§ 24. Freedom to Marry, 7:36–40. The question of the marriage of Cor. Christian maidens Paul has discussed on grounds of expediency. The narrow earthly horizon, the perils of the Christian lot, the division between religious and domestic duty esp. probable under these conditions, render the married state undesirable (28–34). The Ap. does not on these grounds forbid marriage,—to do so would entangle some of his readers perilously; he recommends what appears to him the course generally fitting, and advantageous for their spiritual interests (35 f.). If the parent’s judgment points the other way, or if circumstances are such as to enforce consent, then so let it be (36). But where the father can thus decide without misgiving, he will do well to keep his daughter at home (37 f.). Similarly in the case of the Christian widow: she is free to marry “in the Lord”; but, in Paul’s decided opinion, she will be happier to refrain (39 f.). The Ap. gives inspired advice, and the bias of his own mind is clearly seen; but he finds no sin in marriage; he guards sensitively the rights of individual feeling and conscience, and leaves the decision in each case to the responsible parties.
Ver. 36. By a contrastive δὲ P. passes from the εὔσχημον at which his dissuasive was aimed, to the ἀσχημονεῖν that might be thought to result in some cases from following it.—The vb. (= ἀσχήμωι εἶναι) signifies either to act unbecomingly (13:5), or to suffer disgrace, turpem videri (Vg.); the antithesis, and the ad junct ἐπὶ τὴν παρθένον, dictate the former sense, which is post-classical.—On νομίζε (is of opinion), see ver. 26. It was socially discreditable, both amongst Greeks and Jews (cf. Sirach 42:9), to keep one’s daughter at home, without obvious reason, for any long period beyond adult age; a Christian father might feel this discredit for his religion’s sake (cf. 10:32), and might be reproached as doing his child and society a wrong.—ἐὰν ᾖ ὑπέρακμος, “if she be past the bloom (of youth)”—the μέτριος χρόνος ἀκμῆς, fixed by Plato (Rep., vi., 460 E) at twenty, the œtas nubilis.—καὶ οὕτως ὀφείλει (see parls.) γίνεσθαι—“and so matters ought to proceed” (pr. inf.)—states a further presumable reason for consent: duty may require it—where, e.g., the girl has been promised, or is so situated that a continued veto may give rise to peril or scandal (cf. 2). In such circumstances the father’s course is clear: “let him do what he wills” (θέλει); cf. ver. 35. γαμείτωσαν—i.e., the daughter and her suitor, the claim of the latter being hinted at in the previous ὀφείλει: pr. impv.; “Let the marriage take its course”.
Ver. 37. For the opposite resolution, adopted by a father who “keeps his own virgin (daughter)” instead of “marrying” her (38), four conditions are laid down: (1) unshaken firmness in his own mind (ἕστηκεν ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ ἑδραῖος, cf. Rom. 14:5, 23), as against social pressure; (2) the absence of constraint (μὴ ἔχων ἀνάγκην) arising from previous engagement or irresistible circumstances; (3) his full authority to act as he will (ἐξουσίαν δὲ ἔχει κ.τ.λ.)—slaves, on the other hand, could not dispose of their children, and the unqualified patria potestas belonged only to Roman citizens (see Ed. in loc.); ἐξουσία, however, signifies moral power, which reaches in the household far beyond civil right; (4) a judgment deliberately and independently formed to this effect (τοῦτο κέκρικεν ἐν τῇ ἰδίᾳ καρδίᾳ). Granting all this, the father who “has decided to keep his own maiden, does well”—καλῶς, rightly, honourably well (see note on καλόν, 1). The repeated καρδία (the mind, the seat of thought and will, rather than the heart with its modern emotional connotation; cf. 2:9, 4:5, and notes), and the phrase περὶ τοῦ ἰδίου θελήματος, press on the father the necessity of using his judgment and acting on his personal responsibility; as in vv. 6 f., 28, 35, the Ap. is jealous of allowing his own authority or inclination to overbear the conscience of his disciples; cf. Rom. 14:4–10, 22 f.—This ἀνάγκη urges in the opp. direction to that of ver. 26; in both cases the word signifies compulsion, dictating action other than that one would independently have taken.—ἐξουσίαν … περί κ.τ.λ. is “power as touching his own resolve,” the right to act as one will—in other words, mastery of the situation.—The obj., τ. παρθένον, suggests the tacit complement to τηρεῖν (see parls.): “to keep intact, in what he believes to be the best state” for the Lord’s service (Ed.). “The will of the maiden is left wholly out of court” (Hn.); social custom ignored this factor in marriage; for all that, it might constitute the opposed ἀνάγκη, and might, in some circumstances, practically limit the paternal ἐξουσία; see ver. 28b, and note.
Ver. 38, the sum of the matter: either to marry one’s daughter or refuse her in marriage is, abstractly viewed, an honourable course; the latter, in Paul’s judgment, and for Christians in the present posture of things, is better. “Ce bien et mieux résument tout le chapitre” (Gd.)
W. Robertson Nicoll, The Expositor’s Greek Testament: Commentary, vol. 2 (New York: George H. Doran Company, n.d.), 836–838.
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