1 Corinthians 7:8

1Co 7:8-9. I say, therefore — I give this advice; to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them — It is a condition of life which will tend to promote their eternal welfare, that, if they conveniently can, they abide even as I — Namely, unmarried; for that Paul was then single is certain: and from Act 7:58, compared with the following parts of the history, it seems probable that he always was so. It may not be improper to observe, that many of the things which the apostle delivers here, as also chap. 14., and in some other parts of this epistle, are rather to be considered as advices about what was best to be done in many particular cases, to which the general precepts, or doctrine of the gospel revealed to this apostle, did not descend, than as commands, enjoining these things to the believers, under the penalty of their contracting guilt, and exposing themselves to the divine displeasure, if they did not comply with them. Yet these also were directions, or counsels of the Lord, concerning what was expedient to be done, and were delivered to the apostle by the infallible inspiration of the Holy Spirit, (as appears by comparing 1Co 14:37; 2Co 1:17; 1Th 4:1-2; 1Th 4:8; with 1Co 14:40,) and were faithfully delivered by him; and therefore the assent of the Corinthians is required to them as such. See the like advice concerning some particular charities of the Corinthians, 2Co 8:8; 2Co 8:10; the apostle distinguishing between the commands of God, which none might disobey without sin, and these advices, concerning what was fitting and proper, though not absolutely necessary. And therefore, as he directs, that it was better to observe them, so he acknowledges that there was no command that made it unlawful to omit them. But if they cannot — Live continently, or preserve themselves in purity of body and spirit in a single state; let them marry — Especially the younger widows, (1Ti 5:14,) or widowers; for it is better to marry — And suffer the inconveniences attending marriage, than to be tormented with unchaste desires.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

7:8-9 Paul’s general advice is that it’s better to stay unmarried because of the opportunities it provides to serve Christ without distraction (7:32-35). But even with its distractions, an honorable marriage is much better than living a life dominated by unsatisfied sexual desire.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

1Co 7:8. Λέγω δὲ, but I say) Comp. 1Co 7:12, where the statement is more express.—τοῖς ἀγάμοις, to the unmarried) of both sexes, comp. 1Co 7:10-11.—χήραις, to widows) including widowers.—μείνωσιν, let them remain) at liberty.—ὡς κᾀγὼ, even as I) Paul was evidently without a wife at that time, comp. 1Co 9:5; and although he speaks here also of widowers, yet he seems rather to have been a bachelor, than a widower; comp. Act 7:58, and what follows after

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Co_7:8-9. Λέγω δὲ] leads on from what is contained in 1Co_7:7 (from the subjective wish of the apostle and its objective limitation) to the rules flowing therefrom, which he has now to enunciate. Rückert holds that the transition here made by Paul is from the married to the unmarried. But were that the case, τοῖς δὲ ἀγάμοις would require to stand first (comp 1Co_7:10); the emphasis is on λέγω.

τοῖς ἀγάμοις] what is meant is the whole category, all without distinction, including both sexes, not simply widowers (Erasmus, Beza, Grotius, Calovius, Estius, al[1090], including Pott, Heydenreich, Billroth, Ewald); for the phrase opposed to it, τοῖς γεγαμηκόσι, in 1Co_7:10, embraces both sexes; and hence ἀγάμ. cannot apply to the unmarried men alone (Rückert). The additional clause, κ. ταῖς χήραις, by no means justifies a restrictive rendering; for in it the καί does not mean also (Hofmann), but, as the connective and, singles out specially from the general expression something already included in it: and in particular the widows. The idiom is an ordinary one both in classical and N. T. Greek (Mat_8:33; Mar_16:7; and often elsewhere); see Fritzsche, a[1091] Marc. p. 11, 713. Comp here Soph. O. R. 1502: χέρσους φθαρῆναι κἀγάμους. It was a special wish of Pauls, therefore, that the widows should remain unwedded, doubtless in the interests of the church (Rom_16:1; 1Ti_5:9 ff.).

καλὸν (as in 1Co_7:1) αὐτοῖς, sc[1093] ἐστι; comp 1Co_7:40.

ἐὰν μείνωσιν κ.τ.λ[1095]] if they shall have remained as I also (have remained), i.e. unmarried. The opposite of this is γαμησάτωσαν, 1Co_7:9. The Ὡς ΚἈΓΏ therefore receives here from the context a different meaning than in 1Co_7:7. Luther, Grotius, and others infer from this passage that Paul was a widower;[1096] so, too, Ewald. But this conclusion rests upon the assumption, which is linguistically inadmissible, that ἀγάμοις denotes widowers alone (i.e. χῆροι); and, moreover, would not be a safe inference even were the assumption sound. Act_7:58, moreover, is against this; for one could not place Pauls marriage after the stoning of Stephen.

οὐκ ἐγρατεύονται] to be closely joined together: are incontinent. See Hartung, Partikell. II. p. 122; Maetzner, a[1097] Antiph. p. 267; Ameis on Hom. Od. ii. 274. The verb ἐγκρατεύεσθαι (Sir_19:6) is foreign to the older Greek, although this precise phrase: ΟὐΚ ἘΓΚΡΑΤ., is sanctioned by Thomas, p. 30, and Phryn. p. 442. See Lobeck, a[1098] Phryn. l.c[1099]

γαμησάτ.] Regarding the later form of the aorist ἘΓΆΜΗΣΑ, see Lobeck, a[1100] Phryn. p. 742.

ΠΥΡΟῦΣΘΑΙ] to be in a flame, of vehement emotions (2Co_11:29; 2Ma_4:38; 2Ma_10:35; 2Ma_14:45; of love, Anacreon, 1Co_10:13); it means here, occulta flamma concupiscentiae vastari, Augustine, de sancta, virginit. 34. Comp Suicer, Thes. II. p. 895; from the Rabbins, the history of Amram in Lightfoot, Horae, p. 190; from the classics, Jacobs, Del. Epigr. v. 34.

κρεῖσσον] not because it is the least of two evils (Rückert, Kling; comp Estius), but because to marry is no sin (1Co_7:28; 1Co_7:36), while to burn is sinful (Mat_5:28).

[1090] l. and others; and other passages; and other editions.

[1091] d refers to the note of the commentator or editor named on the particular passage.

[1093] c. scilicet.

[1095] .τ.λ. καὶ τὰ λοιπά.

[1096] The prevalent and correct tradition of the ancient church was that Paul was never married (Tertullian, Jerome, Chrysostom, al.). The contrary is stated in Clem. Alex. (in Eus. H. E. iii. 30).

[1097] d refers to the note of the commentator or editor named on the particular passage.

[1098] d refers to the note of the commentator or editor named on the particular passage.

[1099] .c. loco citato or laudato.

[1100] d refers to the note of the commentator or editor named on the particular passage.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Co 7:8-9 re-state the answer given in 1Co 7:1-2 to the question concerning celibacy v . marriage. “But I say to the unmarried and the widows, it is right ( καλόν ; cf. 1Co 7:1 ) for them if they remain as indeed I (am).” The Ap. extends the reassurance given in 1Co 7:1 , and fortifies it by his own example, so that those out of wedlock who were under no constraint to enter its bonds might be free from misgiving and reproach. τοῖς ἀγάμοις , in contrast to τοῖς γεγαμηκόσιν , 1Co 7:10 : the term is masc. “to unmarried men”; the case of “maidens” is discussed later (1Co 7:25 ff.). “The widows,” who would frequently have the disposal of themselves, are included here they are advised again to the like effect in 1Co 7:39 f. Holsten omits καὶ ταῖς χήραις as out of place; Bois ingeniously suggests that this may be a primitive corruption for καὶ τοῖς χήροις , “the widowers”. As the πορνείαι without (1Co 7:2 ), so ἀκρασία within (1Co 7:5 ) might make abstention from marriage perilous; hence the qualification added in 1Co 7:9 : “But if they have not self-control, let them marry; for better it is to marry than to burn on (with desire)”. πυροῦσθαι , pr [1026] of continued state “occulta flamma concupiscentiæ vastari” (Aug [1027] ); the vb [1028] is used of any consuming passion, as in 2Co 11:29 . Not “ better in so far as marriage is sinless, burning is sinful (Mat 5:28 ),” so Mr [1029] ; if marriage and parenthood are holy (1Co 7:14 ), the fire which burns toward that end surely may be so “the sacred lowe o’ weel-placed love”; but “better” as the unsatisfied craving is a continual temptation, and according to the rule of 1Co 7:35 . Better to marry than to burn; but if marriage is impossible, better infinitely to burn than to sin .

[1026] present tense.

[1027] Augustine.

[1028] verb

[1029] Meyer’s Critical and Exegetical Commentary (Eng. Trans.).

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Co_7:8, 1Co_7:9

I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I. But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.

This is the application of the principle laid down in 1Co_7:1 to the Corinthians. I say to the unmarried and to the widows among you, it is well not to marry. The unmarried is not to be limited to widowers, as is commonly done on account of the word widows following, because the word does not admit of that limitation; and because the word married in the following verse includes all classes. To the unmarried, and specially to widows, I say so; to the married I say so.

If these verses and others of like import, are to be understood of men generally, and not of men in the peculiar circumstances of the early Christians, then it must be admitted that Paul depreciates marriage, and that he represents it as scarcely having any higher end than the sexual intercourse of brutes. This cannot be his meaning; not only because it is contrary to Scripture, but also because Paul elsewhere, Eph_5:22-33, represents marriage as a most ennobling spiritual union; which raises a man out of himself and makes him live for another; a union so elevated and refining as to render it the fit symbol of that bond between Christ and his people, by which they are exalted to the full perfection of their being. Marriage, according to Paul, does for man in the sphere of nature, what union with Christ does for him in the sphere of grace. The truth is that the apostle writes to the Corinthians as he would do to an army about to enter on a most unequal conflict in an enemys country, and for a protracted period. He tells them, This is no time for you to think of marriage. You have a right to marry. And in general it is best that all men should marry. But in your circumstances marriage can only lead to embarrassment and increase of suffering. This is the only view of the matter by which we can reconcile the apostle with himself, or with the truth of Scripture and of fact. This must therefore be borne in mind in the interpretation of this whole chapter.

Charles Hodge — Commentary on Romans (1835), First Corinthians (1857), and Ephesians (1856) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Sixthly, he giveth the selfsame admonition touching the second marriage, to wit, that a single life is to be allowed, but for such as have the gift of continency: otherwise they ought to marry again, that their conscience may be at peace.

This whole place is flat against them which condemn second marriages.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

to the unmarried--in general, of both sexes (Co1 7:10-11).

and widows--in particular.

even as I--unmarried (Co1 9:5).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 8. The unmarried and widows] It is supposed that the apostle speaks here of men who had been married, in the word αγαμοι, but were now widowers; as he does of women who had been married, in the word χηραι, but were now widows. And when he says ωςκαγω, even as I, he means that he himself was a widower; for several of the ancients rank Paul among the married apostles.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

8. I say, then, to the unmarried. This depends on what goes before, and is a sort of inference from it. He had said that the gifts of God are variously distributed — that continency is not in the power of all, and that those who have it not ought to have recourse to the remedy. He now directs his discourse to virgins, to all that are unmarried, and to widows, and he allows that an unmarried life ought to be desired by them, provided they have the power; but that regard must always be had by each individual to the power that he possesses. The sum is this, that an unmarried life has many advantages, and that these are not to be despised, provided every one measures himself according to his own size and measure. Hence, though virginity should be extolled even to the third heavens, this, at the same time, always remains true — that it does not suit all, but only those who have a special gift from God. For as to the objection that is brought forward by Papists — that in baptism, also, we promise to God purity of life, which it is not in our power to perform, the answer is easy — that in that we promise nothing but what God requires from all his people, but that continency is a special gift, which God has withheld from many. Hence those who make a vow of continency, act precisely as if any unlearned and illiterate person were to set himself off as a prophet, or teacher, or interpreter of languages.

We must also notice carefully the word continue; for it is possible for a person to live chastely in a state of celibacy for a time, but there must be in this matter no determination made for tomorrow. Isaac was unmarried until he was thirty years of age, and passed in chastity those years in which the heats of irregular desire are most violent; yet afterwards he is called to enter into the married life. In Jacob we have a still more remarkable instance. Hence the Apostle would wish those who are at present practicing chastity, to continue in it and persevere; but as they have no security for the continuance of the gift, he exhorts all to consider carefully what has been given them. This passage, however, shows that the Apostle was at that time unmarried; for as to the inference drawn by Erasmus, that he was married, because he makes mention of himself in connection with married persons, it is frivolous and silly; for we might, on the same principle, infer that he was a widower, because he speaks of himself in connection with widows. Now the words intimate, that at that time he was unmarried; for I do not give any countenance to the conjecture, that he had put away his wife somewhere, and had of his own accord abandoned the use of the marriage bed. For where, in that case, had been the injunction, Come together again without delay? (1 Corinthians 7:5.) It would certainly be an absurdity to say, that he did not obey his own precepts, and did not observe the law which he imposed upon others. It is, however, a singular token of modesty, that, while he is himself endowed with the gift of continency, he does not require others to bind themselves to his rule, but allows them that remedy for infirmity which he dispenses with. Let us, then, imitate his example, so that if we excel in any particular gift, we do not rigorously insist upon it on the part of others, who have not as yet reached that height.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(8) I say therefore.—Better, Now what I say is, . . . Widows are here joined with those who have not been married, otherwise discussion might have arisen as to whether the Apostle had intended his advice for them also. It has been curiously conjectured (by Luther amongst others), from the passage where St. Paul recommends widows to “abide even as I.” that the Apostle was himself a widower. This, however, requires the word “unmarried” to be restricted to widowers, which is quite inadmissible; and even if such were admissible, the deduction from it that St. Paul was a widower could scarcely be considered logical. The almost universal tradition of the early Church was that St. Paul was never married, and unless we can imagine his having been married, and his wife dead before the stoning of St. Stephen which is scarcely possible (Act_7:58), the truth of that tradition is evident. (See Php_4:3.) “Even as I;” that is, unmarried.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

I say therefore to the unmarried and widows,.... Not by way of command, but advice: by the "unmarried" he means, either such men who never were in a married state, or else such who had been married, but their wives were dead; which latter sense seems more agreeable, since they are joined with "widows", who had lost their husbands:

it is good for them if they abide; unmarried, and do not change their condition any more; not that it was sinful to marry again, for he allows of it in the next verse, in case they have not the gift of continence; and therefore "good" here, is not opposed to evil, only signifies that it would be better for them, more expedient and profitable for them; they would be more free from the cares of life, have less trouble, and be more at leisure to serve the Lord; and which he knew by experience, and therefore, proposes himself as an example:

even as I; that is, as he was then; for at that time it seems certain that he had no wife; though whether he had had one, and she was now dead, or whether he had never been married, may be matter of dispute; the former seems most agreeable, since he proposes himself as an example to widowers and widows; and having known what a married and single state both were, was better able to give his judgment of both, and proper advice to such persons which must come with more force and strength, and a better grace, from such an one.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

8 I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I.

Ver. 8. I say therefore to the unmarried] Yet doth not the apostle simply prefer virginity on viduity before marriage as better. The Saturnalian heretics said that marriage was of the devil. And the blemish will never be wiped off some of the ancient fathers, who, to establish their own idol of I know not what virginity, which they themselves had not, have written most wickedly and basely of marriage. If the same God had not been the author of virginity and marriage, he had never countenanced virginity by marriage, as he did in the blessed Virgin.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

It is good for them - It may be advisable, in the present circumstances of persecution and distress, not to be encumbered with the cares and anxieties of a family; see 1Co 7:26, 1Co 7:32-34. The word unmarried (ἀγάμοις agamois) may refer either to those who had never been married, or to widowers. It here means simply those who were at that time unmarried, and his reasoning applies to both classes.

And to widows - The apostle specifies these, though he had not specified “widowers” particularly. The reason of this distinction seems to be, that he considers more particularly the case of those females who had never been married, in the close of the chapter, 1Co 7:25.

That they abide - That they remain, in the present circumstances, unmarried; see 1Co 7:26.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

By the unmarried and widows, it is apparent that Paul means virgins that were never married, and such as, having been once married, had lost their husbands: though the first word, in the Greek, had been significative enough of persons in both these states; yet the apostle’s using of two words, makes it past dispute; when he saith, it is good for such to be as he was, his meaning is, that it was better with respect to the present circumstances of Christians, or it was convenient, in which notion good is often taken, not for what is absolutely good; and indeed the nature of all good lieth in the conveniency or suitableness of the thing so called to us; and though in the Divine precepts there is always such a suitableness, so as they must be always good, yet in other things, which God hath left to our liberty, (such as is this of marriage), a thing may be good or evil, as the circumstances of several persons, yea, of the same person, may vary. St. Paul considereth only the circumstances of the world common to all Christians, and upon them, determines this goodness, supposing the circumstances of the particular person not to rule otherwise. His not saying, it is good for them not to marry, but to be as he was, hath bred a question of no great import to be determined: Whether Paul was ever married or not? In the determination of which the ancients could not agree; but it is not worth spending our time about, considering that all agree he was at this time unmarried, which is all he doth here mean: if St. Paul was never married, we are sure Peter was, for we read of his wife’s mother sick of a fever, Mar 1:30.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

8. Unmarried—Bachelor or maiden.

Widows—The feminine widows are named as the more obvious, and the widowers are simply implied.

Good— More conducive to holy life for the possessor of the gift than marriage; as marriage is more so to those unendowed with the gift. Marriage, as well as celibacy, has its complex temptations and avenues to sin.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

To the unmarried; including widowers. In my "Life of St. Paul," 1:75-82, I have given my reasons for believing that St. Paul was a widower. It is good for them. It is an expedient, honourable, and morally "beautiful thing," but, as he so distinctly points out further on, there might be a "better" even to the "good." Even as I In the unmarried state, whether as one who had never married, or, as I infer from various circumstances, as a widower (so too Clemens of Alexandria, Grotius, Luther, Ewald, etc.); see my "Life of St. Paul," 1:169). Tertullian and Jerome (both of them biassed witnesses, and with no certain support of tradition) say that St. Paul was never married.

Vers. 8-16.

The marriage tie.

When Christianity spread abroad among the heathen, very often, in a family, "one would be taken and another left," and much family and social difficulty was made when a heathen husband or a heathen wife was converted, and the other partner remained in heathen darkness. There could be no doubt that Christianity demanded separation from heathenism, and even declared a social connection with heathen people to be morally perilous; and it might very readily be inferred that this applied to the heathen husband or the heathen wife, and that divorce from them should at once follow upon Christian profession. It seems that the heathen in ancient times held the marriage bond very loosely, as do the heathen in many countries now. There is no more fruitful source of national immorality than ease in procuring divorce. Christianity has exerted such an ennobling influence on the European nations, in part because it has testified so firmly to the sacredness of the marriage bond. Christianity treats marriage as the main foundation of moral relations, and the proper preventive and cure of social evils. The relation must, therefore, be anxiously sustained, and almost every other consideration must be made subservient to its maintenance. Its various claims must be duly met; its various duties must be properly performed:

1. For the Christian partner"s own sake, whether the other be Christian or not. If not, then maintaining faithfully the marriage relation will prove a spiritual discipline.

2. For the sake of the children of the mixed marriage, over whom the Christian partner can exercise a holy influence.

3. And even for the heathen partner"s sake, since he or she may be won by the "chaste conversation" and holy example of the fellow partner. Impress that the principle applied to marriage has wide applications. Whatever our spheres and relations may be, the man in Christ ought to master and mould and use them by the force of his new life in Christ. R.T.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

It is good for them if they remain even as I - That St. Paul was then single is certain and from Acts vii, 58, compared with the following parts of the history, it seems probable that he always was so. It does not appear that this declaration, any more than ver. 1, hath any reference at all to a state of persecution.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

But I say to the unmarried and to widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I .

J. W. McGarvey (with Philip Y. Pendleton), Commentaries on the New Testament (The Fourfold Gospel, 1914; Acts; and the epistles) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

8–11. To the unmarried and widows. If they have his self-control, it is well for them to remain unmarried, even as he. Not that the unmarried state is better, but on account of “the present distress” (verse 26), the critical times. There are times when it is best to remain unmarried; for instance, in a time of war and invasion. The ground of his advice is not moral, but prudential.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

the unmarried

"this those who are not married"

to widows

"to women whose husband has died"

it is good

See how you translated this in 1 Corinthians 7:1.

to burn with passion

"to live with the constant desire to sleep with someone"

translationWords

self-control

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

8. χήραις. Cf. 1Ti 5:11; 1Ti 5:14.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

8. λέγε δέ] taking up the former λέγω, ver. 6, and bringing this advice under the same category as ver. 7, viz. his own wish that all were as himself. The stress is on λέγω, not on τοῖς ἀγ. κ. ταῖς χ., which would in that case be placed first, as τοῖς γεγαμηκόσιν below.

τοῖς ἀγάμοις, the unmarried, of both sexes: not as usually interpreted, widowers, or unmarried males alone: this is shewn by the contrasted term γεγαμηκόσιν, which embraces (see vv. 10, 11) both sexes.

καὶ ταῖς χήραις may be added as singling out widows especially;—or more probably, because τοῖς ἀγάμοις would naturally be taken as those who never were married, and thus widows would not be understood to be included.

καλόν, see on ver. 1, it is good for them, i.e. ‘their best way.’

ὡς κἀγώ] i.e. ἄγαμος. This brings the Apostle’s own circumstances more clearly before us than ver. 7, which might be misunderstood: and there can be little doubt from this, that he never was married. Grot. says, “ex h. l. non improbabiliter colligitur, Paulo fuisse uxorem, quod et Clemens Alex. putat, sed cum hæc scriberentur, mortuam.” But this rests on the mistaken interpretation of ἀγάμοις noticed above. The passage of Alex. (Strom. iii. [6.] 53, p. 535 P., alluded to in Euseb. iii. 30) is grounded on Paul’s having in a certain epistle addressed τὴν αὐτοῦ σύζυγον, ἣν οὐ περιεκόμιζε, διὰ τὸ τῆς ὑπηρεσίας εὐσταλές. But the words σύνζυγε γνήσιε, Php 4:3, certainly have no reference to a wife: see note there.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

8. τοῖς ἀγάμοις καὶ γαῖς χήραις. This includes bachelors, widowers, and widows, but not unmarried girls, whose case is discussed later (25-38), and who would not have much voice in deciding the point in question. The conjecture of τοῖς χήροις for τοῖς χήροις is worth considering. A word not found elsewhere in N.T. might be changed to one that is common. ‘Even as I’ is more in place, if men only are addressed. Ἄγαμος occurs vv. 11, 32, 34, and nowhere else in N.T.

καλόν. As in v. 1, this introduces the Apostle’s own ideal, as illustrated by his own life. As τοῖς ἀγάμοις covers both single men and widowers, this passage does not tell us whether St Paul had ever been married. The very early interpretation of γνήσιε σύνζυγε (Php 4:3) as meaning the Apostle’s wife (Clem. Alex. Strom. 3:6. p. 535, ed. Potter) may safely be set aside, for this passage shows that, if he ever had been married, his wife died before he wrote to the Philippians. And if he had been married then, would he not have written γνησία in addressing his wife. The argument that, as a member of the Sanhedrin (Act 26:10), he must have been a married man and a father, is not strong. This rule (Sanh. fo. 36 b), as a security for clemency, may be of later date, and κατήνεγκα ψῆφον may be a figurative expression for approving of the sentence. The probability is that St Paul was never married (Tertull. De Monogam .8; Ad Uxor. 2:1). In all his writings, as also in Acts, there is no trace of wife or child.* The καί in ὡς κἀγώ, as inὡς καὶ ἐμαυτόν (v. 7), is the comparative use of καί. He compares his own case with that of those whom he desires to keep unmarried, and emphasizes it. The aorist (μείνωσιν) suggests a life-long and final decision.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Vv. 8, 9. “I say then to the unmarried and widows, it is good for them if they abide even as 1Co 1:9. But if they cannot contain, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn.”

The δέ, then, indicates the transition from the grounds to the final sentence.

On καλόν, good, see on 1Co 7:1. The αὐτοῖς, for them, is remarkable; used without regimen, the word καλόν would have been too absolute; it might have seemed to ascribe a moral superiority to celibacy.

The contrast between ταῖς χήραις, widows, and τοῖς ἀγάμοις, the unmarried, has led Erasmus, Beza, etc., to regard the latter as embracing only widowers. But there is no ground for thus restricting the meaning of ἀγάμοι; the word naturally comprehends also young unmarried men. On the other hand, Meyer extends the meaning of the word too far when he brings under it also virgins. The latter will have their chapter for themselves (1Co 7:25 seq.). It would even be altogether unsuitable to apply to them what is said in 1Co 7:9. Why, finally, would the apostle have joined them with unmarried men and widowers, instead of joining them with widows?

The reason why widows are mentioned separately, while widowers are confounded with bachelors, is this, widowhood creates, in the case of the woman, a more special position than in that of a man; a widow differs much more socially from a virgin than a widower from a young man. Besides, the masculine χῆρος, widower, is in Greek an adjective rather than a substantive, while the opposite is the case with the feminine χήρα, widow.

From these last words, if they abide even as I, Luther, Grotius, etc., have concluded that Paul must have been a widower, but erroneously. The idea of abiding as Paul, according to the true meaning of ἀγάμοι, may embrace perseverance in celibacy, as well as perseverance in the state of widowhood (see on 1Co 7:7). Clement of Alexandria also alleged that Paul was a widower; but it was neither on the ground of a tradition nor on account of this verse. Eusebius cites this Father’s opinion (H. E., 3.24); he justified it by the passage Php 4:3, where he erroneously ascribed to the word σύζυγος the meaning of spouse.

Frédéric Louis Godet — Commentaries on Luke, John, Romans, and 1 Corinthians — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1870s–1890s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.