ACC ~ 1 Corinthians 7 v1 - 7

OVERVIEW:

Marriage partners are called to submit to one another sexually (AMBROSIASTER). The wife rules over the husband’s body, as the husband rules over the wife’s body (ORIGEN). When a spouse denies the partner the marriage bed, anger, adulteries, fornications and the destruction of families are more likely to follow (CHRYSOSTOM, THEODORET OF CYR). Although devotion of marriage partners may be rekindled by occasional abstinence (AUGUSTINE), withholding sexual gratification for too long may tend toward the hazards of adultery (THEODORET OF CYR, AUGUSTINE). Marriage is a mystery to be approached with holiness (ORIGEN). The marriage of believers is a special spiritual gift (ORIGEN, THEODORET OF CYR). Paul allowed marriage (AMBROSIASTER), forbade fornication and praised chastity (THEODORET OF CYR, SEVERIAN OF GABALA). Paul’s advice on marriage leaves room for personal choice, yet with a strong interest in avoiding fornication (AMBROSIASTER). Virginity is encouraged (CHRYSOSTOM), but in the desire for purity, one must not destroy one’s spouse’s happiness (ORIGEN). The command to have sex is not absolute (PELAGIUS). Do not imagine that the law of chastity applies less to men than women (THEODORET OF CYR, CHRYSOSTOM).

7:1 | Questions About Marriage

WHETHER MARRIAGE SHOULD BE REJECTED. AMBROSIASTER: Stirred up by the depraved minds of the false apostles, who in their hypocrisy were teaching that marriage ought to be rejected in order that they might appear to be holier than others, the Corinthians wrote to Paul to ask him about these things. Because they were unhappy about this teaching, they ignored everything else and concentrated exclusively on this. COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES.

PAUL’S REPLY. SEVERIAN OF GABALA: This is Paul’s reply to those who had written to him about this subject. He forbade fornication because it was against the law, but he allowed marriage as being holy and an antidote to fornication. However, he praised chastity as more perfect still. PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH.

THEODORET OF CYR: The Corinthians were asking Paul whether it was right for lawfully married Christians, once they were baptized, to enjoy sexual relations with each other. Paul answered by praising chastity, condemning fornication and allowing conjugal relations. COMMENTARY ON THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 200.

7:2 | Honoring One’s Spouse

DO NOT DESTROY YOUR SPOUSE’S HAPPINESS IN YOUR QUEST FOR HOLINESS. ORIGEN: You have given up your wife, to whom you are bound. This is a big step you have taken. You are not abusing her, you say, but claiming that you can be chaste and live more purely. But look how your poor wife is being destroyed as a result, because she is unable to endure your purity! You should sleep with your wife, not for your sake but for hers. COMMENTARY ON 1 CORINTHIANS 3.33.23-25.

THE COMMAND TO HAVE SEX IS NOT ABSOLUTE. PELAGIUS: People who want to be promiscuous argue that God commanded us to have sexual relations, so that the earth would be filled with human beings. But God is quite capable of making humans out of the earth, as he did at the beginning, so this is no excuse. COMMENTARY ON THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 7.

ENCOURAGING VIRGINITY. CHRYSOSTOM: Some people think that this was written primarily for priests, but judging from what follows, this cannot be right. If he had meant it only for priests, he would have said so, but throughout this [chapter] he speaks of persons in general. Paul permits marriage as a concession, but the very fact that it is designed to avoid fornication shows that he is really trying to encourage virginity. HOMILIES ON THE EPISTLES OF PAUL TO THE CORINTHIANS 19.1.

7:3 | Mutual Conjugal Rights

HUSBANDS AND WIVES SUBMIT TO ONE ANOTHER SEXUALLY. AMBROSIASTER: Husband and wife must submit to one another in this matter, since the two of them are one flesh and one will, according to the law of nature. COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES.

HUSBANDS AND WIVES CALLED EQUALLY TO SEXUAL ACCOUNTABILITY. THEODORET OF CYR: Human laws demand that women be chaste and if they are not they are punished for it, but they do not demand the same from men. Since it was men who made the laws, they did not make themselves equal with woman but allowed themselves extra indulgence. The holy apostle, however, inspired by divine grace, was the first one who made the law of chastity apply to men as well. COMMENTARY ON THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 201.

7:4 | Ruling Over Each Other’s Body

THE WIFE DOES NOT RULE OVER HER OWN BODY, NOR THE HUSBAND HIS. ORIGEN: If this is so, a man should be able to refrain from exercising his authority [to receive his spouse’s body]. And isn’t a woman capable of doing likewise? COMMENTARY ON 1 CORINTHIANS 3.33.41-46.

EQUALITY IN CHASTITY. CHRYSOSTOM: The wife does not have power over her own body but is both the servant and the mistress of the husband. If you reject this, you have offended God. But if you want to withdraw yourself sexually, it should only be with your husband’s permission, and then only for a short time. In other parts of Scripture the husband is given certain prerogatives in marriage, but not here. Where chastity is concerned, husband and wife have equal rights. HOMILIES ON THE EPISTLES OF PAUL TO THE CORINTHIANS 19.1.

7:5 | Not Refusing One Another

THE HOLY MYSTERY OF MARRIAGE. ORIGEN: The mysteries of marriage ought to be performed with holiness, deliberately and without disorderly passions. ON PRAYER 2.2.

THE HAZARD OF REFUSING THE MARRIAGE BED. CHRYSOSTOM: Great evils spring from this sort of continence, if it is overdone. Adulteries, fornications and the destruction of families have often resulted from this. If a married man commits fornication, how much more will he do so if his wife denies herself to him? Unless there is mutual consent, continence in this case is really a form of theft. HOMILIES ON THE EPISTLES OF PAUL TO THE CORINTHIANS 19.3.

DO NOT REFUSE ONE ANOTHER. AUGUSTINE: According to this, if he had wished to practice continence but you had not, he would have been obliged to give in to you, and God would have given him credit for continence for not refusing intercourse out of consideration for your weakness, not his own, in order to prevent you from committing adultery. How much better would it have been for you, for whom subjection was more appropriate, to yield to his will in rendering him the debt, since God would have taken account of your intention to observe continence, which you gave up in order to save your husband from destruction. LETTER 262, TO EUDICIA.

DEVOTION REKINDLED BY OCCASIONAL ABSTINENCE. AUGUSTINE: It is not arduous and difficult for faithful married people to do for a few days what holy widows have undertaken and which holy virgins do throughout their lives. So let devotion be kindled and self-gratification be checked. LENT 209.3.

WITHHOLDING MAY ELICIT ANGER. THEODORET OF CYR: If a woman stays away from her husband, she will make him angry, and vice versa. That is why Paul insists that it must be by mutual consent. COMMENTARY ON THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 201.

7:6 | Concession, Not Command

A PERSONAL CHOICE. AMBROSIASTER: No one should be forced to do something unlawful on the ground that he is forbidden to do what is lawful. It is up to each person to discern which path to follow. COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES.

7:7 | Each Has a Special Gift from God

MARRIAGE AMONG BELIEVERS. ORIGEN: Marriage is a spiritual gift, but not if it is contracted with unbelievers. The Spirit of God is not given to dwell in those who are not believers. COMMENTARY ON 1 CORINTHIANS 3.34.42-45.

PAUL AS EXAMPLE. CHRYSOSTOM: Paul often puts himself forward as an example when he is talking about difficult subjects. Here is another case in point. HOMILIES ON THE EPISTLES OF PAUL TO THE CORINTHIANS 19.3.

AVOID FORNICATION. AMBROSIASTER: Paul’s intention is to avoid fornication, not to put hindrances in the way of those seeking a higher way of life. COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES.

MARRIAGE A GIFT OF GOD. THEODORET OF CYR: Paul comforts those who are married by saying that marriage is a gift of God. COMMENTARY ON THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 202.