I wish that all were as I myself am.  But each has his own gift from God, one of one kind and one of another. 

1 Corinthians 7:7

Chapter 7 of 1 Corinthians contains Paul’s answers to questions from the church in Corinth concerning the marriage relationship.  Due to what he calls “the present distress” (7:26) which was almost certainly persecution taking place against Christians at this time, the apostle makes clear that some of what he says in this chapter is nothing more than advice given under inspiration about whether to marry during these difficult times (e.g., 7:25-38, 40).  While giving these recommendations, Paul repeatedly stresses that the advice he is giving them are not actual commandments from God which the Corinthians were obligated to obey (cf. 7:25, 28, 35, 40).  They would be free to disregard his counsel without sinning in the sight of God.

The first of these occasions is found early in the chapter when he writes:  “Now as a concession, not a command, I say this.  I wish that all were as I myself am.  But each has his own gift from God, one of one kind and one of another.  To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain single, as I am” (7:6-8).

Some commentators view verse 6’s “Now as a concession, not a command, I say this” as applying to verses 1-5 as well as to verses 7-8.  This view is mistaken because an overview of Scripture shows that God has commanded in both Testaments what he commanded in verses 1-5; physical intimacy must exist only within marriage and it must be a regular part of the marriage so as to help avoid the temptation to commit adultery (cf. Heb. 13:4; Prov. 5:15-20).

Thus, Paul’s mention of what he is saying is meant as “a concession” rather than as “a command” (7:6) applies to verses 7-8, in which he expresses his wish that everyone could be unmarried like him.  Yet he also acknowledges that “each has his own gift from God, one of one kind and one of another” (7:7b).  He is not referring to miraculous spiritual gifts given by God through the laying on of the apostles’ hands as he will later in the letter (12:1ff; cf. Acts 8:18; Rom. 1:11; 2 Tim. 1:6).  Rather, he is speaking of gifts which God gives providentially via circumstance according to his will (cf. 4:7; Rom. 12:4-7; 1 Pet. 4:10-11; Matt. 25:15), in which the gifts of marriage to some and bachelorhood to others would certainly be included.  All of this is almost certainly said because of “the present distress” of persecution they were facing (7:26).  He will later point out that when faced with severe persecution, unmarried Christians will find it easier than married Christians to give all of their loyalty to the Lord (7:28b, 32-35).

Yet even while advising singlehood to the unmarried and widows, the apostle does not lose sight of the danger of temptations to sin.  He writes, “But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry.  For it is better to marry than to burn with passion” (7:9; cf. 7:1-2).  The Textus Receptus manuscripts have Paul saying at the end of the verse, “For it is better to marry than to burn,” with the translators adding “with passion.”  “Burn(ing) with passion” fits the context, considering that the unmarried within the church at Corinth would have continually encountered temptations to fornicate as they passed the temple of Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, which was on the acropolis in Corinth.  Thus, Paul directs any unmarried or widowed Christians who might be succumbing to these temptations to marry so as to fulfill those urges within the parameters of God’s will.  It is certainly true that God desires one to also marry out of love (Eph. 5:25-33; Tit. 2:3-4), but he also designed marriage to be the place where spouses can fulfill these urges according to his will.

Overall, this passage teaches us that being either married or single is a providential gift from God and that he expects us to serve and obey him in whatever state we find ourselves.  Towards that end, we must discipline ourselves to resist all temptations to sin and take whatever “way of escape” the Lord provides us (10:13).

— Jon