Chapter Seven

¹ Chapter Seven. Now concerning the things whereof you wrote to me. He had set right the schisms, the fornication, the covetousness; now, then, he ordains concerning marriage and virginity. For they had written to him whether one ought to abstain from a wife, or not.

² It is good for a man not to touch a woman. The good and surpassing thing, he says, is for every man, and not for the priest only (as some wrongly understand), wholly not to touch a woman, but to remain virgin; yet the safer thing, and that which aids our weakness, is the institution of marriage. He adds, then:

³ But on account of fornications, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. He discourses concerning each part. For it is likely that the husband loved chastity, but the wife not; and the reverse. By saying “on account of fornications,” he urges on continence. For if marriage is conceded on account of fornications, those in marriage ought not thereafter to come together licentiously, but chastely.

⁴ Let the husband render to the wife the goodwill that is owed; and likewise also the wife to the husband. You have, he says, a debt—the goodwill toward one another; as a debt, then, it is necessary that you render it.

⁵ The wife has not authority over her own body, but the husband; and likewise also the husband has not authority over his own body, but the wife. That the goodwill toward one another is an obligation and a debt, he now shows. For they have not authority, he says, over their own bodies; but the wife is both slave and mistress of the husband—slave, inasmuch as she has not her own body in her own authority, so as to give it to whom she wills, but the husband is master of it; and mistress, because, in turn, the husband’s body is hers, and he has not authority over it, so as to give it to harlots. Likewise, then, the husband also is both slave and master of the wife.

⁶ Defraud not one another, except it be by consent for a season. That is, Let not the wife practice continence against the husband’s will, nor the husband against the wife’s will. For the one doing this against the other’s will is to defraud, as is said also in the case of money; but doing it with the other’s consent, no longer; as, for instance, when the two by agreement set apart some season for abstaining from one another.

⁷ That you may have leisure for fasting and prayer. He explains how he said “for a season”—namely, when it is a season to have leisure for prayer, that is, to pray intently. For he did not say simply, “That you may pray,” but, “That you may have leisure for prayer.” For if he debars those who come together from praying simply, how does he say elsewhere, Pray without ceasing? In order, then, that the prayer may be more earnest, abstain, he says, from one another, since the intercourse makes only a hindrance of leisure, not an uncleanness.

⁸ And come together again, that Satan tempt you not because of your incontinence. Your coming together again, he says, I say not as legislating, but “that Satan tempt you not”—to fornication, that is. And since the devil is not of himself the cause of fornication, but rather, first of all, our incontinence, he added, “Because of your incontinence.” For this is the cause of the devil’s tempting us also.

⁹ But this I say by way of concession, not by way of command. The not defrauding one another “for a season,” he says, I said by way of concession—that is, condescending to your weakness, not laying down a law for you and an inviolable command.

¹⁰ For I would that all men were even as I myself. Wherever he enjoins a difficult thing, he is wont to bring himself into the midst. He says, then, that I wish all to practice continence always.

¹¹ But each has his own gift from God, one in this way, another in that. To remain a virgin, he says, is a gift from God. And yet the matter needs also our own zeal. How, then, does he call it a gift? That he may console them, as having sufficiently struck them in what he said, “Because of your incontinence.” And note that he sets down marriage also as a gift, in saying, “Each has his own gift; one in this way”—that is, to be virgin; “another in that”—that is, to marry.

¹² But I say to the unmarried and to the widows, it is good for them if they remain even as I. But if they have not continence, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn. Do you see the wisdom of Paul, how he both shows continence to be the better, and does not compel him who is unable, lest a worse fall come to pass? For if you endure, he says, much force and burning (for great is the tyranny of desire), be rid of toils and sweats, lest at some time you be utterly overthrown.

¹³ But to those who have married I give charge, not I, but the Lord. Since the Lord expressly legislated that one should not be put asunder save for the cause of fornication, on this account he says, “Not I, but the Lord.” For the things said before were not expressly legislated by the Lord; even though whatever Paul says is of the Lord, and not human. For going on a little further he says, For I think that I also have the Spirit of God.

¹⁴ That the wife depart not from her husband. But if she also depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband; and that the husband put not away his wife. For since divorces come about through a longing for continence, and through other pretexts and faintheartedness, he says: It is better that no separation at all take place; but if it do take place, let the wife remain keeping her husband—if not by intercourse, yet at least by bringing in no other; or, if she is unable to practice continence, let her be reconciled to him.

¹⁵ But to the rest I say, not the Lord: If any brother has an unbelieving wife, and she is content to dwell with him, let him not put her away. And the woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he is content to dwell with her, let her not put him away. What do you say? If he is an unbeliever, let her remain with the man; but if he is a fornicator, no longer? And yet unbelief is worse than fornication. Worse indeed; but God avenges what is ours rather than what is his own. “For leave,” he says, “your offering, and be reconciled to your brother.” And the ten thousand talents which were owing to himself he made light of; but the insolence toward the one owing the hundred denarii he avenged. So then here also, the unbelief, which is referred to himself, he overlooks; but the fornication he punishes, as a wrong done against the wife. But some say that unbelief comes about through ignorance, which is also likely to cease, as he himself says, For what do you know, O wife, whether you shall save your husband? But fornication comes about through an admitted wickedness. And besides, the fornicator has already gone before and parted himself off. “For having taken his members from the wife, he made them members of a harlot.” But the unbeliever has not sinned at all against the carnal union. Rather, indeed, through it perhaps he will be united even according to the faith; not to say that an overturning of life was likely to come about, and a calumny against the Gospel, if the believing part were to be separated from the one who had not believed. And understand these things of the case when they were joined together while both were in unbelief, but the one part believed. For if the man, or the woman, was a believer beforehand, it was by no means permitted to be yoked to an unbeliever. For he did not say, If anyone wishes to take an unbeliever, but, “If anyone has.” But neither does he simply settle the believing part to dwell with the unbeliever, but only when willing. For the “is content” means this, instead of, if it is willing.

¹⁶ For the unbelieving husband is sanctified in the wife; and the unbelieving wife is sanctified in the husband. That is, by the superabundance of the purity of the believing part, the uncleanness of the unbeliever is overcome; not that the Greek becomes holy—for he did not say that he is holy, but, “Is sanctified”—that is, is overcome by the holiness of the believer. And these things he says, that the believing wife may not fear, as though she were becoming unclean through the intercourse. But it is inquired: If he who is joined to a harlot, being one body, is unclean, it is clear that she also who is joined to an idolater is one body; how, then, does she not become unclean? Because in the case of fornication that very thing in which they have communion with one another, namely the intercourse, has the uncleanness, and on this account both are unclean. But in the case of the believing part and the unbelieving, the matter stands otherwise. For the unbeliever is indeed unclean according to his unbelief; but the wife has not communion with him according to this, but has communion according to the intercourse, in which no uncleanness appears; for it is marriage. On this account, then, the believing part is not unclean.

¹⁷ Else were your children unclean. For if the unbelieving part is not overcome by the purity of the believing, then the children born are unclean, or rather half-pure.

¹⁸ But now they are holy. That is, not unclean; for by the superabundance of the word “holy” he casts out the fear of such a suspicion.

¹⁹ But if the unbeliever departs, let him depart. That is, if he bids you either to share in his unbelief, or to withdraw from the marriage, let him withdraw. For it is better that the marriage be dissolved than godliness.

²⁰ A brother or a sister is not enslaved in such cases; but God has called us in peace. If he contends with you, he says, because you do not share in his unbelief, be put asunder. For you are not enslaved in such things—that is, he does not constrain you to bear with him even in such things. For it is better to be released than to contend; since God too does not will this. “For in peace God has called you.” So that, if he contends, that man has furnished the cause of the divorce.

²¹ For what do you know, O wife, whether you shall save your husband? Again, having run back to the “Let her not put away,” he says this: For if he does not contend with you, remain, he says, and perhaps by exhorting you will prevail. And he sets this down in a doubtful form, at once that he may not seem to lay a necessity upon the wife of by all means persuading the husband; and at the same time also making her in suspense by the ever hoping, so that she may not despair.

²² And what do you know, O husband, whether you shall save your wife? Only, as God has distributed to each, as the Lord has called each, so let him walk. Some read it thus: “What do you know, O husband, whether you shall save your wife, or not?”—then, from another beginning: “To each as God has distributed”—that is, Whence do you know, whether you shall save her or not? It is altogether uncertain. And since it is uncertain, the marriage must not be dissolved. For if you do not save him, you have not been harmed; but if you save him, you have profited him and been profited yourself. But John, who is among the saints, did not so read it, but, “Only, as God has distributed to each”; which is altogether better. For it is as though the Apostle said: The separation does not take place on account of the unbelief, “only as to each”—instead of, But let each so hold himself, as God has been well pleased with him. “Were you called having an unbelieving wife? Remain having her, and do not, on account of the unbelief, cast her out.”

²³ And so I ordain in all the Churches. This he said, that by their having others also as partakers, they might be disposed more readily toward obedience.

²⁴ Was any man called being circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. It was likely that many, being ashamed of the circumcision, by some surgical means brought the circumcised member back to its original state, drawing on the skin.

²⁵ Was any man called in uncircumcision? Let him not be circumcised. Again, some, on account of the seeming repute of circumcision, after believing were getting circumcised. He says, then, that these things contribute nothing to the faith.

²⁶ Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God. Everywhere this is sought: together with faith, the working of virtue; but the other things, either less, or not at all.

²⁷ Let each remain in the calling wherein he was called. Were you called being a slave? Let it not concern you; but even if you can become free, use it rather. “In the calling wherein he was called”—that is, In what manner of life, and in what order and polity he was when he believed, in this let him remain. For by “calling” he means the leading on to the faith. Did you believe being a slave? Be not anxious, nor troubled. For slavery harms you so little that, rather, even if you can be set free, use it—that is, Serve, give yourself over for use.

²⁸ For he who was called in the Lord being a slave is the Lord’s freedman; likewise he who was called being free is Christ’s slave. A “freedman” is he who has been set free from slavery. He says, then, that, You who believed in slavery are Christ’s freedman; for he set you free both from sin, and from this outward slavery also, even if you are a slave. For whenever one has been rid of the passions, and has a noble soul, he is not a slave, even though he seem to be. Again, another, being free, was called to the faith; he is Christ’s slave. So that, if the name of slavery troubles the slave, let him consider that in Christ he has been set free, which is far greater than human freedom. And again, if the name of freedom lifts up the free man, let him consider that he is Christ’s slave, and let him draw himself in, as being under so great a Master, and owing it to please him. Do you see the wisdom, how to both parties he counsels the things that befit them?

²⁹ You were bought with a price; become not slaves of men. Each, brethren, in that wherein he was called, let him remain therein with God. This he says not to household servants only, but also to the free, counseling all Christians not to act for the pleasing of men, nor to yield to them when they enjoin unlawful things. For this is to be a slave of men, and that when one has been bought by God. For he does not, indeed, counsel this—that one should withdraw from his masters; far from it. For that he does not say this is plain from what he adds: “Each in that wherein he was called,” and the rest—that is, even if in slavery, in this let him remain; and the phrase “with God” he added, that we may not again withdraw from God on account of subjection to lawless masters. For he provides for both: that we neither withdraw from our bodily masters on the pretext of God; nor again revolt from God, yielding beyond what is fitting to our masters.

³⁰ Now concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord; but I give my judgment, as one who has obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful. Since by the words concerning chastity he had exercised us, he runs up to the greater thing, virginity, and says that, The Lord indeed did not legislate, nor command anything concerning it; but said, He who is able to receive it, let him receive it. Neither, then, do I dare to command; for the matter is great and perilous; but nevertheless I give my judgment—that is, counsel—inasmuch as I myself also was deemed worthy, through the mercy of God, to be faithful—that is, his own, and worthy to be entrusted with mystic things.

³¹ I think, then, that this is good on account of the present necessity, that it is good for a man to be so. As far as concerns my judgment, he says, it is best for a man to abstain from marriage, on account of the difficulties in it, and the troublesome things of marriage—not on account of any uncleanness.

³² Are you bound to a wife? Seek not to be loosed. Are you loosed from a wife? Seek not a wife. But even if you marry, you have not sinned. In saying “Are you bound?” he showed that marriage brings an affliction, as a bond. And by “loosing” he means not the abstinence by agreement, but the unreasonable separation; since, if they practice continence by agreement, this is not a loosing. And since he had said, “Seek not a wife,” lest he should seem to legislate celibacy, he adds, “But if you marry, you have not sinned.” And see how secretly he leads on into virginity, calling marriage a bond, but virginity a loosing and a freedom.

³³ And if the virgin marry, she has not sinned. By “virgin” here he means not her who has been consecrated (for she alone, if she marries, brings in a setting-aside of her Bridegroom Christ), but the maiden as yet unmarried. She, then, if she marry, has not sinned; for marriage is not unclean.

³⁴ But such shall have affliction in the flesh. But I spare you. By “affliction” he means the cares and griefs in marriage. “But I,” he says, “spare you,” as children, and wish you to be free and without grief; since marriage is indeed a bond, and those under it have not authority over themselves, as has been said above.

³⁵ But this I say, brethren, that the time henceforth is shortened. Since he had said, “They shall have affliction in the flesh,” lest anyone should say, But also pleasure, he cuts away the things of pleasure, by bringing in the thought that the time is shortened. For all things press on toward dissolution, and the kingdom of Christ has drawn near, and henceforth we must journey away to him. So that, even if there is any pleasure, yet it is brief and short-lived; and this very thing is an affliction.

³⁶ That both those who have wives may be as though they had none; and those who weep, as though they wept not; and those who rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and those who buy, as though they possessed not; and those who use this world, as not abusing it. Since even those who have ought to be as though they had not, what need is there thereafter to be married at all, and to lay a burden upon oneself? And what is “as though they had not”? Instead of, not nailed fast to them, nor spending all their zeal upon marriage and wives. Likewise, neither concerning any of the other things—whether griefs, which he intimated by “weeping”; or delights, which he showed by “rejoicing”; or business dealings, which he indicated by “buying”—ought one to be exceedingly more zealous. And why, he says, do I enumerate this and that? Simply, those who use this world ought not to abuse it—that is, to attend to it with all zeal and with attachment to it. For “abuse” is the superfluous use, and more than is needful.

³⁷ For the fashion of this world passes away. Instead of, it passes by and is dissolved. Why, then, ought one to cling to that which is being dissolved? And he called it “fashion,” showing that the things of the present world are but on the surface of sight, and superficial, having nothing fixed and substantial.

³⁸ But I would have you without care. And how should we be without care? If we are unmarried. He adds, then:

³⁹ The unmarried man cares for the things of the Lord, how he shall please the Lord. But he who has married cares for the things of the world, how he shall please his wife. How is it, Paul, that wishing us to be without care, and on this account keeping us unmarried, you again say, “The unmarried man cares for the things of the Lord”? For behold, here again are cares. But of what kind, he says, are they? Such as the cares of marriage? For the cares of the Lord are saving and delightful; but those of marriage are harmful and grievous. For how is it not an affliction and a trouble to be eager to please a wife, and that a worldly one, demanding gold and pearls, and the rest of her folly? Hence the pitiable husbands are pushed even into injustice and into soul-harming managements of affairs.

⁴⁰ The wife and the virgin are divided. That is, they differ from one another, and have not the same concern, but are divided in their zeals; and the one is zealous about some things, the other about others; and their cares differ; and one must choose the better things and the less laborious.

⁴¹ The unmarried woman cares for the things of the Lord, how she shall please the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit; but she who has married cares for the things of the world, how she shall please her husband. It does not suffice to be holy in body, but one must be so also in spirit. For this is the true virginity, the purity of the soul; since many, being chaste and undefiled in body, are stained in soul. But consider this also, that she who cares for the things of the world is not a virgin. Whenever, then, you see a woman professing virginity, but caring for the things of the world, know that she is in no way different from her who is in marriage. For Paul has set down boundaries for both, by which they are distinguished—not marriage and continence, but busyness and freedom from business. So that the busy woman is no virgin. And she who has married cares how she shall please her husband; perhaps attending to beauty; perhaps also, in order to seem a good housekeeper, showing herself merciless and miserly.

⁴² But this I say for your own profit, not that I may cast a noose upon you. I have raised, he says, the words concerning virginity, knowing the thing to be profitable for you, on account of its being free from grief and care, and more beneficial to the soul; not that I may compel you, even against your will, to be virgins; for by “noose” he named compulsion.

⁴³ But for that which is seemly, and for waiting upon the Lord without distraction. That, he says, you may live in a seemly manner and in purity (for what is more seemly and more pure than virginity?), and that, being free from the troubles of marriage, you may serve the Lord without distraction and wait upon him, transferring your whole care upon him.

⁴⁴ But if any man thinks that he behaves unseemly toward his virgin, if she be past the flower of her age, and so it ought to be, let him do what he will, he sins not; let them marry. If anyone, he says, being truly weak in mind, thinks it unseemly to have a virgin daughter, and her past the flower of her age, let it be so, he says, even thus. How? “Let him do what he will”—that is, if he wishes to give her to a man, let him give her; for he sins not. Nevertheless it is better to keep her a virgin, as he says next.

⁴⁵ But he who stands steadfast in his heart, having no necessity, but has authority over his own will, and has so decreed in his heart, to keep his own virgin, does well. So then he who gives in marriage does well; but he who gives not in marriage does better. See how, from the very outset, he marvels at him who keeps her a virgin, calling him steadfast and firmly fixed, and one doing in judgment the things he does. “For he has decreed,” he says, “in his heart.” So that he who gives in marriage does not stand steadfast. And the phrase “having no necessity” shows this, that he has authority to give her a husband, and there is no one compelling him not to give her. So that it is a point of honor for him to keep his daughter a virgin, and on this account he is praised. “He does well,” he says. And yet he who gives in marriage, that man also does well. For to give in marriage is not a sin; and what is not a sin is well done. But better is it not to give in marriage; for it is an achievement of virtue.

⁴⁶ The wife is bound by law for as long a time as her husband lives; but if her husband fall asleep, she is free to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord. But she is more blessed if she so remain, according to my judgment. And I think that I also have the Spirit of God. Here he teaches concerning second marriage, conceding this also; nevertheless setting her who does not marry twice as the more blessed. For as virginity is better than the first marriage, so also the first marriage is better than the second. The wife, then, is bound by law—that is, is held by the law that deals with adulteries, so that she would become an adulteress if she were yoked to another while her husband lived; but when he has died, she has been set free from the first bond and law, and is loosed. “Only in the Lord”—that is, with chastity, with decorum, for the begetting of children and for their protection, not with a passion of desire. And the phrase “according to my judgment” he says, that you may not deem the matter a necessity, but a counsel, and a divine counsel. “For I think,” he says, “that I also have the Spirit of God.” And this is a mark of great humility. For he did not say, I have, but, “I think I have”—that is, I suppose, I surmise.