Commentary on the Epistles to the Corinthians John Calvin (continued)
Chapter
1 Corinthians 7:1-2
1 Corinthians 7:1-2 1. Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman.
1. Porro, de quibus scripsistis mihi, bonum est viro mulierem non tangere. 2. Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.
2. Propter fornicationes autem unusquisque uxorem suam habeat, et unaquaeque proprium maritum.
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 rise of the Church, there crept into it, through Satan's artifice, a superstition of such a kind, that a large proportion of them, through a foolish admiration of celibacy, 367 despised the sacred connection of marriage; nay more, many regarded it with abhorrence, as a profane thing. This contagion had perhaps spread itself among the Corinthians also; or at least there were idly-disposed spirits, who, by immoderately extolling celibacy, endeavored to alienate the minds of the pious from marriage. At the same time, as the Apostle treats of many other subjects, he intimates that he had been consulted on a variety of points. What is chiefly of importance is, that we listen to his doctrine as to each of them.
1. It is good for a man. The answer consists of two parts. In the first, he teaches that it were good for every one to abstain from connection with a woman, provided it was in his power to do so. In the second, he subjoins a correction to this effect, that as many cannot do this, in consequence of the weakness of their flesh, these persons must not neglect the remedy which they have in their power, as appointed for them by the Lord. Now we must observe what he means by the word good, when he declares that it is good to abstain from marriage, that we may not conclude, on the other hand, 367"C'est a dire, l'abstinence du mariage;" — "That is to say, abstinence from marriage."