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Commentary on 1 Corinthians 7 verses 10–16
In this paragraph the apostle gives them direction in a case which must be very frequent in that age of the world, especially among the Jewish converts; I mean whether they were to live with heathen relatives in a married state. Moses's law permitted divorce; and there was a famous instance in the Jewish state, when the people were obliged to put away their idolatrous wives, Ezr 10:3. This might move a scruple in many minds, whether converts to Christianity were not bound to put away or desert their mates, continuing infidels. Concerning this matter the apostle here gives direction. And,
I. In general, he tells them that marriage, by Christ's command, is for life; and therefore those who are married must not think of separation. The wife must not depart from the husband (Co1 7:10), nor the husband put away his wife, Co1 7:11. This I command, says the apostle; yet not I, but the Lord. Not that he commanded any thing of his own head, or upon his own authority. Whatever he commanded was the Lord's command, dictated by his Spirit and enjoined by his authority. But his meaning is that the Lord himself, with his own mouth, had forbidden such separations, Mat 5:32; Mat 19:9; Mar 10:11; Luk 16:18. Note, Man and wife cannot separate at pleasure, nor dissolve, when they will, their matrimonial bonds and relation. They must not separate for any other cause than what Christ allows. And therefore the apostle advises that if any woman had been separated, either by a voluntary act of her own or by an act of her husband, she should continue unmarried, and seek reconciliation with her husband, that they might cohabit again. Note, Husbands and wives should not quarrel at all, or should be quickly reconciled. They are bound to each other for life. The divine law allows of no separation. They cannot throw off the burden, and therefore should set their shoulders to it, and endeavour to make it as light to each other as they can.
II. He brings the general advice home to the case of such as had an unbelieving mate (Co1 7:12): But to the rest speak I, not the Lord; that is, the Lord had not so expressly spoken to this case as to the former divorce. It does not mean that the apostle spoke without authority from the Lord, or decided this case by his own wisdom, without the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. He closes this subject with a declaration to the contrary (Co1 7:40), I think also that I have the Spirit of God. But, having thus prefaced his advice, we may attend,
1.To the advice itself, which is that if an unbelieving husband or wife were pleased to dwell with a Christian relative, the other should not separate. The husband should not put away an unbelieving wife, nor the wife leave an unbelieving husband, Co1 7:12, Co1 7:13. The Christian calling did not dissolve the marriage covenant, but bind it the faster, by bringing it back to the original institution, limiting it to two persons, and binding them together for life. The believer is not by faith in Christ loosed from matrimonial bonds to an unbeliever, but is at once bound and made apt to be a better relative. But, though a believing wife or husband should not separate from an unbelieving mate, yet if the unbelieving relative desert the believer, and no means can reconcile to a cohabitation, in such a case a brother or sister is not in bondage (Co1 7:15), not tied up to the unreasonable humour, and bound servilely to follow or cleave to the malicious deserter, or not bound to live unmarried after all proper means for reconciliation have been tried, at least of the deserter contract another marriage or be guilty of adultery, which was a very easy supposition, because a very common instance among the heathen inhabitants of Corinth. In such a case the deserted person must be free to marry again, and it is granted on all hands. And some think that such a malicious desertion is as much a dissolution of the marriage-covenant as death itself. For how is it possible that the two shall be one flesh when the one is maliciously bent to part from or put away the other? Indeed, the deserter seems still bound by the matrimonial contract; and therefore the apostle says (Co1 7:11), If the woman depart from her husband upon the account of his infidelity, let her remain unmarried. But the deserted party seems to be left more at liberty (I mean supposing all the proper means have been used to reclaim the deserter, and other circumstances make it necessary) to marry another person. It does not seem reasonable that they should be still bound, when it is rendered impossible to perform conjugal duties or enjoy conjugal comforts, through the mere fault of their mate: in such a case marriage would be a state of servitude indeed. But, whatever liberty be indulged Christians in such a case as this, they are not allowed, for the mere infidelity of a husband or wife, to separate; but, if the unbeliever be willing, they should continue in the relation, and cohabit as those who are thus related. This is the apostle's general direction.
2.We have here the reasons of this advice. (1.) Because the relation or state is sanctified by the holiness of either party: For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife by the husband (Co1 7:14), or hath been sanctified. The relation itself, and the conjugal use of each other, are sanctified to the believer. To the pure all things are pure, Tit 1:15. Marriage is a divine institution; it is a compact for life, by God's appointment. Had converse and congress with unbelievers in that relation defiled the believer, or rendered him or her offensive to God, the ends of marriage would have been defeated, and the comforts of it in a manner destroyed, in the circumstances in which Christians then were. But the apostle tells them that, though they were yoked with unbelievers, yet, if they themselves were holy, marriage was to them a holy state, and marriage comforts, even with an unbelieving relative, were sanctified enjoyments. It was no more displeasing to God for them to continue to live as they did before, with their unbelieving or heathen relation, than if they had become converts together. If one of the relatives had become holy, nothing of the duties or lawful comforts of the married state could defile them, and render them displeasing to God, though the other were a heathen. He is sanctified for the wife's sake. She is sanctified for the husband's sake. Both are one flesh. He is to be reputed clean who is one flesh with her that is holy, and vice vers: Else were your children unclean, but now are they holy (Co1 7:14), that is, they would be heathen, out of the pale of the church and covenant of God. They would not be of the holy seed (as the Jews are called, Isa 6:13), but common and unclean, in the same sense as heathens in general were styled in the apostle's vision, Act 10:28. This way of speaking is according to the dialect of the Jews, among whom a child begotten by parents yet heathens, was said to be begotten out of holiness; and a child begotten by parents made proselytes was said to be begotten intra sanctitatem - within the holy enclosure. Thus Christians are called commonly saints; such they are by profession, separated to be a peculiar people of God, and as such distinguished from the world; and therefore the children born to Christians, though married to unbelievers, are not to be reckoned as part of the world, but of the church, a holy, not a common and unclean seed. "Continue therefore to live even with unbelieving relatives; for, if you are holy, the relation is so, the state is so, you may make a holy use even of an unbelieving relative, in conjugal duties, and your seed will be holy too." What a comfort is this, where both relatives are believers! (2.) Another reason is that God hath called Christians to peace, Co1 7:15. The Christian religion obliges us to act peaceably in all relations, natural and civil. We are bound, as much as in us lies, to live peaceably with all men (Rom 12:18), and therefore surely to promote the peace and comfort of our nearest relatives, those with whom we are one flesh, nay, though they should be infidels. Note, It should be the labour and study of those who are married to make each other as easy and happy as possible. (3.) A third reason is that it is possible for the believing relative to be an instrument of the other's salvation (Co1 7:16): What knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? Note, It is the plain duty of those in so near a relation to seek the salvation of those to whom they are related. "Do not separate. There is other duty now called for. The conjugal relation calls for the most close and endeared affection; it is a contract for life. And should a Christian desert a mate, when an opportunity offers to give the most glorious proof of love? Stay, and labour heartily for the conversion of thy relative. Endeavour to save a soul. Who knows but this may be the event? It is not impossible. And, though there be no great probability, saving a soul is so good and glorious a service that the bare possibility should put one on exerting one's self." Note, Mere possibility of success should be a sufficient motive with us to use our diligent endeavours for saving the souls of our relations. "What know I but I may save his soul? should move me to attempt it."
"Sir, if any one has a wife who trusts in the Lord, and if he detect her in adultery, does the man sin if he continue to live with her?" And he said to me, "As long as he remains ignorant of her sin, the husband commits no transgression in living with her. But if the husband know that his wife has gone astray, and if the woman does not repent, but persists in her fornication, and yet the husband continues to live with her, he also is guilty of her crime, and a sharer in her adultery." And I said to him, "What then, sir, is the husband to do, if his wife continue in her vicious practices?" And he said, "The husband should put her away, and remain by himself. But if he put his wife away and marry another, he also commits adultery." And I said to him, "What if the woman put away should repent, and wish to return to her husband: shall she not be taken back by her husband?" And he said to me, "Assuredly. If the husband do not take her back, he sins, and brings a great sin upon himself; for he ought to take back the sinner who has repented. But not frequently. For there is but one repentance to the servants of God. In case, therefore, that the divorced wife may repent, the husband ought not to marry another, when his wife has been put away. In this matter man and woman are to be treated exactly in the same way."
And, "Whosoever shall marry her that is divorced from another husband, committeth adultery." And, "There are some who have been made eunuchs of men, and some who were born eunuchs, and some who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake; but all cannot receive this saying." So that all who, by human law, are twice married, are in the eye of our Master sinners, and those who look upon a woman to lust after her.
And the voice of the Gospel teaches still more urgently concerning chastity, saying: "Whosoever looks on a woman who is not his own wife, to lust after her, has committed adultery with her already in his heart." [Matthew 5:28] "And he that marries," says [the Gospel], "her that is divorced from her husband, commits adultery; and whosoever puts away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causes her to commit adultery." [Matthew 5:32] Because Solomon says: "Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned? Or can one walk upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned? So he that goes in to a married woman shall not be innocent." [Proverbs 6:27-29]
A person should either remain as he was born, or be content with one marriage; for a second marriage is only a specious adultery. "For whosoever puts away his wife," says He, "and marries another, commits adultery;" [Matthew 19:9] not permitting a man to send her away whose virginity he has brought to an end, nor to marry again. For he who deprives himself of his first wife, even though she be dead, is a cloaked adulterer, resisting the hand of God, because in the beginning God made one man and one woman, and dissolving the strictest union of flesh with flesh, formed for the intercourse of the race.
Now that the Scripture counsels marriage, and allows no release from the union, is expressly contained in the law, "Thou shalt not put away thy wife, except for the cause of fornication;" and it regards as fornication, the marriage of those separated while the other is alive. Not to deck and adorn herself beyond what is becoming, renders a wife free of calumnious suspicion, while she devotes herself assiduously to prayers and supplications; avoiding frequent departures from the house, and shutting herself up as far as possible from the view of all not related to her, and deeming housekeeping of more consequence than impertinent trifling. "He that taketh a woman that has been put away," it is said, "committeth adultery; and if one puts away his wife, he makes her an adulteress," that is, compels her to commit adultery. And not only is he who puts her away guilty of this, but he who takes her, by giving to the woman the opportunity of sinning; for did he not take her, she would return to her husband.
If a layman divorces his own wife, and takes another, or one divorced by another, let him be suspended.
A woman may not marry if she has left her husband because of fornication or apostasy, if he wishes to have sexual relations with her. But if the husband turns away from the faith or desires to have extramarital sexual relations, the wife may neither marry another nor return to him. The husband should not divorce his wife, but one should add the clause “except for fornication.”
Because it is a law expressly appointed by Christ which he is about to read to them about the "not putting away a wife without fornication;" therefore he says, "Not I." True it is what was before spoken though it were not expressly stated, yet it also is His decree. But this, you see, He had delivered in express words. So that the words "I and not I" have this difference of meaning. For that you might not imagine even his own words to be human, therefore he added, "For I think that I also have the Spirit of God."
Now what is that which "to the married the Lord commanded? That the wife depart not from her husband: but if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled unto her husband." Here, seeing that both on the score of continence and other pretexts, and because of infirmities of temper, it fell out that separations took place: it were better, he says, that such things should not be at all; but however if they take place, let the wife remain with her husband, if not to cohabit with him, yet so as not to introduce any other to be her husband.
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SUMMARY
First Corinthians 7:11 provides crucial apostolic guidance on marital separation within the Christian community, emphasizing the enduring nature of the marriage covenant and the divine call to reconciliation. Paul instructs that if a wife separates from her husband, she must either remain unmarried or seek restoration with him, and likewise, a husband is strictly prohibited from divorcing his wife. This verse underscores the sanctity and permanence of the marital bond as understood within God's design, even in the face of relational breakdown.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: This verse is an integral part of Paul's extensive discourse on marriage, singleness, and sexual ethics in 1 Corinthians 7. The chapter begins with Paul addressing specific questions posed by the Corinthian believers, indicated by the phrase "Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me" (1 Corinthians 7:1). Paul's instructions are often framed as direct commands from the Lord or as his own Spirit-inspired counsel. 1 Corinthians 7:10 immediately precedes our verse, stating, "And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband." Verse 11 then elaborates on the scenario where such a departure has already occurred, offering specific directives, and reiterates the general prohibition against a husband divorcing his wife. The flow of thought moves from the ideal (no separation) to the reality (if separation occurs) and then reinforces the overarching principle of marital permanence for both spouses.
Historical & Cultural Context: The city of Corinth was a bustling, cosmopolitan port known for its diverse population and, notoriously, its moral laxity. Roman and Greek societal norms often permitted relatively easy divorce, especially for men. Within this environment, early Christians were seeking to understand how their new faith, rooted in Christ's teachings and Old Testament principles, should inform their marital practices. Many believers came from pagan backgrounds where divorce and remarriage were common, and some may have been influenced by ascetic tendencies that devalued marriage. Paul's instructions in 1 Corinthians 7 provided a counter-cultural framework, upholding the sanctity of marriage while also acknowledging the spiritual value of singleness for devoted service to the Lord. The specific mention of a wife departing might reflect particular issues in Corinthian marriages, perhaps involving new converts whose spouses were unbelievers, or internal conflicts within Christian households.
Key Themes: This verse significantly contributes to several key themes within 1 Corinthians and broader biblical theology. Foremost is the Permanence of Marriage, reflecting God's original design for a lifelong covenant, as seen in Genesis 2:24 and affirmed by Jesus in Matthew 19:6. Paul's instruction to remain unmarried or reconcile underscores that even physical separation does not dissolve the marital bond in God's eyes. Secondly, the theme of Reconciliation and Restoration is paramount; Paul presents reconciliation as the preferred and commanded path for separated spouses, aligning with the broader Christian call to mend broken relationships and forgive (Colossians 3:13). Thirdly, the verse reinforces the Prohibition of Divorce, reiterating the principle that God "hates divorce" (Malachi 2:16) and that believers should not initiate the dissolution of their marriages. Finally, the challenging directive to Embrace Singleness After Separation (if reconciliation is not possible) highlights a commitment to the original marital vow and a counter-cultural faithfulness to God's standards, prioritizing spiritual devotion over societal norms.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Paul employs several literary devices to convey his strong instructions. The use of Imperative Mood ("let her remain," "be reconciled," "let not") throughout the verse underscores the authoritative and binding nature of these commands. The structure presents a clear Dilemma and Resolution for the wife's situation: if she departs, she has two, and only two, divinely sanctioned choices. This creates a sense of urgency and clarity regarding the consequences of separation. Furthermore, the verse uses Parallelism by addressing both the wife's actions ("if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled") and the husband's corresponding responsibility ("let not the husband put away his wife"). This parallel structure emphasizes the mutual obligation within the marriage covenant. Finally, the verse functions as a Conditional Clause ("But and if she depart...") setting up the specific instructions that follow, indicating that Paul is providing guidance for a particular, undesirable, but possible scenario.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
This verse profoundly articulates the New Testament's high view of marriage as a sacred, lifelong covenant established by God, rather than merely a social contract. It underscores that even in the painful reality of marital separation, the divine bond remains intact, necessitating either reconciliation or a commitment to singleness. This reflects God's own unwavering faithfulness to His covenants, even when humanity falters. The emphasis on reconciliation highlights the redemptive power of the Gospel to restore broken relationships, echoing Christ's ministry of bringing alienated humanity back into fellowship with God. The prohibition against divorce for both spouses reinforces the sanctity of the union and the seriousness with which God views its dissolution, calling believers to a higher standard than the prevailing cultural norms.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
1 Corinthians 7:11 presents a challenging yet profoundly insightful directive for believers navigating marital difficulties. It calls Christians to a counter-cultural commitment to the permanence of marriage, even when faced with the pain of separation. For those experiencing marital strife, the primary call is towards reconciliation, urging spouses to seek healing, forgiveness, and restoration of their covenantal bond through prayer, godly counsel, and a willingness to humble themselves. If reconciliation proves impossible, the instruction to remain unmarried serves as a powerful testament to the enduring nature of the original vow before God, prioritizing faithfulness to the divine standard over personal desire for remarriage. This passage challenges the church to be a community that upholds the sanctity of marriage, actively supports struggling couples in their pursuit of reconciliation, and provides compassionate care for those who, by divine command, find themselves remaining unmarried after separation. It reminds us that our marital relationships are meant to be a living witness to God's faithfulness and redemptive love in a broken world.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Does "depart" in this verse mean the same as "divorce"?
Answer: Not precisely. The Greek word translated "depart" (chōrízō) in 1 Corinthians 7:11 refers to a physical separation or a leaving of the marital home, a cessation of cohabitation. It is distinct from the word "put away" (aphíēmi), which is used later in the same verse and specifically means to divorce or legally dismiss one's spouse. While a physical separation can often lead to divorce, Paul's instruction here addresses the state of being apart, with the clear expectation that the separated spouse should either reconcile or remain unmarried, rather than proceed to divorce and remarriage. This distinction highlights Paul's emphasis on the enduring nature of the marital bond even when spouses are living apart.
Are there any biblical exceptions to the command to remain unmarried after separation or to the prohibition against divorce?
Answer: 1 Corinthians 7:11 specifically addresses separation within a Christian marriage, where reconciliation is the primary goal. The New Testament does present limited, highly debated exceptions. Jesus, in Matthew 19:9, mentions an exception for "sexual immorality" (Greek: porneia), which is often interpreted to include various forms of unfaithfulness. Additionally, Paul introduces what is known as the "Pauline privilege" in 1 Corinthians 7:15, stating that if an unbelieving spouse departs, the believing spouse is "not under bondage." Most scholars interpret this to mean that the believing spouse is no longer bound to the marriage and may be free to remarry in such specific circumstances. However, these are generally understood as narrow exceptions to a broad biblical principle of marital permanence.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
1 Corinthians 7:11, with its emphasis on reconciliation and the permanence of the marital covenant, finds its ultimate fulfillment and deepest meaning in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Christ himself is the supreme Reconciler, who, through His sacrificial death and resurrection, has reconciled a fallen humanity to God (2 Corinthians 5:18-19). Just as God, in Christ, did not "put away" His unfaithful people but pursued them with steadfast love, so believers are called to reflect this divine commitment in their own marriages. The Church is portrayed as the Bride of Christ (Ephesians 5:25-27), for whom Christ gave Himself up, demonstrating an unwavering, self-sacrificial love that serves as the model for husbands and wives alike (Ephesians 5:22-33). Furthermore, the instruction to remain unmarried, if reconciliation is not possible, can be seen as an echo of Christ's own single devotion to the Father's will (Matthew 19:10-12), demonstrating that a life wholly consecrated to the Lord, whether in marriage or singleness, is a powerful witness to His kingdom. Ultimately, the call to preserve and restore marriage points to the eschatological reality of Christ's eternal union with His redeemed bride, the Church, in the new heavens and new earth (Revelation 19:7-9).