1 Corinthians 7: Marriage and the Bigger Picture

I just noticed that 1 Corinthians 7 has sections on marriage advice. Apparently, the Christians in Corinth wrote to Paul and asked him for advice on certain matters. Paul writes at the beginning of 1 Corinthians 7: "Now in regard to matters about which you wrote," and proceeds to give advice to the married and in a subsequent passage, he gives advice to virgins and widows.

I don't want to discuss Paul's advice. Some of the things he says are hard to wrap my mind around.

But I would like to note that in verses 29-35 (out of 40 verses), Paul segues into what seems to be an attempt to put things into context. Actually, the first part of those verses were read at last Sunday's mass and the second part is read in today's mass.

It seems to me that Paul is saying, you Corinthians have these concerns about marriage, virgins, and widows but don't you know that "time is running out"? (verse 29) And then he proceeds to suggest that those having wives should act as if they did not have them. And he says he desires that the Corinthians be free from anxiety (verse 32). And he reminds them in verse 31 that the world in its present form is passing away. Hello again, eschatology.

I don't think Paul really meant that husbands should act as if they had no wives but maybe he was just exasperated and challenged the Corinthians to ask themselves what was really important. In verse 35, Paul explains that he says that he is giving this message "for the sake of... adherence to the Lord without distraction."

And I guess it is a valid question we should also ask ourselves. If we knew that the world would end soon, what questions would we ask and how would we choose to live our lives, including our married lives. What constitutes what is essential and what can we consider distractions.

Exercises like these force us to look into the heart of what matters.


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I haven't read 1 Corinthians thoroughly but the famous Pauline passage about love being patient, and kind, and many other wonderful things are also found in 1 Corinthians. I wonder if that's Paul's way of saying, beyond your questions, Corinth, love is the bottom line.