The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Corinthians — Section 232

HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vers. 1-11.- Views concerni11g marriage : the institution in itself ood in relation to circumstances, obligations, ~nd duties. We ~ave seen what a meeting-place Corinth was for the schools of philosophy and Judaism-a sort of metropolitan Coliseum, iu which the gladiators of intellect were in unceasing combat. Neither Rome, nor Athens, nor Jerusalem, afforded such a field of contention as this proud and sensual city, where worldly culture and elegance existed side by side with commercial wealth and luxury. Now, we know what occurs when the waters of the Gulf Stream, bearing northward its immense store of heat from the Gulf of Mexico, come in contact off Newfoundland with the Polar currents, and what a vast bank of fog rises from the condensation of warm vapour in a cold atmosphere. This may symbolize what was going on in Corinth at this time. A century before, the world had been agitated by the ideas and schemes of Julius Cresar, the foremost man of his age, and quite as :great a revolutionizer of men's ways of thinking as of political institutions. Imperialism was now in the ascendancy, and the nations were ostensibly a nation-a -colossal Rome. But the quickening of thought remained, and this inured to the advantage of Christianity. '!'here was not only external tranquillity, but the precise kind of tranquillity which St. Paul needed; and, though local disturbances often arose .and at times violent commotions, yet the Roman law was his best earthly friend. At Corinth he had taught and preached and founded a Church. For three years be had been absent, and, meantime, what collisions had set in, and, amidst the surgin~ -to and fro of opinions and prejudices and enmities, what disorders he.d been tolerated! Over everything and everywhere was felt the chilly mist, a twilight to some, a .midnight to others, a bewildering gloom to all. 'I'his, however, was providential. Teachers must remand pupils to themselves. Such a new and singular force as St. Paul was in the world-such pre-eminently as he had shown himself in Corinth by his opposition to the views of Greeks and Jews, and by his uncompromising zeal in behalf of the distinctive tenets of the gospel-must be suffered to do its work independently -0f his presence and immediate oversight. And we now see in this chapter, more fully than before, what conflicts of intellect and passion were in progress, what strange alienations had transpired, and how far gone many of his disciples were from the pati1 in which he had expected their feet to tread. Had anything escaped this billowy sweep of strife? It was even dashing against the institution of marriage, which men had agreed to honour as the most important and the most venerable of earthly interests. Incest had been tolerated in the Church, and St. Paul had found it necessary to argue on the highest religious ground against the sensual evils of fornication. Of late we have heard much concerning a scientific basis of morality. If, however, we follow St. Paul, who never contradicts history, we see that even enlightened instincts cannot be trusted when withdrawn from the guidance al!cl support of the Holy Spirit. Men may theorize as they please. Oue thing, never- theless, is certain, and that one thing is, that whenever practical men deal with social questions, they accept St. Paul as the thinker of humanity. Even instincts need 234 THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE COHINTHIANS, [CH, vu. 1-40;