I Corinthians
Chapter 7 (Continued)
[Verses
18-24: No Class Difference IN CHRIST]
18a~~Is
any man called being circumcised?
[idiom: means was he a "Jew" when he came to believe
in Christ in the Church Age?]
18b~~Let
him not become uncircumcised.
[maybe a little sarcasm here to make the next point - Paul
taught in the book of Galatians that it was not necessary
for non-Jews to become circumcized when they believed
in Christ in the Church Age]
[Note: Jews who were circumcised under the Mosaic Law now are saved and should know bible doctrine which says the Jew is no longer under the "bondage" of the Mosaic Law - see Galatians.]
18c~~Is
any called in uncircumcision?
[idiom for the non-Jews - here the Greeks in Corinith]
18d~~Let him not be circumcised.
[Next,
Paul is telling the Greeks that circumcism is not important as far
as salvation is concerned or to live a spiritual life. It is a ritual
used before the cross and not part of the new Royal Priesthood.
The
illustration here is to remain in status quo - "there is no
more Jew or Gentile IN CHRIST".}
19a~~ Circumcision keeps on being nothing.
19b~~And uncircumcision keeps on being nothing.
19c~~But
the keeping
of
the commandments of God {IS important}.
[Note: Keeping the commandments of God is what is important - 'Walk by means of the Spirit' (Galatians 5:16).}
[Note: Today, we have similar rituals that do not impress God. Anything you do is works - either Divine Good production or human works (wood, hay and stubble).
It is the Filling of the Spirit that is important. Use rebound (I John 1:9) and be filled with the Spirit when you sin (and we all do - "I tell you if you THINK it, you have done it").
Then when you are in fellowship ALL actions you take are Divine Good production. Finally, there is only one ritual Jesus told us to do "in remembrance of me" - the Eucharist. But even the Eucharist does not result in "salvation". Salvation is by faith - 'salvation is a gift of God, not of works' (Ephesians 2:8-9). And, after the cross, anyone who accepts Christ as his savior is saved and in union with the Son.]
20~~
Let each one keep on remaining
in/by/with
the circumstances/calling [en klesis]
in
which he was called.
[Note: Paul has covered a married believer married to an unbeliever - stay married. Next he covered if you were born a Jew, stay a Jew; if you were born a Gentile, stay "uncircumcized". Now he will say the same is true if you were born slave or free. In Christ it makes no difference!]
21a~~ Were you called while a slave?
[Note: At the time the Bible was written, the biggest class difference (have's verses have-not's) was the master of a great estate and his large number of slaves. Philemon was one of these slave owners and that is the topic of Paul's epistle to him (and mentioned again in Colossians 4:9).]
21b~~Do
not worry about it!
[literally: melo (present active imperative (an order)) ouk me -
very strong double negative - have absoulutely no not a care]
21c~~But,
in contrast, [alla]
if
- and it is true - [ei (first class conditional if)]
you
were also given the legitimate opportunity
to
become what you were not before . . . free . . . take it [an order]!
22a~~For
the one receiving calling
[gar kaleo (aorist passive participle)]
in/by/with
the Lord, [en kurios]
a
slave . . . keeps on being the Lord's freeman!
22b~~Likewise
also, the one receiving calling
[homoios kai kaleo (aorist passive participle)]
a
freeman . . . keeps on being Christ's slave/servant!
[Note: People have a mistaken idea about slavery. It all depends on the grace attitude of the master. If the Lord is your Master, than He provides everything for you! He makes sure you are fed, clothed, housed, etc. Your job is to do His will! Name a better job than one that comes with a Perfect Boss?]
23~~ You are bought with a price!
[Note:
The price was the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. That Work
"purchased" you from the "slave market of sin"
(created by Adam when he first sinned - we all became slaves, imputed
with the sin of our father).
23b~~Become
not yourself what you were before . . .
[ginomai (present middle/passive imperative) me (an order)]
the
slaves/servants of men! [doulos anthropos]
[Note: Paul is saying "slaves are servants of men". They had to do the "will" (thinking expressed in words) of their human masters. So this command would mean to not get into "human viewpoint thinking". The "class status" of your "tent" does not matter. It is your mental attitude that matters.]
24~~
Brethren, let every one,
wherein
he is called, therein abide
from
the immediate source of God. [para Theos]
[Note: The near meaning is "if you are a slave, stay a slave" unless God provides you a legitimate path to freedom. The farther meaning goes back to marriage. If you are a wife remain a wife and be content. If you are a husband, remain a husband and be content. If you are single, stay single and be content (again unless God brings to you a legitimate path to marriage). Whatever your circumstances, be content. And, use your circumstances as your field of service to witness to others by words or example.]
{Verses
25-38: Single Bliss}
25a~~Howbeit/Moreover
[de]
concerning
"single people"/virgins
[para
parthenos]
I
have absolutely no [ouk] commandment of the Lord.
[Jesus did not cover this point while on earth or in teaching
directly or indirectly to His Apostle Paul for him to pass to us]
25b~~Howbeit/Moreover
[de]
I
give my judgment
as
one having obtained mercy with results that last forever
[hos eleeo (perfect passive participle)
under/by
[the direction of] the Lord
to
be faithful/doctrinal.
[einai (present infinitive) pistos]
[Note: The bible has a number of "levels" of commands. Paul uses the imperative mood when something is an order. We are to do those things immediately. But, at the next level down, Paul is expressing Divine Viewpoint conclusions that were not specifically given to him by God. As far as he knows, he came to the conclusions himself. But, what he is really doing is giving us the time to use Isaiah 28:10 and accept for ourselves that his teaching is correct. All the bible is Divinely Inspired. So, once properly translated, properly taught, and properly learned . . . the Bible is all "Divine Viewpoint".]
26a~~I
think/"hold to this conclusion" perpetually
therefore
that this [keeping your current status quo]
is
good [Divine Good in view]
because
of the present distress.
26b~~Because it is good for a man so to be.
[Note:
At this time, Nero's persecution of the Christians was happening. It
was very hard times for a family man. So, from
verse
25 we see Paul is specifically talking about staying single if
that
is your status quo when under great persecution.]
27a~~Are you bound unto a wife? Don't look to get released.
27b~~Are you loosed from a wife? Seek not a wife.
28a~~Howbeit/Moreover
[de]
if
you marry - maybe you will, maybe you won't -
[ean + subjunctive - 3rd class if]
you
have absolutely not [ouk] sinned.
28b~~And
if a virgin/"female single girl marry - maybe you will,
maybe
you won't - [kai ean + subjunctive - 3rd class if]
she
has absolutely not [ouk] sinned.
28c~~Howbeit/Moreover/Nevertheless,
[de]
such
shall have trouble/tribulations
in
the flesh.
[this means if you marry in time of great pressure
you will have lots of trouble]
28d~~Howbeit/Moreover
[de]
I
am trying to spare you [pain and trouble].
{Principal
of utilized time}
29~~
Howbeit/Moreover [de]
this
I say, brethren,
the
time having drawn short/diminished
with
the result it is getting shorter . . .
[kairos sustello (perfect passive participle)]
it
keeps on being, for the purpose that [eimi hina]
both
they that have wives {and those not married} . . .
be
as though they had "had none"/"never had one".
{Illustration
of verse 29 follows: Beware that legitimate living, sorrow,
happiness, and pleasure (buying things), does not interfere with time
for God}
30a~~And
those weeping . . . {be} as though they did not weep.
30b~~And those rejoicing . . . {be} as though they did not rejoice.
30c~~And those buying . . . {be} as though they did not possess.
{Principal
again: Proper Utilization of Your Time in Crisis}
31a~~
And those themselves using this world [kosmos] . . . {be}
as
not abusing/"excessively using" it.
31b~~For
the fashion/"manner of life" [schema]
of
this world "passes away"/departs.
[Note: Time on earth is short and is not near as important as what our "manner of life" will mean for our lives in eternity future. How we live our lives after salvation means a great deal to the believer's future - in time and after death.]
{Verses
32-35: Advantages of Singleness}
32a~~Howbeit/Moreover
[de]
I
constantly wish/desire for you to be free from worry/anxiety.
32b~~He
that is unmarried
is
occupied with the things that belong to the Lord . . .
how
he may please the Lord!
33~~
But he that is married
is
occupied with the things that are of the world . . .
how
he may please his wife.
[Note: Both are legitimate functions. It is just that one is vastly superior to the other.]
34a~~There
is a difference [also]
between
a wife and "a virgin"/"an unmarried woman".
34b~~The
unmarried woman
is
occupied with the things of the Lord . . .
with
the result that [hina]
she
may be holy/"set-apart-to-God"
both
in body and in spirit.
34c~~Howbeit/Moreover
[de]
she
that is married
is
occupied with the things of the world . . .
how
she may please her husband.
35~~Howbeit/Moreover
[de]
this
I speak for your own profit . . .
absolutely
not for the purpose that [ouk hina]
I
may put a "noose around your neck"/'snare on you" . . .
but,
in contrast, [alla]
face
to face with nobility/respect/honor . . .
and
you may "attend upon"/"be devoted to" the Lord
without
distraction.
{Verses
36-38: Why to or when to leave single status - when this was
written, the father decided who his daughter would marry}
36a~~Howbeit/Moreover
[de]
if
- and it is true - [ei - 1st class conditional if]
any
one to think
that
he behaves himself unbecomingly/"without nobility"
toward
his "unmarried daughter"/virgin
[in context refers to the case where a father won't give his
daughter permission to marry]
if
- maybe she will, maybe she will not [ean -3rd class conditional if]
she
may pass the flower/prime of her age
{means she is stabilized emotionally and is not making
choices based on libido}
and
it ought to come to pass . . .
let
him do what he will . . . he sins absolutely not [ouk].
36b~~Let
them marry.
[if she is ready and the father gives his consent,
the father did not sin based on Paul's teaching above]
37~~Howbeit/Moreover/Nevertheless
[de]
he
{father} that stands steadfast
in
his heart/'right lobe',
having
no necessity, but has power over his own will,
and
has so decreed in his 'right lobe'/heart
that
he will keep his virgin {daughter} . . . does well.
38a~~So then he that gives her in marriage does well.
38b~~Howbeit/Moreover
[de]
he
that gives her not in marriage does better.
{Note: Protects his daughter from status symbol type wedding etc.}
{Law
of Re-Marriage After Death for Believers in Christ}
39a~~The
wife is bound by the law as long as her husband lives.
39b~~But
if - maybe he will, maybe he will not -
her
husband may die . . .
she
is at liberty/free/unrestrained
to
be married to whom she will . . .
only
in the Lord.
[Note: Believers in Christ are in view here. Paul discussed earlier the case of "mixed marriages". It seems that this was a case of two unbelievers who marry and then one or the other becomes saved. Now we have the case of a believer whose husband dies. She can remarry, but now she should look to marry another believer in Christ.]
{Law
of Widowhood}
40a~~
Howbeit/Moreover [de]
she
keeps on being happy/blessed
if
- maybe she will, maybe she will not - [ean 3rd class if]
she
may so abide {stay single} . . .
after/"according
to" my judgment.
[kata emos gnome]
40b~~
Howbeit/Moreover [de]
I
"am of the opinion"/think
"in
the same manner"/also
to
have and hold the Spirit of God.
[Note: Paul is saying this makes sense from the Divine Viewpoint in the norms and standards in his soul. But, he also is saying this teaching is the Mind of Christ. It is Divinely inspired teaching. The Church leaders agreed and this epistle became part of the canon of scriptures.]
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