| Volume XXIX |
May
2009
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Number
10
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by Brian R. Kenyon
The “not under bondage” phrase is found within the section where Paul addresses issues concerning Christians who are married to non-Christians. Although faithful Christians marrying faithful Christians is certainly preferable (cf. Mt. 6:33; Col. 3:1-2), the fact that Paul teaches these things about Christians being married to non-Christians shows that a Christian marrying a non-Christian is not inherently sinful. In fact, some situations within the context may call for it (cf. 1 Cor. 7:2, 9)! This section on Christians being married to non-Christians is subdivided into three main points. First, if the non-Christian wants to live with the Christian in marriage, then let it be (1 Cor. 7:12-14). Second, if the non-Christian spouse insists on departing from the marriage, then the Christian spouse is not compelled to force the non-Christian spouse to maintain the marriage (1 Cor. 7:15-16). Third, the Christian can glorify God in whatever state (marital status included) he or she is called, providing that state is not sinful (1 Cor. 7:17-24).
God’s ultimate will is that marriage be permanent (cf. Gen. 2:18-25). Paul writes,
“The rest” refers to those not explicitly addressed so far; namely, Christians married to non-Christians. “Speak I, not the Lord” is not a reference to Paul’s mere opinion, but rather that what follows is not something Jesus explicitly addressed while in the flesh, though He gave the principles (cf. Mt. 19:3-9). Note the role that the non-Christian has in determining whether or not the marriage stays intact. To this point, Paul has stressed that it is best to remain unmarried (1 Cor. 7:1, 7), because of the “present distress” (1 Cor. 7:26, 28 cf. Jer. 16:1-4). Lest Christians married to non-Christians think they should become single, Paul stresses that the marriage should be kept intact. It is the “wife that believeth not” and the “husband that believeth not” who are to “be pleased [content, ASV; willing, NKJ]” in order for the marriage to hold together. The reason why the marriage’s staying intact rests with the decision of the non-Christian spouse is because the Christian spouse has already determined to follow the Lord’s will concerning marriage (cf. Eph. 5:22-33)! As long as the non-Christian spouse is pleased with the marriage, the Christian spouse is “not [to] put her away” or to “leave him”! The marriage of a Christian to a non-Christian being legitimate is further confirmed by Paul,
“Sanctified” here obviously does not mean that the non-Christian spouse is saved through marriage (cf. 1 Cor. 7:16). “Sanctified” means set apart. Thus, the marriage is still a marriage in God’s eyes. Even among their peers, the marriage is still a marriage. If it were not, the children resulting from those unions would have been considered illegitimate! However, what if the non-Christian spouse is not pleased to remain in the marriage? Paul writes, “But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace” (1 Cor. 7:15). Note that the departing is done by the non-Christian because, again, the Christian spouse should be determined to keep the marriage together! The verb “departs [leaves, NAS; separates, ESV]” (from chorizo, χωρίζω) basically means to divide or separate. Of the thirteen occurrences of the Greek word, it is used in reference to humans (Acts 1:4; 18:1-2; Phile. 15), to deity (Rom. 8:35, 39; Heb. 7:26), and in connection with marriage (Mt. 19:6; Mk. 10:9; 1 Cor. 7:10-11, 15 [twice]). When the non-Christian spouse departs from the marriage, the Christian spouse is not (and has never been) enslaved to the whims of the non-Christian so as to follow his or her departure from the marriage. Instead, the Christian spouse is to let the non-Christian spouse depart. As much as one might like, one spouse cannot force the other spouse to remain married! It takes both the husband’s and the wife’s willingness! Perhaps the refusal of one spouse letting the other spouse depart in some circumstances has led to fatal cases of domestic violence. God “hath called us to peace,” and He knows the best solution to maintain the most possible peace in situations where one spouse wants to depart the marriage—“let her depart”! Paul adds, “For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?” (1 Cor. 7:16). This indicates a further reason for letting the non-Christian depart: there is no guarantee that the Christian spouse will ever convert the non-Christian spouse.
“Not under bondage” does not teach that one is free to remarry simply because his or her non-Christian spouse departs. Since marriage is a “one flesh” relationship (Gen. 2:24; Mt. 19:5-6), only that which nullifies or violates the “one flesh” relationship allows one to divorce and remarry with God’s approval; namely, the death of a spouse (Rom. 7:1-4), or fornication, in which only the spouse innocent of fornication is eligible for remarriage (Mt. 5:32; 19:9). Although these facts should settle the matter, it is relevant here to consider the original language and its inability to support the so called Pauline privilege of divorce and remarriage. The Pauline privilege refers to the false idea that Paul here gives an additional reason besides fornication for divorce and remarriage. For example, one brother says that First Corinthians 7:15 teaches that “the believer is no longer bound in marriage if deserted by an unbelieving companion” (Allen 89). There are two textual reasons why such an idea cannot be supported by First Corinthians 7:15. First, the vocabulary Paul uses does not support the Pauline privilege. Although the English translation “bound” is used in reference to marriage, the Greek word behind it is not the same word as is translated “not under bondage.” Paul uses a form of the word deo (δέω) when speaking of marriage (1 Cor. 7:27, 39; Rom. 7:2), which simply means to bind or tie. However, the Greek word behind the translation “not under bondage” is from a word (douloo, δουλόω) that means to enslave, to make one a slave. God-ordained marriage is not (and was never) intended to be a slave relationship (cf. 1 Cor. 7:3-5). “Bondage” in “not under bondage,” therefore, cannot refer to the marriage relationship! Second, the verb tense Paul uses does not support the Pauline privilege. “Under bondage” translates the perfect passive indicative form of douloo (δουλόω), which, again, means to enslave, and is coupled with “not.” This construction is known as a perfect tense negation. A positive statement in the perfect tense points to an action that was completed in the past but has present, continuous results. Jesus used the perfect tense, for example, when He answered Satan’s temptations with “It is written...” (Mt. 4:4, 7, 10). In each case He quoted from Deuteronomy. What Moses wrote was completed in the past, but it also had present, continuous results when Jesus used it! A negative statement in the perfect tense, however, indicates that no such action has ever taken place in the past and can, therefore, have no present, continuous results! In other words, by Paul’s use of a perfect tense negation in First Corinthians 7:15, the apostle is saying that a brother or sister has never been in the type of enslavement here contemplated! Paul does not say a brother or sister is “no longer under bondage” or that he or she is “set free from bondage” (Workman 392). Rather, the apostle is saying, “You have never been in this kind of enslavement, so don’t start now!” The confusion between the “bond” (deo, δέω) of marriage and the “under bondage” (douloo, δουλόω) of slavery is alleviated when Bible translations properly distinguish between the two different Greek words. When this writer was in Ghana, West Africa, a few years ago, he taught a lectureship lesson on First Corinthians 7. When we came to 7:15, he warned the local brethren how this verse is twisted in the United States to have Paul saying that when the unbelieving spouse departs, the Christian spouse is no longer bound to the marriage (i.e., the Pauline privilege). When his translator seemed not to understand the point, it dawned on this writer to ask how the local Bible translations rendered First Corinthians 7:15. In both the Twi and Dangbe language translations, different words are used to distinguish the marriage bond (1 Cor. 7:27, 39) from enslavement (1 Cor. 7:15). Thus, the Ghanian translator could not comprehend how anyone could see them as being the same! Whereas most English translations use “bound” and “under bondage,” leaving the impression to some that both terms refer to the marriage bond, these two Ghanian translations use different words altogether so that one would need “help” connecting the marriage bond of 7:27, 39 to the slavery of 7:15. Among major English Bible translations this writer consulted, only the ESV makes this distinction. It translates “bound” (from deo, δέω) in 7:27, 39, and “enslaved” (from douloo, δουλόω) in 7:15.
Since the Pauline privilege is not taught, what then does “not under bondage” mean? Again, “under bondage” (from douloo, δουλόω) cannot refer to marriage because the marriage relationship is never Biblically described as enslavement (cf. 1 Cor. 7:3-4)! “Not under bondage” here refers to the fact that the Christian must not think that his spouse (or anyone else) has absolute power over him where it concerns faithfulness to God. Just because the unbelieving spouse departs the marriage does not mean the Christian spouse is also compelled, or “enslaved,” to depart the marriage. This principle is illustrated in the next few verses, where Paul shows that a Christian can serve God acceptably regardless of his social (and marital) status. The word “servant [slave, NKJ]” (from doulos, δουλος) is a noun from the same root as douloo (δουλόω). Paul writes,
“Be not ye the servants [slaves] of men” is exactly the point Paul is making in 7:15! The Christian spouse “has been bought with a price;” therefore, just because his non-Christian spouse has departed does not mean that he is enslaved to do the same—he is not his spouse’s slave, but rather “Christ’s servant [slave]”! When this departure occurs, there are only two options: remain unmarried, or be reconciled (cf. 1 Cor.7:11). Matthew 19:9 has no application unless fornication is involved! God’s ideal will is for husband and wife to remain married “until death we do part,” but He also knows that marriage cannot be forced. Thus, through the apostle Paul, He gives the principles by which situations can be handled where one spouse departs the marriage. May we bind and loose only as God has!
Works Cited
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