ACC ~ 1 Corinthians 7 v10 - 16

OVERVIEW:

The believer must take care not to be the cause of divorce (THEODORET OF CYR). Neither spouse may divorce the other if both are believers (AUGUSTINE). A Christian is not to marry an unbeliever but is to stay with the unbeliever once married (SEVERIAN OF GABALA). The sanctification of a believing spouse may overcome the uncleanness of the unbelieving spouse (CHRYSOSTOM). The unbelieving spouse, by the continuing good will of the believing spouse, may become inoculated from detesting Christ (AMBROSIASTER). As water and wine mixing, the believing spouse may sanctify the unbelieving, or the unbelieving spouse may corrupt the believing spouse (ORIGEN). The children are uncorrupted by unbelief when the faith of one parent wins out over unbelief (TERTULLIAN, SEVERIAN). It is not merely the opinion of Paul that urges against the separation of married people (CHRYSOSTOM) but the word of the Lord (THEODORET OF CYR). When the apostle says “I say, not the Lord” he means that this counsel cannot be found in the Old Testament (THEODORET OF CYR). If the husband turns away from the faith or desires to have extramarital sexual relations, the wife should neither marry another nor return to him (AMBROSIASTER). Annulment is better than idolatry (CHRYSOSTOM, PELAGIUS). One may enter celibacy after having been married (SEVERIAN). When one refuses to remain married because one’s spouse is a Christian, the partners may separate without blame (AUGUSTINE). If an unbelieving partner wants to separate, the believing partner may separate innocently (THEODORET OF CYR). It is always possible that the unbelieving partner may come to believe (AMBROSIASTER).

7:10 | Instructions to the Married

INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE LORD. CHRYSOSTOM: Paul’s views on this subject do not come from himself but from God, who is speaking through him. HOMILIES ON THE EPISTLES OF PAUL TO THE CORINTHIANS 19.4.

WHETHER ONE CAN LEAVE ONE’S SPOUSE. SEVERIAN OF GABALA: Paul did not intend this to apply to those who abandon their spouses for the service of Christ. PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH.

THE WORDS OF THE LORD. THEODORET OF CYR: Here Paul recalls the words of the Lord [in Matthew 5:32]: “Whoever puts away his wife, except for fornication, makes her an adulteress.” COMMENTARY ON THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAUL TO THE CORINTHIANS 204.

7:11 | Separating

THE HUSBAND SHOULD NOT DIVORCE HIS WIFE. AMBROSIASTER: A woman may not marry if she has left her husband because of fornication or apostasy, if he wishes to have sexual relations with her. But if the husband turns away from the faith or desires to have extramarital sexual relations, the wife may neither marry another nor return to him. The husband should not divorce his wife, but one should add the clause “except for fornication.” COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES.

AVOID SEPARATIONS. CHRYSOSTOM: Separations are best avoided if at all possible, but if not, the wife should not take another husband. HOMILIES ON THE EPISTLES OF PAUL TO THE CORINTHIANS 19.4.

7:12 | Do Not Divorce

NEITHER SPOUSE MAY DIVORCE. AUGUSTINE: We are here given to understand that neither spouse may divorce the other if both are believers. QUESTIONS 83.

7:13 | Unbelieving Spouses

WHEN A HUSBAND IS AN UNBELIEVER. AMBROSIASTER: Paul says this in the case of two Gentiles, one of whom has become a believer. Normally, a pagan detests Christianity, and a Christian does not want to be contaminated by paganism, which is why Paul says that if they are happy to stay together, they should continue to do so. COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES.

STAYING WITH AN UNBELIEVER. SEVERIAN OF GABALA: Paul did not mean that a woman should marry an unbeliever, only that she should stay with him if she is already married. PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH.

7:14a | The Unbeliever Consecrated

THE BELIEVING SPOUSE SANCTIFIES THE UNBELIEVING SPOUSE. ORIGEN: Husband and wife are one in the same way that wine and water are one when they are mixed together. Just as the believing partner sanctifies the unbelieving one, so the unbelieving partner corrupts the believing one. This is why a man who is not yet married should consider very carefully and either not marry at all or marry only in the Lord. COMMENTARY ON 1 CORINTHIANS 3.36.2-5.

PROTECTION FROM DETESTING CHRIST. AMBROSIASTER: These unbelievers have the benefit of good will, which protects them from detesting the name of Christ. COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES.

THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN A HARLOT AND A SPOUSE. CHRYSOSTOM: If a man joined to a harlot is one body with her, then it is clear that a woman joined to an idolater is one body with him. That is true, but in this case she does not become unclean as a result. On the contrary, her cleanness overcomes the uncleanness of her husband, just as the cleanness of a believing husband overcomes the uncleanness of his unbelieving wife. How can this be, if a husband is not condemned for casting out a wife who has played the harlot? The reason is that in this case there is hope that the lost member may be saved through the marriage, whereas in the other case, the marriage has already been dissolved through harlotry. An unbelieving man may be reclaimed by his believing wife if she is faithful to him. But for a harlot things are not so easy, because how can she reclaim someone whom she has wronged? The same is true for a believing husband who has an unbelieving wife. HOMILIES ON THE EPISTLES OF PAUL TO THE CORINTHIANS 19.4.

7:14b | Children Made Holy

YOUR CHILDREN DESTINED FOR HOLINESS. TERTULLIAN: The children of believers were in some sense destined for holiness and salvation, and in the pledge of this hope Paul supported those marriages which he wished to continue. ON THE SOUL 39.4.

THE FAITH OF THE PARENT OVERCOMES UNBELIEF. SEVERIAN OF GABALA: When the children are clean and holy, uncorrupted by unbelief, the faith of the parent has won. PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH.

7:15 | Separating from an Unbeliever

IF THE UNBELIEVING PARTNER DESIRES TO SEPARATE. AMBROSIASTER: A marriage contracted without devotion to God is not binding, and for that reason it is not a sin if it is abandoned because of God. But the unbelieving partner sins both against God and against the marriage, because he or she is unwilling to live in a marriage relationship dedicated to God. It is not right to go to court over this because the one who leaves the marriage is doing so out of hatred for God, and for this reason he or she is not to be considered worthy of such attention. COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES.

ANNULMENT IS BETTER THAN SACRIFICING TO IDOLS. CHRYSOSTOM: If an unbeliever wants his partner to join him in sacrificing to idols, it is better for the marriage to be annulled, so that there may be no breach in godliness. HOMILIES ON THE EPISTLES OF PAUL TO THE CORINTHIANS 19.4.

REFUSAL TO REMAIN MARRIED. AUGUSTINE: A Christian husband may leave his wife without any blame, even if they are lawfully married, if she refuses to live with him because he is a Christian. EIGHT QUESTIONS OF DULCITIUS 1.

LOYALTY TO GOD FIRST. PELAGIUS: The Lord must come before a husband or a wife. COMMENTARY ON THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 7.

THE BELIEVER NOT TO BE THE CAUSE OF DIVORCE. THEODORET OF CYR: The believing partner is not to be the cause of the divorce. But if the unbelieving partner wants to separate, the believing partner is innocent and free from any accusation. COMMENTARY ON THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 205.

7:16 | Coming to Faith

THE UNBELIEVER MAY BELIEVE. AMBROSIASTER: Paul says this because it is always possible that the unbelieving partner will come to believe if he or she does not detest the name of Christ. COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES.