Marriage in the Bible, Corinthians.?

Question

Recently reading over some of Paul's writings, I came across something I never noticed before. In Corinthians Paul mentions marriage and his take on it, he believes it could save us a lot of trouble if we remained as he was, single. Amazing what you can find reading outside of church. Any opinions on Paul's take on the issue? Seems logical to me, but why do so many christians marry? Do they ever even see this passage?

Answer 1

If everyone remained Paul, there would be no human on earth after few decades.

Answer 2

Of course we do, and we study it in detail as well. I don't think that anyone was trying to hide anything from you.

It appears that 1 Corinthians chapter 7 is the chapter where Paul expounds upon what Jesus said in the first part of Matthew chapter 19.

Notice that both Jesus and Paul said that the majority of people could not handle celibacy. Paul also said here that if one didn't have the gift of celibacy, then it was better to marry than to burn with passion. You seem to have missed that one.

Apparently this chapter is one of the reasons that Roman Catholic priests do not marry (there are historic reasons as well).

I would recommend that you attend either a Bible Study or Sunday School. They cannot cover everything in the half hour sermon on Monday morning.

Answer 3

It is a personal prefernece. The OT says that a man who finds a wife finds a good thing. (proverbs) There is good on both sides of that issue. For Paul, a wife would've made his ministry quite difficult. He traveled all the time, and when walking, that took forever to get anywhere. He either would've had to bring her along or never see her. If they had kids, it's even harder. So for Paul, it was easier to stay single. God created us to marry, He saw that it was not good for Adam to be alone. He created Eve as a help mate for Adam.

If Christians didn't marry, Christianity would die out within a generation theoretically, so I highly doubt that Paul intended for no Christians to get married.

Answer 4

Solomon wrote "it is good for a man to have a wife." Paul remained single because in his field of always traveling from country to country spreading the gospel, it would have been disastrous on a married man. How can one have a healthy loving relationship when their spouse is constantly thousands of miles away, improsoned most of the time, and suffering great persecution for what they are doing? Paul was espoused to Jesus and He was enough for him. For those of us who don't live like Paul and have more "free time", marriage is great and there is nothing better than having a loving godly wife to share my life with as I have done for the last 10 years. Peace

Answer 5

In that same passage, Paul also addresses the issue of sexuality. He basically states (and I'm paraphrasing here) that marriage is especially good for those who feel like they cannot remain abstinent for their entire lives. Paul may have felt it was important for himself and anyone else who could control their sexual desires, but he also did not support fornication or adultery. Therefore, he agreed that marriage was a much better alternative to those things.

Answer 6

Most Christians also ignore the reason Paul gives, namely that the time is short before human history ends. Of course, those groups that continue to say the same thing (and ignore that they are doing so 2,000 years later) are even scarier.

Answer 7

I think because it's an exception to the rule NOT the norm. There's more verses that suggest it's better to marry, due to sexual desire, a helper and what not.
Our bodies and emotions are designed that marriage, sex a procreation are a natural function, to remain unmarried, would require an extra measure of self control and commitment.

Answer 8

At the time, Nero was persecuting the church. They would take your family and torture them before your eyes, or they would let you watch as animals rip your children apart in the Colosseum.

Also, at the time, the preaching of the gospel required longs trips by foot. You would be gone for years. Being married would prevent you from being able to participate.

Today, we have no such limitations. We can go off for a ministry for a week or so, then return within hours.

Answer 9

Actually Paul in 1 Corinthians 7 notes that:

"About the things you wrote: “It is good for a man not to have relations with a woman.” 2 But because of sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman should have her own husband. 3 A husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise a wife to her husband. 4 A wife does not have authority over her own body, but her husband does. Equally, a husband does not have authority over his own body, but his wife does. "1 Cor 7:1-4 (HCSB)

Paul acknowledges that our human nature is for sex and this is best fulfilled in marriage, unless we can control our lusts and remain celibate as evidenced in verses 8 & 9:

"I say to the unmarried and to widows: It is good for them if they remain as I am. 9 But if they do not have self-control, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with desire."


So please read the passage in context otherwise it becomes a pretext!

Finaly, note Paul's view of women, both the husband and wife have equal authority, and they say he is a mysoginist!

So yes it would help if people read the bible but not just the bits that suit their theology.

Answer 10

Paul doesn't condemn marriage. He says it's better to marry than to burn with passion. He is just stating singles have more time to commit to serving the Lord.