The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Corinthians — Section 247

c01wenience and predilections are the chief things concerned, as tliough it were their marriage and not their child's. III. THE CHILD'S wrsHES SHOULD BE coxsULTED. 'l.'his seems to be involved in "Let them marry," as though a specific attachment was supposed. "Having no necessity" (ver. 37) and "behavcth himself uncomely" (ver. 36) bear also upon this point. Certainly obtains in case of widows (ver. 39). The child's wish, not only as to marriage itself, but as to the one with whom a union is proposed should never be left out of account. Parental counsel and guidance are wise and well; parental compulsion is gross folly. Consent to marriage may be withheld, and must be, if there are sufficient grounds, but to in any way force a union is to pave the way for misery, if not for something worse. Modern usages much more favour consultation of the child's wish than ancient, but in some circles there seems to be a tendency to revert to barbaric customs. In the land where there are no slaves, daughters are in many cases as truly sold to the highest bidder as was ever an African upon an American auction-block. ,vhen parental selfishness and folly run to such lengths, divorce courts are likely to be in great request and never to lack causes. IV. CHRISTIAN PARE1''TS SHOULD DESIRE THE MARRIAGE OF THEIR CHILDREN "ONLY IN TIIE LoRD." Alas! bow many professedly Christian parents seem to have but little regard for this! Position, wealth, influence, _titles,-if these, or any one of them, can be attained, there is not only satisfaction but jubilation. Yet what possible joy should there be to a Christian parent in giving his child to be the lifelong companion of an enemy of Christ? He may not be able to prevent such a union, but to rejoice in it is quite another matter. A suitor's spiritual position should be weighed as well as his temporal. A union with an unbeliever may promise much, as men judge, for this ,vorld, but it promises very little for the next. Such marriages are not "made in heaven," nor can they be expected to lead thither. But a godly husband wonderfully aids the spiritual life.of a godly wife, and vice versa; and they walk well together, because they are "agreed." Mixed marriages Eeem generally to end in an "agreement" to give up attendance, at the house of God on the sabbath, and to care nothing for the God of the house during.the week. Yet many parents scarcely consider for a moment whether they are giving their daughter to a child of God or to a child of the devil. And sons are congratulated if they succeecl. in making " a good match," which is very possibly one of the worst matches they could have made. Parents should give the supreme place to the spiritual interests of their children.-H. Vers. 1-9.-0eli'bacy and marriage. Hitherto the apostle has been treating of abuses in the Church at Corinth, which had come to his knowledge, either through the house- hold of Chloe (eh. i. 11) or through common report (eh. v. 1). He passes now to deal with certain matters regarding which the Corinthians had asked his advice by letter; and the first of these is marriage, with other related subjects. While treating the whole chapter homiletically, the l)reacher will do well to exercise a wise cl.elicacy iu introducing many of the points to a mixed congregation, I. CELIBACY, The preference apparently given to celibacy in this chapter calls for careful consideration. 1. In what sense is it called "good "1 It is not good in the sense of being in itself and always superior to marriage. Elsewhere Paul speaks of the married state with the greatest respect, as an image of the union between Christ and his Church (Eph. v. 23-25), and gives it:as a mark of the false teachers of later times that they "forbid to marry" (1 Tim. iv. 3). 'l'he law of consistency, then, bids us iuterpret his statements here as in no sense depreciatory of the Divine ordinance of marriaae. A single life is goocl. in the sense of being in itself honourable, and in certain circum~tances expedient. The apostle's" good" here must always be read in view of the "not good" of Gen. ii. 18. 2. Wlien is it to be preferred to marriage 1 Leaving out of view considerations of physical health, which in some cases may render marriage imprudent or even culpable, three answers to our question may be gathered from this chapter. (1) In circumstances of peculiar distress (ver. 26). Such trouble had either come upon the Corinthians or was near at hand, that Paul judged it better for them to keep clear of such engagements as would only increase their suffering. In times of persecution or dearth it may be wise not to marry. (2) When called to some peculiar service for the Lord. This was Paul's case. Other apostles, indeed, were married, but cu. vn. 1-40.] THE FIUST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS. 249