Let Them Marry 1 Corinthians 7:36

Paul the apostle told the church members in Corinth that he spoke to them “for” their “own profit; not that” he “may cast a snare upon” them, but they could “attend upon the Lord without distraction”. In chapter seven and verse thirty-six of First Corinthians, Paul gave instructions to the male church member who “behaved himself uncomely toward his virgin” as he told them, “let them marry” where we read:

But if any man thinks that he behaves himself uncomely toward his virgin, if she passes the flower of her age, and need so require, let him do what he will, he sins not: let them marry.

The verse begins, “But if any man thinks that he behaves himself uncomely toward his virgin, if she passes the flower of her age, ...” Paul began with the word, “But” which is a disassociation conjunction that means what is about to be written takes precedence over what was just stated “if any man” or “whoever or whatever man” “thinks” which means “holds to and follows a custom or usage, deems and supposes” “that he behaves himself uncomely” which means “that the man contextually prepares to be disgraceful or indecent” “toward” or “by and before” “his virgin” which refers to “the man's marriageable maiden who has never had sexual intercourse with a man”, “if she passes the flower of her age” which is all one Greek word “hyperakmos” and refers to “when a woman is beyond the bloom or prime of life”. Paul declared if a man is on a pathway to be “indecent or disgraceful” toward his “unmarried virgin” who is passed the “flower of her age” which means her menstrual period.

The verse continues, “... and need so require, let him do what he will, he sins not: let them marry.” Paul continued with the words, “and need so require” which means “owes it and is indebted”, “let him do” or “prepare, make ready and produce” “what he will” which means “that which he has in mind, intends, resolves, determines, desires and wishes”, “he sins not” or “he does not miss the mark, err and is not mistaken”: “let them marry” which means “allow and permit the unmarried man and virgin to be married”. If the man “needs” to “marry” his “unmarried maiden”, he was to “marry” her which was not a sin.

When we meditate upon these words from Paul, we see his allowance for a man who desires greatly to “marry” his “virgin”. Rather than bringing “shame” and “reproach” upon his “unmarried maiden”, the man should be “married” to her. The church was to allow and permit this to happen, and if he did, he and she were not in “sin”. Jesus Christ desires for His church, his bride, to be pure and holy, and if there is an opportunity to avoid “disgrace”, as long as the “marriageable maiden” is mature and legally old enough, the church should allow them to marry. Let us keep in mind that the world is watching our witness of Jesus Christ, and we must do everything we are able to avoid bringing a “reproach” upon it.

Next time Paul gives instructions to church members who “stands stedfast in his heart” ... “has so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin, does well”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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