Seventh, 1 Corinthians 7, where a counsel of continence is proposed.
Seventh, 1 Corinthians 7, where a counsel of continence is proposed.
§ 99. (VII) The seventh witness is taken from 1 Corinthians 7 where a counsel of continence is set forth in many ways: “It is good for a man not to touch a woman” [v. 1]. “It is good for a man to be thus” [v. 26]. “Are you loosed from a wife? Do not seek a wife” [v. 27], etc.
We respond. The blessed apostle denies that he has a command [from the Lord] about marrying or remaining celibate which would bind all people [v. 25]. Therefore he is saying that he is giving counsel according to the condition and diversity of persons and in proportion to the times, that each should choose what he sees as useful for himself according to the measure of the gift with which God has endowed him for his course of piety and for a peaceful conscience. As Christ says, whoever can accept this, should [Matt. 19:12]. But it is not at all the apostle’s intent to prescribe works of supererogation which are thought to be more God-pleasing and more deserving of eternal life than those which are done according to the norm of the Ten Commandments, which are thought to have been set forth [merely] for those who do not wish a more perfect and more abundant righteousness. In this way he would have placed his counsel ahead of a commandment of the Lord. This is very clearly contrary to the apostle’s pronouncements.
Nor does he permit this to be open for our own conjectures: as to what respect and in what sense he prefers celibacy to marriage. Rather, he explains his intent very clearly ([1 Cor. 7:26]): “I think that this is good in view of the present necessity.” Some interpreters take this to mean that in the beginning of the young church there were not so many Christians to be found with whom to contract marriage. Therefore they were compelled to be united with unbelievers. Because of such a necessity, he encourages celibacy instead. Others assign it more properly to those perils of banishment, being outlawed, robbings, chains, and persecutions of every kind to which Christians had been subjected in the great hatred of the heathen and of the Jews. In such necessity, he says, celibacy is more fitting to endure the burdens of exile and persecution. Second, he prefers celibacy because of the bothersome difficulties of marriage (v. 28): “Those [who marry] will suffer the tribulation of the flesh; but I would spare you that.” It is certain that in living together with either an unbelieving wife or one who is not very interested in piety, in the rearing of children, in governing the family, in taking care of property, etc., many things occur which one must endure, ignore, and tolerate. Celibates are free from such bothersome worry. Finally, because celibates are more free and less hindered, they can give attention to the exercises of piety without the distractions of this life, though the married are distracted into many other concerns (vv. 32, 34–35). So, then, the apostle prefers celibacy over marriage in this sense and respect.
From all this it is apparent that when the apostle says that celibates are more blessed and do better than married people, he by no means intends to say that they are more acceptable before God and are more worthy of eternal life in the article on justification. It is also clear that he does not intend to say that they perform a better and more excellent work than those works which the Law prescribes. Rather, according to the times and the diversity of persons, he is giving counsel to the Corinthians, since on account of this he was compelled to do so because of the letters he had received from them.
Bellarmine contrasts many points to this exegesis of ours, drawn from the very marrow of the text: (1) “In this place the apostle is giving an exhortation to continence and preferring it to marriage.”
We respond. In those who have been furnished with the special gift of continence: “Each has his own gift, one after this manner and another after that” (v. 7). “As the Lord has distributed to every one, as God has called every one, so let him walk” (v. 17). But if those who do not have that gift feel a burning, he does not exhort them to maintain celibacy. Instead, he tells them: “It is better to marry than to burn” outside of marriage (v. 9). Therefore he praises celibacy, but by no means does he exhort all to undertake it without distinction. He says, “It is good for a man not to touch a woman” (v. 1), but he quickly adds: “On account of fornication, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband” (v. 2). He says, “I wish that all were as myself” (v. 7), but immediately he adds: “But every one has his proper gift from God, one after this manner and another after that.” He says, “For the unmarried and for the widows it is good for them if they so continue” (v. 8), but immediately he adds: “But if they do not contain themselves, let them marry” (v. 9). He says, “It is good for virgins to remain so” ([cf.] v. 26), but quickly he adds: “If a virgin marries, she has not sinned” (v. 28). He says, “The unmarried woman thinks about the things of the Lord” (v. 34), but immediately he adds: “This I speak for your profit, not to cast a snare upon you” (v. 35). Therefore it is clear that the apostle approves of celibacy, but only in suitable persons, and that he does not exhort everyone to maintain it without distinction.
(2) [Bellarmine argues:] “If it is so difficult to be continent, Paul is being very senseless in giving such praise to something so impossible.”
We respond. To some people continence is not just difficult but is even impossible, namely, to those who are not divinely endowed with that gift. On the other hand, for some, continence is not just possible but even very easy, namely, to those equipped with that gift. As a result the apostle does not prescribe celibacy to all indiscriminately but rather commands those who do not contain themselves to enter marriage (v. 9). Since the gift of continence is not common to all in such a way that whoever chooses celibacy can obtain it, Christ says, “Not all can receive this word, but only those to whom it is given” (Matt. 19:11). The apostle says, “Every one has his own gift from Him” ([1 Cor. 7]:7).
(3) [Bellarmine says:] “The apostle is not only speaking about those who have the gift of continence but also says absolutely that it is good for a man not to touch a woman [v. 1]. Even though all do not have this gift, yet all can have it if they ask God for it. Hence Paul’s counsel can befit all people, because it is absurd to think that counsel should be given about those things that are not within our power.”
We respond. The same man who said that it was good for a man not to touch a woman adds that for those who burn it is better to marry than to burn [vv. 1, 9]. The same man who had wished that all people were like him adds that every one has his own proper gift from God [v. 7]. The counsel about choosing celibacy does not apply absolutely to all people because it is very obvious that some people are excepted, namely, those who do not contain themselves. To such people the apostle does not prescribe the exercise of prayers, labors, and fasts but the divinely established remedy of marriage. In fact, the apostle does not want to cast a snare even upon the virgins—that is, upon those who are endowed with the gift of continence and can live chastely without marriage—nor does he wish to bind them by a commandment to celibacy. Instead, he adds in clear language that by no means does there exist a commandment of the Lord about them, and thus not even these [virgins] sin if they marry [vv. 25, 28].
Furthermore, as regards the prayers through which Bellarmine claims all who choose celibacy can obtain the gift of continence, one should know that God’s gifts, which He bestows upon believers, are of two kinds. Some are general, common, and necessary to all the devout, such as faith, hope, charity, the gift of the Holy Spirit, etc. General promises are given concerning these: “Whatsoever you shall ask, it will be given unto you” [John 15:16; Matt. 7:7]. But some are particular and personal gifts. There is no promise that God wants to give these to each and every person, because they are not necessary for salvation to all people. “We have differing gifts according to the grace that has been given to us” (Rom. 12:6). “There are varieties of gifts” (1 Cor. 12:4). Among these gifts, the gift of continence must be assigned. Concerning this gift there stands neither command nor promise that God is willing to give it to all who ask; and it is not simply necessary for salvation.
(4) [Bellarmine argues:] “The gift of conjugal continence can be gained from God through prayers. Therefore the same is true for the continence of virginity.”
We respond. These things are not equal. Whoever feels a burning in marriage when the other person is ill or absent should think that God Himself is calling him to continence. Thus his prayers can rest on the foundation of the divine promises, for God wants the marriage union of one man and one woman to be indissoluble. But nowhere is there a vocation or promise through which the gift of continence is promised to all who choose celibacy. Indeed, it is rather the case that the apostle urges marriage for those who do not contain themselves and adds the general rule: “As the Lord has distributed to every one, as God has called every one, so let him walk” [1 Cor. 7:17].
(5) Bellarmine reconciles the words of God: “It is not good for a man to be alone” [Gen. 2:18], with those of the apostle: “It is good for a man not to touch a woman” [1 Cor. 7:1], in this way: “God is speaking about the good of a species while the apostle is speaking about the good of an individual.” Also: “God is speaking about the time when the world was empty; the apostle, about the time when the world is full.” Again: “God is speaking about a good which refers to temporal life; the apostle, about a good that is assigned to eternal life.”
We respond. It is rightly said that God’s words are to be understood to refer to the good of the species and the apostle’s to refer to the good of an individual, provided this be explained correctly. That is, it refers not to all individuals but to those who, by a particular gift of God, have been excepted from the common condition of human beings. In and through the others the good of the species is preserved. Nor does the multiplication of mankind remove the good of propagation, the good of assistance, and the good of the sacrament, which are the three goods of marriage. There is also this good in addition: the remedy for [human] nature which is weak and prone to sin after the fall.
Earlier the sense in which the good of celibacy can refer to eternal life was explained [§ 96], and it will be explained in greater detail in its own place [On Marriage, Celibacy, and Similar Topics (Commonplace XXVIII), §§ 489–554]. Certainly a pious marriage in which both are zealous for true and sincere piety is a school for many virtues: faith, hope, charity, patience, etc. Pious spouses can help each other not only in the administration of the household, in the rearing of children, in gathering and preserving an estate but also in prayers and in other exercises of devotion.