The Corinthians are caught up in the living of their natural lives and Paul wants them to be unencumbered from the things of this world saying “I want you to be free from care” in 1 Corinthians 7:32. Paul is encouraging them to focus on the those things that have eternal value. Paul reminds them in 1 Corinthians 7:29 “But I say this, brothers: the time is shortened, that from now on even those who have wives should be as if they do not have wives, 30 and those who weep as if they do not weep, and those who rejoice as if they do not rejoice, and those who buy as if they do not possess, 31 and those who make use of the world as if they do not make full use of it. For the present form of this world is passing away”. These things will have no lasting value. Instead, they are to give themselves fully to the work of the kingdom as they are called to do it.
Let Each Have Their Own Spouse
1 Corinthians 7:1–12
God made the woman for the man, but in a marriage where sexual relations produce children that are to become a “godly seed” as in
Malachi 2:15 (KJV 1900) And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, And let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.
Paul tells them in
1 Corinthians 7:1 (LEB) Now concerning the things about which you wrote: “It is good for a man not to touch a woman.”
and this term “‘Touch’ in such a context is often used of sexual relations (e.g. Gen. 20:6; Prov. 6:29)”1
but “contrary to what some interpreters have thought, it is not likely that the statement is advocating celibacy. Rather it is a rejection of men using women for mere sexual gratification”2
To apply this today we might read this as it is not good for men to be ogling or fondling women. Or, we could say it the way Jesus did in
Matthew 5:28 (LEB) “But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart”.
What Paul is saying is in
1 Corinthians 7:2 (LEB) “But because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife and let each woman have her own husband”.
or we could say, when a man and woman choose to marry, let them set their affection on each other in marriage which is right in the eyes of the Lord.
The Unbelieving Is Sanctified
I Want You to be Free From Care
1 Corinthians 7:25–32
We each come into a relationship with Jesus Christ at different points in our lives and our place has been determined by our location and status at birth as well as our own decisions through our life. In the world, status or position or wealth may matter, but Paul discounts all of that in favor of our relationship with God and our higher priority which is to reach people around us for God’s kingdom. Paul says it this way in
1 Corinthians 7:27–28 (LEB) “Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek release. Are you free from a wife? Do not seek a wife. 28 But if you marry, you have not sinned, and if the virgin marries, she has not sinned. But such people will have affliction in the flesh, and I would spare you”.
then he says “the time is shortened” in 1 Corinthians 7:29 and “I want you to be free from care” in 1 Corinthians 7:32 because the work we have to do in our lifetime on the earth will have eternal benefit for us and even more for those that turn to Jesus Christ and are redeemed.
One Who is Married Cares for the Things of the World
1 Corinthians 7:33–40
There Is One Lord, Jesus Christ
You Must Not Muzzle an Ox While it is Threshing
1 Corinthians 9:1–9
We often hold those in a public ministry position to a higher standard and Paul reminds them that he has the right to take a wife just as any man does in
1 Corinthians 9:5 (LEB) “Do we not have the right to take along a sister as wife, like the rest of the apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas?”
and yes, “We know from Mt 8:14, that Cephas (Peter) was a married man.”3 We also know that Paul also had supported himself and those with him by working so the gospel would be free to those that he was preaching to in
2 Thessalonians 3:8 (LEB) “nor did we eat bread from anyone without paying, but with toil and labor, we were working night and day in order not to be a burden to any of you”
but any minister has the right to live by the proceeds of their message as Jesus sent his disciples in
Luke 9:2–4 (LEB) and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 3 And he said to them, “Take along nothing for the journey—neither a staff, nor a traveler’s bag, nor bread, nor money, nor to have two tunics apiece. 4 And into whatever house you enter, stay there and depart from there.
Paul now declares, don’t we have the same right? in
1 Corinthians 9:6 (LEB) “Or do only I and Barnabas not have the right to refrain from working?”
then he reminds them of what is written in the law in
1 Corinthians 9:9 (LEB) ‘For in the law of Moses it is written, “You must not muzzle an ox while it* is threshing.” It is not about oxen God is concerned, is it?’
None of them would starve their oxen so how can they hold back from those ministering God’s word to them?
Study Verses
- 1 Corinthians 7:1–12 Let Each Have Their Own Spouse
- 1 Corinthians 7:25–32 I Want You to be Free From Care
- 1 Corinthians 9:1–9 You Must Not Muzzle an Ox While it is Threshing
Today’s Reading
- 1 Corinthians 7:1-40
- 1 Corinthians 8:1-13
- 1 Corinthians 9:1-17
References
- 1. Morris, L. (1985). 1 Corinthians: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 7, p. 105). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
- 2. Wilkins, M. J. (2017). The Message and Lifestyle of the Apostles. In E. A. Blum & T. Wax (Eds.), CSB Study Bible: Notes (p. 1820). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
- 3. Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., & Brown, D. (1997). Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (Vol. 2, p. 278). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.