1 Corinthians 7:1

Things whereof ye wrote. This verse begins a new section of the epistle, in which there is a discussion of certain questions that the Corinthian church had asked Paul. The letter containing these questions is not extant, and it is possible for us only to conjecture as to the range of its queries. It would be most helpful, for example, to know what, precisely, were the questions relating to marriage. The interpretation of the chapter depends in part upon the nature of the problem presented in the letter to him. It seems fitting that the topic of marriage should be dealt with first, in Paul’s reply, in view of his earnest warning against fornication (chs. 5; 6). Then there were probably those in Corinth who wondered whether the rigid Jewish rules that made it obligatory for all, at least the men, to marry (see Mishnah Yebamoth 6.6, Soncino ed. of the Talmud, vol. 1, p. 411), were applicable to Christians. Some in the church may have had no particular desire to marry, and may have asked Paul whether it would be acceptable for them to remain single. If this query was the background of Paul’s statement in ch. 7:1, then the apostle was not giving general counsel regarding the propriety of marriage, but was simply informing this particular group that it was perfectly proper to remain single. Some Christians apparently believed that marriage was a sinful state, which ought to be avoided and if possible broken up. This would be an understandable reaction against the licentiousness that was so common in Corinth at that time. In their zeal to avoid anything in the nature of fornication they might swing over to the other extreme of complete abstention from the marriage relation.

Good. Gr. kalos, “proper,” “appropriate.” The word does not denote goodness in a moral sense (see vs. 28, 36). Hence this statement cannot be used to justify celibacy as a morally superior practice (see Matt. 19:4-6; Rom. 7:2-4; Eph. 5:22-32; 1 Tim. 4:1-3; Heb. 13:4). It would be inconsistent for Paul to teach that it is not good for men to marry under any circumstances, and then in an epistle to another church, use marriage as an illustration of the close union that exists between Christ and His church (see Eph. 5:22-27). See above under “things whereof ye wrote.”

Touch a woman. A euphemism for sexual intercourse (see Gen. 20:4, 6; 26:11; Prov. 6:29). The expression here is probably synonymous with marriage. The instruction must be interpreted in the light of its context, and must not be understood as a prohibition of marriage.