“Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman.”
Now for the matters you wrote about: 'It is good for a man not to marry.' — Paul begins with the formula peri de (now concerning), indicating he now addresses questions from the Corinthians' letter. The slogan 'it is good not to marry' (kalon tō anthrōpō gunaikós mē haptesthai) appears to come from some Corinthian believers, possibly those influenced by realized eschatology or Stoic celibacy ideals. Paul neither wholly endorses nor rejects this position; instead, he will nuance it thoroughly, acknowledging both the gift of singleness and the reality of human sexuality.
Church Fathers on 1 Corinthians 7:1
Having corrected the three heaviest things laid to their charge, one, the distraction of the Church, another, about the fornicator, a third, about the covetous person, he thenceforth uses a milder sort of speech. And he interposes some exhortation and advice about marriage and virginity, giving the hearers some respite from more unpleasant subjects. But in the second Epistle he does the contrary; he begins from the milder topics, and ends with the more distressing. And here…
Nicene & Post-Nicene / Ante-Nicene Fathers translations · public domain
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