B. The unmarried and the widow (7:8–9)
B. The unmarried and the widow (7:8–9)
8. Having laid down the general principle, Paul now proceeds to deal with specific classes. He begins with those who have no marriage tie, the unmarried and the widows. Some have thought that the former term means ‘unmarried men’, others that it signifies ‘widowers’, the reasoning in both cases being that it is set over against widows. But this does not carry conviction. Unmarried (agamois) is a broad term; it includes all not bound by the married state. Then widows are singled out for special mention (cf. ‘and Peter’, Mark 16:7), perhaps because of their particular vulnerability and the consequent temptation to remarry. Paul says that it is well for all such to remain as they are, just as he himself does.
9. But this depends on their having the gift of continence. If God has not given them this gift, they should marry (a command, not a permission), for it is better to marry than to burn. NIV adds with passion, which yields a good sense and may well be right. But the verb could be understood of burning in Gehenna (Bruce), and this is supported by the fact that there is no cannot in the original; the Greek means ‘if they are not living continently’ (Barrett). Paul has recently said that ‘the sexually immoral’ will not inherit the kingdom of God (6:9–10; cf. M. L. Barré, CBQ, xxxvi, 1974, pp. 193–202). Either view is possible.