The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Corinthians — Section 223

jude:ed of in connection 'l\'ith surrounding nil kinrls of extreme views-immorel in- -circumstances. Those who make St. Pnul difference a11d over-scrupulous usceticism- judge slightingly of marriage contradict his ha,l claimed domi110.nce amoug the Corin- own express rules und statements (Eph. 'I'. thians. 24, 31, 32; 1 Tim. ii. 15), aud make him Ver. 4.-The wife hath not power. speak the current heathen language of lllaninge is not a capricious union, but a heathen epicmcs, who, to the great injury of holv bond. "They two" become "one morals, treated marriage as a disagreeable flesh." uecessitv, which WRS, if possible, to be Ver. 5.-Defraud ye not, ~t. Paul pur- avoided: If the "it is a good thing" of St. posely leaves the expression general. Paul in wr. 1 were to be taken absolutely, Primarily he is thinking of" the due" or it would lHtYe to be corrected (l) by the "the power" which each has over the other, ,example or Christ. who beautified with his as is shown by the next verse; but he does ,presence i.he marriage at Cano. (Jolrn ii. 1, not confine the expression to thi~. Except 2); (2) by tl,e primeval law which said, it be; literally, unless by chance. The •· It is not good for man to be aloue" (Geu. exception he regards o.s something possible, ii. 18): and (3) by the fact that marriage is but not normal. For a time. Dy this and the chosen analogue of the relation between the uext words he disparages, by anticipation, Christ o.nd his Church. llut the very the celibate and separate married lives phrase he uses, as will be seen by reference whicb, in a corrupt age, were so much and so ,to eh. i:s:. l.'l; lllatt. X'L 26; Rom. xiv. 21, unwisely admired i11 the o.scetic so.ints of the etc., is a relative not an absol,;;te one, and St. Middle Ages. Temporary separation for Paul uses it here concessively, but with the special reasons had been recognized from ohjcct of pointing out limitations which the earliest times (Exod. xix. 15; 1 Sam. xxi. .almost re\'Croed it. To avoid fornication; 4). Ye may give yourselves; rather, ye may rather, becauBe of fornication; i.e. because of have leisure. The verb is in the aorist, the many forms of impurity which were which shows that the "leisure" contem- ~urrent ernrywherc, but especially at Corinth. plated was for brief· periods, not during :Some have argued that St. Paul takes a continuous years. It was alte!'ed to the " low " and. ·• poor" ,·iew of marriage by prese,,t by the officious copyists, who believed regarding it only in the light of a remedy in external and mechanical rnles of holiness. ,,gainst fornication. The answer is: 1. Tho.t To fasting and prayer. "Fasting" is an asce- tl.te reason which be assigns is a true reason tic interpofotion, not found in ~. A, D, C, D, iu itself, and with reference to the masses :F. On this interpolation, and pel'haps on the of mankind; fnr wLicb reason it is adopted analogy of the rule given by Moses at Sino.i bv our Church in her lllarriage Service. (Exod. xix. 15), rose the p!'actice ofmcu-ried 2: He is addressing those who were living persons li,ing apart at Lent (Stanley). in a corrupt aud semi-heathen atmosphere. Come together again. The prepossessions 3. He is not here speaking of the idealized of o.scetic scribes have a.gain tampered with and ,;piritual aspect of marriage, but only of the text. 'fhe true reading is, "be together large practical nec(•ssities. When be speaks again" (~Te), not "come together" (<Twlp- of marriage as a high Cbristiau mystery X11<T8e). For your incontinency; ro.ther, ,(as in 2 Cor. xi. 2; Eph. v. 22-33), he because of. Their past lives o.nd their adopts a very different tone. Let every present temptations were o. wo.rning that man ha.ve. A rule, not a mere petmission. they could not lay on themscl ves burdens Be here implies the truth that mo.rried Jove which God did not require. They should not bears no analo;.,;y wl1atever to the vaga, strive .Zibidines of those who live like "natui-al to wind themselves too high .brute beasts." In marriage the sensuous " For sinful man beneath the sky." impulse, by being controlled and placed under religious sanctions is refined and puri- Violent, unnatural, self-tormenting, repres- fied from a dc;.,;rndation into a sacrament. sions beyond what God demands, o.nd fost(·ad of being any longer the source of adopted without reference to the strength or untold curses to mankind, it becomes the the circumstances of individual natures, cou<lition of their continuance and au element only tend, as all ascetics ho.ve confessed, iu their peace, because it is then placed to increase rather than to diminish the under the blessing of God and of his Church. force of sensual temptations. Yer. 3.-Due benevolence. An euphe- Ver. 6.-1 speak this. The "this" misLic and needless modification by the applies to his advice in general, but especi- -copyir;ts of the pt,re and simple expression ally to the last verse. :By permission. This -or l:it. Paul, wLich, as ~hown by the best phrase is generally misunderstood. It does manuscripts, it;" her due "-debitum tol'i. St. not mcun that St. Paul was permitted though Paul is evidently entering on these subjects, not commo.mled to give this advice, but thut uot out of any Jorn for them, but b~cause his gc11tle ad vice was gi vcn "by wo.y or oH, vu. 1-40.J THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS. 225