12. To the rest. He has been speaking to the unmarried (ver. 8) and to married parties, both of whom were Christians (ver. 10). By the rest he means married couples, one of which remained a heathen.
1, not the Lord. These cases are not included in Christ’s declarations.
Be pleased (cvvevdoxe?). Rev., be content. Better, consent. Both the other renderings fail to express the agreement indi- cated by ovv together.
14. Is sanctified (7ylacrac). Not, made morally holy, but affiliated to the Christian community—the family of the drysos saints—in virtue of his being “one flesh” with his Christian wife.
* See also Schaff, ‘‘ History of the Christian Church,” i., 298.
Cx. VII] THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS. 219
15. Is not under bondage (ov SedovAwras). A strong word, indicating that Christianity has not made marriage a state of slavery to believers. Compare déderau is bound, ver. 39, a milder word. The meaning clearly is that wilful desertion on the part of the unbelieving husband or wife sets the other party free. Such cases are not comprehended in Christ’s words.
Hath called us to peace (év elpnvn KéxdnKxev nuas): Rev., correctly, in peace. Compare Gal. i. 6, “dnto the grace” (é xapuitt, Rev., in) ; Eph. iv. 4,7 one hope (év puad édmlds); 1 Thess. iv. 7, a sanctification (€v dytacuo). Denoting the sphere or element of the divine calling. Enslavement in the marriage relation between the believer and the unbeliever is contrary to the spirit and intent of this calling.
17. But (e¢ yw). Rev., only. Introducing a limitation to the statement in ver. 15. There is to be no enslavement, ondy, to give no excuse for the reckless abuse of this general principle, the normal rule of Christian life is that each one should seek to abide in the position in which God has placed him.
Ordain (Ssatdccoua). See on Matt. xi. 1.
18. Become uncircumcised (éricrdcIw). The reference is to the process of restoring a circumcised person to his nat- ural condition by a surgical operation. See Josephus, ‘ Anti- quities,” xii., v., 1; 1 Macc. i. 15; Smith’s “ Dictionary of the Bible,” Article Circumcision ; Celsus, “ De Re Medica,” cited in Wetstein with other passages. See, also, Edwards’ note on this passage.
20. Calling («rjoe). Not the condition or occupation, a meaning which the word does not have in classical Greek, nor in the New Testament, where it always signifies the call of God into His kingdom through conversion. Paul means: If God’s call was to you as a circumcised man or as an uncircumcised man; as a slave or as a freedman—abide in that condition. Compare ch. i. 26.
21. Use it rather. Whether the apostle means, use the bondage or use the freedom—whether, take advantage of the
220 WORD STUDIES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. [Cu. VII.
oper of freedom, or, remain in slavery—is, as Dean Stanley remarks, one of the most evenly balanced questions in the in- terpretation of the New Testament. The force of cai even, and the positive injunction of the apostle in vv. 20 and 24, seem to favor the meaning, remain in slavery.* The injunc- tion is to be read in the light of ver. 22, and of Gal. ili. 28; Col. iii. 11; 1 Cor. xii. 13, that freeman and slave are one in Christ ;. and also of the feeling pervading the Church of the speedy termination of the present economy by the second com- ing of the Lord. See vv. 26, 29. We must be careful to avoid basing our conclusion on the modern sentiment respecting free- dom and slavery.
22. Freeman (dzredevJepos). Rev., correctly, freedman ; the preposition dm’ from implying previous bondage.
23. The servants of men. Not referring to the outward condition of bondage, but to spiritual subjection to the will and guidance of men as contrasted with Christ.
25. Virgins (aapJévav). Not the unmarried of both sexes, as Bengel. The use of the word by ecclesiastical writers for an unmarried man has no warrant in classical usage, and may have arisen from the misinterpretation of Apoc. xiv. 4, where it is employed adjectivally and metaphorically. In every other case in the New Testament the meaning is unquestionable.