [or, in the flesh], and I am trying to spare you. 29 This is what I mean, brothers: the appointed time has grown very short, so that from now on those who have wives should be as though they had none;"... 34 The woman who is unmarried, and the virgin, is concerned about the things of the Lord, how to be set apart in body and spirit.; but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how she may please her husband." 1 Corinthians 7:
Please prepare to learn, along with me, in this sermon,
What God Has joined together, Sermon 9 of 10
"What About New Covenant Grounds For Remarriage?"
[prayer]
In analyzing 1 Corinthians 7, it is necessary to get a basic background orientation. In the whole letter Paul is answering another letter that was sent to him from the Corinthian elders (cf. 7:1). Apparently we can conclude, from Paul's handling of the issues all the way through the epistle, that the Corinthians had a lot of problems that they needed to clear up. This involved some doctrinal life application issues that they needed God's apostle to clarify for them. Chapters 5 through 7 demonstrate that the Corinthians were concerned with various questions that had to do with sexual relations between males and females. What to do about an incestuous kind of adulterous relationship is a focus in Paul's directives in chapter 5. Exhortation to be set apart from the Corinthian prostitutes is found in chapter 6. Rampant immorality was evidently a huge problem. Varied marriage situations and practices were of concern. All of this was coupled with the intense persecution, and ungodly culture, that Christians had to experience in the pagan society of Corinth. Added to this, was Paul's constant expectation of the soon end of the world [kosmos] of the Old Temple system and the domination of the apostate Jews who still claimed to be God's true people 1 Corinthians 7:30 in which the "time has been shortened," 1 Corinthians 7:29. With all these considerations in mind, we find that singleness, marriage; Christians bound with non-Christians, separation, divorce, virgins, celibacy, and sex, are all issues addressed by Paul. In the first seven verses, the sense that Paul is conveying is that though these are troubling times, and though the end is near, which are good reasons for a man not to touch a women, Paul sees that it is easy to be immoral in a sensual society like Corinth. There is a stronger difficulty, as Paul says, if you are someone who lacks self control. Because of lack of self control, Paul suggests that a husband and wife should have frequent sexual relations to fulfill any sexual passions that they have. Paul explains that depriving one another should only occur for short periods of time. Ultimately, because of the times, and to avoid distractions, Paul wished everyone was like himself, so Paul also says,
"7 I wish that all [all in the Greek word anthropos which means both men and women] were as I myself am. But each has his [and her] own gift from God, one of one kind and one of another." 1 Corinthians 7:6-7
Paul was single. It was his gift. Paul was also able to maintain his gift without having a desire to get married. Paul wanted this same thing for the people of Corinth, but Paul knew that this was his own wish for other Christians. Even though his wish seemed like a good idea to Paul, he knows that God has gifted all of us in different ways;
"But each has his own gift from God, one of one kind and one of another." 1 Corinthians 7:7
At this point, there is already an important detail that we must recognize in respect to people who are divorced.
/1/
This is our first foundational principle to glean in asking about the New Covenant grounds for remarriage? Essentially the principle is that a divorced person is single. This state could be used for undistracted devotion to the Lord, but it can mean something else. This means that in the state of singleness the divorcee, and even widows, may burn with intense sexual passion. Burning with intense sexual passion while lacking self control is a distraction from the things of the Lord, especially in a sex charged culture like Corinth. The point is that previously married people are in as much, if not more, danger of fornicating because of "lack of self control." But, unlike a married person, divorcees, and widows, who were married beforehand no longer have a spouse to fulfill their passionate desires with in Corinth. It is important to keep this in mind as we examine what Paul says next in verses 8-9,
"8 To the unmarried [agamois] and the widows [chera] I say that it is good for them to remain single as I am. 9 But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry [gameo]. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion." 1 Corinthians 7:8-9
Paul is making an intentional, and very important, distinction between two types of single people. Both were married once, and both no longer have a spouse, but yet both are different in an important way. The Greek word for "widows" that Paul uses here is chera. It refers to women whose husbands have died. But, who are "the unmarried?"; Or rather, what are "the unmarried?" Obviously widows are no longer married too; but they are not "the unmarried" which is why Paul intentionally makes the distinction in his terms. To understand this distinction, we need to recognize that the Greek word that Paul uses for "unmarried" here is the adjective "agamos." Paul is the only one that uses this word in the New Testament manuscripts. Further, Paul only uses this word in this chapter of 1 Corinthians 7. He uses it in four places in this chapter.
1) He uses agamois here in 1 Corinthians 7:8
2) He uses agamos in 1 Corinthians 7:11 for women who are separated from their husbands in divorce.
3) He uses agamos in 1 Corinthians 7:32 for a divorced man,
and
4) He uses agamos in 1 Corinthians 7:34 for a divorced women (Note: Paul already has a word for widows in 1 Corinthians 7:34, ie. chera. Agamos in 1 Corinthians 7:34, of course, is not chera.)
All four verses together are vital for recognizing what "the unmarried" are in respect to each of Paul's points. As I continue, I will show that the word unmarried [agamos] is a reference to describe a divorcee. Specifically and exclusively describing a person who has divorced fits in every place that it is used. To attempt to translate it any other way, always results in a consistency problem in the word's usage through the whole chapter. It does not, and can not, fit being given another meaning like widower, or a virgin, in all the places the word is used to make Paul's points in his intentional categories that he has distinguished. On the other hand, it consistently refers to people who were once married, and then through divorce, they have become un-bound; or as the English word renders the a-privative negative particle a-gamos, they have become un-married in respect to being de-married, from their previous marriage covenant. Though differing in various other nuanced exegetical points of 1 Corinthians 7 from the consistency that I am preaching, leading scholars David Garland, and Gordon Fee, demonstrate that they must agree on this vital point,
In respect to agamos as de-marriage, Garland points out,
"When it is translated 'unmarried,' it may connote to the English ear 'those who have never married,' but in Greek it can also mean 'de-married' and refer to those who are single again." (1 Corinthians, David E. Garland, Baker Exegetical Commentary of the New Testament, 2003, p. 275, cf. 7:8)
Likewise Fee,
"... in his [Paul's] regular usage it denotes not the 'unmarried' in general, but the 'demarried,' those formerly but not now married." (The First Epistle to the Corinthians, Gordon D. Fee, The New International Commentary on the New Testament, Eerdmans, 1987, p. 288)
As we proceed, the importance of agamos meaning de-marriage will become more evident. It is also important to recognize that this word, in all its spelling forms, refers to both males and females. In 1 Corinthians 7:8, the word agamois is a masculine dative noun, but this means little in respect to actual Greek usage rules as to whether the unmarried in 7:8 are men or women. Agamois can, in fact, mean all genders who are divorced where it describes both men and woman; and it does. But there is more; Paul made sure that he gave us further information to demonstate that this gender neutrality for the word is a fact. Paul put agamos for divorced women in 7:11 and 7:34, and then he used the exact same word for men in 1 Corinthians 7:32. Yes, I said the exact same spelling for men as for woman. This demonstrates that the same word is used for both males and females which in turn demonstrates, along with other contextual considerations, that Paul does not use a special spelling of agamos to signify a particular sex.
The implications of the un-married being divorcees is an important one because Paul is telling the un-married in de-marriage who lack self-control, that they should do what?--Get married, 1 Corinthians 7:9. As we look at this in more depth, I want us to notice that Paul's first wish is that unmarried people and widows would remain single like he is. That would be Paul's first choice because of undistracted devotion to the Lord in those specific times in that specific generation and context; but Paul adds a qualification that is based on a logical premise. The implication is that in an already unrestrained society, burning with passion all the time after having prior marital sexual experience, and now that there is no longer a partner for release, is neither desirable, nor conducive, to undistracted devotion to the Lord "in view of the present distress" situation, 1 Corinthians 7:26. The point is that divorcees, and widows, may try to make the desires go away, but they just can't get rid of their intense longing to have relations with someone to the point that they lose self control. Paul recognizes this to be a problem, and we surmise that it was a big concern that was brought up by the Corinthians in the letter that they sent to Paul for some counsel. So, Paul says in verse 9 that, "it is better to marry." The word "better" means "superior," and "more desirable." It is superior for divorcees, and widows, who are on the verge of becoming sexually active, or who actually are sexually active in their society that promotes promiscuity, to seek the gift of marriage once again and leave behind the gift of singleness ("gift" acquired sovereignly and decretively through God's providential mystery). But Paul is not finished, so he continues,
"10 But to the married I give instructions, not I, but the Lord, that the wife should not be separated [de-attached] from her husband 11 (but if she does, she must remain unmarried [agamos which is her status as a divorcee], or else be reconciled to her husband), and that the husband should not divorce his wife." 1 Corinthians 7:10-11
At this point, Paul is telling married people not to un-marry from one another, and in the directive there is a parenthetical statement for the woman.
/2/
This leads us to the next principle we can glean from Paul's instruction. It has to do with interpreting what Paul means from his fuller context. In verse 10, Paul is repeating a certain aspect of God's classic instructions in his design for marriage from the beginning of creation. More specifically, Paul is directly quoting the Lord’s Jesus’ command to the Pharisees when He said,
“Therefore what God has joined together, let no man separate.” Matthew 19:6
A woman should not un-marry from her man, which also means that others should not separate her (sever her) away from her man either. Also, a man should not un-marry from his woman. In looking at this, we must recognize the fact that Paul is stating that a wife should not be separated but he is not saying that a wife will not be, or can not ever be, separated from a husband. This passive infinitive in respect to separating is not in the imperative mood in the Greek. Also, Paul is not saying that a husband will not divorce, or can not be divorced. The infinitive, "to not put away," or "divorce" is in a general statement in the active voice. In other words, this is milder than a command which means that as a matter of a normal course of action, a woman should typically not depart from her husband. Likewise, a husband should not send her away. For example, glass windows are put in a house to stay there. They are not meant to be broken under normal circumstances. But glass windows do get broken. Some people intentionally break them. Sometimes they are broken by accident. But the fact is that what is not meant to get broken sometimes gets broken. In the same way, Paul is conveying from the Greek construction, that God's design for marriage, of course, is that Christian husbands and wives are supposed to stay together--the bond should not be broken. Nevertheless divorces unfortunately occur which is why Paul addresses the questions concerning the divorcees in this chapter. In verse 11, we see that in some instances a wife will be separated from her husband. Paul says that if she is separated, she should remain in the status of being a divorcee in her separation from the man she was joined to before, or else be reconciled to him which would rejoin the bond and deactivate the divorce, and thus the divorcee status back to her being his wife, and he being her husband again. The question of what happens next if she "remains" in the status of unmarried in demarriage from that prior man has become a hot bed of interpretational dispute. The reasons for this are varied, and so we need to keep in mind a set of considerations.
--a--
Let’s consider for example that there are some people who see Paul’s application of the Lord’s instruction to mean that a woman who remains unmarried from the man she was once bound to, is now not allowed to marry any other man. Let’s examine some main aspects of this view.
2a1)
Generally this particular interpretation suggests that the woman can reconcile to the previous man if he has not married a new woman, but also if he will even have her back. It goes on to interpret this to mean that she is barred from marrying a new man as a new husband in a new marriage. This happens because there are some who want to give agamos a broader definition than un-marriage from the specific previous spouse. It is presupposed that agamos means divorced but not free; severed yet not truly single. So it is said that even though Paul does not word it this way, the woman must remain in a status similar to existing in covenant to the previous spouse, and therefore not available to marry someone else.
2a2)
Similarly some scholars interpret the passive infinitive here to be more accurately translated "a woman is not to be removed from a man." The sense would be that no outside agent should separate the believing woman away from the man. This sees Paul parenthetically speaking into a unique local Corinth situation where women (or a woman) are being removed from their spouses by others, and it is being addressed in this letter. The parenthetical answer is that if others separate a woman from her man to put her in the status of agamos/un-married (in respect to de-marriage) she must join back together with him in spite of their efforts. If not, then she keeps her new status of being an unmarried woman who is released from the man. It is then suggested by this camp to mean that she should not marry any other man except the previous man she was loosed from.
--b--
However, there are objections to the view that Paul is saying that the state the woman should remain in is singleness. Let’s take a moment to consider various reasons given for holding to this view.
2b1)
A primary consideration is that the word agamos can not be proven to necessarily mean “singleness in general” in the koine Greek usage, nor in Latin translation usage of the time regardless of what classical period usage may have been. Instead, it is recognized as a word used to describe being demarried, which is a particular kind of singleness which results from being severed from a covenant union by divorce.
2b2)
Another consideration is that the status of being a divorcee from a previous man, or woman, is a status in respect to that particular man or woman. The sense is that the woman must no longer be considered remaining joined to the previous man in the previous covenant any longer. This means that she must no longer be considered to be that man’s wife by any one else either, since she has been loosed from him. To be loosed from the prior man is Paul's language for being demarried. So, some take this to mean that remaining de-married from the previous spouse does not necessitate being barred from re-marrying someone else anew if she can not reconcile with the previous man. Rather, it insures that she can do so now that she is not reconciled. In remaining agamos, from the previous man, and known as such by others, she can now be pursued in marriage by another man. The point is made easier to understand by recognizing that even if she should become married to someone else, such a woman would still be described by the adjective agamos-unmarried from the previous man while remarried to someone else. It is how she goes on "remaining" no longer considered married in a defunct covenant in respect to how she relates to the previous man in legal, and social, status. A fuller clarification of the Lord's intention applied to Paul’s instruction in answering the Corinthian’s question would require them to follow this fact, and it also aligns with the previous instruction for people who have remained demarried from their previous marriages in verse 9 to be able to marry someone else because of burning with passion. In other words, this view consistently follows the sense of what Paul just said previously.
2b3)
Another consideration is that in the Law of Moses in Deuteronomy 24:1-2, there is a provision for a woman to marry another man after divorce. So here where Paul says parenthetically, that the New Covenant woman who has been separated should remain de-married from the man, or be reconciled back to him being understood as “a woman can not marry another man” would make it appear then that more grace was given under the Old Covenant Mosaic Law than under the New Covenant in Christ. This would be difficult to make sense of in such an interpretation.
2b4)
Another consideration that sounds similar to a view we covered which believes a divorced woman can never marry another man, is the view that also sees the passive infinitive here to be more accurately translated, "a woman is not to be removed from a man" as if no outsiders should separate the Christian woman from the man. Though arriving at a different conclusion, this view also sees that Paul is speaking into a unique local Corinthian situation of which the Corinthians are asking for instruction in their letter to him. The parenthetical answer is that if others separate a woman from her man, she must join back with the man in spite of their efforts. If she is not joined back to him, then the status of being a divorcee must apply to her, and remain her status, in view of what Paul said in verse 9 for the agamois-divorcee to be able to remarry, and also in respect to the present distress, and the "shortened time" expectation of the soon passing away of the world. It is pointed out that Paul does not address the same need for a man to reconcile with a wife he has severed away from and sent away in abolishing the covenant. This odd absence of the same parenthesis of seeking reconciliatory re-bonding by the man, supports the view that the kind of situation that Paul is addressing may be of an actual woman who has somehow been separated from her man by the church, or a family member, etc. The implication may mean that the man she has been severed from, desires to have her back. It is also pointed out that Paul does not implicitly or explicitly say that the woman is not free to marry another man if she is not able to reconcile with the man she was severed from.
2b5)
Another consideration is that Paul has already stated, in verse 8, that it is good that the unmarried (divorcees), and widows, should remain single as he is single, so he is repeating the same principle again in the parenthesis. In fact, Paul repeats this same theme all throughout chapter 7. In other words, Paul repeatedly gives the reasons why the singleness “gift” is taught as something virtuous to pursue in the specific, and unique, Corinthian context. In 7:17, Paul wants Corinthians to walk in the way God has assigned to them when they were called; and they should remain in that condition, 7:20. He repeats it again in 7:24, saying that each one must remain with God in that condition in which they were called. Then in respect to not being married in 7:27, Paul says that it is good, in view of the present distress, for a man to remain as he is, either a divorced man, or a married man; and in respect to a divorced man marrying, or even a virgin female marrying, Paul continues with his underlying theme, saying that "such will have trouble in this life, and I am trying to spare you, 7:28. Paul gives further clarity in his assertion that the eschatological time has been shortened, so that from now on those who had wives should be as though they had none in 7:29; Then Paul is more precise when he says that he is saying these things because the form of the world is passing away, 7:31; and then he really turns it up by saying,
“32 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; 33 but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how he may please his wife, 34 and his interests are divided. The woman who is unmarried [divorced], and the virgin, is concerned about the things of the Lord, that she may be set apart both in body and spirit; but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how she may please her husband. 35 This I say for your own benefit; not to put a restraint upon you, but to promote what is appropriate and to secure undistracted devotion to the Lord." 7:32-35
Undistracted devotion to the Lord in the present distress, and first generation’s "shortened time" expectation is Paul's big concern. Finally, Paul keeps it going to the end with his advice that a widow is happier if she remains a widow and does not get married again in 7:40. The main point is that Paul is seen as clarifying after citing Christ “the Lord’s” instruction in verse 11, in what he thinks is good in light of the present distress by restating it again for the un-joined together woman who may possibly be able to be rejoined to the man she is separated from.
2b6)
Another consideration is that Paul just explained in verse 9, that if a divorcee burns with sexual passion--and that if the divorcee does not have self control, then the divorcee, is strongly encouraged to marry, Greek gamhsatwsan. The sense comes across like a "must" kind of necessity. We know this because it is in the imperative mood in the Greek in the aorist tense active voice. The point is that Paul clearly just mandated a specific reason for remarriage for divorced women in the previous verse already. To interpret the next sentence of Paul to be a contradiction of what he just said, does not make sense.
2b7)
Another consideration is that, in light of any of those I have just shared that may be correct, for a divorcee to remarry someone else because of lack of self control, as Paul commanded in his previous imperative, would be something that would also be a viable alternative to never remarrying if the previous man has already married a new woman. It would also be a viable alternative for her if the man she is severed from refuses to take her back.
2b8)
Another consideration is that we notice that Paul uses that peculiar parenthesis in the instruction. Because it is a parenthetical placement in his point, it is suggested that the parenthesis is a clarifier comment to the main statement. The statement that the parenthesis is in is,
"But to the married I give instructions, not I, but the Lord, that the wife should not separate from her husband, ... and that the husband should not divorce his wife."
This is seen as suggesting that Paul was making clarification in his parenthetical statement that if a woman is separated, or does separate, she must remain in the status of being de-married from the man she was separated from, or else be reconciled to him thus changing her status back to being his wife. The parenthesis designation itself is seen being a notated modifier for her status to remain legally agamos so that she can pursue marriage with another after she has exhausted efforts for reconciliation with the previous man.
All these considerations have some element of merit to be weighed in which a cursory reading, or a reading from traditions of men, does not address. They all bring up pertinent issues that are part of the interpretive conclusion that the woman is un-married from, in de-marriage from, her original man. As such, the Lord instructs her to reconcile with the man if she can. If not, then she remains in the status of being de-married, loosed, unbound, severed from marriage, away from that particular man. Being agamos (meaning she is no longer married to the man she left) then she can remarry someone else according to Paul's exception clause of the previous sentence (if she burns with passion). The main point is that Paul is giving the Corinthians the principle behind the various things that should, could, and would, be done. Paul is stating a provision for divorced men and women, and widows, who experience sensual lust.
This is a difficult section, but we are not finished with what Paul says concerning the unmarried becoming remarried again. Please pay close attention as we go through the rest of the chapter. I don't have the time to exhaustively exegete verses 12-27, so I'll hit the highlights. In verses 12-15, Paul gives permission for Christians to stay married to non-Christian spouses in an unequal bond. He says that the believer should not divorce from the unbeliever, but, if an unbeliever leaves, to go ahead and let the spiritually dead person leave. The believer and the unbeliever are not bound ["not bound" is doolaoh in the Greek] to this kind of marriage union. Moving through the chapter in verses 17 through 24, Paul gives various instructions about remaining in the condition in which one was originally called out by God.
/3/
Next comes the section of scripture that is very important for our subject of remarriage which has our next principle. The next principle is that if an unmarried man who is loosed from a wife should marry again, he has not sinned. Pay close attention as I read verses 25 through 28;
"25 Now concerning virgins [parthenon] I have no command of the Lord, but I give an opinion as one who by the mercy of the Lord is trustworthy. 26 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. 27 Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be released [or loosed]. Are you released [or loosed] from a wife? Do not seek a wife. 28 But if you marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin [parthenon] marries, she has not sinned. Yet such will have trouble in this life [or, in the flesh], and I am trying to spare you."
Remember, Paul is still answering questions that the Corinthians have given him. So now here, on the subject of female "virgins," Paul indicates that he has no direct commandment of the Lord. We also need to remember that "unmarried-agamos" means to be un-married from once being married where the alpha privative indicates that the marriage was undone. It describes a divorcee. We also need to remember that Paul alone uses the word; and he uses it only in this chapter. The word Paul uses here for "virgins" is the Greek word "parthenos." It is used 14 times in the New Testament scriptures. In most every instance of the New Testament, it refers to a female who has not had sexual intercourse. It is rare for the word to have been used for males in any Greek writings, yet it is used for males in Revelation 14:4. But here in chapter 7, Paul uses the word with the feminine definite article in all the verses following the genitive plural form introducing the subject in verse 25 (cf. vv. 28, 34, 36, 37, 38) which points to the fact that when Paul speaks of virgins in his point, he means the common usage for a female who has had no sexual intercourse. This alludes to the fact that the females of this category have never been married. Though Paul says he has no commandment from the Lord to reference concerning female virgins, he decides, once again, to give his opinion as "one who by the mercy of the Lord is trustworthy." This is important. Paul starts his point concerning female virgins in verse 25, but he momentarily moves forward to quickly address another point. He does not take up the subject of female virgins again until three verses later in the second half of verse 28. The in between verses of 26, 27, and the first part of 28, are cornerstone scriptures for divorce and remarriage. Follow along very closely, as I read again from verse 26;
"26 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. 27 Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be released [or loosed]. Are you released [or loosed] from a wife? Do not seek a wife. 28 But if you marry, you have not sinned;"
Remember, Paul is referencing the current distress concerning the various male-female relationships that the Corinthians wrote to him about in verse 1. Then he asks the question of men, "are you bound to a wife?" (literally "are you tied to a woman?") What Paul is asking is if a man is married. If so, then, like Paul has already said earlier, the husband should not seek to be "loosed" (untied). A loosed person is a divorced person which means the person has become de-married. Continuing in the same vein of his teaching that he says he directs in all the churches which is the teaching of remaining in the state in which one is called, Paul goes on and says that if a man is loosed from a wife then he should not seek a wife. Paul has been wanting the Corinthian Christians to try to remain what they are, where they are, and how they are in their calling. How they are is either in virginity, or being bound in marriage, or being loosed from marriage. But that is not the end of Paul's point. What he says next is absolutely significant in this teaching on remarriage. Notice that Paul says that nevertheless; "if you marry, you have not sinned;" We can not miss this vital point, so let me repeat the flow for clarity: Remember who Paul is talking to here. He is talking to a man who should remain as he is, verse 26. The man is either the man who is bound in marriage, or one who has been loosed from it in verse 27. These are the two types of people Paul is addressing at this point. We know he is not addressing virgin girls here because he left the subject of female virgins in verse 25 to take a quick sidetrack. He shifts back to female virgins in the second half of verse 28, giving the instruction to the female virgin later that they have also not sinned if they marry too. Look at the second part of verse 28,
"and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned."
Paul will address virgin females more later on after he addresses the man loosed away from marriage. The point is that there are two kinds of people in 1 Corinthians 7:26-28 who have not sinned if they get married: the loosed man, and the virgin girl. We know that the bound man at the beginning of Paul's point is already married. We know that the virgin girl is going to be addressed too. So the in between man of Paul's teaching is a loosed man. He is a divorced man who is agamos-unmarried, as Paul describes him. So I want to make sure we realize the impact of what Paul says to the man loosed from his previous marriage when he says, "if you marry, you have not sinned;" Do you see what is going on here? Paul is saying that demarriage in unmarriage is not a sin. Let's go through it one more time like this,
"27 Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be released. Are you released from a wife? Do not seek a wife. 28 But if you marry, you have not sinned;"
It is clear from this, that in the flow of all the advice that Paul has been giving to the Corinthians about suggested ways of conduct in respect to sexual issues, that a man who is loosed from a wife can remarry without sinning. A virgin can marry and not be sinning either. But Paul even goes on and makes an amazing statement. He says that married men should act as though they are not married which is more insight to us that we need to understand that the instructions in 1 Corinthians 7 are Corinthian context specific. Notice,
"28 But if you marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Yet such will have trouble in this life [or, in the flesh], and I am trying to spare you. 29 This is what I mean, brothers: the appointed time has grown very short, so that from now on those who have wives should be as though they had none;" 1 Corinthians 7:28-29
These are very important considerations about what should be done in light of what Paul calls the time that has grown short in the Corinthian context. Of course we all know that the time for us is that those of us who have wives should be as though we have wives, right? We have the fullness of God's revelation from Ephesians 5 in which we husbands must treat our wives like Christ treats the church. We men have a responsibility to treat our wives as what they are--our wives that we should love, nurture, and cherish. Wives have a responsibility too. They need to be treating their husbands like they truly are their husbands. They need to love and respect them like the church loves and respects our Lord. This is why context, and careful exegesis is always important. I don't go around telling married men to act like they don't have wives. The reason is because I understand 1 Corinthians 7 and that there were unique problems that Paul addressed with unique urgings toward unique, and urgent, actions in this epistle which is what you need to realize too. This leads us to the next principle.
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It is the principle where Paul gives clarity to his distinctions of the different types of people he is addressing in chapter 7. In the continuing flow of Paul's writing, he gives more information to help us identify some distinctions between the de-married, and other people of chapter 7. Since Paul wants the Corinthians to be free from earthly concerns, he also discusses female virgins getting married, utilizing the same theme. Paul does not want to restrain the Corinthians. Instead Paul clarifies all that he has been writing by saying that he is promoting, "undistracted devotion to the Lord," 1 Corinthians 7:35. In the midst of this, Paul makes the distinction, again, between the unmarried being one type of person, and the virgin being another type. Notice Paul's continued flow in verse 34 where he distinguishes his categories of people,
"The {a} woman who is unmarried [agamos, divorced], and
{b} the virgin [parthenos], is concerned about the things of the Lord, how to be set apart in body and spirit.; but
{c} one who is married [gune] is concerned about the things of the world, how she may please her husband." 1 Corinthians 7:34
Good translations make the proper distinction in 1 Corinthians 7 between these three different kinds of women. There is the woman who is married, which in the Greek is the word gune, and the female virgin, which in the Greek is parthenos. They are both different from the woman who is unmarried, which in the greek is agamos. Notice that Paul left out widows here (chera in the Greek) which he mentioned already as a separate category in 1 Corinthians 7:8. So, there are actually 4 different kinds of Christian females that Paul labels in 1 Corinthians 7. He also names two non-Christian types of females in the context. He mentions prostitutes in chapter 6, and unsaved spouses in chapter 7. The important point is that Paul categorizes three different types of Christian females in 1 Corinthians 7:34 (unfortunately some translations don't differentiate this three very well, and so it only serves to confuse readers and produce a deficient translation of the text). What I am wanting us to see is that a female virgin is not married. An unmarried woman is not married either. But notice that Paul mentions both in the same sentence. The reason I am pointing this out, is because I want us to remember that it is the unmarried of verse 8 that Paul has already said can get married if they do not have self control while burning with lustful, erotic, sexual passion; Remember,
"8 But I say to the unmarried [agamois] and to widows [chera] ... if they do not have self-control, let them marry; because it is better to marry than to burn with passion."
So from both verse 8 and verse 34, we see that Paul has categorized:
1) the unmarried;
2) widows,
and
3) female virgins.
All three are types of females who do not currently have a husband. We also see that the "unmarried" refers to both males and females. When we observe Paul's clear distinction between virgins and the unmarried throughout the whole chapter, we see that the "unmarried" burning with passion, in verse 8 in its contextual explanation, is the same unmarried that is referenced in verse 34. The other unmarried are the males of verse 32. Here is the point in understanding the clarifications that Paul gives:
Paul gives the Corinthians his exception clauses to all kinds of single people to get married if they desire to do so, though he also teaches that they should remain as they were called in light of the "present distress" and "the appointed time growing short."
When you understand that point, you get it all. Finally in verses 39 and 40, we see that Paul addresses that other clarified group. It is the fourth kind of female which are widows he mentioned in 1 Corinthians 7:8;
"39 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. 40 But in my opinion she is happier if she remains as she is; and I think that I also have the Spirit of God." 1 Corinthians 7:39-40
This is where Paul finalizes addressing particulars concerning marriage. In so doing, we can surmise that Paul has covered all the subjects that the Corinthians asked him about. At the end of the chapter, Paul is pointing out the bond of an unbroken marriage covenant. But once the woman's husband dies, what is a widow to do? Is the covenant still somehow intact? No. Paul says that a widow is free to marry whom she wishes. It is interesting that Paul says that in his opinion, the widow is happier if she remains as she is. The reason why I find this to be particularly interesting is because he shows that he is simply restating what he said in verse 8 where he says that it is good for widows if they remain like him, single. Paul, of course, was happy that way. But the second thing that I find to be fascinating is that he leaves out the directive he gave to widows in verse 9. Do you remember what he told them to do there? He said;
"9 But if they [widows, cf. v 8] do not have self-control, let them marry; because it is better to marry than to burn with passion." 1 Corinthians 7:9
Paul is not being inconsistent. Paul really desires that all the unmarried (divorcees) and widows would be like him, because Paul considered himself to be one who has undistracted devotion to God in the present distress and soon destruction of the world of the apostate system remnants of the first generation. So in Paul's wrap up of his bouncing around in categories in answering the Corinthian questions, Paul goes the extra mile in encouraging undistracted devotion to God that is especially enabled when one is widowed. And though that is Paul's emphasis here, he has revealed two important things throughout this chapter for those who are divorced, or widows, who desire to remarry:
1) if you do not have sexual self-control--a huge inhibitor of undistracted devotion to the Lord--then remarry; because it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
and
2) If you are released, and you decide to remarry, then you have not sinned.
This aspect of what Paul says to the Corinthians is my same encouragement to Christians today, and yet I realize that there is a special Corinthian context that Paul is speaking into. I am comfortable advising that if you are a woman who has unmarried from a man, then ideally, you should be reconciled with him if he has not remarried another woman, and if he will have you back. But, if you do not have self control, then I concur with Paul's sense in 1 Corinthians 7:9 where Paul says that the unmarried must remarry--it is better to marry than to burn with passion. If you are a man who is loosed from a wife, then I see that Paul's line of instructions apply to you in a contemporary manner; if you do remarry, you have not sinned. If you burn with sexually passionate lust, and you do not have self control, then I agree with Paul too. Get remarried. Finally, if you think you are enabled to remain as Paul remained, (which is in the gift of singleness) then do it. In fact do all to the glory of God. [Amen]
