1 Corinthians 7:8

I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(8) I say therefore.—Better, Now what I say is, . . . Widows are here joined with those who have not been married, otherwise discussion might have arisen as to whether the Apostle had intended his advice for them also. It has been curiously conjectured (by Luther amongst others), from the passage where St. Paul recommends widows to “abide even as I.” that the Apostle was himself a widower. This, however, requires the word “unmarried” to be restricted to widowers, which is quite inadmissible; and even if such were admissible, the deduction from it that St. Paul was a widower could scarcely be considered logical. The almost universal tradition of the early Church was that St. Paul was never married, and unless we can imagine his having been married, and his wife dead before the stoning of St. Stephen which is scarcely possible (Acts 7:58), the truth of that tradition is evident. (See Philippians 4:3.) “Even as I;” that is, unmarried.

Benson Commentary

1 Corinthians 7:8-9. I say, therefore — I give this advice; to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them — It is a condition of life which will tend to promote their eternal welfare, that, if they conveniently can, they abide even as I — Namely, unmarried; for that Paul was then single is certain: and from Acts 7:58, compared with the following parts of the history, it seems probable that he always was so. It may not be improper to observe, that many of the things which the apostle delivers here, as also chap. 14., and in some other parts of this epistle, are rather to be considered as advices about what was best to be done in many particular cases, to which the general precepts, or doctrine of the gospel revealed to this apostle, did not descend, than as commands, enjoining these things to the believers, under the penalty of their contracting guilt, and exposing themselves to the divine displeasure, if they did not comply with them. Yet these also were directions, or counsels of the Lord, concerning what was expedient to be done, and were delivered to the apostle by the infallible inspiration of the Holy Spirit, (as appears by comparing 1 Corinthians 14:37; 2 Corinthians 1:17; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-2; 1 Thessalonians 4:8; with 1 Corinthians 14:40,) and were faithfully delivered by him; and therefore the assent of the Corinthians is required to them as such. See the like advice concerning some particular charities of the Corinthians, 2 Corinthians 8:8; 2 Corinthians 8:10; the apostle distinguishing between the commands of God, which none might disobey without sin, and these advices, concerning what was fitting and proper, though not absolutely necessary. And therefore, as he directs, that it was better to observe them, so he acknowledges that there was no command that made it unlawful to omit them. But if they cannot — Live continently, or preserve themselves in purity of body and spirit in a single state; let them marry — Especially the younger widows, (1 Timothy 5:14,) or widowers; for it is better to marry — And suffer the inconveniences attending marriage, than to be tormented with unchaste desires.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

7:1-9 The apostle tells the Corinthians that it was good, in that juncture of time, for Christians to keep themselves single. Yet he says that marriage, and the comforts of that state, are settled by Divine wisdom. Though none may break the law of God, yet that perfect rule leaves men at liberty to serve him in the way most suited to their powers and circumstances, of which others often are very unfit judges. All must determine for themselves, seeking counsel from God how they ought to act.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

It is good for them - It may be advisable, in the present circumstances of persecution and distress, not to be encumbered with the cares and anxieties of a family; see 1 Corinthians 7:26, 1 Corinthians 7:32-34. The word unmarried (ἀγάμοις agamois) may refer either to those who had never been married, or to widowers. It here means simply those who were at that time unmarried, and his reasoning applies to both classes.

And to widows - The apostle specifies these, though he had not specified "widowers" particularly. The reason of this distinction seems to be, that he considers more particularly the case of those females who had never been married, in the close of the chapter, 1 Corinthians 7:25.

That they abide - That they remain, in the present circumstances, unmarried; see 1 Corinthians 7:26.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

8. to the unmarried—in general, of both sexes (1Co 7:10, 11).

and widows—in particular.

even as I—unmarried (1Co 9:5).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

By the unmarried and widows, it is apparent that Paul means virgins that were never married, and such as, having been once married, had lost their husbands: though the first word, in the Greek, had been significative enough of persons in both these states; yet the apostle’s using of two words, makes it past dispute; when he saith, it is good for such to be as he was, his meaning is, that it was better with respect to the present circumstances of Christians, or it was convenient, in which notion good is often taken, not for what is absolutely good; and indeed the nature of all good lieth in the conveniency or suitableness of the thing so called to us; and though in the Divine precepts there is always such a suitableness, so as they must be always good, yet in other things, which God hath left to our liberty, (such as is this of marriage), a thing may be good or evil, as the circumstances of several persons, yea, of the same person, may vary. St. Paul considereth only the circumstances of the world common to all Christians, and upon them, determines this goodness, supposing the circumstances of the particular person not to rule otherwise. His not saying, it is good for them not to marry, but to be as he was, hath bred a question of no great import to be determined: Whether Paul was ever married or not? In the determination of which the ancients could not agree; but it is not worth spending our time about, considering that all agree he was at this time unmarried, which is all he doth here mean: if St. Paul was never married, we are sure Peter was, for we read of his wife’s mother sick of a fever, Mark 1:30.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

I say therefore to the unmarried and widows,.... Not by way of command, but advice: by the "unmarried" he means, either such men who never were in a married state, or else such who had been married, but their wives were dead; which latter sense seems more agreeable, since they are joined with "widows", who had lost their husbands:

it is good for them if they abide; unmarried, and do not change their condition any more; not that it was sinful to marry again, for he allows of it in the next verse, in case they have not the gift of continence; and therefore "good" here, is not opposed to evil, only signifies that it would be better for them, more expedient and profitable for them; they would be more free from the cares of life, have less trouble, and be more at leisure to serve the Lord; and which he knew by experience, and therefore, proposes himself as an example:

even as I; that is, as he was then; for at that time it seems certain that he had no wife; though whether he had had one, and she was now dead, or whether he had never been married, may be matter of dispute; the former seems most agreeable, since he proposes himself as an example to widowers and widows; and having known what a married and single state both were, was better able to give his judgment of both, and proper advice to such persons which must come with more force and strength, and a better grace, from such an one.

Geneva Study Bible

{6} I say therefore to the {f} unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I.

(6) Sixthly, he gives the very same admonition touching the second marriage, that is, that a single life is to be allowed, but for those who have the gift of continency. Otherwise they ought to marry again, so that their conscience may be at peace.

(f) This whole passage is completely against those who condemn second marriages.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Meyer's NT Commentary

1 Corinthians 7:8-9. Λέγω δὲ] leads on from what is contained in 1 Corinthians 7:7 (from the subjective wish of the apostle and its objective limitation) to the rules flowing therefrom, which he has now to enunciate. Rückert holds that the transition here made by Paul is from the married to the unmarried. But were that the case, τοῖς δὲ ἀγάμοις would require to stand first (comp 1 Corinthians 7:10); the emphasis is on λέγω.

τοῖς ἀγάμοις] what is meant is the whole category, all without distinction, including both sexes, not simply widowers (Erasmus, Beza, Grotius, Calovius, Estius, al[1090], including Pott, Heydenreich, Billroth, Ewald); for the phrase opposed to it, τοῖς γεγαμηκόσι, in 1 Corinthians 7:10, embraces both sexes; and hence ἀγάμ. cannot apply to the unmarried men alone (Rückert). The additional clause, κ. ταῖς χήραις, by no means justifies a restrictive rendering; for in it the καί does not mean also (Hofmann), but, as the connective and, singles out specially from the general expression something already included in it: and in particular the widows. The idiom is an ordinary one both in classical and N. T. Greek (Matthew 8:33; Mark 16:7; and often elsewhere); see Fritzsche, a[1091] Marc. p. 11, 713. Comp here Soph. O. R. 1502: χέρσους φθαρῆναι κἀγάμους. It was a special wish of Paul’s, therefore, that the widows should remain unwedded, doubtless in the interests of the church (Romans 16:1; 1 Timothy 5:9 ff.).

καλὸν (as in 1 Corinthians 7:1) αὐτοῖς, sc[1093] ἐστι; comp 1 Corinthians 7:40.

ἐὰν μείνωσιν κ.τ.λ[1095]] if they shall have remained as I also (have remained), i.e. unmarried. The opposite of this is γαμησάτωσαν, 1 Corinthians 7:9. The Ὡς ΚἈΓΏ therefore receives here from the context a different meaning than in 1 Corinthians 7:7. Luther, Grotius, and others infer from this passage that Paul was a widower;[1096] so, too, Ewald. But this conclusion rests upon the assumption, which is linguistically inadmissible, that ἀγάμοις denotes widowers alone (i.e. χῆροι); and, moreover, would not be a safe inference even were the assumption sound. Acts 7:58, moreover, is against this; for one could not place Paul’s marriage after the stoning of Stephen.

οὐκ ἐγρατεύονται] to be closely joined together: are incontinent. See Hartung, Partikell. II. p. 122; Maetzner, a[1097] Antiph. p. 267; Ameis on Hom. Od. ii. 274. The verb ἐγκρατεύεσθαι (Sir 19:6) is foreign to the older Greek, although this precise phrase: ΟὐΚ ἘΓΚΡΑΤ., is sanctioned by Thomas, p. 30, and Phryn. p. 442. See Lobeck, a[1098] Phryn. l.c[1099]

γαμησάτ.] Regarding the later form of the aorist ἘΓΆΜΗΣΑ, see Lobeck, a[1100] Phryn. p. 742.

ΠΥΡΟῦΣΘΑΙ] to be in a flame, of vehement emotions (2 Corinthians 11:29; 2Ma 4:38; 2Ma 10:35; 2Ma 14:45; of love, Anacreon, 1 Corinthians 10:13); it means here, “occulta flamma concupiscentiae vastari,” Augustine, de sancta, virginit. 34. Comp Suicer, Thes. II. p. 895; from the Rabbins, the history of Amram in Lightfoot, Horae, p. 190; from the classics, Jacobs, Del. Epigr. v. 34.

κρεῖσσον] not because it is the least of two evils (Rückert, Kling; comp Estius), but because to marry is no sin (1 Corinthians 7:28; 1 Corinthians 7:36), while to burn is sinful (Matthew 5:28).

[1090] l. and others; and other passages; and other editions.

[1091] d refers to the note of the commentator or editor named on the particular passage.

[1093] c. scilicet.

[1095] .τ.λ. καὶ τὰ λοιπά.

[1096] The prevalent and correct tradition of the ancient church was that Paul was never married (Tertullian, Jerome, Chrysostom, al.). The contrary is stated in Clem. Alex. (in Eus. H. E. iii. 30).

[1097] d refers to the note of the commentator or editor named on the particular passage.

[1098] d refers to the note of the commentator or editor named on the particular passage.

[1099] .c. loco citato or laudato.

[1100] d refers to the note of the commentator or editor named on the particular passage.

Expositor's Greek Testament

1 Corinthians 7:8-9 re-state the answer given in 1 Corinthians 7:1-2 to the question concerning celibacy v. marriage. “But I say to the unmarried and the widows, it is right (καλόν; cf. 1 Corinthians 7:1) for them if they remain as indeed I (am).” The Ap. extends the reassurance given in 1 Corinthians 7:1, and fortifies it by his own example, so that those out of wedlock who were under no constraint to enter its bonds might be free from misgiving and reproach. τοῖς ἀγάμοις, in contrast to τοῖς γεγαμηκόσιν, 1 Corinthians 7:10 : the term is masc.—“to unmarried men”; the case of “maidens” is discussed later (1 Corinthians 7:25 ff.). “The widows,” who would frequently have the disposal of themselves, are included here—they are advised again to the like effect in 1 Corinthians 7:39 f. Holsten omits καὶ ταῖς χήραις as out of place; Bois ingeniously suggests that this may be a primitive corruption for καὶ τοῖς χήροις, “the widowers”.—As the πορνείαι without (1 Corinthians 7:2), so ἀκρασία within (1 Corinthians 7:5) might make abstention from marriage perilous; hence the qualification added in 1 Corinthians 7:9 : “But if they have not self-control, let them marry; for better it is to marry than to burn on (with desire)”.—πυροῦσθαι, pr[1026] of continued state—“occulta flamma concupiscentiæ vastari” (Aug[1027]); the vb[1028] is used of any consuming passion, as in 2 Corinthians 11:29. Not “better in so far as marriage is sinless, burning is sinful (Matthew 5:28),”—so Mr[1029]; if marriage and parenthood are holy (1 Corinthians 7:14), the fire which burns toward that end surely may be so—“the sacred lowe o’ weel-placed love”; but “better” as the unsatisfied craving is a continual temptation, and according to the rule of 1 Corinthians 7:35. Better to marry than to burn; but if marriage is impossible, better infinitely to burn than to sin.

[1026] present tense.

[1027] Augustine.

[1028] verb

[1029] Meyer’s Critical and Exegetical Commentary (Eng. Trans.).

Bengel's Gnomen

1 Corinthians 7:8. Λέγω δὲ, but I say) Comp. 1 Corinthians 7:12, where the statement is more express.—τοῖς ἀγάμοις, to the unmarried) of both sexes, comp. 1 Corinthians 7:10-11.—χήραις, to widows) including widowers.—μείνωσιν, let them remain) at liberty.—ὡς κᾀγὼ, even as I) Paul was evidently without a wife at that time, comp. 1 Corinthians 9:5; and although he speaks here also of widowers, yet he seems rather to have been a bachelor, than a widower; comp. Acts 7:58, and what follows after

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 8. -To the unmarried; including widowers. In my 'Life of St. Paul,' 1:75-82, I have given my reasons for believing that St. Paul was a widower. It is good for them. It is an expedient, honourable, and morally "beautiful thing," but, as he so distinctly points out further on, there might be a "better" even to the "good." Even as I. In the unmarried state, whether as one who had never married, or, as I infer from various circumstances, as a widower (so too Clemens of Alexandria, Grotius, Luther, Ewald, etc.); see my 'Life of St. Paul,' 1:169). Tertullian and Jerome (both of them biassed witnesses, and with no certain support of tradition) say that St. Paul was never married. 1 Corinthians 7:8