vs. 6-9. 4th. With regard to the married the Lord had already- taught that divorce was unlawful ; the husband could not put away his wife, nor the wife her husband, vs. 10. 11. 5th. As to the case not specially contemplated in our Lord's instruc- tions, where one of the parties was a Christian and the other a Jew or Pagan, the Apostle teaches, first, that if the unbe- lieving party is willing to remain in the marriage relation, it should not be dissolved. Secondly, that if the unbeliever de- parted, and refused to continue in the marriage connection, the marriage contract was thereby dissolved, and the beheving party was at Uberty, vs. 12-15. 6th. Such separations, how- ever, are, if possible, to be avoided, because the gospel is a gospel of peace. It was not designed to break up any of the lawful relations of life. As a general rule, therefore, every man should continue in the same condition in which he was called. If a man was called being circumcised, his becoming a Christian did not impose upon him the obligation to become uncircumcised ; and if called being uncircumcised, he was not required to be circumcised. In like manner, if a slave is called to be a Christian, he may remain a slave, because every slave is the Lord's free man, and every free man is the Lord's slave. These social distinctions do not affect our relation to Christ. Redemption, in raising all to the relation of slaves to Christ, that is, making them all his property, has raised them into a sphere where all earthly distinctions are insignificant. Therefore, let every man abide in the relation wherein he was called, vs. 16-24.
1. Now concerning the things whfereof ye wrote unto me : (It is) good for a man not to touch a woman.
It is evident that there was a diversity of opinion on the subject of marriage among the Corinthian Christians. Probar Dly some of them of Jewish origin thought it obligatory, while other members of the church thought it undesirable, if not wrong. Paul says. It is good for a man not to marry. The word good {koXov) here means expedient, profitable, as it does frequently elsewhere, Matt. 17,4. 18, 8. 9. 1 Cor. 9, 15. That the Apostle does not mean to teach either that marriage is morally an evil as compared with celibacy, or that as a gen- eral rule it is inexpedient, is evident. 1. Because in the fol- lowing verse he declares directly the reverse. 2. Because in