Wednesday 5 April, 2017
1 Corinthians 7:1-7
7 Now I want to deal with the things you wrote me about. Some of you say, “It is good for a man not to sleep with a woman.” 2 But since sexual sin is happening, each man should sleep with his own wife. And each woman should sleep with her own husband. 3 A husband should satisfy his wife’s needs. And a wife should satisfy her husband’s needs. 4 The wife’s body does not belong only to her. It also belongs to her husband. In the same way, the husband’s body does not belong only to him. It also belongs to his wife. 5 You shouldn’t stop giving yourselves to each other. You might possibly do this when you both agree to it. And you should only agree to it to give yourselves time to pray. Then you should come together again. In that way, Satan will not tempt you when you can’t control yourselves. 6 I say those things to you as my advice, not as a command. 7 I wish all of you were single like me. But you each have your own gift from God. One has this gift, and another has that one.
This is a commentary from Paul on the value of marriage, and is directing this to the church of Corinth, since there was sexual sin and promiscuity occurring. Referring to vs1, some versions of scripture state “it is good for a man not to marry”.(NIV) Others use the phrase” it is good for a man not to touch a woman”(KJV, NASB, AMP). Referring to older versions, I believe this is the more accurate interpretation.
Why does Paul write this? He is actually responding to a specific question asked of him in a letter from the Corinthian Christians, and he is giving them direction that sexual intimacy is designed for within the confines of marriage.
The passage then moves on to describe the oneness between a man and woman in marriage, and the responsibilities to each other for intimacy and affection. I am reminded of Eph5:25 where Paul also writes that husbands are to love their wives just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. This throws a greater light on today’s passage, that the attitude of humility, service, selflessness, sacrifice, and all the traits of Christ , are to be encouraged of a husband to his wife, and vice versa.
I am reminded of not my own needs and desires, but what are the needs and desires of my wife.
Lord, help me to grow more as the husband you desire me to be, to love as you love your bride, the church. Amen
Written by Stephen Fell
This devotion to one partner may well have marked Christians apart from the society around them at that time. Today there is similar pressure to please yourself first and disregard responsibilities of marriage. God loves and protects us through these words of Paul. Thank you Jesus
You are right Claire. At the time of Jesus the Temple of Aphrodite in Corinth employed thousands of temple prostitutes as part of their religion. Later on under Roman rule it was considered normal for the master of a household to sleep with any servant girl that work in that household. The only time it was considered adultery was if a Roman citizen slept with the wife of another Roman citizen. – Can you image the amount of STD’s they had.