Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [1 Corinthians: Chapter 7].
after \ei m•ti\ and construed with it. {That ye may give
yourselves unto prayer} (\hina scholas•te t•i proseuch•i\). First
aorist active subjunctive of \scholaz•\, late verb from \schol•\,
leisure (our "school"), and so to have leisure (punctiliar act
and not permanent) for prayer. Note private devotions here. {That
Satan tempt you not} (\hina m• peiraz•i\). Present subjunctive,
that Satan may not keep on tempting you. {Because of your
incontinency} (\dia t•n akrasian [hum•n]\). A late word from
Aristotle on for \akrateia\ from \akrat•s\ (without self-control,
\a\ privative and \krate•\, to control, common old word). In N.T.
only here and Mt 23:25 which see.
7:6 {By way of permission} (\kata sungn•m•n\). Old word for
pardon, concession, indulgence. _Secundum indulgentiam_
(Vulgate). Only here in N.T., though in the papyri for pardon.
The word means "knowing together," understanding, agreement, and
so concession. {Not of commandment} (\ou kat' epitag•n\). Late
word (in papyri) from \epitass•\, old word to enjoin. Paul has
not commanded people to marry. He has left it an open question.
7:7 {Yet I would} (\thel• de\). "But I wish." Followed by
accusative and infinitive (\anthr•pous einai\). This is Paul's
personal preference under present conditions (7:26). {Even as I
myself} (\h•s kai emauton\). This clearly means that Paul was not
then married and it is confirmed by 9:5. Whether he had been
married and was now a widower turns on the interpretation of Ac
26:10 "I cast my vote." If this is taken literally (the obvious
way to take it) as a member of the Sanhedrin, Paul was married at
that time. There is no way to decide. {His own gift from God}
(\idion charisma ek theou\). So each must decide for himself. See
on ¯1:7 for \charisma\, a late word from \charizomai\.
7:8 {To the unmarried and to the widows} (\tois agamois kai tais
ch•rais\). It is possible that by "the unmarried" (masculine
plural) the apostle means only men since widows are added and
since virgins receive special treatment later (verse 25) and in
verse 32 \ho agamos\ is the unmarried man. It is hardly likely
that Paul means only widowers and widows and means to call
himself a widower by \h•s kag•\ (even as I). After discussing
marital relations in verses 2-7 he returns to the original
question in verse 1 and repeats his own personal preference as
in verse 7. He does not say that it is _better_ to be
unmarried, but only that it is _good_ (\kalon\ as in verse 1)
for them to remain unmarried. \Agamos\ is an old word and in N.T.
http://www.ccel.org/r/robertson_at/wordpictures/htm/1CO7.RWP.html (2 of 13) [28/08/2004 09:11:30 a.m.]