Now for the matters you wrote about:This phrase indicates that Paul is responding to specific questions or concerns raised by the Corinthian church in a previous letter. The Corinthian church was dealing with various issues, and they sought Paul's guidance. This reflects the early church's practice of seeking apostolic authority for doctrinal and practical matters. The phrase suggests a dialogical relationship between Paul and the church, emphasizing the importance of addressing real-life issues within the Christian community.
It is good to abstain from sexual relations.
Paul's statement here must be understood within the cultural and historical context of Corinth, a city known for its sexual immorality and pagan practices. The phrase "it is good" suggests a commendable or beneficial choice, not a command. Paul acknowledges the value of celibacy, especially in light of the "present distress" (1 Corinthians 7:26), which may refer to persecution or other challenges facing the church. This aligns with Jesus' teaching inMatthew 19:12 about those who choose celibacy for the sake of the kingdom. However, Paul later clarifies that marriage is also honorable and that each person has their own gift from God (1 Corinthians 7:7). This reflects the biblical principle that both singleness and marriage are valid and honorable states, each with its own purpose and calling.
Persons / Places / Events
1.
Paul the ApostleThe author of the letter to the Corinthians, addressing questions and issues raised by the Corinthian church.
2.
CorinthA major city in ancient Greece known for its diverse population and moral challenges, including issues related to sexual immorality.
3.
Corinthian ChurchThe recipients of Paul's letter, a Christian community grappling with questions about marriage, celibacy, and sexual conduct.
4.
The Corinthian CorrespondenceThe context of this verse is part of a larger dialogue between Paul and the Corinthian church, where they sought guidance on various issues.
5.
Cultural Context of CorinthA society with prevalent sexual immorality, influencing the church's understanding and practices regarding sexual relations.
Teaching Points
Understanding ContextRecognize that Paul's advice is in response to specific questions from the Corinthian church, reflecting their cultural and moral challenges.
Value of CelibacyPaul acknowledges celibacy as a good and honorable state, especially for those who are called to it, emphasizing self-control and devotion to God.
Marriage as a GiftWhile celibacy is good, marriage is also a gift from God, designed for companionship and to fulfill human needs within a holy covenant.
Sexual PurityChristians are called to live in sexual purity, whether married or single, reflecting God's holiness in their relationships.
Seeking God's WillBelievers should seek God's guidance in their personal lives, whether in choosing celibacy or marriage, ensuring their decisions align with His will.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of 1 Corinthians 7:1?
2.What does 1 Corinthians 7:1 suggest about the value of celibacy for believers?
3.How can 1 Corinthians 7:1 guide Christians in their relationships today?
4.How does 1 Corinthians 7:1 connect with Jesus' teachings on marriage?
5.What cultural context influenced Paul's advice in 1 Corinthians 7:1?
6.How should 1 Corinthians 7:1 shape our understanding of Christian sexual ethics?
7.What does "it is good for a man not to touch a woman" mean in 1 Corinthians 7:1?
8.How does 1 Corinthians 7:1 relate to Christian views on celibacy and marriage?
9.What historical context influenced Paul's advice in 1 Corinthians 7:1?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from 1 Corinthians 7?
11.How frequently should married couples have sex?
12.Why is beef consumption considered controversial or problematic?
13.How many letters were sent to the Corinthians?
14.Does 1 Corinthians 7:9 oversimplify human relationships by advocating marriage primarily to avoid sexual immorality?What Does 1 Corinthians 7:1 Mean
Now for the matters you wrote aboutPaul opens this section by acknowledging a letter the Corinthian believers had previously sent to him.
• He signals a shift in subject, just as he will do again in1 Corinthians 8:1 and 12:1, showing pastoral responsiveness to their concerns.
• The phrase reminds us that Scripture addresses real-life issues raised by real people; God’s Word is not abstract but speaks directly into everyday situations (cf.Acts 15:2,1 Thessalonians 4:1).
• Paul’s willingness to engage their questions models how believers today should seek biblical counsel before forming convictions (Proverbs 19:20;Psalm 119:105).
• Because all Scripture is inspired (2 Timothy 3:16), Paul’s response carries divine authority, not mere opinion.
It is good to abstain from sexual relationsThe Corinthians had asked whether celibacy is spiritually superior. Paul begins by affirming that celibacy is indeed “good,” but the verses that follow clarify that it is not mandated for everyone.
• “Good” points to moral value, not a universal command; celibacy can foster undistracted devotion to the Lord (1 Corinthians 7:32-35;Matthew 19:11-12).
• Marriage is also declared good in Scripture (Genesis 2:18;Hebrews 13:4). Paul will say, “because of sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife” (1 Corinthians 7:2), balancing the earlier statement.
• The apostle later distinguishes between a concession and a command (1 Corinthians 7:6), showing that personal calling determines whether singleness or marriage best serves the Lord’s purposes.
• Paul’s affirmation protects against both licentiousness and asceticism: sex is neither to be idolized (1 Thessalonians 4:3-5) nor despised (Proverbs 5:18-19).
• Whether single or married, believers are to honor God with their bodies, bought at a price (1 Corinthians 6:20).
summaryPaul answers a Corinthian question by first agreeing that celibate singleness is “good,” yet the broader context reveals it is a gift, not a rule. Scripture esteems both marriage and celibacy when undertaken in obedience to God’s calling. The guiding principle is wholehearted devotion to the Lord, expressed through purity in singleness or faithfulness in marriage.
Verses 1-40. -
Answers to the inquiries of the Corinthians respecting marriage.Verses 1-11. -
Thelawfulness of marriage, and its duties.Verse 1. -
Now concerning. This refers to questions of the Corinthians (comp.
1 Corinthians 7:25;
1 Corinthians 8:1;
1 Corinthians 12:1). It is
good for a man not to touch a woman. The word used is not
agathon, good, but
kalon, fair; "an excellent thing." In ver. 26 he limits the word by the clause, "good
for the present necessity." There is no limitation here, and it is probable that St. Paul is quoting the actual words of the letter which he had received from Corinth. There had sprung up among them some antinomians, who, perhaps by perverting his own teaching or that of Apollos, had made liberty a cloak of lasciviousness. In indignant reaction against such laxity, others, perhaps, with Essene proclivities, had been led to disparage matrimony as involving an inevitable stain. Gnosticism, and the spirit which led to it, oscillated between the two extremes of asceticism and uncleanness. Both extremes were grounded on the assertion that matter is inherently evil. Ascetic Gnostics, therefore, strove to destroy by severity every carnal impulse; antinomian Gnostics argued that the life of the spirit was so utterly independent of the flesh that what the flesh did was of no consequence. We find the
germs of Gnostic heresy long before the name appeared. Theoretically, St. Paul inclines to the ascetic view, not in the abstract, but in view of the near advent of Christ, and of the cares, distractions, and even trials which marriage involved in days of struggle and persecution. Yet his wisdom is shown in the cautious moderation with which he expresses himself. The tone of the letter written by Gregory the Great to Augustine with reference to similar inquiries about Saxon converts is very different. The example of St. Paul should have shown the mediaeval moralists and even the later Fathers how wrong it is "to give themselves airs of certainty on points where certainty is not to be had."
Not to touch a woman. St. Paul means generally "not to marry" (comp.
Genesis 20:4 [LXX.]). Celibacy under the then existing conditions of the Christian world is, he admits, in itself an honourable and morally salutary thing, though, for the majority, marriage may be a positive duty. He is not dreaming of the
nominal marriages of mediaeval ascetics, for he assumes and directs that all who marry should live in conjugal union.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Greek
Nowδὲ(de)Conjunction
Strong's 1161:A primary particle; but, and, etc.forΠερὶ(Peri)Preposition
Strong's 4012:From the base of peran; properly, through, i.e. Around; figuratively with respect to; used in various applications, of place, cause or time.the mattersὧν(hōn)Personal / Relative Pronoun - Genitive Neuter Plural
Strong's 3739:Who, which, what, that.you wrote about:ἐγράψατε(egrapsate)Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 1125:A primary verb; to 'grave', especially to write; figuratively, to describe.[It is] goodκαλὸν(kalon)Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 2570:Properly, beautiful, but chiefly good, i.e. Valuable or virtuous.to abstain from sexual relations.ἅπτεσθαι(haptesthai)Verb - Present Infinitive Middle
Strong's 680:Prop: I fasten to; I lay hold of, touch, know carnally. Reflexive of hapto; properly, to attach oneself to, i.e. To touch.
Links
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NT Letters: 1 Corinthians 7:1 Now concerning the things about which you (1 Cor. 1C iC 1Cor i cor icor)