Oneness In Marriage Series

1 Corinthians 7:1. [7:1] Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: "It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman." [2] But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. [3] The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. [4] For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise, the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. [5] Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. [6] Now as a concession, not a command, I say this. [7]I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has his own gift from God, one of one kind and one of another. [8] To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain single as I am. [9] But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion. (ESV)

An arch consists of two pillars that curve upward and fuse together, forming a single architectural support that can carry enormous amounts of weight. In fact, architects and builders know that an arch is many times stronger and can thus uphold far more weight than two separate pillars with a lintel (or crossbeam) placed between them. This is a beautiful metaphor for marriage. Just as two pillars in an arch lean in and fuse together at the apex to create greater strength, a woman and man, truly committed and united to one another, become stronger together than they could ever be apart. (https://beholdvancouver.org/resources/a-healthier-understanding-of-oneness-in-marriage)

For the Corinthians that the Apostle Paul wrote to, this concept of marital oneness was foreign from the context of what they saw in Corinth. Written from Ephesus during the Apostle Paul’s third missionary journey from 53-57 AD, 1 Corinthians 7 commences the second part or division of this Epistle, or, “the discussion of those points which had been submitted to the apostle in a letter from the church at Corinth, for his instruction and advice. A strategic commercial center, Corinth was one of the largest cities in the Roman world and one of the most corrupt (Acts 18:1). Full of false teachers, immature believers and people of all kind of ideas, the Christians in Corinth got into a lot of difficult situations considering Marriage.

The question is, since so many ideas exist on marriage, is oneness possible in Marriage. Is independent singleness the answer or do we abandon the concept of oneness in favour of as open relations as we possibly can? Can you even know how to build spiritual intimacy in your marriage?

Starting with a question of singleness, in 1 Corinthians 7:1-9, the Apostle Paul begins to show how committed believers can have a oneness in marriage. He shows this through the four elements of an: 1) Observation of Oneness (1 Corinthians 7:1), 2) Qualification of Oneness (1 Corinthians 7:2), 3) Obligation of Oneness (1 Corinthians 7:3-5), 4) Expectation of Oneness (1 Corinthians 7:6-9)

Committed believers can have a oneness in marriage as seen through an:

1) Observation of Oneness (1 Corinthians 7:1)

1 Corinthians 7:1. [7:1] Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: "It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman." (ESV)

In 1 Corinthians 5:9, Paul referenced an earlier letter than he sent the Corinthians which has been lost. He said that the Corinthians we not to associate with sexually immoral people. Here in 1 Corinthians 7, we see his response to their questions with the statement that he is now going to address “matters about which they wrote”. The matters to which Paul refers are translated different ways. The NIV over translates it, saying that “it is good for a man not to marry”. Literally, the idiom refers to one to “touch a woman”. It occurs nine times in Greek antiquity, ranging across six centuries and a variety of writers, and in every instance, without ambiguity it refers to having sexual intercourse. It is possible that we should take the words It is good … as a quotation from what the Corinthians had written. Good does not here mean ‘necessary’ or ‘morally better’ (cf. vv. 8, 26; Gen. 2:18; Jonah 4:3, 8). It is simply something to be commended, rather than blame (Morris, L. (1985). Vol. 7: 1 Corinthians: An introduction and commentary. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (105). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.)

The activity refers to the activity generally to a anthropos (man) instead of the specific expression aner (husband). Moreover, the Greek has the indefinite noun gyne (woman), which does not mean “wife.” The Corinthian slogan, therefore, applied to any man and any woman (Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953-2001). Vol. 18: Exposition of the First Epistle to the Corinthians. New Testament Commentary (210). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.)