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20. ’Ev rfi xXijgsi, in the calling) The state in which the [heavenly] calling stumbles upon [finds] any one, is equivalent to a calling.
21. Mij 6oi care not for it) Do not anxiously seek to
he set free ; so, do not seek [a wife], ver. 27. — / luXXov %pr]6ai, use it rather) use the power of obtaining liberty , or rather use [con- tinue in] slavery ; for he, who might become free, has a kind master, whom it is better to serve, than to follow any other course of life, 1 Tim. vi. 2 ; comp, the beginning of the next verse : therefore in ver. 23, he does not say, be not , but do not become the servants of men.
22. ’ AveXebOepog, freedman) *E XevQspog, one free , and who also was never a slave ; aneXe vQspog, a freedman , who had been a slave. — Kvpiov, of the Lord) Christ , which presently after oc- curs.— 6 sXsukpog xXriklg, he that being free is called) At the beginning of the verse the word called is put before a servant ; here free is placed before the word called , for the sake of em- phasis, that he may be also included, who, in consequence of his calling, obtains the power of acquiring freedom. Comp, on the arrangement of the words, Gal. iv. 25, note.
23. ’ HyopucQrire, you have been bought) by God [as the servants of Christ. — Y. g.] — fjji] yivsffhy [not as Engl. Yers. u be not ye”] do not become) The internal and external state should, so far as it is attainable, agree together, and the latter should be sub- servient to the former. To become here, is properly applied to those, who are not slaves. [ Let not him who is free , cast away his liberty. Not. crit.]
24. Tiapa ©s&, with God) An antithesis to men, Rom. xiv. 22. Those who are always looking to God maintain a holy indifference about external things. By this principle [viz., re- gard to God], however, the rule laid down at ver. 20, is limited. For example, a man, from being a slave, may become free [and thus not abide in the same calling ] without any change of his condition before God.
25. napOsvcov, virgins) of both sexes : See the following verses.
So the word, virgin , Rev. xiv. 4. — oux I have not) He does
not say, we have not. The Corinthians expected a special com- mandment by revelation, which Paul was to receiver — yi/w/x^v dz) A word used with deliberate choice here and at ver. 40, as pre-
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