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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Corinthians 7:1-9

The apostle comes now, as a faithful and skilful casuist, to answer some cases of conscience which the Corinthians had proposed to him. Those were things whereof they wrote to him, 1 Cor. 7:1. As the lips of ministers should keep knowledge, so the people should ask the law at their mouths. The apostle was as ready to resolve as they were to propose their doubts. In the former chapter, he warns them to avoid fornication; here he gives some directions about marriage, the remedy God had appointed... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - 1 Corinthians 7:1-2

7:1-2 With regard to your letter and its suggestion that it would be a fine thing for a man not to have anything to do with a woman--to avoid fornication, let each man possess his own wife, and each woman her own husband. We have already seen that in Greek thought there was strong tendency to despise the body and the things of the body; and that that tendency could issue in a position where men said, "The body is utterly unimportant; therefore we can do what we like with it and it makes no... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 7:1

Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me ,.... Though the false apostles had greatly influenced the members of this church, yet there were many among them that had a very great respect for the apostle, and kept up a correspondence with him, though at a distance from him, by writing; in which way they informed him of their doubts and difficulties, that arose in their minds about certain things, and desired his judgment in them, to which they paid a very great deference. The things... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Corinthians 7:1

The things whereof ye wrote unto me - It is sufficiently evident that the principal part of this epistle was written in answer to some questions which had been sent to the apostle in a letter from the Corinthian Church; and the first question seems to be this: "Is it proper for a man to marry in the present circumstances of the Church?" The question concerning the expediency or inexpediency of marriage was often agitated among the ancient philosophers; and many, though inclined to decide... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Corinthians 7:1

Verse 1 As he had spoken of fornication, he now appropriately proceeds to speak of marriage which is the remedy for avoiding fornication. Now it appears, that, notwithstanding the greatly scattered state of the Corinthian Church, they still retained some respect for Paul, inasmuch as they consulted him on doubtful points. What their questions had been is uncertain, except in so far as we may gather them from his reply. This, however, is perfectly well known, that immediately after the first... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Corinthians 7:1

Now concerning. This refers to questions of the Corinthians. It is good for a man not to touch a woman. The word used is not agathon, good, but kalon, fair; "an excellent thing." In 1 Corinthians 7:26 he limits the word by the clause, "good for the present necessity." There is no limitation here, and it is probable that St. Paul is quoting the actual words of the letter which he had received from Corinth. There had sprung up among them some antinomians, who, perhaps by perverting... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Corinthians 7:1-7

Advice on details of Christian conduct. In dealing with these verses, it should be noticed: 1. That, concerning such matters of practical detail, St. Paul gives his advice, he does not lay down authoritative commands. 2. The apostle's mission concerned principles, not details, which are properly regarded as well within the control of cultured Christian thought and judgment. Inspiration is wisely limited to subjects which, for any reason, are out of ordinary human reach. None of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Corinthians 7:1-9

Celibacy and marriage. Hitherto the apostle has been treating of abuses in the Church at Corinth, which had come to his knowledge, either through the household of Chloe ( 1 Corinthians 1:11 ) or through common report ( 1 Corinthians 5:1 ). 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 preacher will do well to... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Corinthians 7:1-11

Views concerning marriage: the institution in itself and in relation to circumstances, obligations, and duties. We have seen what a meeting place Corinth was for the schools of philosophy and Judaism—a sort of metropolitan Coliseum, in 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... read more

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