Notes on 1 Corinthians 1-7 "Be Perfectly joined Together", CFM study for Aug. 19 - 25


Isn't 1st Corinthians a breath of fresh air after slogging through Romans?  It was nice to understand a lot more on my first reading!  I went to an Education Week class by Thomas Wayment this week and he said that Romans is one of the worst translated in all of the KJV, along with Isaiah.  So if you feel like it was difficult to understand, take heart.  You're not alone.

As an aside, at Education Week, I also got to meet the amazing Lynne Wilson.  I quote her every week and devour her great commentary.  Her mind is like an encyclopedia and her classes are inspiring.

About the Letter


  • Once again the Bible project has done a great job putting together an overview of 1st Corinthians:



  • We know from Acts that Paul He had a vision of the Lord at night that told him to stay in a rather sinful city, "Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city." (Acts 18:9-10).  Paul lived in Corinth for 18 months after that and must have had very close ties to those who joined the Church as a result of his efforts.  
  • So when word reached Paul during his third mission of divisions and immorality among the saints in Corinth, he was pretty worked up.  He sent a letter to them, which it references in 1 Corinthians 5:9, but which we don't have.  Evidently, the counsel was ignored so Paul sent this follow-up letter, responding to various reports from "Chloe's people."  This letter is one big rebuke, divided into sections and followed by a pleading for charity.  Paul's personality comes through in his message, and he can be quite sarcastic and pretty hard on the members.
  • The student manual says, "Early in his third missionary journey, Paul went to Ephesus, where he preached for approximately three years (see Acts 19:10; 20:31). It was during this time—sometime between A.D. 54 and 57 (see 1 Corinthians 16:8)—that Paul wrote letters to the Corinthian branch, including the epistle known as 1 Corinthians. This epistle was likely written earlier than any of the other New Testament books, including the Gospels. If this is true, Paul’s brief references to the Last Supper, the Crucifixion, and the Resurrection of Jesus Christ found in 1 Corinthians 11:23–26 and 15:3–4 are the earliest New Testament accounts of these events."
  • Of the immorality of the city, Lynne Wilson explains, "With two adjacent seaports, it had a double portion of all the vices of a port city. Their temple to the Roman goddess Venus housed one thousand priestesses who served as prostitutes to the goddess of love. Corinth also boasted a double portion of promiscuity as words and phrases developed such as:   • “to live like a Corinthian,” was to live a dissolute life.   • “to play the Corinthian,” was to visit a house of prostitution.    • “to fornicate” was to korinthiazomai.   • “a Corinthian girl,” meant a prostitute.    • “Corinth” became a metaphor for fertility."
  • It's interesting to me that Corinth was a really wicked place and yet the gospel found a foothold among the people there.  Sometimes the contrast between the life of  the world and the life of the gospel can be so great that people want to "come and see."  This reminds me of President Spencer W. Kimball's prophecy about the growth of the Church today:  "Much of the major growth that is coming to the Church in the last days will come because many of the good women of the world (in whom there is often such an inner sense of spirituality) will be drawn to the Church in large numbers. This will happen to the degree that the women of the Church reflect righteousness and articulateness in their lives and to the degree that the women of the Church are seen as distinct and different—in happy ways—from the women of the world."  What can we do to follow the Savior and show our joy in the distinct, different, and happy life we live because of the gospel?

Opening and Greetings from Paul, 1 Corinthians 1:1-9

  • I love that the greeting includes, "Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ." (v. 3)  Lynne Wilson points out that this was a way of acknowledging members from different backgrounds, "Greek speakers used the standard salutation, “Grace/charis,” as a noun. The Hebrew speakers used, “peace/shalom.” Paul combined these two greetings into one, “Grace and Peace” to use for both the Gentiles and Jewish converts. The greeting summarized the gospel message of Jesus’ at-one-ment."
  • Paul reminds the saints -- who have begun to be very proud -- that everything they have is from God:  "That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge;" (v. 5)  Do we recognize the source of our blessings?
St. Paul the Apostle

Divisions at Corinth, 1 Corinthians 1:10-17

  • Paul starts right in on the first concern he has about the Saints:  their contention, pride, and disunity as they divide into factions, "Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?"
  • He tries to help them understand that it doesn't matter who baptized or taught them. All of those leaders were just servants of Christ.  How are we prone to be divided today? 

Christ is the Wisdom of God, 1 Corinthians 1:18-31

  • Paul here contrasts the wisdom of the world with the wisdom of God.  He knows the message of Christ isn't obvious to either Jew or Greek, "For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men." 
  • The Jews and Greeks both looked beyond the mark, but in different ways.  The Jews were expecting some kind of enormous miracle of deliverance from Rome, not a suffering God who proclaimed service and humility before God.  The signs they sought were not the signs they were given, so Jesus was a stumblingblock. The Greeks were very wise and steeped in various philosophies that led many of them to see nothing but foolishness in the gospel.  This is probably why Paul points out that "that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:"
  • Lynne Wilson describes the dichotomy: "The Jews expected a conquering Messiah who would reveal Himself by signs in the sky and on the earth and inaugurate a glorious kingdom, powerfully sweeping away all wicked who opposed God. To proclaim that their promised King had come as a poor builder who broke their laws and traditions, was crucified, and died, was offensive to the Jews and Gentiles. In the Roman parlance of the day, crucifixion was “the slave’s punishment,” which labeled Jesus in the lowest social class. The Judeo-Greco-Roman world rationalized that “Jesus could not have been God’s promised agent since he was maltreated, scorned, and put to death as a lawbreaker.” The worldly expectations sought a more superior god than Jesus of Nazareth. But Paul denounces their philosophical expectations and calls for humility to accept what they had called, “foolishness.” To join the saints and come unto Christ requires meekness. That “unity requires humility.”"
  • Those who understand and respond to the call (both educated and uneducated, both wise and simple) understand with God's wisdom, which is Christ.  Then God uses these "foolish things" to confound the mighty.  I can't help but think of thousands and thousands of young missionaries, along with the two I adore, inexperienced in teaching or in life experience but filled with the power of the Spirit, teaching and inviting people to change their lives and come unto Christ.

  • I like how this article puts it, "The intellect has little to do with the preaching of Jesus Christ’s gospel. Neither one’s measured IQ nor one’s academic credentials are a measure of righteousness. Those who preach the gospel of Jesus Christ do not necessarily come “with excellency of speech” (1 Corinthians 2:1–2). Testimony comes through the heart. Nineteen-year-olds would have destroyed the missionary efforts of the Church long ago if mature intellectual experience were required to preach the gospel. The Lord still chooses the “foolish things of the world to confound the wise . . . [and] the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty” (1 Corinthians 1:27)."

The Message of Christ Crucified, 1 Corinthians 2:1-5

  • Paul then notes that he didn't preach the philosophies of men, but rather the simple truth of Jesus Christ and his crucifixtion through the "demonstration of the Spirit and of power" (v. 4).

The Wisdom of God is Revealed through the Spirit, 1 Corinthians 2:6-16

  • Paul teaches that the Spirit is what grants truth to those who will listen, "not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." (v. 13-14).
  • If we expect to understand the things of God, we shouldn't expect to know those things the same way we know about math or philosophy.  Elder Dallin H. Oaks exlpains, "What do we mean when we testify and say that we know the gospel is true? Contrast that kind of knowledge with “I know it is cold outside” or “I know I love my wife.” These are three different kinds of knowledge, each learned in a different way. Knowledge of outside temperature can be verified by scientific proof. Knowledge that we love our spouse is personal and subjective. While not capable of scientific proof, it is still important. The idea that all important knowledge is based on scientific evidence is simply untrue.

    While there are some “evidences” for gospel truths (for example, see Psalm 19:1; Helaman 8:24), scientific methods will not yield spiritual knowledge. This is what Jesus taught in response to Simon Peter’s testimony that He was the Christ: “Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 16:17). The Apostle Paul explained this. In a letter to the Corinthian Saints, he said, “The things of God knoweth no man, but [by] the Spirit of God” (1 Corinthians 2:11; see also John 14:17)."
  • Those who have felt the Spirit witness truth to their minds and hearts can testify that those experiences are powerful.  We seek learning by study and faith and the Holy Ghost is a revelator.

Divisions in Corinth, 1 Corinthians 3:1-23

  • Paul is pretty upset with the Corinthians about their prideful divisions and tells them that because they are acting like bickering and immature children, he has to feed them milk instead of meat.  He had to when he lived with them and they haven't progressed towards eating any grown-up foods in the time since he left.  He complains that they are "ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?"  I feel like Paul in this verse sometimes as I say to my kids, "Just stop fighting already!" when they are arguing about the stupidest thing.
  • Paul says that he and Apollos were just servants, while God is the gardener.  When we labor in God's vineyard, we labor for him.  Then he goes from agriculture to architecture metaphors.  Paul says the Corinthian saints were what he was building.  He laid a foundation for them in the gospel and others are now building on it.  But some aren't building strong buildings and they will be held accountable -- some are building with proverbial gold, silver, precious stones and wood, while others are building with hay and stubble.  Eventually, "fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is." (v. 13)  It sounds as though some are taking the foundation of the gospel and teaching things that are fluff and shadows.  What are we building upon our foundation?  
  • Twice in this letter, Paul compares something to the temple of God.  In verse 16, he is speaking of the group collectively, since the words translated as "ye" are actually plural in the original.  So while there is individual application (and later, Paul will talk about individual bodies as temples), here, he is saying, "Know ye not that [all of you together] are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in [all of you]?
    If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple [all of you] are."  
  • Paul uses this imagery often.  In Ephesians 2:19-21, he says, "Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:"  
  • Paul seems worried that the Corinthian saints are tainting the purity of the gospel with other philosophies, mingling the truth of God with whatever is popular at the time, so he warns them, "Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God." (v. 18-19) and "let no man glory in men."  How do we make sure that we aren't bringing whatever current philosophy or pop psychology and mixing it with the gospel?
  • Speaking to teachers in the Church, Elder David M. McConkie said, "You have been called by the spirit of prophecy and revelation and have been set apart by priesthood authority. What does this mean?

    First, it means that you are on the Lord’s errand. You are His agent, and you are authorized and commissioned to represent Him and to act on His behalf. As His agent, you are entitled to His help. You must ask yourself, “What would the Savior say if He were teaching my class today, and how would He say it?” You must then do likewise.

    This responsibility may cause some to feel inadequate or even somewhat fearful. The pathway is not difficult. The Lord has provided the way for every worthy Latter-day Saint to teach in the Savior’s way.

    Second, you are called to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. You must not teach your own ideas or philosophy, even mingled with scriptures. The gospel is “the power of God unto salvation,” and it is only through the gospel that we are saved.

    Third, you are commanded to teach the principles of the gospel as they are found in the standard works of the Church, to teach the words of modern-day apostles and prophets, and to teach that which is taught you by the Holy Ghost.  . . Next, the Lord has commanded that before we seek to declare His word, we must seek to obtain it. You must become men and women of sound understanding by diligently searching the scriptures and by treasuring them up in your hearts. Then as you ask for the Lord’s help, He will bless you with His Spirit and His word. You will have the power of God unto the convincing of men.
    Paul tells us that the gospel comes to men in two ways, in word and in power. The word of the gospel is written in the scriptures, and we can obtain the word by diligently searching. The power of the gospel comes into the lives of those who so live that the Holy Ghost is their companion and who follow the promptings they receive. Some focus their attention only on obtaining the word, and they become experts in delivering information. Others neglect their preparation and hope that the Lord in His goodness will somehow help them get through the class period. You cannot expect the Spirit to help you remember the scriptures and principles you have not studied or considered. In order to successfully teach the gospel, you must have both the word and the power of the gospel in your life."

Apostles as Examples, 1 Corinthians 4:1-13

  • From Paul's words in this chapter, we can surmise that the Corinthians had become critical of Paul.  He defends himself and the other Apostles, reminding the group that they are the "stewards of the mysteries of God."  In other words, Apostles have certain keys that give them stewardship over the ordinances the saints need.  This is a great article about the responsibilities and calling of Apostle.
  • Lynne Wilson explains, "Jesus entrusted the apostles with the administration of the “mysteries of God.” In Strong’s Concordance, “mystery/mystérion” represents “a secret, of which initiation is necessary.”14 The mysteries may have included temple ordinances. In this Epistle, Paul refers to special prayers where women must veil their faces, eternal marriages where couples are joint heirs, and baptisms that are efficacious for the dead (1 Corinthians in 11:2– 11; 15:29). All these would be included as necessary initiations, or saving ordinances in the restored church. In other letters, we also find evidence of washing, anointing, clothing, and receiving new names (Ephesians 6:11–15; Hebrews 1:9, 14; 5:1–6; 7:1– 10:22; 1 John 20:27; Revelation 3:12; etc.).
  • Paul tells the people to stop thinking they are the judges of the Apostles -- the Lord is the judge of his stewards.

Paul's Intended Visit to Corinth, 1 Corinthians 4:14-21

  • Paul says that he speaks out of love and as a father.  He says that "though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel." (v. 15).  Of this verse, Brigham Young gave some great counsel on leadership:  "Here are our fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters. And perhaps it would be strictly correct to say that we have fathers in the Gospel, spiritual Fathers, for the Apostle Paul called Timothy, whom he brought into the Church, his "own son in the faith," and charged him to "be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient;" to be careful, cautious, with regard to the people that believed in Jesus Christ; to learn the disposition and the nature of the people, that he might understand himself and those he taught; and alluded to others that were travelling and preaching; building up Churches, or presiding over them after they were built up.

    Looking at the conduct of many, yea, very many, as we can see it exhibited in this our day, they want the mastery, the influence, the power. They want to be able to say to the people, "Do this or do that," and have no objections raised. They would have the people obey their voice, and yet they do not know how to gain the affections of the people; they do not understand the dispositions of the people.

    Paul observed the same difficulty in his day. Many Elders were preaching and presiding, who were ignorant, aspiring, and tyrannical, and but few of them treated the people as kind and benevolent fathers treat their children. There were not many fathers, but there was a disposition to be "many masters," as we see here. "
  • When we are called to lead, do we lead with love the way a good father would?  Or do we think that leadership gives license for us to act like masters?
  • Paul says that he is sending his "beloved son" (in the gospel) Timothy and rebukes the saints for their pride in saying he himself won't come, as he assures them he will come.  It seems that Paul's absence has been one of the criticisms leveled against him.

Sexual Impropriety in the Church, 1 Corinthians 5:1-13

  • And now we come to the subject of Paul's earlier, lost epistle.  In that letter, he told them not to company with fornicators (v. 9).  Now, he finds out that they disregarded his counsel and are allowing a brother to continue in good fellowship who is in a sexual relationship (possibly a marriage that would be considered incestuous) with his step-mother.
  • The student manual explains this passage about Church discipline, "One instance of fornication that Paul had learned of involved a Church member in Corinth who was in a sexual relationship with his stepmother. Such a relationship was forbidden in Old Testament law (see Leviticus 18:8, 29; Deuteronomy 22:30; 27:20) and was viewed as being wrong even among non-Christians (see 1 Corinthians 5:1). Paul reproved the Church in Corinth for failing to take disciplinary measures against the sinning member, and he counseled that the sinner be “put away” or excommunicated from the congregation (1 Corinthians 5:13). Paul reasoned that if the transgressor were left in the Church, the influence of wickedness would spread throughout the Church (1 Corinthians 5:6–8).

    As in Paul’s day, Church members today are sometimes excommunicated for sinful behavior. Formal Church councils carry out disciplinary actions, always with the goal of helping and saving the sinner by assisting him or her in the repentance process. President M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught:

    “In the scriptures, the Lord has given direction concerning Church disciplinary councils. (See D&C 102.) The word council brings to mind a helpful proceeding—one of love and concern, with the salvation and blessing of the transgressor being the foremost consideration.

    “Members sometimes ask why Church disciplinary councils are held. The purpose is threefold: to save the soul of the transgressor, to protect the innocent, and to safeguard the Church’s purity, integrity, and good name. …

    “… The miracle of the gospel is that we all can repent. Church government calls for Church disciplinary councils. But the Lord’s system also calls for restoration following repentance. Disfellowshipment or excommunication is not the end of the story, unless the member so chooses”"
  • We have to be careful that we don't take from this passage the idea that we are to shun any sinner.  This was a man who had made covenants and was therefore held to a higher standard.  Paul himself says that it is the Church's job to judge those who are within it, not those that are without.  "them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person." (v. 13).  He seems to be saying he understands that the city is full of all kinds of wickedness and sexual sin, but that is no excuse.  It's not our job to fix those who are outside the Church, but it is important to keep the Church pure.  Allowing this man to continue as a member in good standing would defile the temple of God that Paul wants the saints to become.
  • Mary Jane Woodger notes, "In Paul’s time it was common knowledge that an incestual relationship between a son and his stepmother was taking place, yet local leaders tolerated the situation. Paul declared the seriousness of this situation: “Such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles” (1 Corinthians 5:1). Paul had instructed in a previous epistle long lost to modern readers that individuals involved in fornication “should be handled for their membership.” Some may mistakenly think that Paul was counseling Church members to avoid individuals of other faiths who did not share the same values. Rather, his message was that those who made sacred covenants must understand the seriousness of sexual perversion. There are behavioral requirements for membership in the kingdom of God. Corinthians were exposed to the same alternative lifestyles that now face Latter-day Saints, including fornication, adultery, and homosexuality (1 Corinthians 6:9). Paul used clear-cut terminology to inform modern and ancient libertines that you cannot wallow in the flesh, whether in heterosexual or homosexual relations, and remain in full fellowship in the Church."

Christians Who Sue Other Christians, 1 Corinthians 6:1-8

  • Paul's next rebuke comes for those who are suing other Christians.  Can't they all just get along and work things out together?  His sarcasm is rich here, as he tells them, essentially, "You don't even have one person who is smart enough to judge between you? Come on!  Someday, we will be judging angels, and we can't even deal with our own petty disputes!  Let the dumbest person among you judge you rather than bring your dirty laundry before a world that is already hostile to our message." (v. 4-5)
  • He says it would be better to allow oneself to be defrauded, or cheated/deprived than to go before the civil courts.

The Body and Spirit, 1 Corinthians 6:9-20

  • Paul makes it clear in the next chapter that all sorts of wicked people -- fornicators both homosexual and heterosexual, idolaters, adulterers, thieves, drunkards, etc. -- will not inherit the kingdom of God. (v. 9-11)  He tells the saints, "And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." (v. 11).  I love that Paul teaches both about the standard here and about the reality of repentance.  
  • In verse 12 and in other places in these chapters, Paul quotes what the Corinthians wrote to him.  The "All things are lawful unto me" seems to be a quote of an argument the Corinthian saints were making to justify their wicked behavior.  Wayment, and some other modern translations, put that part in quotes.  The Corinthian's argument seems to be that because Christ atoned for them, they can do anything they want without consequence.  Paul condemns that idea.
  • Eric Huntsman explains, "Although scholars differ as to which phrases were questions posed or statements made to Paul and which ones might represent his own responses,[21] understanding that all the material in the verses did not necessarily originate with Paul helps clarify some possible confusion as to what he was actually trying to teach. In this regard, supplying quotation marks to the King James text to delineate the quoted material is helpful:
    “All things are lawful unto me,” but all things are not expedient: “all things are lawful for me,” but I will not be brought under the power of any.
    “Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them.” Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.  (New Revised Standard Version, 1 Corinthians 6:12–13)
    Laying out the verses this way reveals that Paul was not just reacting to the fact that some Corinthian believers were guilty of fornication; rather he was also responding to the fact that some of them were apparently trying to justify their actions by appealing to their belief that all things were lawful to them and that it did not matter what one did with the body since one day God would destroy it . . .
  • Dr. Huntsman further explains, "The idea that all things are permissible to the wise man (Greek sophos) was a key idea of the Cynic school of philosophy, and to some extent of the Stoic school, and would later be an idea common among many Gnostic Christians.[24] Apparently, either because of their previous Greek philosophical background or because they thought that they had already been saved by Christ (perhaps a misunderstanding of Paul’s preaching as seen in 1:18), some in the Corinthian Church thought that the kingdom of God had already come in a spiritual sense and that they were reigning as kings with Christ even while in this world (see 4:8).[25] This led them to think that they were above law and free to act as they wished. Rather than argue this point, Paul responded to the Corinthian slogan that many things are permissible to the wise or saved man by focusing on whether all things first are helpful or beneficial (the sense of sympherei, KJV “expedient”) in one’s gospel walk. Further, he points out that certain actions, if chosen, in fact enslave (exousiasthēsomai, KJV “be brought under the power of”) rather than free.[26]
    In verse 13 Paul more directly challenges the position of his opponents that their knowledge of the importance of spiritual things meant that somehow behavior in the physical body did not matter. The idea that the spiritual realm was far more important than the physical realm was a tenet of Platonism in this period and seems to have been an operative idea of many of Paul’s opponents. Hence they thought that “God shall destroy both it [the body] and them [the meats]” because ultimately all physical things would come to an end. Paul, however, responded strongly that the body was not only good but was expressly “for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.” He continues by reminding the Corinthians that God really raised up the body of Jesus in the Resurrection—a point to which he returns in chapter 15—and would raise the Corinthians’ bodies as well, making sins involving the body, particularly sexual sins, serious since the Saints as a body (not just individuals) are the temple of God (see 6:14–18).[27]"
  • Wayment (and others) also have the "Food is intended for the stomach and the stomach for food" part in the next verse in quotation marks.  Paul says that both food and stomachs will one day be destroyed, so the fact that this is a natural state is not an excuse to eat anything and everything you want.
  • The body is sacred because it will one day be resurrected and "raised up by the Lord."  We are the body of Christ and because of that, we dishonor Christ if we sin in the way we use our bodies.  We should flee all sexual sins and remember, "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s."
  • We face many of the same arguments the Corinthians made in our day.  But we cannot live the way the world dictates, as if we are the "captains of our souls," when we have been bought and redeemed by Christ.  Remember that poem Invictus which ends, "I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul?"  Orson F. Whitney wrote his own poem in response,
    Art thou in truth?
    Then what of him who bought thee with his blood?
    Who plunged into devouring seas
    And snatched thee from the flood 
    Who bore for all our fallen race
    What none but him could bear--
    The God who died that man might live
    And endless glory share. 
    Of what avail thy vaunted strength
    Apart from his vast might?
    Pray that his light may pierce the gloom
    That thou mayest see aright. 
    Men are as bubbles on the wave,
    As leaves upon the tree,
    Thou, captain of thy soul! Forsooth,
    Who gave that place to thee? 
    Free will is thine--free agency,
    To wield for right or wrong;
    But thou must answer unto him
    To whom all souls belong. 
    Bend to the dust that “head unbowed”,
    Small part of life’s great whole,
    And see in him and him alone,
    The captain of thy soul.

Questions about Marriage, 1 Corinthians 7:1-40

  • From this point on in the letter, Paul turns from rebuking the saints to answering the questions they have sent to him.  He uses the words "now concerning . . ." or "now touching" about different subjects throughout the final chapters (more on that next week).  It is important to remember that we are only hearing half of the conversation here, and we have to try to piece together what the questions would have been.  
  • Most modern translations do a much better job of showing what in this next part is a quote Paul is pulling from the letter to him and what is his response.  The JST also clarifies that some of the statements here are not Paul's, but the false ideas he is responding to.
  • Verse 1 is the first quote from the Corinthians.  They ask Paul about the idea that "it is good for a man not to [have sexual relations] with a woman" Paul, in response, says nope, marriage is intended by God for the purposes of sexual expression.  
  • It's interesting that the Corinthians seemed to struggle both with sexual immorality of all kinds and with the idea that celibacy is a higher form of life.  Both views were popular among the philosophers of the time.  "Amidst this setting there were Corinthians familiar with Aristotle who believed the soul would be eternally “detachable from the body,” and looked upon the physical body as “the prisonhouse of the soul.” [13]Some followed the father of Greek asceticism, Pythagoras, and imposed food taboos, silence for novices, and sexual restrictions. These philosophical ideas developed into what biblical scholar E. R. Dodds calls the “origin of Puritanism.” Dodds tells us that “these beliefs promoted in their adherents a horror of the body and a revulsion against the life of the senses.” [14]

    The philosophies explained above led many Corinthians to what I refer to as either an ascetic or libertine extreme. Libertines wallowed in fleshy pursuits of permissiveness, while ascetics denied the flesh and espoused celibacy. New Testament historian F. F. Bruce relates that “Paul found it necessary to deal with both tendencies simultaneously, saying ‘Liberty, not bondage’ to the one group and ‘Liberty, not licence’ to the other.” [15]"
    (from this article by Mary Jane Woodger)
  • While the KJV is pretty veiled in the way it refers to sex, the Greek was pretty plain.  Verses 3-5 in the NRSV say, "But because of cases of sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. 3 The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. 4 For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. 5 Do not deprive one another except perhaps by agreement for a set time, to devote yourselves to prayer, and then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control."  So not only is sex proper in a marriage, to refuse or withhold it from your spouse is wrong.  Husbands and wives both have claim on each other.
  • The student manual says, " It seems that some also believed that complete abstinence should be practiced even by married people. In response, Paul taught that sexual intimacy in marriage is an important way for husbands and wives to show love and affection. This principle is also taught today in the Church: “Physical intimacy between husband and wife is beautiful and sacred. It is ordained of God for the creation of children and for the expression of love between husband and wife. God has commanded that sexual intimacy be reserved for marriage” (For the Strength of Youth, 35).

    Additionally, Paul encouraged spouses to render “due benevolence” (1 Corinthians 7:3) to one another. “Due benevolence” does not refer to what one spouse may demand of another in marriage. Rather, it refers to the love, respect, and affection married couples can provide one another. President Howard W. Hunter (1907–95) provided the following counsel regarding intimacy in marriage: “Tenderness and respect—never selfishness—must be the guiding principles in the intimate relationship between husband and wife. Each partner must be considerate and sensitive to the other’s needs and desires. Any domineering, indecent, or uncontrolled behavior in the intimate relationship between husband and wife is condemned by the Lord” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Howard W. Hunter[2015], 216).
  • Lest we think that Paul says that marriage is just a back-up so that people don't fornicate, Lynne Wilson points out that the entirety of Paul's words say otherwise, "As mentioned earlier, “fornication/pornea” in Greek referred to all forms of immorality. We need to read this in context of all things we know about Paul. In the New Testament, he speaks positively of marriage throughout his letters. By studying it all we get a better picture of his viewpoint (see Romans 13:9; 1 Corinthians 6:9; 11:11; Ephesians 5:21–6:4; Colossians 3:18–21; 1 Timothy 2:15). As a strict Pharisee (Acts 26:5), Paul would have valued marriage and his marriage would have been arranged and performed at around age 18 (girls were younger, age 13–15).20 Rabbis at the time taught, “a man who does not marry by the age of twenty has sinned.”21 If a Roman man were still single by age twenty-five, or a woman by age twenty, they had to pay an extra state tax.22 The early Church Father, Clement of Alexandria (ca. AD 150–215), claimed that Paul was married to the “yolk fellow” of Philippians 4:2. Furthermore, as an apostle of Jesus Christ, Paul knew the plan of Salvation, and the eternal importance of marriage (1 Corinthians 11:11).23.  For a more detailed treatment of Paul's views on marriage and the likelihood of his own, this article is excellent.
  • Verses 7 and 8 can seem strange to us, as does some of the counsel towards the end about delaying marriage for "the present distress" (v. 26).  The student manual explains, "Paul’s words of counsel—“I would that all men were even as I myself” and “It is good for them if they abide even as I” (1 Corinthians 7:7–8)—have led some to mistakenly believe that Paul was unmarried and promoted the celibate lifestyle as being superior to marriage. However, Paul probably was married or had been at some point. Most scholars acknowledge that Paul was either a member of the Jewish ruling body—the Sanhedrin—or a close associate of the group (see Acts 8:3; 9:1–2; 22:5; 26:10). To comply with the Sanhedrin’s membership requirements, Paul would have had to be married. Even if Paul was simply a representative of the Sanhedrin, he would have been expected to be in harmony with all accepted Jewish customs and therefore be married. In addition, Paul clearly taught the importance of marriage and family life (see 1 Corinthians 7:2; 11:11; Ephesians 5:21–6:4; 1 Timothy 3:2).

    Many of Paul’s instructions in this chapter were likely meant to help Church members understand that marriage was appropriately delayed for full-time missionary service. The Joseph Smith Translation supports this conclusion:

    “But I speak unto you who are called unto the ministry. For this I say, brethren, the time that remaineth is but short, that ye shall be sent forth unto the ministry. Even they who have wives, shallbe as though they had none; for ye are called and chosen to do the Lord’s work. …

    “But I would, brethren, that ye magnify your calling. I would have you without carefulness. For he who is unmarried, careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord; therefore he prevaileth.

    “But he who is married, careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife; therefore there is a difference, for he is hindered” (Joseph Smith Translation, 1 Corinthians 7:29, 32–33 [in the Bible appendix]).
  • Further hints that Paul is talking about marriage to those called on missions is his discussion about circumcision among "those called." (verses 17-24).  He says those who are circumcised should stay that way (there were actually operations to try to physically reverse a circumcision) and those who are not circumcised should not become so.  It sounds like he changed his mind since having Timothy circumcised in Acts 16:1-3.  It would be interesting to hear the experiences behind that change.  Did he see how difficult the operation was for Timothy and decide not to do it again?  Or had circumstances changed, with a greater number of missionaries and members now so that those who were circumcised could be called to teach Jews and those uncircumcised would go to the Gentiles?  
  • In any case, it seems like Paul might be drawing an analogy between the state of one's circumcision and the state of one's marital status when called on a mission.  If you are already married, don't divorce, but if you aren't married, delay your marriage until you return home.
  • In verses 12-16, Paul answers questions about mixed-faith marriages and divorce.  Pondering on these verses led to D&C 74.
  • Paul says not to divorce an unbelieving spouse if a peaceful family life can still be maintained, but that if the unbelieving spouse "wants to divorce, let it happen" (Wayment Translation).  This is a difference from the higher law that Christ taught in Matthew 19, where divorce should not be allowed at all except for adultery, it seems the Church was grappling, like Moses did, with the challenges of life in a wicked world (Go here for my notes on Matthew 19).  Elder Oaks has said, "The kind of marriage required for exaltation—eternal in duration and godlike in quality—does not contemplate divorce. In the temples of the Lord, couples are married for all eternity. But some marriages do not progress toward that ideal. Because “of the hardness of [our] hearts,” the Lord does not currently enforce the consequences of the celestial standard. He permits divorced persons to marry again without the stain of immorality specified in the higher law. Unless a divorced member has committed serious transgressions, he or she can become eligible for a temple recommend under the same worthiness standards that apply to other members."
  • To those who are divorced, Elder Oaks goes on to say, "There are many good Church members who have been divorced. I speak first to them. We know that many of you are innocent victims—members whose former spouses persistently betrayed sacred covenants or abandoned or refused to perform marriage responsibilities for an extended period. Members who have experienced such abuse have firsthand knowledge of circumstances worse than divorce.

    When a marriage is dead and beyond hope of resuscitation, it is needful to have a means to end it. I saw examples of this in the Philippines. Two days after their temple marriage, a husband deserted his young wife and has not been heard from for over 10 years. A married woman fled and obtained a divorce in another country, but her husband, who remained behind, is still married in the eyes of the Philippine law. Since there is no provision for divorce in that country, these innocent victims of desertion have no way to end their married status and go forward with their lives.

    We know that some look back on their divorces with regret at their own partial or predominant fault in the breakup. All who have been through divorce know the pain and need the healing power and hope that come from the Atonement. That healing power and that hope are there for them and also for their children."


Note:  I'm indebted to Thomas Wayment for many of my section divisions and headings on this post and others.  If you haven't checked out his New Testament translation, it is well worth it!  

Comments

Janie said…
I really, really struggled all the way through Romans. You're right, coming to Corinthians has felt so much easier! Thanks for your wonderful commentary every week.