1 Corinthians chapter 7: Paul outs himself, permits homosexuality and summarizes the rules governing ownership of progeny

Περι δε ων εγραψατε καλον ανθρωπων γυωαικος μη απτεσθαι

* About the things that you wrote:  It is good for a man not touch a woman.

Paul is responding to a question, not restating it.

Δια δε τας πορνειας εκστος την εαυτου γυναικα εχετω και εκαστη τον ιδιον αωδρα εχετω

* Because immorality, each one should have his own woman and each woman her own man.

Τη γυωαικι ο ανηρ την οφειλην αποδιδοτω ομιοως δε και η γυνη τω ανδρι

* The man pays his duty to the woman, similarly the woman to the man.

This gets prettied up as “the husband should give conjugal rights to the wife and the wife to her husband.”  However, there are no “conjugal rights.”  Paul only refers to “paying duty.”  Marriage was a contract constructed for the purpose of providing recognized heirs to a family.  The heir was deemed recognized when produced by the woman named in the contract.  For this reason, Paul referred to interaction with a prostitute as immoral:  in the ancient world, a woman was understood to be little more than a field in which the male planted seed.  The marriage contract gave the male ownership of the field.  A prostitute was considered, essentially, community property.  Anything planted in her was deemed lost to the family line, hence the notion of a man “spreading his seed.” 

Η γυνη του ιδιου σωματος ουκ εξουσιαζει αλλα ο ανηρ, ομοιως δε και ο ανηρ, του ιδιου σωματος ουκ εξουσιαζει αλλα η γυνη

* The woman has no authority over her own body, but the man does. Similarly the man has no authority over his own body, but the woman does.

The reason for this is the contract:  one contract for reproduction per person.  Thus, this is the problem with “sexual immorality:” if a person who is under contract to another has sex with someone who is not a part of the contract, ownership of the product of that interaction (progeny) would be open to dispute.  In the matter of the man who was having sex with his father’s wife (which Paul referred to earlier), the man put himself in the position of possibly having to disclaim his own offspring, while knowing that offspring would be understood as his father’s property.  The woman was in the position of being presumed to be stealing offspring from the man, and attempting to pass it off as the offspring of his father, to whom she was contracted.

The contract of marriage is not constructed for the purpose of producing offspring.  Offspring can be produced without the contract of marriage.  The contract of marriage is provides parameters for claiming ownership of progeny.  The difficulty with “sexual immorality” was that it had the potential for clouding the matter of ownership of progeny.  This was a world that lacked paternity tests.

Μη αποστερειτε αλληλους ει μητι αν εκ συμφωνου προς καορον ινα σχολασητε τη προσευχη και παλιν επι το αυτο ητε ινα μη πειραζη υμας ο Σατανας δια την ακρασιαν υμων

* Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by consent, for a season, in order that you may be at leisure for prayer; then again, together the same. In order that Satan might not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

Paul says “for a season.”  This is usually translated “for a limited time.”  However, since the ancient world thought of women as fields, “a season” it makes sense that Paul thought of a specific period of time:  a season.  In other words, if you have to not plant seed, stop planting for the period in which a seed would grow and be produced.  Then start planting again.

Τουτο δε λεγω κατα συνγνωμην ου κατα επιταγην

* I say this as permission, not command.

Paul gives couples the right to not have sex.  This should make it clear that the purpose of marriage was not to produce offspring, but to create parameters in which the ownership of offspring could be identified.

Θελω δε παντας ανθρωπους ειναι ως και εμαυτον.  εκαστος ιδιον εχει χαρισμα εκ θεου ο μεν ουτως ο δε ουτως

* I wish men to be as myself. But each has his own gift from God, one of one kind and one of another.

And Paul outs himself.

Λεγω δε τοις αγαμοις και ταις χηραις καλον αυτοις εαν μεινωσιν ως καγω

* I say to the unmarried and the widows it is good for them to remain as I am.

This is traditionally translated:  “Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I do.”  But Paul does not say he is unmarried.  He simply says, “as I am.”  Paul found a way around the obligation to produce progeny, by “begetting” adults.  In this way, he can do what he wants, without the having to construct a contract to produce progeny.

Ει δε ουκ εγκρατευονται γαμησατωσαν κρειττον γαρ εστιν γαμησαι η πυρουσθαι

* If they have no self-control, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn.

τοις δε γεγαμηκοσιν παραγγελλω ουκ εγω αλλα ο κυριος γυναικα απο ανδρος μη χωρισθηναι

* To the married I give this charge, not I, but the Lord: the woman should not be separated from her man

εαν δε και χωρισυη μενετω αγαμος  η τω ανδρι καταλλαγητω και ανδρα γυναικα μη αφιεναι

* If she is separated, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to the man, and the man should not leave his woman.

Again, the matter is ownership if the progeny:  if a woman leaves a man to whom she is contracted, it is possible that she will produce progeny that could be his, or that could be claimed by him, which would complicate thing for her were she to try to enter into another contract to produce progeny with someone else.  If a man leaves his woman, he is in the position of possibly disclaiming progeny that she might produce.

τοις δε λοιποις λεγω εγω ουχ ο κυριος ει τισ αδελφος γυναικα εχει απιστον και αυτη συνευδοκει οικειν μετ αυτου μη αφιετω αυτην

* To the rest I say, I, not the Lord, that if a brother has a woman is unbelieving, and she consents to live with him, do not let him leave her. 

Και γυνη τις εχει ανδρα απιστον και ουτος συνευδοκει οικειν μετ αυτην μυ αφιετω τον ανδρα

* If a woman has a man who is unbelieving, and he consents to live with her, do not let her leave him.

Ηγιασται γαρ ο ανηρ ο απιστος εν τη γυναικι και ηγιασται η γυνη η απιστος εν τω αδελφω επει αρα τα τεκνα υμων ακαθαρτα εστιν νυν δε αγια εστιν

* The unbelieving man is made holy in the woman, and the unbelieving woman is made holy in the man. Otherwise your children are unclean, but as it is, they are holy.

Absence of belief in a partner is not a justification for a believer to disclaim progeny.

Ει δε ο απιστος χωριζεται χωριζεσθω ου δεδουλωται ο αδελφος η η αδελφη εν τοις τοιουτοις εν δε ειρηνη κεκληκεν υμας ο θεος

* If the unbelieving one separates, him separate.  the brother or sister is not enslaved. God has called you in peace.

Paul is indicating it is a matter of honoring the contract as it was entered into:  if the believer is in a contract with a non-believer, the believer entered into that contract and is bound to honor it, as such, the non-belief of the other party is not sufficient reason to end the contract.  If the non-believer leaves the contract, the believer is free to understand that the contract was not valid in the first place, because someone of honor would not break a contract over a matter of belief.

Τι γαρ οιδας γυναι ει τον ανδρα σωσεις η τι οιδας ανερ ει την γυναικα σωσεις

* How do you know, woman, if you will save your man? Or how do you know, man, if you will save your woman?

While this has the sound of eschatology, it also has the sound that Paul was in Judea during the bar Cochba revolt, when believing in bar Cochba’s vision and leadership became a matter of life and death.

Ει μη εκαστω ως εμερισεν ο κυριος εκαστον ως κεκληκεν ο θεος ουτως περιπατειτω και ουτως εν ταις εκκλησιαις πασαις διστασσομαι

* If the Lord did not divide each, God has called each, so let him walk.  So I order in all the gatherings.

περιτετμημεονς τις εκληθη μη επισπασθω εν ακροβθστια κεκληται τις μη περιτεμνεσθω

* Anyone who was called having been circumcised let him not be uncircumcised. Anyone who was not circumcised, do not let him be circumcised.

Circumcision is not a requirement for membership, not is it an obstacle to membership.

Η περιτομη ουδεν εστιν και η ακροβθστια ουδεν εστιν αλλα τηρησις εντολων θεου

* Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commands of God [is all].

εκαστος εν τη κλησει η εκληθη εν ταυτη μενετω

* Let each abide a in the condition to which he was called.

Do not try to change people (that, presumably, would include sexual orientation).

δουλος εκληθης μη σοι μελετω αλλ ει και δυνασαι ελευθερος γενεσθαι μαλλον χρησαι

* Were you called a slave? Do not let it be a care. But if you are able to become free, use it.

ο γαρ εν κυριω κληθεις δουλος απελευθερος κυριου εστιν ονοιως ο ελευθερος κληθεις δουλος εστιν Χριστου

* The one who having been called a slave is the Lord’s freeman. Similarly,  the one who having been called a freeman is Christ’s slave.

τιμης ηγορασθητε μη γινεσθε δουλοι ανθτωπων

* You were bought for a price; do not become slaves of men.

εκαστος εν ω εκληθη αδελφοι εν τουτω μενετω παρα θεω

* Each in which he was called, brothers, let him abide in before God.

Περι δε των παρθενων επιταην κυριου ουκ εχω γνωμην δε διδωμι ως ηλεημενος υπο κυριου πιστος ειναι

* Concerning the young women, I have no command from the Lord, I give judgment as one who having received the Lord’s mercy, is faithful.

Paul does not command young women to marry or to produce progeny.  So much for God wants you barefoot and pregnant.

Νομιζω ουν τουτο καλον υπορχειν δια την ενεστωσαν αναγικην οτι καλον ανθρωπω το ουτως ειναι

* I think this to be good, through the present necessity, that it is good for a human to be thus.

Δεδεσαι γυναικι μη ζητει λυσιν λελυσαι γυναικος μη ζητει γυναικα

Have you been bound to a woman? Do not seek to be loosed. Have you been loosed from a woman? Do not seek a woman.

* Paul is not insisting that men must marry.

Εαν δε και γαμησης ουχ ημαρτες και εαν γημη η παρθενος ουχ ημαρτεν θλιψιν δε τη σαρκι εξουσιν οι τοιουτοι εγω δε υμων φειδομαι

* If you might have married, you did not sin, and if a young woman might have married, she did not sin.  They will have tribulation in flesh. and I would spare you that.

This is traditionally translated as “But if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this.”  But the verbs do not support that translation.  Paul says if you had the opportunity to marry (you were offered a contract), and did not marry, you did not break a contract.  If a young woman had to opportunity to marry (was offered a contract) and did not marry, she did not break the contract.  The “tribulation in flesh” is that without a contract, you would not be able to assert ownership of any progeny you produced.

Τουτο δε φημι αδελφοι ο καιρος συνεσταλμενος εστιν το λοιπον ινα και οι εχοντες γυναικας ως μη εχοντες ωσιν

* This I say, brothers: the season is shortened. For the rest, those having women might be as not having them.

 This verse is traditionally translated: “What I mean, brothers and sisters, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they do not.”  The verbs, however, do not support that translation.  Paul does not instruct his community to pretend not to be married.  He tells the community that because there is little time, there is the option to disregard any contract they entered into prior to acquiring their new way of life.

και οι κλαιοντες ως μη κλαιοντες και οι χαιροντες ως μη χαιροντες και οι αγοραζοντες ως μη κατεχοντες

* Those who weep as though not weeping, and those who rejoice as though not rejoicing, and those who buy as though not owning.

και οι χρωμενοι τον μοσμον ως μη καταχρωμενοι παραγει γαρ το σχημα του μοσμου τουτου

 * Those who use with the world as though not using it as their own. The present form of this world passes away.

In this section, beginning with “the season is shortened,” Paul references Ecclesiastes 3:1-8: 

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:

a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.

Θελω δε υμας αμεριμνους ειναι ο αγαμος μεριμνα τα του κυριου πως αρεση τω κυριω

* I wish you to be without care. The unmarried cares for the Lord’s things, how will he please the Lord.

The reason for this is that the Lord laid on him the obligation to produce offspring.  The unmarried man has not constructed a contract with someone to produce offspring.  Until he constructs such a contract, he cannot prove that he has indeed honored the obligation laid on him by the Lord.

Ο δε γαμησας μαριμνα τα του κοσμου πως αρεση τη γυναικι

* The married man is cares about the world’s things, how will he please his woman,

και μεμρισται και η γυνη η αγαμος και η παρθενος μεριμνα τα του κυριου ινα η αγια και τω σωμα και τω πνευματι η δε γαμησασα μεριμνα τα του

* They are divided, the unmarried woman and the young woman care about the Lord’s things, in order that she might be holy both in body and spirit. But the married one cares for the world’s things, how will she please her man.

Τουτο δε προς το υμων αυτων συμφορον λεγω ουχ ινα βροχον υμιν βροχον υμιν επιβαλω αλλα προς το ευσχημον και ευπαρεδρον τω κυριω απερισπαστως

* For your benefit I say this, not in order to cast any restraint upon you, for what is seemly and waiting on the Lord without distraction.

Ει δε τις ασχημονειν επι την παρθενον αυτου νομιζει εαν η υπερακμος και ουτως οφειλει γινεσθαι ο θελει ποειετω ουχ αμαρτανει γαμειτωσαν

* If anyone thinks that he is behaving unseemly toward his young woman, if he is beyond his prime, and so it ought to be, let him do what he wills: let them marry—he does not sin.

Just because he’s old and she’s young doesn’t mean he can’t construct a contract to own progeny.

ος δε εστηκεν εν τη καρδια αυτου εδραιος μη εχων αναγκην εξουσιαν δε εχει περι του ιδιου θεληματος τουτο κεκρικεν εν τη ιδια καρδια τηρειν την εαυτου παρθενον καλως ποιησει

* The one who stands firm in his heart, not having necessity, who has authority over his own will, and has judged in his heart, to keep the young woman to himself, he does well.

If a man does not need to be concerned over ownership of progeny, and still wants to construct a contract to assert ownership of progeny, can do it.

ωστε και ο γαμιζων την εαθτου παρθενον καλως και ο μη γαμιζων κρεισσον ποιησει

* He who gives his own young woman in marriage does well, and he who does not give her in marriage does better.

The man who has the option to construct a contract for ownership of progeny with a woman, but gives lets someone else make the contract with her does well.  The one who has the option to construct a contract with her and does not let someone else make the contract does even better.

Paul is covering all his bases.

Γυνη δεδται εφ οσον χρονον ζη ο ανηρ αυτης εαν δε κοιμηθη ο ανηρ ελευθερα εστιν ω θελει γαμηθηναι μονον εν κυριω

* A woman is bound for as long a time as her man might live. If her man might have fallen asleep, she is free to whom she wishes to marry, only in the Lord.

If her husband dies, she can enter into another contract to produce progeny without being accused of attempting to steal the dead man’s progeny and pass it off as the progeny of the new man, and without being accused of attempting to steal the progeny of the new man and pass it off as that of the dead man.

Μακαριωτερα δε εστιν εαν ουτως μεινη κατα την εμην γνωμην δοκω δε καγω πνευμα θεου εχειν

* More blessed is she if she should remain, according to my judgment.  And I think that I too have the Spirit of God.