2 Cor. 11, 18. But I spare you. The design of my dissuad- ing you from marriage is to spare you these sufferings.
29-31. But this I say, brethren, the time (is) short ; it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none ; and they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not ; and they that buy, as though they possessed not ; and they that use this world, as not abusing (it) : for the fashion of this world passeth away.
' This is another reason why you should not marry. You will soon have to leave your wives. It is nothing relating to your permanent and eternal interests which I urged you to forego, but only something which pertains to the fleeting rela- tions of this changing world.'
But this I say^ i. e. This I would have you bear in mind, as giving force to my advice. The time^ i. e. the appointed time (Ktttpos, not ■)(p6vos) is short (a-wea-TaXixivos) . The verb properly means to roll or wind up, Acts 5, 6, then to contract or shorten. ' The time is shortened.' Comp. Matt. 24, 22. Mark 13, 20, where the idea is the same, though the word used is different. This interpretation is on the whole preferable to another almost equally common. ' The time is calamitous ; » for this use of the word, however, no certain authority can be given. The words rendered, it remaineth, properly belong to the preceding clause. The meaning is not, ' It remaineth that,"* but ' The time henceforth ( to Xolttov) is short.' That is, the allotted time is brief. That does not depend on This I say, as though the sense were 'I say that ;^ but on what imme- diately precedes. ' The time is shortened in order that, &c.' It is the design of God in aUowmg us but a brief period in this world, or in this state, that we should set lightly by all earthly things ; that those who have wives should be as though they had them not, and those that weep, as though they wept not ; those who rejoice, as though they rejoiced not ; those who buy, as though they possessed not ; those using the world, as though they used it not.' We should set our affections on things above, and not on the things on the earth. Col. 3, 2. The clause rendered ' they that use this world as not abusing
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