60 Then the high priest stood in the middle and asked Jesus: Why don’t you answer? What do they testify against You?

61 But He was silent and did not answer anything. Again the high priest asked Him and said to Him: Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?

62 Jesus said: I am; and you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power and coming on the clouds of heaven.

63 Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “Why do we need more witnesses?”

64 You have heard blasphemy; what do you think? They all found Him guilty of death.

65 And some began to spit on Him and, covering His face, struck Him and said to Him, Prophesy. And the servants beat Him on the cheeks.

66 While Peter was in the courtyard below, one of the high priest's maids came

67 And when she saw Peter warming himself and looked at him, she said, “You also were with Jesus of Nazareth.”

68 But he denied, saying: I do not know and do not understand what you are saying. And he went out into the front yard; and the rooster crowed.

69 When the maid saw him again, she began to say to those standing there, “This one is one of them.”

70 He denied again. After a little, those standing there again began to say to Peter: “You are definitely one of them; for you are a Galilean, and your speech is similar.

71 And he began to swear and swear: I do not know this man of whom you speak.

72 Then the rooster crowed a second time. And Peter remembered the word that Jesus had spoken to him: Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times; and started crying.

1 Immediately in the morning the chief priests with the elders and scribes and the entire Sanhedrin held a conference and, having bound Jesus, took him away and handed him over to Pilate.

2 Pilate asked Him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” He answered and said to him, “You speak.”

3 And the chief priests accused Him of many things.

4 Pilate asked Him again, “Are you answering nothing?” you see how many accusations are against you.

5 But Jesus answered nothing to this either, so that Pilate marveled.

6 For every holiday he released to them one prisoner they asked for.

7 Then there was a man named Barabbas in chains with his accomplices, who committed murder during the rebellion.

8 And the people began to shout and ask Pilate for what he had always done for them.

9 He answered and said to them, “Do you want me to release the King of the Jews to you?”

10 For he knew that the chief priests had betrayed Him out of envy.

11 But the chief priests stirred up the people to ask that Barabbas be released to them instead.

12 Pilate answered and said to them again: What do you want me to do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?

13 They shouted again, “Crucify Him.”

14 Pilate said to them, “What evil has He done?” But they shouted even more loudly: crucify Him.

15 Then Pilate, wanting to do what was pleasing to the people, released Barabbas to them, and beat Jesus and handed him over to be crucified.

16 And the soldiers took Him into the courtyard, that is, into the praetorium, and gathered the whole army,

17 And they clothed Him in scarlet, and wove together a crown of thorns, and laid it on Him;

18 And they began to greet Him: Hail, King of the Jews!

19 And they beat Him on the head with a reed, and spat on Him, and knelt down and worshiped Him.

20 When they had mocked Him, they took off His scarlet robe, clothed Him in His own garments, and led Him out to crucify Him.

21 And they forced a certain Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus, who was coming from the field, to carry His cross.

22 And they brought Him to the place of Golgotha, which means: Place of the Execution.

23 And they gave Him wine and myrrh to drink; but He did not accept.

24 Those who crucified Him divided His garments, casting lots as to who should take what.

25 It was the third hour, and they crucified Him.

26 And the inscription of His guilt was: King of the Jews.

27 They crucified two thieves with Him, one on His right and the other on His left.

28 And the word of the Scripture was fulfilled: He was numbered among the evildoers.

29 Those passing by cursed Him, nodding their heads and saying: Hey! destroying the temple, and building in three days!

30 save yourself and come down from the cross.

31 In like manner the chief priests and the scribes mocked each other and said, “He saved others, but he cannot save himself.”

32 Let Christ, the King of Israel, now come down from the cross, so that we may see and believe. And those crucified with Him reviled Him.

33 At the sixth hour darkness came over all the land and continued until the ninth hour.

35 When some of those standing there heard it, they said, “Behold, he is calling Elijah.”

36 And one ran, filled a sponge with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave Him a drink, saying, Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take Him down.

37 Jesus cried out loudly and gave up the ghost.

38 And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.

39 The centurion who stood opposite Him, seeing that He had thus cried out, gave up the ghost, said: Truly this man was the Son of God.

40 There were also women here who looked from afar: among them was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Josiah, and Salome,

41 who even while He was in Galilee followed Him and served Him, and many others who came with Him to Jerusalem.

42 And when evening had already come - because it was Friday, that is, the day before the Sabbath - 43 Joseph from Arimathea, a famous member of the council, who himself was expecting the Kingdom of God, came, dared to go to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.

44 Pilate was surprised that He had already died, and calling the centurion, he asked him how long ago he had died?

45 And having learned from the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph.

46 He bought a shroud and took him off, wrapped him in the shroud, and laid him in a tomb that was hewn out of the rock, and rolled the stone to the door of the tomb.

47 But Mary Magdalene and Mary of Josiah looked where they laid Him.

1 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene and Mary of James and Salome bought spices so that they could go and anoint Him.

2 And very early, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb, at sunrise,

3 And they say among themselves, Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?

4 And they looked and saw that the stone had been rolled away; and he was very big.

5 And entering into the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a white robe; and were horrified.

6 He says to them: Do not be dismayed. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, crucified; He has risen, He is not here. This is the place where He was laid.

7 But go, tell His disciples and Peter that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, just as He told you.

8 And they went out and ran from the tomb; They were seized with trepidation and horror, and they did not say anything to anyone, because they were afraid.

9 Having risen early on the first day of the week, Jesus first appeared to Mary Magdalene, from whom he cast out seven demons.

10 She went and told those who were with Him, weeping and lamenting;

11 But when they heard that He was alive and that she had seen Him, they did not believe.

12 After this he appeared in another form to two of them on the road, as they were going into the village.

13 And they returned and told the others; but they didn’t believe them either.

14 Finally, he appeared to the eleven themselves, who were reclining at supper, and reproached them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who saw Him risen.

15 And he said to them, “Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.”

16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; and whoever does not believe will be condemned.

17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues;

18 They will take up snakes; and if they drink anything deadly, it will not harm them; They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.

19 And so the Lord, after speaking with them, ascended into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.

20 And they went and preached everywhere, with the Lord working together and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.

GOSPEL OF LUKE

1 As many have already begun to compose narratives about events that are completely known among us,

2 As they who from the very beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the Word conveyed it to us,

3 Then it was decided for me, after carefully examining everything first, to describe to you in order, venerable Theophilus,

4 that you may know the sure foundation of the doctrine in which you have been instructed.

5 In the days of Herod king of Judah, there was a priest from the order of Abius, whose name was Zechariah, and his wife, from the family of Aaron, whose name was Elizabeth.

6 They were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord blamelessly.

7 They had no children, for Elizabeth was barren, and both were already advanced in years.

8 One day, while he was ministering before God in the order of his turn,

9 By lot, as was usual among the priests, he was to enter the temple of the Lord to burn incense,

10 And all the multitude of the people were praying outside during the incense, 11 then the Angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing right side altar of incense.

12 When Zechariah saw him, he was troubled, and fear came over him.

13 The angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will call his name John.”

14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth,

15 For he will be great before the Lord; He will not drink wine or strong drink, and will be filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother’s womb;

16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God;

17 And he will go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to restore the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the minds of the righteous, to present to the Lord a prepared people.

18 And Zechariah said to the angel, By what will I know this? for I am old, and my wife is advanced in years.

19 The angel answered and said to him: I am Gabriel, who stands before God, and was sent to speak with you and bring this good news to you;

20 And behold, you will remain silent and will not be able to speak until the day when these things come to pass, because you did not believe my words, which will come to pass in due time.

21 Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah and were amazed that he was lingering in the temple.

22 But when he went out, he could not speak to them; and they understood that he had seen a vision in the temple; and he communicated with them by signs, and remained mute.

23 And when his days of service were ended, he returned to his house.

24 After these days Elizabeth his wife conceived, and hid herself for five months, and said:

25 Thus did the Lord do for me in these days, in which he looked upon me, to remove from me the reproach of men.

26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee called Nazareth,

27 to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David; The name of the Virgin is: Mary.

28 The angel came to her and said: Rejoice, full of grace! The Lord is with You; Blessed are You among women.

29 But when she saw him, she was troubled by his words and wondered what kind of greeting this would be.

30 And the Angel said to Her: Do not be afraid, Mary, for You have found favor with God;

31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a Son, and you will call His name Jesus.

32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of His father David;

33 And he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will have no end.

34 And Mary said to the angel: How will this be, since I do not know the husband?

35 The angel answered and said to her: The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.

36 Behold your relative Elizabeth, who is called barren, and she conceived a son in her old age, and she is now in her sixth month,

37 For with God no word will fail.

38 Then Mary said, Behold, the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word. And the Angel departed from Her.

39 And Mary arose in those days, and went with haste into the hill country, to the city of Judah,

40 And she went into Zechariah's house and greeted Elizabeth.

41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child in her womb leaped; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit,

43 And where do I come from, that the Mother of my Lord came to me?

45 And blessed is she who believed, for what was spoken to her by the Lord will be fulfilled.

46 And Mary said, My soul magnifies the Lord,

47 And my spirit rejoiced in God my Savior,

48 that He looked upon the humility of His Servant, for from now on all generations will please Me;

49 that the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is His name;

50 And His mercy endureth unto all generations unto them that fear Him;

51 He showed the strength of His arm; He scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;

52 He brought down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted the humble;

53 He filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty;

54 He received His servant Israel, remembering mercy,

55 as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and his seed forever.

56 And Mary stayed with her about three months, and returned to her house.

57 Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she gave birth to a son.

58 And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had magnified His mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her.

59 On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child and wanted to name him, after his father’s name, Zechariah.

60 To this his mother said, “No, but call him John.”

61 And they said to her, There is no one in your kindred who is called by this name.

62 And they asked his father by signs what he would like to call him.

63 He demanded a tablet and wrote: John is his name. And everyone was surprised.

64 And immediately his mouth and his tongue loosened, and he began to speak, blessing God.

65 And there was fear on all those living around them; and they told about all this throughout the entire hill country of Judea.

66 All who heard it laid it on their hearts and said, “What will happen to this child?” And the hand of the Lord was with him.

67 And Zechariah his father was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying:

68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, that he hath visited his people, and brought deliverance unto them,

69 And he raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David,

70 as He declared by the mouth of His holy prophets who have been since the ages,

71 that will save us from our enemies and from the hand of all those who hate us;

72 He will show mercy to our fathers and remember His holy covenant,

73 the oath which He swore to Abraham our father to give us,

74 without fear, after being delivered from the hand of our enemies,

75 to serve Him in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life.

76 And you, little child, will be called a prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways,

77 to make His people understand His salvation through the forgiveness of their sins,

78 according to the gracious mercy of our God, by which the East from above visited us,

79 to enlighten those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.

80 And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and was in the wilderness until the day of his appearing to Israel.

1 In those days a command went out from Caesar Augustus to make a census of the whole earth.

2 This census was the first during the reign of Quirinius in Syria.

3 And they all went to be registered, each one to his own city.

4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David,

5 to sign up with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child.

6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth;

7 And she gave birth to her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

8 In the same country there were shepherds in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

9 Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were afraid with great fear.

10 And the angel said to them: Do not be afraid; I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people:

11 For today a Savior has been born to you in the city of David, who is Christ the Lord;

12 And this is a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

13 And suddenly a great host of heaven appeared with the angel, praising God and crying:

14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men!

15 When the angels had departed from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go to Bethlehem and see what has happened there, which the Lord has told us about.”

16 And they hastened and came and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in a manger.

17 When they saw it, they related what had been told them about this Child.

18 And all who heard were amazed at what the shepherds told them.

19 But Mary kept all these words, writing them in her heart.

20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

21 After eight days had passed, when the child should have been circumcised, they gave Him the name Jesus, which the angel had called before He was conceived in the womb.

22 And when the days of their purification according to the law of Moses were fulfilled, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him before the Lord,

23 As it is prescribed in the law of the Lord, that every male child who opens the womb should be dedicated to the Lord,

24 And to sacrifice, according to what was said in the law of the Lord, two turtle doves or two chicks of doves.

25 Then there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was a righteous and pious man, looking forward to the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him.

26 It was foretold to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until he saw Christ the Lord.

27 And he came by inspiration to the temple. And when the parents brought the Child Jesus to perform the legal rite on Him,

28 He took Him in his arms, blessed God and said:

29 Now you are releasing Your servant, O Master, according to Your word, in peace,

30 For mine eyes have seen Your salvation,

31 which You have prepared before all nations,

32 a light for the enlightenment of the Gentiles and the glory of your people Israel.

33 And Joseph and His mother marveled at what was said about Him.

34 And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this One is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel and for the cause of controversy, 35 and a weapon will pierce your own soul, so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

36 There was also Anna the prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, from the tribe of Asher, who had reached a great old age, having lived with her husband for seven years from her virginity,

37 A widow about eighty-four years old, who did not leave the temple, serving God day and night with fasting and prayer.

38 And at that time she came up and praised the Lord and spoke about Him to all who were waiting for deliverance in Jerusalem.

39 And when they had completed everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their city of Nazareth.

40 But the child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon Him.

41 Every year His parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover holiday.

42 And when He was twelve years old, they also came, according to custom, to Jerusalem for the feast.

43 When, at the end of the days of the holiday, they returned, the Child Jesus remained in Jerusalem; and Joseph and His mother did not notice,

44 but they thought that He was going with others. Having walked a day's journey, they began to look for Him among relatives and acquaintances.

45 And not finding Him, they returned to Jerusalem, looking for Him.

46 After three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions;

47 All those who heard Him were amazed at His understanding and His answers.

48 And when they saw Him, they were surprised; and His Mother said to Him: Child! what have you done to us? Behold, Your father and I have been looking for You with great sorrow.

49 He said to them: Why did you seek Me? or did you not know that I must be concerned with the things that belong to My Father?

50 But they did not understand the words He spoke.

51 And He went with them and came to Nazareth; and was in obedience to them. And His Mother kept all these words in Her heart.

52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

1 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was in charge of Judea, Herod was tetrarch of Galilee, Philip his brother was tetrarch of Ituraea and the Trachonite region, and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene,

2 When Annas and Caiaphas were the high priests, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness.

3 And he went through all the surrounding country of Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins,

4 As it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah, who says: A voice crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight;

5 Let every valley be filled, and every mountain and hill be made low, the crooked places made straight, and the rough paths made smooth;

6 And all flesh will see the salvation of God.

7 John said to the people who came to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers!” who inspired you to flee from future wrath?

8 Produce fruits worthy of repentance, and do not think of saying within yourselves, “We have Abraham as our father,” for I tell you that God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham.

9 Even the ax lies at the root of the trees: every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

10 And the people asked him, “What should we do?”

11 He answered and said to them, “Whoever has two coats, give to the poor, and whoever has food, do the same.”

12 The publicans also came to be baptized, and said to him: Master! what should we do?

13 He answered them: Do not demand anything more than has been determined for you.

14 The soldiers also asked him, “What should we do?” And he said to them: do not offend anyone, do not slander, and be content with your salary.

15 When the people were waiting, and everyone was thinking in their hearts about John, whether he was the Christ, 16 John answered everyone: I baptize you with water, but one mightier than me is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

17 His fork is in His hand, and He will clear His threshing floor and gather the wheat into His barn, and He will burn the chaff with unquenchable fire.

18 He preached many other things to the people, teaching them.

19 And Herod the tetrarch, rebuked by him because of Herodias his brother's wife, and because of all the evil that Herod had done,

20 He added to everything else that he put John in prison.

21 And when all the people were baptized, and Jesus was baptized, he prayed, The heavens were opened,

22 And the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove, and there was a voice from heaven, saying: Thou art my beloved Son; My favor is in You!

23 Jesus, when he began his ministry, was about thirty years old, and was, as they thought, the Son of Joseph, of Eli,

24 Matthatov, Levin, Melchiev, Iannaev, Joseph,

25 Mattafiev, Amosov, Naumov, Ezlimov, Naggeev,

26 Maathites, Mattathites, Shimeites, Josephs, Judins,

27 Joannanov, Risaev, Zerubbabel, Salathiel, Niriev,

28 Melkhiev, Addiev, Kosamov, Elmodamov, Irov,

29 Joseph, Eliezer, Jorim, Matthat, Levi,

30 Simeon, Judah, Joseph, Jonah, Eliakim,

31 Meleaev, Mainanov, Mattafaev, Nafanov, Davidov,

32 Jesse, Obed, Boaz, Salmon, Nahshon,

33 Aminadab, Aramov, Hezrom, Perez, Judin,

34 Jacob, Isaac, Abraham, Farrin, Nahor,

35 Serukhov, Ragavov, Palekov, Everov, Salin,

36 Cainan, Arfaksadov, Simov, Noah, Lamekhov,

37 Methuselah, Enoch, Jared, Maleleel, Cain,

38 Enosov, Seth, Adam, God.

1 Jesus, filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness.

2 There for forty days He was tempted by the devil and did not eat anything during these days, but after they were over, He was finally hungry.

3 And the devil said to Him, If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.

4 Jesus answered and said to him, “It is written that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.”

5 And the devil took Him up to a high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time,

6 And the devil said to Him: I will give you the power over all these kingdoms and the glory of them, for it has been given to me, and I give it to whomever I want;

7 Therefore, if You worship me, then everything will be Yours.

8 Jesus answered and said to him, “Get behind Me, Satan; It is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him alone.

9 And he led Him to Jerusalem, and placed Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here,

10 For it is written: He will command His angels concerning You, to keep You;

11 And they will bear you up in their hands, lest you dash your foot against a stone.

12 Jesus answered and said to him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

13 And having finished all the temptation, the devil departed from Him for the time being.

14 And Jesus returned in strength of spirit to Galilee; and fame about Him spread throughout the surrounding country.

15 He taught in their synagogues, and was glorified by everyone.

16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and entered the synagogue, as was his custom, on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read.

17 They gave him the book of the prophet Isaiah; and He opened the book and found the place where it was written:

18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me; For He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor, and He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach freedom to the captives, recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed,

19 Preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

20 And he closed the book and gave it to the servant, and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him.

21 And He began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

22 And they all witnessed this to Him, and marveled at the words of grace that proceeded from His mouth, and said, “Is this not Joseph’s son?”

23 He said to them: Of course, you will tell Me the saying: doctor! heal yourself; Do here, in Your fatherland, what we heard happened in Capernaum.

24 And he said, “Truly I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own country.”

25 Truly I say to you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were shut up for three years and six months, so that there was a great famine throughout all the land.

26 And Elijah was sent to none of them, but only to a widow in Zarephath of Sidon;

27 There were also many lepers in Israel under the prophet Elisha, and not one of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.

28 When everyone in the synagogue heard this, they were filled with rage

29 And they arose and cast Him out of the city and led Him to the top of the mountain on which their city had been built, in order to overthrow Him;

30 But He passed through the midst of them and departed.

31 And he came to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the Sabbath days.

32 And they marveled at His teaching, for His word was with authority.

33 There was a man in the synagogue who had an unclean spirit of demons, and he cried out with a loud voice:

34 leave; What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? You have come to destroy us; I know You, who You are, the Holy One of God.

35 Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent and come out of him.” And the demon, having cast him down in the middle of the synagogue, came out of him without harming him in the least.

36 And terror fell upon them all, and they reasoned among themselves: What does this mean, that He commands the unclean spirits with authority and power, and they come out?

37 And the rumor about Him spread throughout all the surrounding places.

38 Leaving the synagogue, He entered Simon's house; Simonov's mother-in-law was possessed by a strong fever; and asked Him for her.

39 Coming to her, He rebuked the fever; and left her. She immediately stood up and served them.

40 When the sun set, all those who were sick with various diseases brought them to Him, and He, laying His hands on each of them, healed them.

41 Many demons also came out shouting and saying, “You are the Christ, the Son of God.” And He forbade them to say that they knew that He was the Christ.

42 When the day came, He left the house and went into a deserted place, and the people sought Him, and when they came to Him, they restrained Him, so that He would not leave them.

43 But He said to them: I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities too, for for this purpose I was sent.

44 And he preached in the synagogues of Galilee.

1 One day, when the people were crowding around Him to hear the word of God, and He stood by the lake of Gennesaret,

2 He saw two boats standing on the lake; and the fishermen, leaving them, washed their nets.

3 Entering into one boat, which was Simon's, He asked him to sail a little from the shore and, sitting down, taught the people from the boat.

4 When he had stopped teaching, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.”

5 Simon answered Him: Master! We toiled all night and caught nothing, but at Your word I will let down the net.

6 Having done this, they caught a great abundance of fish, and even their net was broken.

7 And they gave a sign to the companions who were on the other boat to come and help them; and they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink.

8 Seeing this, Simon Peter fell at the knees of Jesus and said: Depart from me, Lord! because I am a sinful person.

9 For horror seized him and all who were with him because of this fishing of the fish they caught;

10 Also James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were Simon's companions. And Jesus said to Simon: Do not be afraid; From now on you will catch people.

11 And having pulled both boats ashore, they left everything and followed Him.

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7:1 And what you wrote to me about is that it is good for a man not to touch a woman .
The ascetics of Corinth seem to have already raised the issue of gender relations in Christian congregations - in letters to Paul.

Geneva: It is very likely that this expression was used by a group of ascetics among the Corinthian Christians, who condemned promiscuous sexual cohabitation and argued that a Christian either should not marry at all, or, if he did marry, should abstain from sexual intercourse.
To support their position they may have referred to Paul's celibacy.

The apostle had to be careful so that his teaching was not distorted in one direction or another.

He acknowledges certain advantages of being single (vv. 7:8), and later (vv. 29-35) he gives particularly compelling reasons for a Christian to remain single.
However, the main goal of the apostle is to correct those who demanded mandatory celibacy.
Elsewhere Paul speaks favorably of marriage (e.g. Eph. 5:22-33; 1 Tim. 3:2) and even condemns “those who forbid marriage.” (1 Tim. 4:3).

7:2 But, [to avoid] fornication, each one have his own wife, and each one have his own husband.
In any case, taking into account the problem of a Christian meeting in fornication with his father’s wife, Paul showed that marriage will help solve the problems of those Christians who cannot live alone. This will help you maintain purity before God without desecrating yourself and the congregation through fornication.

7:3 The husband show his wife due favor; likewise is a wife to her husband.
Paul talks about spouses honoring each other and giving their wives and husbands what they need. But not under duress, but voluntarily. If a husband loves his wife, then it will be easy for him to pay attention to her not only when he needs something from her, but constantly. The same is true for a wife to treat her husband.
What is due? This is not just about satisfying sexual needs. But in general, everything that needs to be given to each other in order to satisfy emotional needs, needs for communication and support.

Insight and communication with each other will help you understand what your spouse needs to make him happy (we are not talking about indulging each other’s whims, but about the necessary things, without which the spouses’ life in marriage becomes unbearable: love, respect, sympathy and support, etc.). d.). Since from the moment of marriage, husband and wife already become one flesh, therefore they must take care of each other as if they were their own body.

7: 4 The wife has no power over her body, but the husband does; Likewise, the husband has no power over his body, but the wife does.
Paul says that Christians should not think that in marriage everyone is on their own. Spouses must eradicate selfishness and concern only for themselves. From now on (from the moment of marriage) each of them no longer belongs to themselves. And both - to each other. Therefore, we must take care of each other’s needs. (An example of this would be Christ loving and caring for the church of Christ)

Some believers use the sensitive part of this text to their advantage and forcefully demand from their life partner the fulfillment of the marital duty of the marriage bed on the basis of these words of Paul.

Paul did not mean that God permitted violence in such sensitive matters. This text is not about the power to demand. And about natural power marital relations between husband and wife, because God not only allows the union of the sexes in marriage - He commanded it (Gen. 1:28)
This is what Paul said not in order to blackmail a companion, but in order to take it into service and carry out it yourself:
Seek no one's own, but every one's [the benefit of] another (1 Cor. 10:24).
If in a family spouses take care not only of themselves, but also of their life partners, then this is according to Christ.

7:5 Do not withdraw from each other, except by consent, for a time, to practice fasting and prayer,
There is a time to hug, and there is a time to avoid hugs (Eccl. 3:5). Evasion time is purely individual. Paul does not establish a regulation for abstinence, but he does show that periodic abstinence, especially during periods of trouble and intense prayer, is the natural state for Christian spouses. All this can be solved through their joint efforts.
About abstinence in N.Z. there are the following principles:
1 Corinthians 8:8Food does not bring us closer to God: for whether we eat, we gain nothing; If we don't eat, we don't lose anything.
Rom.14:17For the kingdom of God is not food and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
Col.2:23This has only the appearance of wisdom in self-willed service, humility and exhaustion of the body, in some neglect of the saturation of the flesh.

That is, the essence of abstinence is not to give up some needs of nature - for the sake of pleasing God (He does not need our hunger strikes. He Himself created these needs for people, not expecting that people should give them up). It’s about not getting carried away only by the needs of nature and not devoting your life only to them. But also - to give place to serving God and spiritual communication with Him, and - the spiritual should be a priority.

As for fasting, there is no obligatory commandment in the New Testament to fast (whether we eat or not, we do not become better). But if someone decides this for themselves for some reason, it is not prohibited. Spouses can discuss these issues together. Paul speaks about the tradition of fasting - for the practice of Judaism, which was habitual by inertia, where it was customary to fast.

Prayer is an indicator of the closeness of a relationship with God; marriage in this should not be a hindrance for either spouse. IN married life There are plenty of opportunities to set aside time for prayer, but it is not necessary to pray necessarily for the purpose of abstinence (instead of being together). Otherwise it would be a great occasion denying what you need to your companion, citing the need to “keep” the prayer ritual, which is wrong: prayer should not be a “tool” of blackmail in marriage.

and [then] be together again, so that Satan does not tempt you with your intemperance.
Often the cause of adultery is precisely the coldness and constant avoidance of one of the life partners, which can serve as a temptation for the other to seek intimate relationships on the side.

7:6 However, I said this as permission, and not as a command.
The advice to the Corinthians to get married does not relate to the command of God, which Christians are absolutely obliged to fulfill from now on.
The advice was given to the congregation as an example of solving problems with fornication - according to God's principles, for the desire to build relationships with people of the opposite sex is a normal and permissible phenomenon for a person, inherent in him since the creation of Adam.
Let us remember that even the perfect Adam in paradise was “NOT GOOD to be alone,” which God noted when giving him Eve (Gen. 2:18).

But promiscuity in fornication is not permissible for a Christian; for this, God provided for the creation of a family and marital relations.

7:7 For I wish that all people were like me; but everyone has his own gift from God, one this way, the other another.
Although Paul himself welcomes celibacy, and, understandably, would like every Christian to devote his life exclusively to the spread of the Gospel (for him this was the highest meaning of life) - however, the apostle is realistic and understands that voluntarily “castrating oneself for the sake of the Kingdom” is not everyone can do it.

In addition, Aquila and Priscilla are a good example of family service to God. Paul recognizes that every Christian has the right to choose whether to serve God married or single.

7:8,9 To the unmarried and widows I say: it is good for them to remain as I do. But if they [cannot] abstain, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to become inflamed.

If there are no major problems with inflaming passions, it is better to try to remain celibate, because there are much fewer obstacles to fulfilling the work of God: Paul knows this from personal experience. Persecution for the word of God could have a detrimental effect on his family, and worrying about providing for his family would take time away from the work of God. And in solitude it is easier to devote yourself entirely to serving the Lord.

However, if it is not possible to extinguish the kindled flesh, then it is better to get married than to bring oneself to the defilement of fornication.

7:10 It is not I who command, but the Lord: a wife should not divorce her husband
What Paul says about the wife does not mean that God allows the husband to divorce. These commandments of God concern family relations basically.

Just below in 7:12 Paul says: « I speak, not the Lord “, but this does not mean at all that Paul, giving his advice, contradicts the Lord:
There are instructions from Jesus Christ about a Christian’s attitude towards marriage. A Christian who has entered into marriage does not have the right to divorce and remarry many times, unless there are compelling reasons (adultery) - Matt.19:9.
Therefore, before taking this step, a Christian needs to carefully weigh what will be easier for him: to pacify his flesh and spend himself only for the work of God, or to live until death with his marriage partner and take care of his family.

Let us remember that the disciples of Christ, having learned about SUCH a husband’s duty to his wife, became very strangely depressed: for the marriages of this century, when unions in marriage can be both random and thoughtless, living until death with a random companion is more difficult than not getting married at all. The disciples of Christ came to this conclusion - Matt. 19:10.
But it is clear that every Christian has the right to draw his own conclusions and choose his own path.

7:11 If he gets divorced, then...
Expression " IF he gets divorced, then...” shows that God (for Paul conveys the commands of God) still allows the thought of cases of divorce in Christian families, despite the instructions of Christ.
Further guidance for possible cases of divorce in Christianity shows that divorce itself is not considered by God to be a mortal sin. Those who are simply divorced, if for some reason they could not stay together, must adhere to His further instructions, transmitted by Paul:

must remain single, or be reconciled with her husband, and the husband must not leave [his] wife
Note: Christ spoke about the possible REPEAT marriage in case of divorce on charges of adultery: adultery before the Lord frees a Christian from the law of “one flesh” marriage with the guilty party and makes him free to remarry.

Here Paul speaks of a case of divorce, after which THERE IS NO RIGHT TO RE-MARRIAGE. This means that the reason for the divorce in this case could have been different, but not the betrayal of the marriage partner.
IN The choice of someone who got divorced not because of the betrayal of their marriage partner is, in fact, small:
either remain alone until the end of their days, or return to their marriage partner, for in the eyes of God, those divorced not because of adultery still remain one flesh, and therefore can be reconciled. Unless someone, of course, eventually enters into a new marriage, thereby committing adultery.
Corinth should have understood that Christians must take marriage seriously and eliminate fornication from their lifestyle.

7:12,13 To the rest I say, not the Lord:
So it is clear that Paul's advice is not contrary to the requirements of God and is given to the congregation in accordance with the spirit of God.

if any brother has an unbelieving wife, and she agrees to live with him, then he should not leave her; and a wife who has an unbelieving husband, and he agrees to live with her, should not leave him.
Jesus did not leave instructions for all cases of Christian life. For example, many called in Corinth could already have families, but, for example, only one of the spouses accepted Christ, the second remained an unbeliever. What should a Christian do in this case?

One thing is clear: the believing spouse should not initiate a divorce if the unbelieving spouse wishes to continue the marriage.
Paul, unfortunately, did not describe cases where, for example, an unbelieving spouse lives as a parasite, drinks alcohol or is a drug addict, physically and morally offends his believing wife every day, torments her with scandals and provokes her to sin, but at the same time he WISHES to save the marriage.

In such cases, we think that a Christian can take into account 1 Cor. 7:11.

7:14,16 an unbelieving husband is sanctified... by a believing wife... children... are holy. Some Christian denominations teach that it is enough for at least one believer to appear in the family - and the entire family automatically falls into the category of saints accepted by God, because in Israel, for example, according to the tradition of the Old Testament, the entire family as a whole was considered to have entered into a covenant with God.
Yes, this was so in Israel, but in the Israeli family there were no non-believers in the God of Israel. Therefore, this analogy is incorrect.

Since Christ said that " I did not come to bring peace, but a sword ”, dividing the family into those who accepted Christ and those who did not, means that automatically none of the members of any family will become a saint pleasing to God.

What was Paul talking about here?
If Paul were talking here about becoming holy - literally just by having a believing family member - then there would be no need for an unbelieving husband or wife or children to strive for holiness themselves.
Why should they strive for this if one believer in the family would be ENOUGH?
Alas, this is not true. God has the principle of personal responsibility for one’s own salvation and the holiness of family life:

13 son of man! if some land had sinned against Me, and I stretched out My hand against it, and destroyed the grain support in it, and sent a famine to it, and began to destroy people and cattle in it; and if these three men were found in her: Noah, Daniel and Job, - then by their righteousness they would save only THEIR souls, says the Lord God... these three men are among her, I live, says the Lord God, neither sons nor daughters would be saved, but they would only be saved - Ez. 14:13-21.

The same principle is found in Romans 14:12:
AND so, each of us will give an account to God FOR OURSELVES.

Based on this, the conclusion suggests itself:
rather, Paul is saying that if there is at least one believer in a family, then everyone else comes under the influence or influence of God's spirit on the part of the believer, since he himself applies the principles of God in life and is under the influence of the holy spirit.
Thanks to this, every believer in the family has a chance to convert the entire family to God and gain it for God through their God-fearing behavior and the strength of their faith, as it is written here:

Why do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or do you, husband, why do you know if you won’t save your wife? (7:16)
That is, each of the believing family members, if he himself behaves like a Christian, can ask himself: will he not convert an unbeliever to God? Wouldn't a positive example motivate him - want to become a saintand an unbelieving spouse?

7:15 If an unbeliever [wants] to get a divorce, let him get a divorce; brother or sister in such [cases] are not related; The Lord has called us to peace.
If the unbelieving spouse insists on divorce, there is no point in trying to keep him by force or by any other methods.

7:16 See 7:14.

7:17 Just each act as God has determined for him, and each as the Lord has called. This is what I command in all churches.
It makes no difference in what circumstances, in what physical, social or civil condition a person decides to become a Christian.

7:18,19 If anyone is called to be circumcised, do not hide yourself; If anyone is called uncircumcised, do not be circumcised.
What matters to God is what each person specifically does in the era when he is called.
For example, God's commandment in the OT was circumcision - it served as a sign of the covenant between the descendants of Abraham and Jehovah that God would bless and multiply the seed of Abraham and give him the land of Canaan as an inheritance (Gen. 17:4-8)
For Christians in the NT era, spiritual circumcision, which was done on the heart, became an important commandment of Jehovah. They had to circumcise the foreskin of their hearts. (Rom 2:28,29).
At the time of the call by Christ, the religion professed before that does not matter to God: both Jew and pagan can equally become Christians; for God it does not matter whether the one who accepts Christ is circumcised or not. It is important to Him that those called to the path of Christ do His will and act according to His commandments.

Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but [all] is in keeping the commandments of God.
In obedience to God, both circumcision and non-circumcision are powerless to help, for faithfulness to God does not depend on appearance and the state of the integrity of the parts of the human body, but from the personality of a Christian and his inner convictions, from the integrity of nature and spiritual heart in the desire to become a man of God.

7:20, 21 Everyone remain in the rank in which they are called. Are you called to be a slave? don't be embarrassed
The Christian path does not imply the creation of any special “greenhouse” or comfortable conditions.

The apostle does not want Christians to be disturbed or embarrassed by their situation, which cannot be changed by God's methods. Dissatisfaction and complaints, as well as the desire to free oneself from cramped circumstances by one’s own and unrighteous methods under the pretext of a greater opportunity to serve God, indicate distrust of God, and this is not good for a Christian.

but if you can become free, then use the best.
However, this does not mean that Christians should not even try to improve their situation and lighten the burden of the burdens of this age (we are not talking about lightening the cross of Christ).
If an opportunity appears in life to alleviate your life circumstances, then it is right to take advantage of it: inaction when there is an opportunity to act is the same as artificially creating difficulties for yourself.

Let's stop a little: Christians are given advice to make their lives easier, IF POSSIBLE - using the example of a slave.
Every Christian is to some extent a slave to his life circumstances. The very circumstances of enslavement to something do not interfere with living as a Christian, but, of course, they greatly limit the opportunity to do something for God.
Therefore, if a slave has the opportunity to free himself from slavery BY GOD'S METHODS (they will let him go, for example, or drive him away because he steals or kills at the request of his master, for example, he refuses, he will be ransomed, slavery will be abolished, or in some other way without violating God’s principles) - then it is better for the slave to take the opportunity to free himself.

Let us recall the example of a Jew enslaved by the need to watch his father until death:
Jesus invited him to follow him and freed him from slavery to the morality of this age and the law of Moses:
God! let me first go and bury my father.
But Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.” (Matt. 8:21,22)

To many readers this example seems monstrous. However, the advantage of becoming a disciple of Christ and fulfilling the will of God turned out to be more important for the invited Jew than the usual household and economic time spent in the family - IN THE CASE WHEN there was SOMEONE to look after his father:
spiritually dead relatives, who are not interested in the word of God and the path of Christ, may well take care of the father of the one whom Jesus called after him.
In this case, it does not matter what they will think about the son who chose Christ’s discipleship over caring for his own father.

The opportunity for a Christian to free himself from the burdens of this age FOR the sake of the path of Christ (not for the sake of his own whim) is also shown in these words of Christ:

Jesus answered and said, “Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or land, for My sake and the gospel’s sake,
30 And now in this time, in the midst of persecution, I would not have received a hundred times more houses, and brothers and sisters, and fathers, and mothers, and children, and lands, and in the age to come eternal life. (Mark 10:29,30)
It seems strange that the house and lands are on the same level as relatives and friends, even if they are opponents of the Gospel (namely, about those who oppose the path of Christ - we are talking about everything that interferes with the fulfillment of sacred service): still, for example, leave the children - is not the same as, say, throwing the earth.
However, here again Jesus does not mean to simply abandon families to their own devices FOR THE SAKE OF THE GOSPEL. It is unacceptable for a Christian, under the pretext of the need to evangelize, for example, to leave his family and stop providing them with the most necessary things.

If a Christian decides to leave the entire list of Christ - FOR THE SAKE OF THE GOSPEL, then he will certainly FIRST do everything in his power in order to somehow arrange for spiritually dead relatives who are not able to take care of themselves on their own.
Questions of one’s liberation from enslavement by the burdens of this age, for example, “to leave or not to leave; what, whom, how and in what quantity to leave; literally or not; who to choose over whom and how much to do for the cause of God? - a Christian must decide for himself according to his conscience and in accordance with the principles of God.

7: 22 For the servant who is called in the Lord is the freeman of the Lord; likewise, he who is called free is a servant of Christ.
The concept of freedom and slavery is relative: a slave of circumstances is nevertheless free to act Christianly in his circumstances, which means he is free from the point of view of God and Christ.

And a free citizen, for example, of any country - if he is a Christian, then he is a slave of God and His Christ, for he strives exactly to fulfill the will of his Lords.
So, even if he is a slave to his circumstances, even if he has found the opportunity to free himself from them, a Christian is always free to act according to the will of the Lord and follow Christ in what he has the opportunity to follow.
It is clear that in a state of “slavery” there are few opportunities to do something for the Lord, and this is often upsetting, but at least to act correctly and according to the principles of God - even the most forced slave always has the opportunity.

7: 23 You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men.
Because God paid for all Christians high price by the blood of His Christ, He hopes that Christians will act as those bought by God, reverently treating such a sacrifice, obeying Him as their only Master and Master.
A Christian has no right to become slaves of people, no matter what moral “value” they are - bosses, fathers, mothers, brothers, wives, children - and to fulfill their will, which is not similar to the will of the Lord. And if he thinks that he has, he will cease to be a Christian, but will become a primitive people-pleaser.

7:24 In what [title] is anyone called, brothers, in that should each one remain before God.
For God, neither position, nor position in society, nor religion, nor gender, nor age matters at the moment of calling by the Lord, but only the desire of the one called to serve Him all the days of his life matters. Any person, both an unbeliever and a believer in other gods, both a man and a woman, both a superior and a subordinate, both young and old, can respond to the word of God preached by His servants.

7:25 Regarding virginity, I do not have a command from the Lord, but I give advice as someone who has received the grace from the Lord to be faithful [to Him].
Paul makes it clear that his advice, which he is ready to give, is not a categorical instruction regarding the moral choice between good and evil for a Christian: even if you get married, even if you don’t, you will not sin or do evil. But his advice is only a recommendation that does not contradict the will of God, relating to the specific situation of the Corinthian assembly, in which, as already mentioned, extreme “left” and extreme “right” views on gender relations flourished: either complete abstinence and preservation of virginity, or extreme laxity of morals.

7:26 Out of real need, I recognize for the best that it is good for a person to remain like this. Paul says this from the position of a stranger and a stranger who has decided to devote his entire life to God without reserve. Anyone who wants to achieve the optimal option in serving God can follow Paul’s advice, for if he is unmarried, Firstly, is not bound by care and worries about his spouse and is not afraid that he will expose her to persecution through his activities. And, secondly, he will not worry about what will happen to her and the children if something happens to him. An unmarried Christian is freer in both thoughts and actions.

7:27 Are you connected to your wife? don't look for a divorce. Are you left without a wife? don't look for a wife
If a Christian already has a family at the time of his calling, then there is no need for him to look for reasons for divorce: he will have to do for the Lord what he is able to do for Him in his personal circumstances.
If you don’t already have a family, then it’s better not to have one.

It would be folly to seek to change circumstances by methods other than God's, which would bring a stain upon God's church and tarnish God's name. For example, to strive to get a divorce not because of adultery, but in order to devote more time to serving God. God will not accept such a sacrifice, since caring for households, if they already exist at the time of the call, is also fulfilling the will of God (1 Tim. 5:8).

Or if a Christian divorced his wife due to adultery, or perhaps the wife died, then he should not devote the rest of his life to searching for new wife, turning it into an end in itself.

7:28 However, even if you get married, you will not sin; and if the girl marries, she will not sin. But such will have tribulations according to the flesh; and I feel sorry for you.
Marriage is not wrong for a Christian; God does not require complete abstinence, as the extreme right-wingers in the Corinthian assembly believed.

It’s just that everyone who plans to start a family should do it without rose-colored glasses: married couples have sorrows in the flesh (difficulties associated with family responsibilities) - are inevitable in this century.

If a Christian is ready to bear the burden of responsibility not only for himself personally before the Lord, but also for the entire family, please get married. But Paul feels sorry in ADVANCE for everyone who chooses to get married, for he had the opportunity to observe families and how difficult it is to please God when it is also necessary to please the family in what it may need.

7:29-31 the time is already short, so those who have wives must be as if they had not;
Paul gives another argument for the urgency and superiority of choosing to serve God and do His work over all other types of choices:
As the day of reckoning approaches for the entire Earth, a Christian must subordinate himself entirely to the path of Christ as if he had nothing else at all - regardless of his “possessions” and acquisitions.

If a Christian has a wife, she should not be a hindrance to him in fulfilling the work of God (it’s great if she is an assistant in this), if he bought something or has a reason for joy/crying, and this should not slow him down in serving the Lord:
and those who weep as if they were not weeping; and those who rejoice, as if they did not rejoice; and those who buy, as if they did not acquire;

If, for example, when leaving on a business trip, I want to catch my train, then I will schedule all the hours remaining before the train in seconds and will not allow anyone or anything to distract me so much that I forget about the train or do not make it on time.
The situation is the same with the rush to catch the “train” leaving for God’s new world order: no worries of this age should take us more time than is necessary to ensure the necessary minimum of life.

For the image of this world passes away : the “train” to the world order of God is already standing on the required “platform” and at the appointed time it will take everyone who can reach it in time - away from this wicked and disorderly age.

So, Christians, hurry up, it’s better to catch God’s “train” than to get stuck in the wilds of everyday life and the rubble of the same problems that the whole wicked world has chosen to live in in worries about satisfying their personal lusts.

A minimum of investment in personal improvement and opportunism, and a maximum in the work of God: this was Paul’s worldview, which he showed to the Christians of Corinth as a personal example with his almost ascetic lifestyle.
The path of self-denial - the path of Christ - is the best that Paul could offer to the Christians not only of Corinth, but also to you and me.

7:32 And I want you to be worry-free. An unmarried man cares about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord;
Paul regarded the creation of a family as unnecessary worries that complicate the life of a Christian, because a Christian with a family will devote time and energy that could be given to pleasing God to solving family problems.

7:33 But a married man worries about worldly things, how to please his wife.
Interestingly, Paul calls a Christian’s concern for pleasing his wife worldly.
That is, a Christian, wanting to satisfy all the needs of his wife, turns out to be concerned about worldly things. In what sense, if God provided for a man to have a wife?
In the sense that the whole world no longer knows any other worries than getting married, having fun with their wives, arranging a nest for them, feasting on their attention and beauty, and fulfilling their whims, for many husbands of this age like to please their wives, starting with Adam .
So, if a Christian gets bogged down in the desire to satisfy all the whims of his wife to the detriment of God, he will not differ in any way from a worldly husband, and a Christian should not be a worldly husband.

To be a husband in a Christian way is something like Aquila - to Priscilla: a wife - as a companion and assistant in serving the Lord and fulfilling the work of the Gospel, taking into account moving through many cities, lack of comfort, plenty of bread, and sometimes even overnight accommodation.

You can notice how much safer God is than a wife for a Christian: if you stop pleasing Him, then He will not immediately send a pestilence, or illness, or create problems. “Well, if you don’t want to, don’t, live as you want and as you can, while you still have the opportunity to live on My land.”
If you stop pleasing your wife, she will immediately do everything possible to turn a Christian’s life into a nightmare.

7:34 There is a difference between a married woman and a girl: an unmarried woman cares about the Lord, how to please the Lord, in order to be holy in both body and spirit; but a married woman worries about worldly things, how to please her husband.
The same applies to marriage. With only one difference: it is much more difficult for a Christian wife to participate in the work of God compared to a Christian husband, because a wife is obliged to obey her husband and break out from under his prohibitions if he, for example, is an active unbeliever - this is on the verge of impossible for her.
A Christian husband has the opportunity to please God even in the presence of a capricious and harmful wife: he has no obligation to obey his wife.

7:35 I say this for your own benefit, not to put bonds on you, but so that you decently and continually [serve] the Lord without distraction.
Paul said all this in Corinth and to us - for your edification - not in order to make life difficult for the congregation, but in order to make it easier.
Although, it is clear that not everyone could accept Pavel’s wish for a bachelor life as a sincere wish for their well-being.
A free and single Christian has much more opportunities to carry out the instructions of Christ without being distracted by that vanity, which not only does not bring him closer to God and does not make a Christian better, but can also alienate him irrevocably from God, such as, for example, Solomon’s vanity about all his beautiful wives made him a stranger to God.

7:36 If anyone considers it indecent for his maiden that she, being in mature age, remained so, let him do as he wants: he will not sin; let [those] get married.
Some fathers of the daughters of Corinth, due to the inertia of worldly thinking, believed that if no one marries their daughter and she remains an old maid, it means that she has some serious defect or something like that, discrediting the whole family. It was useless to exhort such fathers about the advantages of a bachelor life for their daughters.

7:37 But whoever is unshakably firm in his heart and, not being constrained by need, but being powerful in his own will, decides in his heart to keep his virgin, he does well.
Those fathers who did not want their daughter to share the fate of this world (get married and have family problems) they should not strive at all costs to marry off their daughter just so that people don’t think anything bad about him and his family: people’s opinions in such matters can be neglected.
Here Paul shows that refusal to start a family can be voluntary and not because of a difficult financial situation that does not allow supporting a family. And if desired, take a vow of celibacy - for the sake of serving God.

7:38 Therefore, he who gives his maiden in marriage does well; and the one who does not issue does better.
This does not mean that those who did not marry off their daughters had a reason to rise above those who married off their daughters. For God, neither gender, nor age, nor marital status, nor citizenship, nor social status matters - NOTHING matters except the ACTIONS of a Christian according to God's principles.

“Doing better” in this case means “doing better” not in the eyes of God, but for oneself personally, since with unmarried daughters, a Christian father has fewer problems and more opportunities to devote himself to serving God.

7:39 A wife is bound by law as long as her husband lives; if her husband dies, she is free to marry whomever she wants, only in the Lord.
Marriage, we remember, is not a temporary or experimental community of husband and wife, but one of the spouses for life, until death. Only in the event of the death of a husband (wife) can one think about remarrying, if the need arises.

If, nevertheless, remarriage is necessary for some reason or turns out to be preferable for a Christian to singleness, then a spouse should be selected from among his fellow believers: in the Lord.

It should be unnatural for Christians to seek a life partner for themselves - in a worldly environment. However, oddly enough, some Christians still do not consider it important whether their marriage partner will be from the world or from fellow believers, and this is sad: what can light have in common with darkness, or a believer with an unbeliever?
If there is nothing in common or if only, for example, the marriage bed unites, then such a marriage will be even more problematic for a Christian. There is a high probability that sooner or later it will fall apart and “destroy”, moreover, the spirituality of a Christian.

Here is what Barkley writes about mixed marriage, for example:
P Abel sets one condition: “only in the Lord.” That is, it must be a marriage between Christians. Mixed marriages are rarely successful. A long time ago, Plutarch said that “a marriage cannot be happy unless the spouses profess the same religion.” The highest love comes when married couple loves each other and their love is sanctified by their common love for Christ. For then they not only live together, but also pray together. Their life and love unite and become a continuous act of worship of God.

We agree with him on this issue.

7:40 But she will be happier if she remains like this, according to my advice;
Yet Paul, wishing the best for his fellow believers, advises them not to rush into marriage, either for the first time or again.

I think I too have the spirit of God - Paul has no doubt that he has the holy spirit and that his advice is in agreement with the will of God. He simply emphasizes that his advice is not really the invention of Paul the man, but is consistent with the spirit of God and comes from Paul the apostle, anointed and servant of God.

. What did you write to me about?

Having corrected the disorder of divisions, fornication, covetousness, he now makes rules about marriage and virginity. For the Corinthians in a letter to him asked: Should he abstain from his wife or not?

. It is good for a man not to touch a woman.

It would be good, excellent, he says, if every man, and not just a priest (as some poorly understand this), would not touch his wife at all and remain a virgin. But it is safer and closer to our weakness to marry. Therefore he adds the following.

. But, to avoid fornication, each one have his own wife, and each one have his own husband.

Talks about both sides. For it may happen that the husband loves chastity, but the wife does not, or vice versa. In words "to avoid fornication" encourages abstinence. For if marriage is permitted in order to avoid fornication, then those united in marriage should no longer copulate with each other without any moderation, but chastely.

. The husband show his wife due favor; likewise is a wife to her husband.

As a duty, he says, honor love for each other; and since it is a duty, you are necessarily obliged to provide it to each other.

. The wife has no power over her body, but the husband does; Likewise, the husband has no power over his body, but the wife does.

Now it proves that loving each other is indeed a necessary duty. For, he says, spouses have no power over their bodies, but the wife is a slave and at the same time the mistress of her husband: a slave, since she has no power over her body to sell it to whomever she wants, but the husband owns it; and the mistress because the husband’s body is her body, and he does not have the power to give it to harlots. Likewise, the husband is the slave and at the same time the master of his wife.

. Do not deviate from each other, except by consent, for a while.

That is, a wife should not abstain against the will of her husband, and equally, a husband should not abstain against the wishes of his wife. For to abstain to one against the will of another means to deprive oneself, just as it is said about money; but to abstain at will is a completely different matter, when, for example, both (husband and wife) by agreement determine a certain time for mutual abstinence.

. For exercise in fasting and prayer.

He explains what his expression means: “for a while,” that is, when the time comes to remain in prayer, that is, to pray especially earnestly. For he did not simply say: for prayer, but: "for exercise in prayer". In fact, if the apostle had found in marital cohabitation an obstacle to ordinary daily prayer, then, as in another place, he would have said: "pray without ceasing"()? So, in order for yours to be more ardent, refrain, he says, from each other, because copulation, although it does not defile, does interfere with pious pursuits.

A Then be together again, so that Satan does not tempt you with your intemperance.

“I,” the apostle reasons, “say that you should unite again; but I do not lay this down as a law, but I prescribe it for the purpose of “lest Satan tempt you”, that is, inciting fornication. Since it is not the devil himself who is the culprit of fornication, but primarily our intemperance, the apostle added: "by your intemperance", for this is the reason why the devil tempts us.

. However, I said this as permission, and not as a command.

So that you may deprive yourself of each other for the time being, I said this, says the apostle, "as permission"(κατά συγγνώμην), that is, out of condescension for your weakness, "not as a command" immutable.

. For I wish that all people were like me.

Wherever the apostle prescribes some difficult feat, he usually sets himself as an example. Therefore, here he says: I wish everyone to abstain always.

. But everyone has his own gift from God, one this way, the other another.

Staying in virginity, he says, is a gift from God; however, this feat also requires our strength. How does he call it a gift? To console the Corinthians, to whom he spoke "by your intemperance"(v.5), dealt a sensitive blow. Meanwhile, note that he considers marriage itself a gift; for he said: “Everyone has his own gift from God, one is the same”, that is, the gift to remain in virginity, “otherwise”, that is, the gift to live in marriage.

. To the unmarried and widows I say: it is good for them to remain as I do. But if not can abstain, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to become inflamed.

Do you see the wisdom of Paul, how he shows the superiority of virginity, and at the same time does not force one who is unable to abstain to abstinence from marriage, lest he otherwise suffer a more serious fall? If, he says, you experience great violence and inflammation (for the power of lust is strong), then free yourself from those labors and sweats, so that, having taken on them, you do not fall into greater evil.

. But to those who marry, I do not command, but the Lord.

Since the Lord in clear words gave the law not to divorce, except on the grounds of adultery (), the apostle says: "not I, but the Lord". What was said before was not literally legitimized by the Lord. However, Pavlov’s words are the words of the Lord, and not human ones, for below he says this about himself: “I think I also have the Spirit of God” ().

. A wife must not divorce her husband; if she does, she must remain celibate or be reconciled with her husband; and the husband must not leave his wife. his.

Divorces, he says, happen for the love of abstinence, or for cowardice, or for other reasons; but it would be better if there were no division at all. If it does follow, then the wife must remain with her husband, if not for intercourse, then so as not to bring anyone else. If she cannot abstain, then let her reconcile with her husband.

. To the rest I say, not the Lord: if a brother has an unbelieving wife, and she agrees to live with him, then he should not leave her; and a wife who has an unbelieving husband, and he agrees to live with her, should not leave him.

What are you saying? If the husband is an unbeliever, then let him remain with his wife; and if he is a fornicator, then he should not stay with her? But is unbelief worse than fornication? Definitely worse; but God punishes more for sins against others than against Himself. For it is said: “Leave your gift there before the altar and go first and be reconciled to your brother.”(). And He forgave the ten thousand talents that were owed to Him: but for the one who owed a hundred denarii, He did not leave the offense without vengeance (). So it is in the present case: He ignores unbelief, which offends God Himself, but punishes the sin of adultery as a sin against a wife. Some, however, explain this: a person, they say, remains in unbelief out of ignorance, which, perhaps, will end, as the apostle himself () says: “Why do you know, wife, won’t you save your husband?”- and fornication is committed as a result of obvious corruption. Moreover, the fornicator had already separated himself before, for, having taken his members from his wife, he made them members of a harlot; Meanwhile, the unbeliever has not committed any sin against carnal unity, or better to say, through this unity he may perhaps be united by faith. Not to mention the fact that the order of life will be distorted and the Gospel will be reproached if the faithful half is separated from the unfaithful. Meanwhile, the apostle’s commandment in question applies only to the case if a husband and wife were united in marriage, when both were still in unbelief, but after one or the other side turned to faith. For, if previously only one husband was an unbeliever, or only one wife, then the believing half was not allowed to marry an unbeliever at all: this is clear from the words of the apostle, for he did not say: if anyone wants to take an unbeliever, but: "if any brother has". Again, it does not simply prescribe that the believing half should live with the non-believing half, but only if the latter wishes it; for this means: “I agree,” that is, if he wishes.

. For an unbelieving husband is sanctified by a believing wife, and an unbelieving wife is sanctified by a believing husband.

That is, the abundance of purity of the believing half overcomes the impurity of the unbelieving half. This is what the apostle’s words mean, and not that a pagan is made a saint. For the apostle did not say: he is holy, but: “he is sanctified,” that is, he is overcome by the holiness of the faithful half. And he says this so that a believing wife will not be afraid of becoming unclean if she has cohabitation with such a husband. But the question is: he who has sex with a harlot, becoming one body with her, becomes unclean (cf.); Obviously, the one who copulates with a pagan becomes one body with her. If the first is unclean, then how is the last not made unclean? As for fornication, this is exactly what happens. When fornicators have fellowship with each other, their mixing has uncleanness, and therefore they are both unclean. But this is different when the believing half cohabits with the non-believing half. An unbelieving husband is unclean because of his unbelief. But the wife has fellowship with him not in unbelief, but in the bed. There is no impurity in this communication. For it is a legal marriage. That is why the believing half does not become unclean.

. Otherwise your children would be unclean.

If the unfaithful half were not overcome by the purity of the right half, then their children would be unclean, or only half pure.

And now they are holy.

That is, they are not unclean. By the excessive expression “holy,” the apostle banishes the fear of such suspicion.

. If an unbeliever wants get a divorce, let him get a divorce.

For example, if he commands you to either participate in his disbelief or renounce the rights of marriage, then get a divorce. For it is better to loose the bonds of marriage than to violate piety.

. Brother or sister in these cases not connected; The Lord has called us to peace.

If your husband quarrels with you because you do not take part in his unbelief, then divorce him. For you are not enslaved to him in this case, that is, you are not forced to follow him in such matters. It is better to separate with him than to quarrel; because God doesn’t want this either: “The Lord has called us to peace”. So, if your husband quarrels with you, then he himself has given the reason for divorce.

. Why do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband?

Referring again to the admonition that "shouldn't leave" husband's wife, offers a real question. For if, he says, he does not quarrel with you, then stay with him and admonish him: maybe you will do something. Success is doubtful, on the one hand, so that they do not think that he is making his wife an indispensable duty. - to completely convince her husband, and on the other hand, in order to support her hope for her husband’s conversion and prevent despair.

. Or do you, husband, why do you know if you won’t save your wife? Only (εί μ ) each do as God has determined for him, and each as the Lord has called.

Some read it this way: “or you, husband, why do you know whether you will save your wife or not”(ή μ )? Then they started another sentence like this: “Everyone do as God has determined for him”, that is, how do you know whether you will save her or not? This is completely unknown. But if it is unknown, then you should not dissolve the marriage, because if you do not save her, you will not harm yourself, and if you save, then you will benefit both yourself and others. But Saint John did not read it that way, but like this: “Everyone do as God has determined for him, and everyone as the Lord has called”. And this reading is incomparably better. The Apostle seemed to say this: there should be no divorce under the pretext of unbelief, but each act as God has favored him. You are called, having a wife from among the unbelievers. Keep her with you, and do not cast her out for unbelief.

. This is what I command in all churches.

He said this so that the Corinthians would obey him all the more readily when he commanded others along with them to do the same.

. If anyone is called to be circumcised, do not hide (μη έπισπάσθω ).

Probably many, ashamed of circumcision, used some medicine to bring the circumcised member into primitive look, growing skin on it.

. If anyone is called uncircumcised, do not be circumcised.

On the other hand, some, finding something important in circumcision, were circumcised after converting to faith. Therefore, he says that this does not contribute to faith at all.

. Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but All in keeping God's commandments.

Everywhere, he says, along with faith, the fulfillment of virtue is required, and everything else is either little or not required at all.

. Everyone remain in the rank in which they are called. Whether you are called to be a slave, do not be embarrassed; but if you can become free, then use the best.

"In the rank in which he was called", that is, in what kind of life, and in what rank and state you believed, remain in that; for by calling we mean bringing to faith. Did you accept the faith as a slave? do not worry or be embarrassed; for slavery does not harm you at all, so that if you could become free, “then use the best”, sacrifice yourself for the benefit of others.

. For the servant who is called in the Lord is the freeman of the Lord; likewise, he who is called free is a servant of Christ.

One who is freed from slavery is called free. So, he says: you who believed in a state of slavery, you are free of the Lord; for Christ has freed you both from sin and from this external slavery, although you are a slave. He who does not submit to passions, having a noble soul, is not a slave, although he seems to be one. On the other hand, others are freely called to faith; such is the servant of Christ. So, if the name of slavery outrages the slave, then let him understand that he has become free in Christ, and this freedom is much more important than human freedom. Again, if the name of freedom puffs up a free man, then let him understand that he is a slave of Christ and humble himself, imagining that he is subordinate to such a Master and must please Him. Do you see the wisdom with which the apostle gives instructions to slaves and free?

. You're bought dear price; do not become slaves of men. In which rank whoever is called, brethren, let each one remain before God.

This speaks not only to slaves, but also to freemen, exhorting all Christians not to do anything to please people and not to obey them if their commands are unlawful. This is what it means: bought from God to be slaves of men. He is not trying to persuade slaves to fall away from their masters - no; this can be seen from his subsequent words: “in what rank who is called” etc., that is, if someone is called and is in a state of slavery, let him remain in that state. “Before God” he added so that through obedience to lawless rulers he would not fall away from God. He takes care of both, that is, so that, on the one hand, under the pretext of obeying God, the slaves do not fall away from their masters, and on the other, by showing their masters excessive obedience, they do not fall away from God.

. Regarding virginity, I do not have a command from the Lord, but I give advice, as one who has received the grace from the Lord to be To him faithful.

Above, he occupied us with a conversation about chastity, and now he turns to a more important subject, namely, virginity, and says that the Lord did not lay down a law or give a command regarding virginity, but only said: “whoever can accommodate, let him accommodate” (). Therefore, I do not dare to prescribe anything regarding this subject; this is an important matter, but at the same time dangerous; however, I give my opinion, that is, advice, since I myself, by the grace of God, have been honored to be faithful, that is, close to Him and one to whom one can entrust secrets.

. Out of real need, I recognize for the best that it is good for a person to remain like this.

In my opinion, he says, it is best for a person to abstain from marriage because of the inconveniences and troubles associated with it, and not because the marriage is unclean.

. Are you connected to your wife? don't look for a divorce. Are you left without a wife? don't look for a wife. However, even if you get married, you will not sin.

In words “Are you united with your wife?” showed that marriage, as a bond, brings with it troubles. “Divorce” does not mean abstinence by consent, but divorce without sufficient cause; for if the spouses abstain by consent, then this is not a divorce. Having said “do not look for a wife,” so that they would not think that celibacy is commanded, he adds: “However, even if you get married, you will not sin”. Look, how inconspicuously he encourages virginity, calling marriage a bond, and virginity permission and freedom.

. And if the girl gets married, she will not sin.

By virgin here he means not one who is dedicated to God (for if she gets married, she will undoubtedly sin, since through this, in addition to her Bridegroom, Christ, she will introduce an adulterer to herself), but also a celibate girl. So, if she marries, she will not sin; because marriage does not contain anything unclean.

. But such will have tribulations according to the flesh; and I feel sorry for you.

Sorrows refers to the worries and sorrows associated with marriage. “And I,” he continues, “feel sorry for you,” like children, and I wish you to be free and carefree. Marriage is a bond; and those who are under his yoke have no power over themselves, as stated above.

. I tell you, brothers: the time is already short.

To his words "they will have tribulations according to the flesh" someone did not add: “but at the same time there is pleasure,” suppresses all hope of pleasure, making it seem like time is tight. For everything is hastening towards destruction, and the Kingdom of Christ has drawn near, and at last we must appear to Christ. So, if there is any pleasure in married life, then it is fragile and short-lived.

. So those who have wives must be as if they had not; and those who weep as if they were not weeping; and those who rejoice, as if they did not rejoice; and those who buy, as if they did not acquire; and those who use this world, as if they do not use it.

If those who have wives should be like those who do not have them, then what is the use of getting married and putting burdens on themselves? What does it mean: “as those who have not”? This means: not clinging to marriage and wife and not exhausting all care for them. In the same way, no one should be too concerned about anything else: neither the sad circumstances that were hinted at with the word “weeping,” nor the joyful ones that were meant by the word “rejoice,” nor the contracts that were expressed with the word “buy.” And why, he says, list this and that? Simply, those who use this world should not abuse it, that is, cling to it with all zeal and passion; for excessive use and beyond the bounds of what is proper is abuse.

. For the image of this world is passing away.

That is, it passes and is destroyed. Why get attached to something that is being destroyed? The title of the image showed that the things of the real world only flicker before the eyes, are extremely light and have nothing solid and significant in themselves.

. And I want you to be worry-free.

How could we be without worries? If only they had remained celibate. Therefore he adds the following.

. An unmarried man cares about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord; But a married man worries about worldly things, how to please his wife.

How is it, Paul, wanting us to be carefree and for this purpose instilling in us celibacy, you again say: “The unmarried man cares for the things of the Lord”? For behold, here too there are worries. But not such, he says, as are associated with marriage: concerns about the Lord are saving and delightful, but concerns about the world are harmful and painful. In fact, isn’t it a burden and sorrow to try to please a wife, and especially one who loves jewelry and demands gold and pearls and other empty things? This predisposes pitiful husbands to injustice and harmful disposal of things.

. There is a difference between a married woman and a girl.

That is, they differ from each other, and do not have the same concern, but are divided in their cares: one cares about such objects, and the other about others. Since their concerns are different, then they must choose those that are better and easier.

. An unmarried woman cares about the Lord, how to please the Lord, in order to be holy in both body and spirit; but a married woman worries about worldly things, how to please her husband.

It is not enough to be holy in body, but one must also be holy in spirit, for in this, that is, in the purity of the soul, true virginity consists. In experience, many, although pure and blameless in body, are unclean in soul. Moreover, pay attention to the fact that she is not a virgin who cares about the world. Therefore, when you see a woman who pretends to be a virgin, and yet cares about worldly things, then know that she is no different from a married woman. Paul laid down for both of them certain signs by which they can be recognized - not marriage and abstinence, but, on the one hand, great and restless activity, and on the other, calm minding their own affairs. Therefore, she is not a virgin who burdens herself with many vain activities. But the married woman continues to worry about how to please her husband, and therefore takes special care of her beauty, or, in order to be considered a good housewife, she shows herself to be wasteful and thrifty.

. I say this for your own benefit, not in order to impose bonds on you.

I talked, he says, about virginity, knowing that this state is useful for you, since it is free from sadness and worries, and brings more benefits to the soul; I did not talk about this in order to force you to remain in virginity against your will (for he called coercion “bonds”).

. But so that you decorously and continuously served No entertainment for the Lord.

In order, he says, for you to live decently and in cleanliness; for what could be more decent and purer than virginity? And so that you, being free from the troubles of marriage, serve the Lord without entertainment and stand before Him always, casting all your worries on Him ().

. If anyone considers it indecent for his maiden to remain like this when she is of mature age, let him do as he wants: he will not sin.

If anyone, he says, being truly weak at heart, considers it dishonorable to leave his daughter a virgin, especially if she has passed adulthood, then let him say, so be it. How? “Let him do as he wants”, that is, if he wants to give her away in marriage, let him give it away, for he will not sin. However, it is better to guard the virgin, as he says further.

. Let such get married. But whoever is unshakably firm in his heart and, not being constrained by need, but being powerful in his own will, decides in his heart to keep his virgin, he does well. Therefore, he who gives his maiden in marriage does well; and the one who does not issue does better.

Notice how at first he is surprised at the one who respects his virginity: he calls him firm and steadfast and does his job with reason; for he says: "unshakably firm in heart". This means that whoever gives his maiden in marriage is not firm. In words “not being constrained by need” shows that the father has the power to give his daughter a husband, and no one can force him not to give her in marriage. So, it is an honor for him if he leaves his daughter unmarried; That’s why the apostle praises him: for “he does well,” he says. But the one who gives his daughter in marriage also "does well"; for it is not a sin to give in marriage; and everything that is not sin is good. But it is much better not to get married; for this is perfection in good.

. A wife is bound by law as long as her husband lives; if her husband dies, she is free to marry whomever she wants, only in the Lord. But she will be happier if she remains like this, according to my advice; but I think that I also have the Spirit of God.

Here he teaches about second marriage, and although he allows it, he considers the one who does not enter into a second marriage to be most blessed; for just as virginity is higher than the first marriage, so the first marriage is higher than the second. "The wife is bound by the law", that is, by the warning of the law she is kept from adultery, from being an adulteress through union with another during her husband’s life, but if her husband dies, she becomes free from the bonds and law of her first marriage and receives permission. "Only in the Lord", that is, only with chastity, with honesty can she enter into a second marriage, for the purpose of producing and raising children, and not out of lust. "According to my advice" adds that you should not consider this a necessity, but only advice, Divine advice. “I think,” he says, “ and I have the Spirit of God". There is more humility in these words; for he did not say: I have, but: “I think” that “I have,” that is, I believe, I guess.

A. About marriage and celibacy (chapter 7)

7,1 So far, Paul has spoken about various sins committed by members of the Corinthian church, which he heard directly from reports. Now he intends to answer the questions put to him by the Corinthian saints. The first of them is related to marriage and celibacy. Therefore he first lays down the general principle that It is good for a man not to touch a woman.

"Touching a Woman" in this case means having a physical relationship with her. Apostle Not means that celibacy is more sacred than marriage; he simply says that if you want to completely devote yourself to the service of the Lord and not be distracted, then it is better not to get married. This is explained in more detail in subsequent verses.

7,2 However, Paul understands that celibacy brings with it incredible temptations to succumb to uncleanness. Therefore he completes the first statement by saying: “But to avoid fornication, each one have his own wife, and each one have his own husband.” Command every husband should have his own wife implies a monogamous marriage. Verse 2 contains the principle that God's order for men continues to be the same as it has always been, namely, that a person should have only one spouse.

7,3 In marriage, everyone should favor to his partner in marital duty, since in it they are interdependent. When it says: "The husband show his wife due favor" it means: "Let him fulfill his obligations to her as a husband." Of course, she should treat him too like. Notice the delicacy with which Paul treats such a subject. No rudeness, no vulgarity - what a difference from the world!

7,4 In a marriage wife depends on husband and vice versa. In order to realize God's commanded order in their holy union, both husband and wife must recognize their interdependence.

7,5 Christenson writes:

"In layman's terms, this means that if one partner desires a sexual relationship, the other must respond to that desire. A husband and wife who accept this simplistic approach to sex will find wonderful satisfaction in this aspect of marriage - simply because the relationship is rooted in reality , and not into some artificial or impossible ideal."(Larry Christenson, The Christian Family, p. 24.)

Perhaps some of the Corinthians, after their conversion, began to think that the intimate side of marriage was incompatible with Christian holiness. Paul delivered them from such ideas.

Here he tells them firmly that Christian couples Not must avoid each other that is, to deny the rights of one partner to the body of the other. There are only two conditions. First: abstinence must be By mutual consent, so that husband and wife can devote themselves exercise in fasting and prayer. The second condition: such abstinence must be only temporary. Husband and wife must to be together again otherwise Satan will tempt them intemperance, or lack of self-control.

7,6 Verse 6 has given rise to many interpretations and contradictions. Paul says: “However, I said this as permission, and not as a command.” Some have taken this as a sign that the apostle does not consider the preceding words to be inspired. This interpretation is incorrect because in 1 Corinthians (14:37) he states that what he wrote for the Corinthians are the commandments of the Lord. In our opinion, the apostle is saying that under certain circumstances a married couple can abstain from marital relations, but such abstinence is a permission, not command. Christians are not obliged to shirk their marital duty in order to devote themselves undividedly to prayer. Others believe that this verse refers to the general idea of ​​marriage, that is, Christians are allowed to marry, but it is not a command.

7,7 Here Paul gives advice to unmarried people. First of all, it is clear that he considered celibacy preferable, but understood that it is possible to remain single only when God gives the ability to do so. When he says: "...I wish that all people were like me" From the context it is clear that he means "celibate." Views vary widely as to whether Paul was always single or widowed at the time he wrote this. But even if we could resolve this dispute, it is not so necessary for our purposes.

When Paul says: "...but everyone has his own gift from God, one this way, another another" this means that some are given grace by God to remain single, while others are clearly called to marriage. This is a personal matter and cannot be here common law, equally applicable to everyone.

7,8 Therefore he advises remain celibate and widows, like him, himself.

7,9 But if they lack the power to control themselves, if they can't abstain they are allowed get married. For it is better to marry than to become inflamed. Inflaming passions is fraught with a serious danger of falling into sin.

7,10 The next two verses are addressed to married where both spouses are believers. “But to those who marry, I command not I, but the Lord,”- this means that Paul is teaching here what he previously taught Lord Jesus, when I was on earth. Christ has already given clear commandments on this matter. For example, He forbade divorce, except in cases where it was caused by infidelity (Matt. 5:32; 19:9). Paul gives a general instruction here: A wife should not divorce her husband.

7,11 However, he understands that there are exceptional cases when a wife is forced to leave her husband. In this case, she must remain celibate or reconcile with your husband. The separation of spouses does not break the marriage bond; rather, it provides an opportunity for the Lord to reconcile the differences that led to the division and restore both parties to fellowship with Him and with each other. To my husband commanded do not leave your wife. In this case no exceptions are made.

7,12 Verses 12-24 address the problems of a marriage in which only one of the spouses is a believer. Paul prefaces his words with the statement: “It is I who speak to the rest, not the Lord.” Again, we strongly emphasize that this does not mean that what Paul said expresses his own point of view and not the Lord's. He simply explains that the topic he is going to talk about is Not mentioned in the teaching Gentlemen Jesus when He was on earth. There are no instructions like this in the Gospels. The Lord Jesus simply did not deal with cases of marriage where only one of the spouses is a believer. Now Christ gave instructions to His apostle on this occasion, so what Paul said here is the inspired Word of God.

Others- that is, those whose spouses are non-believers. This passage Not means that a marriage union is permissible between a Christian and a non-believer. This probably applies to a situation where a person believed after marriage.

“If any brother has an unbelieving wife, and she agrees to live with him, then he should not leave her.” To fully appreciate this scripture, it will be helpful to recall God's commandments given to His people in the OT. When Jews married pagans and children were born from this union, they were commanded to leave both their wives and children. This is clear from Ezra 10:2 and Nehemiah 13:23-25.

Now in Corinth the question began to be raised about what a believing wife should do with her husband and children, or what a man should do whose wife is an unbeliever. Leave her? The answer here is clearly negative. The commandment of the OT no longer applies to the people of God who have been given grace. If a Christian has a wife who is not a Christian, and she agrees to live with him, he shouldn't leave her. This does not mean that if a Christian marries an unbeliever, it is good, but if he was already married to her when he believed, then he should not leave her.

7,13 Exactly the same a wife who has an unbelieving husband who agrees to live with her, should stay with her husband. Perhaps, as evidence of her meekness and piety, she will lead him to the Lord.

7,14 Indeed, the presence of a believer in a non-Christian home has a sanctifying value. As stated above, sanctify- means to separate. This does not mean that a wife saves an unbelieving husband, nor does it mean that she makes him a saint. What is meant here, rather, is that he occupies a privileged position. He is lucky to have a Christian wife who prays for him. Through her life and testimony, God exerts His influence in this home. From a human perspective, a man whose wife is a devout Christian is more likely to be saved than one whose wife is an unbeliever. As Vine says, "he experiences a spiritual impact that carries the possibility of genuine conversion." (W. E. Vine, First Corinthians, p. 24.) This is also true of unbelieving wife And to my husband-Christian. In this case the unbelieving wife is sanctified.

Then the apostle adds: “Otherwise your children would have been unclean, but now they are holy.” We have already noted that in the OT children were to be left in the same way as a pagan wife. Now Paul explains that, by the grace of God, children born in a marriage where one spouse is a believer and the other is not - holy.

In this verse the words "holy" And "sanctified"- single-rooted. This does not mean that the children themselves have become saints, that is, that they necessarily live purely and immaculately. No, it means they are given a privilege. At least one of their parents loves the Lord and can tell them the gospel story. The possibility that they will be saved is great. They were privileged to live in a home where one of the parents had the Spirit of God indwelling them. In this sense they are sanctified. This verse also expresses the belief that it is possible to have children when one of the parents is a Christian and the other is not. God will recognize such a marriage and the children will not be illegitimate.

7,15 But how should a Christian approach his spouse’s desire to divorce? The answer is: he or she must be allowed get a divorce. Expression "the brother or sister in such cases are not related" very difficult to interpret definitively. Someone explains that if an unbeliever leaves a believer and there is every reason to believe that he is leaving forever, then the believer has the right to get a divorce. Those who hold this view teach that verse 15 is an introductory clause, and verse 16 is related to verse 14 as follows:

1. Verse 14 states that the ideal situation for a believer to remain with an unbelieving spouse, since the presence of a Christian in the home has a sanctifying influence.

2. Verse 16 suggests that by remaining in the family, a believer can lead an unbeliever to Christ.

3. Verse 15 is an introductory sentence in which a believer abandoned by an unbelieving spouse is permitted to divorce (and possibly remarry).

The hope for the possibility of subsequent salvation lies in the permanent union, and not in the departure of the unbeliever.

But some Bible scholars insist that verse 15 speaks only of separation, not divorce and remarriage. To them, this means that if a non-believer leaves, he should be allowed to do so peacefully. There is no obligation on the wife to try to save the marriage beyond what she has already done. The Lord has called us to peace, and we should not create emotional scenes or legal proceedings to prevent an unbeliever from leaving.

Which of these interpretations is correct? We believe that it is impossible to give a definite answer. In our opinion, in Ev. Matthew (19:9) The Lord taught that divorce is permitted when one of the parties is guilty of infidelity (adultery). We believe that in such a case the innocent party is free to remarry.

Regarding 1 Corinthians 7:15, we are not sure that it allows divorce and remarriage in the case of an unbeliever leaving his Christian spouse. However, the one who is guilty of such withdrawal will almost inevitably soon enter into a new relationship, and thus the original union will still be destroyed.

J.M. Davis writes:

“An unbeliever who leaves his family will very soon remarry, which will automatically destroy the marriage union. To insist that the abandoned spouse remain celibate is to place a burden on his shoulders that in most cases a person cannot bear.”(J. M. Davies, no more complete data available.)

7,16 The understanding of this verse varies depending on the interpretation of verse 15.

Those who believe that verse 15 does not permit divorce cite this verse as support. They argue that a believer can allow separation, but should not divorce an unbeliever, since this will hinder the possibility of restoration of the marriage union, as well as the likelihood of saving the unbeliever. On the other hand, those who teach that divorce is permitted when a believer is abandoned connect this verse with verse 14, and consider verse 15 to be an introductory sentence.

7,17 New converts sometimes feel that they must make a complete break with their previous life, including the institution of marriage, which in itself is not sinful. In the newfound joy of salvation there is a danger of causing a violent revolution and overthrowing everything that has been known so far. To achieve its goals, Christianity does not resort to violent revolution. Rather, it produces change through peaceful means. In verses 17-24 the apostle states general rule, according to which, in order to become a Christian, there is no need for violence or severance of existing ties. No doubt he refers primarily to family ties, but he applies this principle to both racial and social ties.

Every believer must live according to the calling of the Lord. If He has called someone to family life, one must follow it in the fear of the Lord. If God has given the grace to remain single, a person must follow this calling. In addition, if at the time of faith he is married to an unsaved woman, he should not break off this relationship, but continue to do everything possible to bring his wife to salvation. What Paul says to the Corinthians is not addressed to them alone; he taught this across all churches. Vine writes:

"When Paul says, 'Thus I command all the churches,' he is not issuing central decrees, but simply informing the Corinthian church that he is giving them the same instructions that he gave to every church."(W. E. Vine, The Divine Plan of Missions, p. 63.)

7,18 In verses 18 and 19, Paul deals with the topic of race relations. If at the time of his conversion a man was a Jew, bearing the sign of circumcision on his body, he need not regard it with an insurmountable aversion and try to destroy every trace of his former way of life. Likewise, a person who was a pagan at the time of rebirth should not try to hide his pagan past and take on the distinctive signs of a Jew. We can interpret these verses to mean that a converted Jew should not be afraid to live with his Jewish wife, or a converted Gentile should not seek liberation from his own past. These external differences don't really matter.

7,19 As for the essence of Christianity, circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. What really matters is keeping God's commandments. In other words, God cares about what's inside, not what's outside. When accepting Christianity, there is no need to forcibly throw away those relationships that have already developed in life. “Rather,” says Kelly, “the Christian is raised by his faith to a position where he is above all circumstances.” (William Kelly, Notes on the First Epistle to the Corinthians, p. 123.)

7,20 The general rule is: every must stay with God in that position in which he is called. This, of course, refers to a calling that is not sinful in itself. If a person was engaged in some sinful activities before conversion, he will have to leave them! But here the apostle speaks of something that in itself is not bad. This is proven by the following verses that talk about slavery.

7,21 What should a believer do? slave? Should he rebel against his master and demand freedom? Does Christianity insist that we fight for our "rights"? Paul answers here: “If you are called to be a slave, do not be embarrassed.” In other words, were you a slave when you converted? Don't let it bother you. You can remain a slave and still enjoy the blessings of the Christian life.

But if you can become free, then make the best use of it. There are two interpretations of this passage. Some believe that Paul is saying, “If you can be freed, make every effort to take advantage of the opportunity.” According to others, the apostle says that if a slave can become free, Christianity does not require him to achieve this freedom. He had better use his slavery to testify for the Lord Jesus. Most people would prefer the first interpretation (and probably rightfully so), but they should not ignore the fact that the second more closely matches the example that the Lord Jesus Christ Himself set for us.

7,22 For the servant who is called in the Lord is the freeman of the Lord. What is meant here is not a freeborn person, but one who was freed, that is, a slave who received freedom. In other words, if a person was a slave at the time of conversion, this should not bother him, because he free Lord. He is freed from sins and slavery to Satan. On the other hand, if a person was free, when he turned, he needs to understand that from now on he has become slave bound hand and foot by the Savior.

7,23 Every Christian has been bought at a great price. Since then it belongs to the One who bought it - the Lord Jesus. We must be slaves of Christ and don't become slaves of people.

7,24 Therefore, it does not matter what a person’s social position is if he can constantly stay before God. These two words - before God- key words that reveal the whole truth. If a man - before God then even slavery can turn into complete freedom. This is what ennobles and sanctifies any social position.

7,25 In verses 25-38 the apostle addresses the unmarried, both men and women. Word "virginity" may apply to both. Verse 25, like several others, is used to argue that the contents of this chapter are not necessarily inspired. Some even go to the extreme of saying that Paul, as a bachelor, showed male superiority towards women, and his words reflect personal prejudice! Of course, to share such a view is to viciously attack the inspiration of Scripture. When Paul says that Not received commandments of the Lord about virginity, he simply means that the Lord did not give any clear instructions on this matter during His earthly ministry. Therefore Paul gives his own advice, as having received from the Lord the grace to be faithful to Him, and this advice is inspired by God.

7,26 All in all, Fine be celibate - according to real need. Collocation "real need" refers to the suffering of earthly life in general. [Or “present tribulations” (translated as “Good News from God”).] Perhaps when Paul wrote this letter, the distress was especially dire. Be that as it may, need and sorrow existed and will continue to exist until the Lord comes.

7,27 Paul advises those who are already married to don't seek divorce. On the other hand, if a man left without a wife, he shouldn't look for a wife. Expression "left without a wife" does not only apply to widowers or divorcees. It means "free from the bonds of marriage" and can include those who have never been married.

7,28 Nothing Paul said can be interpreted to mean that marriage is a sin. After all, marriage was instituted by God in the Garden of Eden before sin entered the world. God Himself said: “It is not good for man to be alone” (Gen. 2:18).

“Let marriage be honorable in all and the bed undefiled” (Heb. 13:4). Elsewhere Paul speaks of the prohibition of marriage as a sign of apostasy in the end times (1 Tim. 4:1-3).

Thus Paul states: “However, even if you marry, you will not sin; and if a girl marries, you will not sin.” New Christians should not think that marital relations- this is something bad. Yet Paul adds that women who marry will have tribulations according to the flesh. This may mean labor pains, etc. When Paul says: "...and I feel sorry for you" It is quite possible that he means the following: 1) I feel sorry for you, because you will experience the physical suffering that is inevitable in marriage, especially the anxieties of family life; 2) I'm sorry reader to whom I enumerate all these difficulties.

7,29 Paul would like to emphasize that, since time is already short, even these legal relationships we must put aside in order to serve the Lord. The coming of Christ is at hand, and while husbands and wives should faithfully fulfill their responsibilities to each other, they should strive to give Christ the primary place in their lives.

Ianside puts it this way:

“Everyone must act in recognition of the fact that time is indeed running out, the return of the Lord is at hand, and no desire for personal comfort should be allowed to interfere with the desire to devote oneself to doing the will of God.”(Harry A. Ironside, First Epistle to the Corinthians, p. 123.)

V. E. Vine says:

"The point, of course, is not that married man husbandly behavior should be avoided, but his relationship with his wife should be completely subordinated to the sublime relationship with the Lord... Who should occupy the main place in his heart; he must not allow natural relationships to destroy his obedience to Christ."(Vine, First Corinthians, p. 104.)

7,30 Neither sorrows, nor joys, nor material benefits should be given too much attention. All this must be subordinated to our efforts not to miss the opportunity to serve the Lord while the day is not yet past.

7,31 Living on earth, we inevitably come into contact with worldly things. A believer can quite legitimately use them in his life. However, Paul warns us that we can use this and not abuse. For example, a Christian should not live for food, clothing and pleasure. He can use food and clothing because they are necessary, but they should not occupy a dominant position in his life. Family, property, commerce, political, scientific, musical or artistic activities have a place in the world, but they can distract from spiritual life if allowed to do so.

Expression "the image of this world passes away" borrowed from the theater and refers to a change of scenery. It says that everything we see around us is transitory. Its fragility is well described in the famous lines of Shakespeare: “The whole world is a theater. In it, women, men are all actors. They have their own exits, departures, and each plays more than one role.” (“As You Like It,” Act 2, Scene 7, trans. Shchepkina-Kupernik.)

7,32 Paul wants Christians were without worries. He means those worries that hinder them in serving the Lord. Therefore he explains: An unmarried man cares about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. This does not mean that all single believers truly give themselves completely to the Lord; this means that a single person has opportunities that a married person does not have.

7,33 Again, this does not mean that married cannot be attentive to God's things. This is a general observation: family life requires a man pleased his wife. He needs to think about additional responsibilities. As Vine pointed out, "In general, if a man is married, his ministry is limited. If he is unmarried, he can go to the ends of the earth and preach the Gospel." (Vine, First Corinthians, R. 105.)

7,34 An unmarried woman cares about the Lord, how to please the Lord, in order to be holy in both body and spirit; but a married woman worries about worldly things, how to please her husband.

Some clarification is also needed here. Unmarried, or girl, can give more time To the Lord. Expression "to be holy both in body and spirit" does not mean that celibacy is more holy; it only means that she can be more separated for the cause of the Lord both body and spirit. She's not much cleaner, but she has more free time.

And again, the married woman cares about worldly things. This does not mean that she is more of the world than an unmarried woman, but part of her day must necessarily be devoted to worldly duties, such as taking care of the home. These works are legal and right, and Paul does not condemn them or minimize their importance; he only states that a single woman has more opportunities for service and more time than a married woman.

7,35 Paul does not preach this doctrine to force people into a rigid system of slavery. He only instructs them for their own sake benefits, that they, as they reflect upon their lives and service to the Lord, may judge His guidance in the light of these instructions. He believes that celibacy is good, that it gives a person the opportunity serve the Lord without entertainment. According to Paul, a person is free to choose between marriage and celibacy. The apostle does not want to attack anyone bind or drive someone into slavery.

7,36 Of all the verses in this chapter, and perhaps in the entire book, verses 36-38 are the most misunderstood. The usual explanation is that in Paul's day the man had all the power in his home. It was his right to decide whether his daughters would marry. They couldn't do this without his permission. On this basis, these verses were understood as follows: if a man does not allow his daughters to marry, it is good, and if he allows them to do so, then he does not sin.

This interpretation seems almost meaningless if these verses are used as instruction for God's people today. The interpretation does not fit into the context of the chapter and seems hopelessly confusing.

In the translation of "Good News from God" the word "maiden" is translated as "bride". Then the meaning of this verse is that if a man marries his bride, he does not sin, but if he refrains from marrying her, it is better. This view is fraught with many complications.

William Kelly, in his commentary on 1 Corinthians, gives an alternative view that seems to have great merit. Kelly believes that the word "maiden"(parthenos) can also be translated as "virginity". (However, the normative Greek word for virginity,- is an abstract noun parthenia, and if Paul meant this, it is strange that he did not use the simple word "virgin", "virgin", as in Heb. Matthew 1:23.) Thus, these verses are not talking about the unmarried daughters of a man, but about his own virginity. According to this interpretation, if a person remains unmarried, he acts well, and if he decides to marry, then will not sin.

John Nelson Darby adheres to the same interpretation in his new translation:

"But if someone thinks that he is behaving in a manner unbecoming of his virginity, and if he is already of mature age, let him do what he wants, he will not sin - let him marry. But if he who is unshakably firm in his heart does not have needs, but has power over his will and has decided in his heart to preserve virginity, then he acts well. Therefore, the one who marries acts well, and the one who does not marry acts better."

Then, looking at verse 36 in more detail, we come to this: If a man has entered into full maturity, and if he does not feel that he has the gift of continence, he will not sin if he gets married. He believes that he does this out of necessity, and therefore in this case he must do as he wants that is, get married.

7,37 But if a person is determined to serve the Lord without amusement and if he controls himself well enough so that we are not constrained by need marry, if he decided to remain single and all this with the good intention of glorifying God in his ministry, then he doing well.

7,38 In conclusion, it is said that the one who marries (literally: “gives himself in marriage”) does well, but the one who remains unmarried in order to serve the Lord more, does better.

7,39 The last two verses of chapter 7 give advice to widows. Wife is bound by law with my husband how long He alive Word "law" here refers to the law of marriage established by God. If the husband this woman will die she free to go out for another. The same truth is proclaimed in Romans 7:1-3: death dissolves the marriage relationship. However, the apostle adds one condition: she is free to marry for whomever he wants, only in the Lord. First of all, this means that the man she marries must be a Christian, but the meaning of this verse is broader. In the Lord- means “according to the will of the Lord.” In other words, she could marry a Christian and still not do the will of God. In this important matter, she must seek the guidance of the Lord and marry the believer whom the Lord will give her.

7,40 Paul openly declares that the widow happier if it stays unmarried. This does not contradict 1 Timothy 5:14, where Paul, in expressing his opinion about young widows, says that they should get married. Here he lays out the general rule, and in 1 Timothy the specific exception. Then he adds: "...and I think that I also have the Spirit of God." Some people misunderstand this verse and think that Paul is not confident in himself when he says this! We again vehemently protest against any such interpretation. The inspiration of what Paul wrote in this passage is undeniable. Here he is being ironic. Some Corinthians disputed his apostleship and his teaching. They claimed to have the mind of the Lord. Paul responds: “Whatever others may say about me, I believe that I also have the Spirit of God. They testify that they have it, but of course they cannot claim a monopoly on the Holy Spirit.”

We know that Paul really had the Spirit of God in all that he has written for us, and following his instructions will bring us success.

Chapter 8

B. About food sacrificed to idols (8.1 - 11.1)

Verses 8.1 - 11.1 discuss the issue of food sacrificed to idols, which represented real problem for those who have recently turned to Christ from paganism. Perhaps on some holidays they could have been invited to the temple, where a large feast was held, at which meat that had previously been offered as a sacrifice to idols was served. Or perhaps they could go to the market to buy meat and find that the butcher was selling meat that had been sacrificed to idols. Of course, this does not in any way affect the quality of the meat, but should a Christian buy it? Or, for example, a believer could be invited to someone’s house and treated to food that had previously been offered to some pagan deity. If he knows that this is the case, should he eat this food? Paul answers these questions.

8,1 The apostle begins by stating that both he and the Corinthians have knowledge of food sacrificed to idols. This is not a topic that they are completely ignorant of. For example, All they knew that simply offering a piece of meat to some idol did not change the meat in any way. Its smell and calorie content remained the same. However, Paul adds that knowledge puffs up, but love edifies.

By this he means that knowledge alone is not enough to understand such matters. If knowledge were the only principle applied, it could lead to pride. In fact, in such cases, Christians had to apply not only knowledge, but also love. They must consider not only what is legal for them, but also what is best for others.

8,2-3 Vine paraphrases verse 2 as follows: “If a man imagines that he has attained complete knowledge, he has not yet begun to learn how knowledge should be attained.” Without love there can be no true knowledge. On the other side, whoever loves God has been given knowledge from Him, in the sense that God approves of it. (Good News from God, like some other translations, offers the following translation of this verse: “But if anyone loves God, he is known to Him.”)

On the one hand, God knows everyone, and on the other hand, He knows believers especially well. The word "known" (or "knows") is used here to denote favor or approval. A person who makes a decision about how to treat foods offered to idols based on love for God and man, and not just guided by pure knowledge, deserves God's smile of approval.

8,4 Talking about sacrificed to idols, believers understand that idol- not a real god with power, knowledge and love. Paul does not deny the existence of idols as such; we know that there were, for example, images that were carved from wood or stone. He later confirms that demonic forces are behind these idols. But here he emphasizes that there are no gods that these idols are supposed to represent. There is no other God but the One, that is, God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

8,5 Paul admits that there was much in pagan mythology so-called gods such as Jupiter, Juno or Mercury. Some of them were believed to live in the sky, and others, such as Ceres or Neptune, are here, on the ground. In this sense there are many gods and many lords, that is, many mythological creatures that people worshiped and had as slaves.

8,6 Believers know that there is one true God the Father, from whom are all things, and we are to Him. This means that God our Father is the Source, or Creator, Total So what We were created for him. In other words, He is the purpose of our existence. We also know that there is one Lord, namely Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. Expression "Which is all" describes the Lord Jesus as the Mediator or Worker of God, while the expression "and we are by Him" indicates that through His mediation we were created and saved.

When Paul says there is one God the Father And one Lord Jesus Christ, he does not mean by this to say that the Lord Jesus Christ is not God. It simply refers to the roles played by the two Persons of the Godhead in creation and redemption respectively.

8,7 But Not all Christians, especially new believers, understand the freedom they have in Christ Jesus. Having dealt with idolatry in the past, having become accustomed to idols, they believe that they are worshiping idols when they eat meat that was sacrificed to idols. They believe that the idol is real and therefore their conscience, being weak, is defiled.

Word "weak" here does not mean “physically or spiritually weak.” This definition refers to those who are too scrupulous in matters of no moral significance. For example, God does not forbid a believer to eat pork. According to the OT, a Jew could not eat this food, but a Christian was given complete freedom to eat such food. However, a Jew who has converted to Christianity may still hesitate to this issue. He may feel that it is not good to eat fried pork for dinner. The Bible calls people like him a weak brother. This means that he does not fully enjoy his Christian freedom. In fact, as long as he believes that eating pork is wrong, he will be sinning if he eats it. This is what is meant in the expression "Their conscience, being weak, is defiled." If my conscience condemns an action and I commit it, I sin. “Whatever is not of faith is sin” (Rom. 14:23).

8,8 Food in itself is not for God a matter of paramount importance. Abstaining from certain types of food does not bring us God's favor, nor does eating such foods make us better Christians.

8,9 But although we gain nothing by eating such food, we may lose much if by doing so we cause infirm the Christian will stumble. This is where the principle of love must come into play. A Christian is free to eat meat that has previously been sacrificed to idols, but it would be completely wrong for him to eat it if by doing so he might cause harm infirm brother or sister.

8,10 The danger is that if the weak brother will see that someone does something questionable in his eyes, he can do the same, although his conscience will condemn him. In this verse the apostle condemns the presence at the table in the temple because of the impact it can have on others. Of course, when Paul talks about the man sitting at the table in the temple, he is referring to any social events or large celebrations such as a wedding. You should never eat in a temple if the meal includes any participation in idolatry. Paul further condemns this (10:15-26). Expression "if anyone sees that you, having knowledge..." means: if anyone sees you in full possession of Christian freedom and knowing that meat sacrificed to idols is not unclean... The important principle here is that we must take into account not only the effect Such an act will have an impact on ourselves, but more importantly, the impact it will have on others.

8,11 A person can be so proud of his knowledge of what is permitted for a Christian that this will cause his brother in Christ to make a mistake. Word "will perish" does not mean that he will lose eternal salvation. It does not mean the loss of life, but the loss good life. The testimony of a weak brother will be damaged, and his life will be changed in a direction unfavorable to him in terms of usefulness to God. Words "for whom Christ died" point out that the possibility of harming a weak brother in Christ must be taken very seriously. Paul is arguing here that if the Lord Jesus Christ loved this person so much that he was willing to die for him, then we dare not hinder his spiritual progress by doing anything that could push him down the wrong path. A few pieces of meat are not worth it!

8,12 It's not just that we might sin against or hurt a brother in Christ weak conscience. This is how we sin against himself Christ. Whatever we do to the least of His brothers, we do it to Him. Whatever causes pain to one of the members of His Body causes pain to the Head. Vine points out that in discussing this topic, the apostle leads his readers to consider it in the light of the atoning death of Christ.

Barnes says: "It is a call born of the deep and tender love, suffering and dying groans of the Son of God." (Barnes, First Corinthians, p. 147.) Sin against Christ- this, according to Gaudet, is “the worst of crimes.” Realizing this, we should consider our actions very carefully in the light of how they affect others, and refrain from doing anything that might cause harm to a brother.

8,13 Because the seduce brother- means to sin against Christ, Paul states that he will not eat meat forever if by doing this he seduces brother his. The action of God in the life of another person is immeasurably more important than tender roast! Although the topic of sacrifice to idols is not a sore point for most Christians today, principles that the Spirit of God lays here have lasting value. There are many things in modern Christian life that, although not prohibited by the Word of God, can be harmful to weak Christians. Even if we have the right to participate in such matters, what is more important is the right to renounce it for the sake of the spiritual well-being of those we love in Christ, our fellow believers.

At first glance, Chapter 9 appears to discuss new topic. However, the issue of sacrifice to idols is dealt with for two more chapters.

Here Paul is simply making a digression to point out own an example of selflessness for the benefit of others. According to the principle put forward in 8:13, he readily renounces his apostolic right to financial support. Thus, this chapter is closely related to Chapter 8.

Chapter 9

9,1 As we know, there were those among the Corinthians who doubted Paul's authority. They said that he was not one of the Twelve, and therefore not a real apostle. Paul declares that he is free from human influence as a true apostle Lord Jesus. He bases this statement on two facts. Firstly, he saw Jesus Christ our Lord, resurrected. This happened on the way to Damascus. He also points to the Corinthians themselves as proof of his apostleship, asking them: “Are you not my business in the Lord?” If they doubt his apostleship, they should examine themselves. Are they saved? Of course they will say yes. Okay, who led them to Christ? Apostle Paul! Therefore, they themselves are proof of the fact that he is a true apostle of the Lord.

9,2 Other may not recognize it apostle but the Corinthians certainly should. They - seal his apostleship in the Lord.

9,4 In verses 4-14 Paul speaks of his apostolic right to financial support. As a messenger of the Lord Jesus, Paul was entitled to material rewards from the believers. However, he did not always insist on this right. He often worked with his hands, making tents, so that he could freely preach the Gospel to people. No doubt his critics took advantage of this to suggest that he did not accept the content because he was not a true apostle.

He begins this topic with a question: "Or do we have no power to eat or drink?"- that is, so that we don’t have to earn money for it? Don't we have the right to support from the Church?

9,5 Or do we not have the power to have a sister as a wife as a companion, like the other apostles, and the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas? Perhaps some of Paul's critics believed that he did not marry, knowing that the Church would never accept him and his wife as their support. Peter and the other apostles were married, as were brothers of the Lord. Here the apostle asserts that he has exactly the same right to marry and receive the material support of Christians both for himself and for his wife. Expression "to have a sister's wife as a companion"(that is, a believing wife) refers not only to the right to marry, but also to the right of both to live on church support. Brothers of the Lord- these are, apparently, His half-blooded or cousins. This text alone does not solve this problem, although other places in Scripture say that Mary had other children after Jesus, her Firstborn (Luke 2:7; see Matt. 1:25; 12:46; 13:55; Mark 6.3; John 2.12; Gal. 1.19).

9,6 Apparently Barnabas, like Paul, he preached the gospel and worked to support himself. Paul asks: do they really not have the authorities don't work, to be cared for by the children of God?

9,7 The apostle first strengthens his claim to content by reference to the other apostles. Now he makes arguments from the sphere of human activity. The soldier does not serve in the army on its content. From the man who planted grape, do not expect that he will not hope for reward from its fruits. Finally, the shepherd is not required to graze herd no right to drink milk. Christian service is akin to war, agriculture and shepherd life. It consists of fighting the enemy, tending God's fruit trees, and serving as a shepherd among His sheep. If a right to payment is recognized in these earthly occupations, how much more must it be in the service of the Lord!

9,8 Paul then turns to the OT, from which he draws further evidence of his status. Should he use worldly pursuits—war, farming, and shepherding—to make his argument? Isn't it the same the most speaks Scripture?

9,9 Deuteronomy (25:4) clearly states that Not a muzzle should be worn ox threshing. That is, the animal working in the harvest should be allowed to eat some part of the crop. Does God care about oxen? God cares about oxen, but it is unlikely that He wrote these words into the OT for the sake of senseless animals. This contains a spiritual principle that we need to apply in our lives and ministries.

9,10 Or, of course, is it said for us? The answer is yes, it was our well-being that He was thinking about when He wrote these words. When a person plows, He gotta plow with the expectation of some kind of reward. In the same way, when a person threshing, he has the right to expect that he will receive some part of the harvest as a reward. Christian service resembles plowing and threshing, and God has indicated that those who carry out this service should not do it at their own expense.

9,11 Paul says that among the Christians of Corinth he sowed the spiritual. In other words, he came to Corinth preaching the gospel and teaching the Corinthians precious spiritual truths. Would it be too much if they, in turn, repaid him with some portion of money or other bodily, that is, material. His argument here is this: “The preacher’s payment is significantly inferior in value to what he gave. Material benefits are of little value compared to spiritual benefits.”

9,12 Paul knew that the church in Corinth contained others preachers and teachers. Believers recognized their obligations to them, but not to the Apostle Paul, and therefore he asks: “If others have power over you, don’t we have more?” If the Corinthians recognized the rights of others to support, why do they not want to recognize that he, their father in faith, also has this right? Undoubtedly, some of those receiving support were teachers of the Jewish persuasion. Paul adds that although he had such power, or such a right, he did not take advantage of this from the Corinthians, but endured everything, so as not to put any obstacle to the gospel of Christ. Instead of insisting on his right to receive support from them, he endured all the hardships and deprivations so as not to hinder the gospel.

9,13 Paul then gives the example of the servants of the Jewish temple, who are also in the pay.

Those who performed official duties related to temple service were supported by the income received by the temple. In this sense they fed from the temple. And the priests themselves, those serving the altar, received a certain part - share from the altar. In other words, both the Levites, who had daily duties in the temple, and the priests, who were entrusted with more sacred tasks, were equally rewarded for their service.

9,14 Finally, Paul gives a clear command from Himself Gentlemen. He commanded those who preach the gospel to live from the gospel. This alone is conclusive proof of Paul's right to receive support from the Corinthians. But then the question arises: why didn’t he insist on it? The answer is given in verses 15-18.

9,15 He explains that didn't use anything like that that is, he did not insist on his rights. AND wrote he is not doing this now so that they will send him money. He's more ready to die rather than for someone to destroy his praise.

9,16 Paul says he can't boast by preaching the Gospel. This necessary duty entrusted to him by God. He did not choose this line of work for himself. He was given a task, and he would be the most pitiful of people if he did not carry out the Divine assignment. This does not mean that the apostle did not want to preach the gospel; in this case, the decision to preach was made not by himself, but by the Lord.

9,17 Since the Apostle Paul preached the Gospel voluntarily, he should have been have a reward for this service, that is, the right to maintenance. Both the Old and New Testaments clearly state that those who serve God can receive material support from God's people. Here Paul does not mean that he does not serve the Lord willingly; he simply asserts that there was a Divine prompting in his apostleship. He emphasizes this in the last part of the verse. If he preached not voluntarily that is, because fire was burning inside him and he could not evade the sermon, then he was entrusted with service. He was a man acting under orders, and therefore could not boast about it. Everyone admits that verse 17 is difficult, and yet its meaning seems to be this: Paul does not exercise his right to live on the support of the Corinthians because he did not choose this service for himself. The hand of God led him to this. The false teachers in Corinth could claim the financial support of the saints, but the Apostle Paul would seek his reward elsewhere.

Knox's translation of the verse reads: "I can lay claim to reward for what I choose to do; but when I act under compulsion, I am only executing an errand."

Ryrie comments:

"Paul could not shirk his duty to preach the Gospel, because this ministry (responsibility) was entrusted to him, and he obeyed the order to preach, although he was not paid (cf. Luke 17:10)."(Charles C. Ryrie, The Ryrie Study Bible, New King James Version, p. 1771.)

9,18 If he could not boast of preaching the Gospel, then what should he boast of? What was his own choice, namely: he preached the gospel of Christ freely. He himself made the decision to do this. He will preach the gospel to the Corinthians, while at the same time earning his own living so as not to exercise his right to support in the gospel.

Summarizing the arguments of the apostle presented here, we note that he draws a line between the obligatory and the optional. There is no reluctance in his preaching of the Gospel. He did it with joy. But at the same time this great responsibility was entrusted to him. Therefore he could not boast of fulfilling this duty. While preaching the Gospel, he could have insisted on his right to receive support, but he did not; he decided to preach the gospel to the Corinthians free of charge.

And since it was his own will, he could be proud of it. As we have suggested, Paul's critics argued that he made tents because he did not consider himself a true apostle. Here Paul says that he earns his own living, and thereby proves that his apostleship is nevertheless valid; in essence, it is distinguished by greatness and nobility.

In verses 19-22, Paul gives himself as an example of giving up legal rights for the sake of the gospel. As you study this section, it is important to remember that Paul does not mean here that he ever sacrificed important principles of Scripture. He did not believe that the end justifies the means. In these verses he is talking about things that have no moral significance. He adapted himself to the customs and habits of the people with whom he worked so that he could find ears ready to listen to the Good News. But he never allowed anything to happen that would cause him to compromise the truth of the gospel.

9,19 On the one hand, he was free from everyone. No one could force him, no one had power over him. And yet he enslaved himself everyone people to buy more. If he could make concessions without sacrificing Divine truth, he did so to bring souls to Christ.

9,20 To the Jews he was like a Jew in order to win the Jews. This cannot mean that he again subjected himself to the law of Moses for the salvation of the Jews. The true meaning of this verse is seen in the actions Paul took in connection with the circumcision of Timothy and Titus. In the case of Titus, there were people who insisted that without circumcision he could not be saved. Realizing that they were opposed to the gospel of God's grace, Paul was categorically against Titus' circumcision (Gal. 2:3). But in the case of Timothy, such questions do not seem to have arisen.

Therefore, the apostle readily admitted that Timothy should undergo circumcision if it would help spread the Gospel more widely (Acts 16:3).

(Some Greek manuscripts add the explanation here: “though I myself am not subject to the law.”) Subordinate- these are the Jews. But in the first part of the verse Paul was already talking about his dealings with the Jews. Why then does it repeat itself? This is often explained by the fact that when he speaks of the Jews in the first part of the verse, he means their national customs, whereas here he refers to their religious life.

A brief explanation is needed here. As a Jew, Paul was born under the law. He tried to gain God's favor by keeping the law, but found that he was unable to keep it. The law only showed him what a hopeless sinner he was and completely condemned him. Gradually he realized that the law is not the path of salvation, but the method by which God shows man his sinfulness and need for a Savior. Paul then trusted the Lord Jesus Christ and, by doing so, was freed from the condemning voice of the law. The Lord Jesus suffered punishment for breaking the law on the cross of Calvary.

After his conversion, the apostle realized that the law is not the way of salvation and not the rules by which the saved must live. The believer does not live under law, but under grace. This doesn't mean he can go and do whatever he wants. What is meant here rather is that the true meaning of God's grace will preserve him even from the desire to do illegal things. The Spirit of God dwells within a Christian, raising him to a new level of behavior. Now he wants to live holy, not out of fear of punishment for breaking the law, but out of love for Christ, Who died for him and rose again. Under law, man's actions were motivated by fear, but under grace, he was motivated by love. Love is a much higher motive than fear. People will do out of love what they would never do out of fear.

Arnot says:

“God keeps souls in obedience in the same way that He keeps the planets in their orbits - by releasing them to freedom. There is no chain visible on which these shining worlds would be planted so that they do not fly apart from the center. They are held tightly by an invisible principle. And It is this invisible bond of love—love for the Lord who has redeemed them—that holds redeemed people to live soberly, righteously, and godly.”(William Arnot, The Church in the House, pp. 467, 468.)

With that in mind, let's go back to the last part of verse 20. For those who were under the law, he was as under the law, in order to gain those who were under the law. When Paul was among the Jews, he behaved like a Jew where it had no moral significance. For example, he ate the same as the Jews and abstained from pork, which they were forbidden to eat.

Paul probably also abstained from working on the Sabbath day, realizing that by doing so he could attract more people to listen to the gospel.

The Apostle Paul was born again in the Lord Jesus, and the law, as a rule of life, no longer weighed on him. He only adapted himself to the customs, habits and prejudices of people in order to lead them to the Lord.

9,21 Ryrie writes:

"Here Paul does not demonstrate duplicity, but constant strict self-discipline in order to serve the most different people. Just as a stream directed along a narrow channel is stronger than an endless marshy swamp, so limited freedom makes the testimony of Christ more convincing.”(Charles C. Ryrie, The Grace of God, p. 83.)

For strangers to the law Pavel acted like alien to the law(although he himself Not was foreign to the law before God, but under the law of Christ). Aliens to the law- these are not rebels or robbers who do not recognize any laws, but a general definition of pagans. The law as such was given to the Jewish people, not to the Gentiles. Thus, when Paul was among the Gentiles, he behaved according to their habits and feelings, as far as possible, while remaining faithful to the Savior. The apostle explained that even though we act as alien to the law, he was nevertheless not a stranger to the law before God. He did not consider himself free to do whatever he wanted, but was under the law of Christ. In other words, he had to love and honor the Lord Jesus, serve and please Him, but now not according to the law of Moses, but according to the law of love. He was under the law of Christ. IN English language There is a proverb: “When you are in Rome, do as the Romans do.” Paul is saying here that when he was with the Gentiles, he adapted himself to their way of life as much as he could while still being faithful to Christ. But we must remember that we are talking here about cultural differences, not about doctrines or morals.

9,22 Verse 22 talks about infirm, or overly scrupulous. Such people are too sensitive in matters that are not of fundamental importance. For the weak Paul I was too weak to acquire their. (Some Greek manuscripts omit the word "as" ("as weak"), but it seems to be quite important in Paul's argument: he did not become really frail.) If necessary, he could be a vegetarian, so as not to offend them by eating meat. In short, Pavel He became all things to all, in order to save at least some. These verses should never justify sacrificing the principles of Scripture.

They only express their willingness to adapt to the customs and habits of people in order for them to hear the good news of salvation. When Paul says: "to save at least some" he does not for a moment allow the thought that he himself can save another person, because he understands that the only one who can save is the Lord Jesus. At the same time, it is remarkable to note that Christ's evangelists are so identified with Him that He even allows them to describe the work they do in the word "save". How much this elevates, ennobles, and exalts the ministry of the gospel!

Verses 23-27 talk about the danger of losing your reward due to a lack of self-discipline. For Paul, refusing to be supported by the Corinthians was a form of harsh discipline.

9,23 I do this for the sake of the Gospel, to be a partaker of it. In the previous verses, Paul described how he submitted his rights and desires to the work of the Lord. Why did he do this? He did it for the Gospel, for that to to have the right to share in the triumph of the Gospel in the day to come.

9,24 When Paul wrote the words of verse 24, he was undoubtedly thinking about the Isthmian Games, which were held near Corinth. The Corinthian believers were well acquainted with these athletic competitions.

Paul reminds them that although many they run to the lists, not everyone gets it award. The Christian life is like a race. It requires self-discipline. It requires intense effort. It requires clarity of purpose. However, the verse does not suggest that in a Christian competition only one will receive the reward. It teaches that we must all reach the finish line as winners.

Nowhere does it say that salvation is the result of our faithfulness in this contest. Salvation is a gift of God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

9,25 Now Paul moves from a running race to a wrestling match. He reminds readers that all the ascetics, or participants in sports, control themselves in everything. A wrestler once asked a coach: “Can’t you drink, smoke and have fun and still wrestle?”

The coach replied: “It’s possible, but you can’t win!” Pavel, thinking about the competitors, sees the winner stepping forward to receive his reward. What is it like? This perishable crown- a garland of flowers or a wreath of leaves that will soon fade. But Paul compares the crown imperishable, which will be awarded to those who faithfully served Christ.

For this crown of life and glory
We are grateful to You.
Who will neglect the Unearthly wreath -
A reward in a mortal struggle,
Eternal and indestructible,
Like a throne, like the Kingdom of God
And His incarnate Son!

(Horace Bonar)

9,26 Seeing this imperishable crown ahead, Paul claims to be running not the same as the wrong one, and beats not so much as to just beat the air. His ministry was neither useless nor fruitless. He saw a clearly defined goal in front of him and intended to move closer to achieving it with every action. You can't waste your time and energy. The Apostle did not want to miss the target.

9,27 Instead, he disciplined his body And enslaved his, so that, while preaching to others, you yourself will not remain unworthy, don't be rejected. The Christian life requires self-control, moderation, and self-discipline. We must learn to control ourselves. The Apostle Paul recognized the terrible possibility of remaining unworthy after myself preached to others. There has been much debate about the meaning of this verse. Some see it as teaching that a person can be saved and then lose it.

This, of course, contradicts the general teaching of the NT that not one of Christ's sheep will perish. Others say that the word translated as "unworthy", is a very strong word that refers to eternal damnation. (The big problem is the way the word is translated adokimos(“unworthy” in the Synodal translation). The word simply means "disapproved." As a sports term, it translates well to the modern word "disqualified".)

However, they interpret this verse to mean that Paul is not teaching here that a person who has already been saved may not be worthy; he simply says that he who could not discipline himself was never saved. Thinking of the false teachers who excused every passion and inclination, Paul lays out a general principle: If a man does not keep his body in subjection, this proves that he has not really been regenerated, and although he may preach to others, he himself will be abandoned as unworthy.

The third explanation is that Paul is not talking about salvation here, but about service. It suggests the possibility of not losing salvation, and not having to withstand the test of one's service, being rejected and not receiving a reward. This interpretation corresponds to the meaning of the word "unworthy" and the context of athletic competition. Paul is aware of the terrible possibility that, preaching to others he himself may turn out to be detached and no longer fit for the Lord.

In any case, this passage is extremely serious and should force anyone who wants to serve the Lord Christ to look into the depths of his heart. Everyone must make a choice for themselves so that, by the grace of God, they will never have to learn the meaning of this word through experience.

In reflecting on the need for self-control, Paul returns to the story of the Israelites. In chapter 10, he recalls how the Israelites became self-indulgent, careless about the control of their bodies, and therefore became unworthy and fell from God's favor.

He speaks first of Israel's privileges (vv. 1-4), then of Israel's punishment (vv. 5), and finally of the causes of Israel's fall (vv. 6-10). After all, he explains how this applies to us (vv. 11-13).

Chapter 10

10,1 The apostle reminds the Corinthians, that fathers Jewish all were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea. Semantic stress is placed on the word "All". He mentally returns to the exodus of the Jews from Egypt, to how he miraculously led them cloudy pillar by day and pillar of fire by night. He goes back to how they crossed the Red Sea and went into the wilderness. In terms of privileges, they were all given Divine guidance and Divine deliverance.

10,2 Besides, everyone was baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. Be baptized into Moses- means to identify yourself with him and acknowledge his leadership. When Moses led the people of Israel from Egypt to the promised land, the entire people swore allegiance to Moses and recognized him as the divinely chosen savior. Presumably the expression "under the cloud" symbolizes their identification with God, and the expression "through the sea" symbolizes their separation from Egypt.

10,3 They everyone ate the same spiritual food. This refers to the manna that was miraculously given to the people of Israel as they walked through the desert. Expression "spiritual food" does not mean that the food was immaterial. Nor does it mean that it was invisible or unreal. No, "spiritual" simply means that material food was a type or illustration of spiritual nourishment, and the author is referring primarily to spiritual reality. There may also be the idea that the food was given to them supernaturally.

10,4 Throughout their journey, God miraculously provided them with water to drink. It was real water, but again it was named spiritual drink in the sense that it was a prototype of spiritual restoration of strength and was given by a miracle. They could have repeatedly died of thirst if the Lord had not given them water. Expression "drank from the spiritual subsequent stone" does not literally mean any material stone that accompanied them on their journey. Stone denotes the river flowing out of it and following the Israelites. The stone was Christ- in the sense that He was the one who gave it, and the one whom it symbolizes, giving living water to His people.

10,5 Having enumerated all these great blessings which belonged to Israel, the apostle must now remind the Corinthians that not many of them Israelis God favored; for they were slain in the wilderness. All Israel left Egypt, and all testified that they were one in heart and soul with their leader Moses. However, the sad thing about this story is that although they themselves were in the desert, their hearts were still in Egypt. They rejoiced at being physically freed from slavery to Pharaoh, but still lusted after the sinful pleasures of the land. Of all the warriors over twenty years of age who left Egypt, only two - Caleb and Joshua - received a reward: they entered the Promised Land. The corpses of the rest lay in the ground in a desert, as evidence of God's displeasure.

Notice the contrast between the words "all" in the first four verses and "many" in verse 5. They were all given privileges, but many of them died. Gaudet is amazed:

“What a spectacle the apostle brought before the eyes of the self-satisfied Corinthians: all these bodies, saturated with wonderful water and drink, now cover the earth in the desert!”(Godet, First Corinthians, pp. 59, 60.)

10,6 In the events that happened during the Exodus, we see a lesson addressed to us. The Israeli people were like image, showing what will happen to us if we lustful of evil, as they were lustful. When reading the OT, we should not treat it simply as history; we must remember that it contains lessons that have practical value for our lives today.

In the following verses the apostle listed some specific sins they committed. It is worth noting that many of these sins involve indulging the desires of the flesh.

10,7 Verse 7 refers us to the worship of the golden calf and the feast that followed, as recorded in Exodus 32. When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, he discovered that the people had made a golden calf and were worshiping it. In Exodus 32.6 we read how the people sat down to eat and drink, and stood up to play, that is, dance.

10,8 The sin mentioned in verse 8 takes us back to the time when the children of Israel began to marry the daughters of Moab (Num. 25). Seduced by the prophet Balaam, they violated the word of the Lord and fell into debauchery. We read in verse 8 that Twenty-three thousand of them died in one day. The OT says that twenty-four thousand died from the defeat (Num. 25:9). Bible critics have often used this verse as evidence that there are contradictions in the Scriptures. If they had read the text more carefully, they would have seen that there is no contradiction. It is simply stated here that twenty three thousands killed one day. In the OT figure twenty four thousand corresponds to the total number of deaths from defeat.

10,9 Paul then remembers how the Israelites grumbled about food and doubted the goodness of the Lord. At this time God sent upon them snake, and many perished (Num. 21:5-6). Let us note once again that the cause of their death was gluttony.

10,10 This speaks of the sin of Korah, Dathan and Abiron (Num. 16:14-47). The food situation again caused murmuring against God (Num. 16:14). The Israelites did not restrain their carnal desires. They did not bridle the flesh and did not keep it in subjection. Instead, they satisfied the lusts of the flesh, which was the reason for their destruction.

10,11 The next three verses talk about the practical application of these events. First of all, Paul explains that the significance of the events mentioned is not limited to their historical value. They are still significant to us today. They described in order to warn us, living after the era of Judaism in the era of the Good News, us, “to whom all the property of previous centuries passed,” as Randol Harris said.

10,12 Here is a warning to the overconfident: whoever thinks he is standing, beware lest he fall. Perhaps this is especially true of those strong in faith who think that they can indulge their whims a little and nothing will come of it. Such a person faces the greatest danger of falling from the punishing hand of God.

10,13 Paul then adds amazing words of encouragement for those who are tempted. He teaches that the trials and temptations we face are common to everyone. However God is faithful and will not allow us to be tempted beyond your strength. He does not promise to free us from temptation or trial, but He does promise to limit its power. Next He promises to give relief to We could have been rescheduled temptation. As one reads this verse, one cannot help but be struck by the great comfort it has brought to the testing saints of God throughout the centuries. Those who had just believed held on to him like a lifeline, but to the more experienced he brought peace and rest, like a pillow. Perhaps some of Paul's recipients at this time were tempted to succumb to idolatry. Paul comforted them by telling them that God would not allow intolerable temptation to stand in their way. At the same time, they should have been warned not to expose themselves to temptation.

10,14 From verse 14 of chapter 10 to verse 1 of chapter 11, Paul returns again to the theme of sacrifice to idols. First he examines the question of whether a believer should attend feasts in idol temples (vv. 14-22).

So, my beloved, flee idolatry. Probably, receiving an invitation to an idol feast in the temple was a real test for the Corinthian believers. Some may have felt that they were above temptation.

Maybe they said there was nothing wrong with going there just once. The apostle gives inspired advice flee idolatry. He doesn't suggest studying it, becoming more familiar with it, or taking it lightly. You need to run in the opposite direction.

10,15-16 Paul knows that he is speaking to intelligent people who can understand his words. In verse 16 he mentions the Lord's Supper. First of all he says: “The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a communion of the Blood of Christ?” Expression "cup of blessing" refers to more often than not wine at the Lord's Supper. This bowl, talking about the greatest blessings, who descended upon us through the death of Christ; that's why it's named cup of blessing. Subordinate clause "whom we bless" means "for which we give thanks." When we take this cup and bring it to our lips, we thereby say that we participate in all the benefits that are shed in the Blood of Christ. Therefore, we can rephrase this verse as follows:

“The cup that speaks of the greatest blessings given to us through the death of the Lord Jesus, that cup for which we give thanks, is it not evidence that all believers are partakers of the benefits hidden in the Blood of Christ?”

The same is true for the bread that we break,- communion bread. When we eat bread, we thereby say that we were saved by the offering of His Body on the cross of Calvary and therefore we are all members of His Body. Both the cup and the bread speak of fellowship with Christ and participation in His glorious ministry for us.

Usually the new convert understands the value of the Blood of Christ before he comes to understand the truth of the one Body. Thus, the verse can set forth the sequence in which we understand salvation.

10,17 All believers and we are many one body in Christ, represented one bread. We all partake of the same bread in the sense that we all have a share of the benefits given to us by the sacrifice of the body of Christ.

10,18 Paul says in these verses that partaking of the Lord's table symbolizes fellowship with Him. The same can be said about the Israelites who ate sacrificial,- they were fellow members of the altar. This undoubtedly applies to the peace offering. People brought sacrifices to the temple. Some of the offerings were burned on the altar; the other part was taken by the priest; but the third part was returned to the donor and his friends. They ate from the sacrifice that same day. Paul emphasizes that those who ate from the sacrifice identified themselves with God and the people of Israel, in short, with all that he spoke about altar.

But what does this have to do with the passage of Scripture we are studying? The answer is quite simple. Just as participation in the Lord’s Supper testifies to communion with the Lord, and eating a peace offering indicates an Israelite’s communion with Jehovah’s altar, so participation in an idol’s feast in the temple speaks of communion with idols.

10,19 What am I saying? is it that an idol is something, or that something sacrificed to idols means something? Does Paul mean to say to all this that meat sacrificed to idols changes its qualities? Does he want to say that the idol is real, that he hears, sees and has power? Of course, the answer to both of these questions is “no.”

10,20 What Paul really wants to emphasize is that pagans, making sacrifices, offer to demons. In some strange, mysterious way, idolatry is connected with demons. Using idols, demons control the hearts and minds of those who worship them.

There is only one devil - Satan, but there are many demons - his messengers and collaborators. Pavel adds: "I don't want you to be in communication with demons."

10,21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; You cannot be participants in the table of the Lord and in the table of demons. In this verse cup of the Lord is a figurative expression describing the benefits given to us through Christ. This figure of speech is known as metonymy, where the containing is used to refer to the content. Expression "the Lord's table" also figuratively. This is not the same as the Lord's Supper, although it may include it. By participating in a meal, we not only eat, but also enjoy communication. Here under meal understands all the benefits we enjoy in Christ.

When Paul says: “You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons, you cannot partake in the table of the Lord and in the table of demons,” he does not mean that it is physically impossible. A believer could, for example, go to an idol temple and take part in a feast. But what Paul means here is that from a moral point of view this would be incompatible. To declare allegiance and devotion to the Lord Jesus, and then go and associate with those who offer sacrifices to idols, will be treason and disloyalty. This would be morally incompatible and extremely wrong.

10,22 Moreover, to do so is to provoke, to irritate the Lord. As William Kelly said, "Love cannot but be jealous of casual passions; it is not love unless it is outraged by infidelity." (Kelly, First Corinthians, p. 166.)

A Christian should be afraid in this way to anger the Lord or provoke His righteous indignation. Don't we think that we stronger than Him? That is, do we dare to upset Him at the risk of incurring His parental punishment?

10,23 From the topic of participation in idol feasts, the apostle turns to general principles that should guide a Christian in Everyday life. When Paul says that everything is permissible he doesn't mean absolutely everything. For example, he does not for a second assume that he is allowed to kill someone or get drunk. Here again we must understand that this expression refers to things that have no moral significance. There are many things in the Christian life that are perfectly legitimate in themselves, but for any other reason it would be unwise for a Christian to participate in them.

So Paul says: “Everything is permissible for me, but not everything is beneficial.” For example, something may be completely legal for a believer and at the same time unreasonable from the point of view national customs the people among whom he lives.

Moreover, what is legal in itself may not be edifying. That is, it may not help strengthen the brother in the holy faith. Should I then arrogantly defend my own rights, or should it be better to think about what will benefit my brother in Christ?

10,24 Whatever decisions we make, we cannot selfishly think about what will be good for ourselves; better think about what it will bring benefit to one's neighbor. The principles we study here apply to the clothing, food, drink, lifestyle and entertainment in which we participate.

10,25 If a believer went to bargain, in order to buy meat, he was not required to find out from the merchant whether the meat had previously been sacrificed to idols. This fact had no effect on meat as such, and it is not even a question of whether this is consistent with fidelity to Christ.

10,26 Explaining this advice, Paul turns to Psalm 23:1: This contains the idea that the food we eat is graciously given to us by the Lord and is intended specifically for our nutrition. Heinrich says that these words from Psalm 23 are often used by Jews as a prayer of thanksgiving for food.

10,27 Paul goes on to address a situation that may raise questions for the believer. Suppose an unbeliever will call believer to his home for lunch. Can a Christian accept such an invitation? Yes. If you are invited to dinner at the home of a non-believer and you want to go, you can eat without any research, for peace of conscience.

10,28 If, while eating, another Christian present there, whose conscience is weak, tells you that the meat you eat is sacrificed to idols, should you eat it?

No. You should not allow yourself to do this, because by doing so, you may provoke him into doing wrong or hurt his conscience. You should not eat even when it might prevent an unbeliever from accepting the Lord. At the end of verse 28, Paul again recalls Psalm 24:1: "The earth is the Lord's and what fills it."(Some Greek texts do not have this repetition.)

10,29 In the case described above, you should refrain from sacrificing to idols not because your conscience won't let you eat it. You, as a believer, have complete freedom to eat this meat. But the weak brother sitting next to him feels remorse because of this conscience, therefore you need to abstain from food, respecting his conscience.

Question: “Why should my freedom be judged by someone else’s conscience?”- can probably be rephrased like this: "Why should I selfishly exercise my right to eat meat, knowing that another person's conscience will condemn me for it? Do I need his conscience to condemn my freedom? Why allow my good to be spoken ill of?" (see Rom. 14:16).

Is a piece of meat so important that it would cause offense to a brother in the Lord Jesus Christ? (However, many commentators believe that Paul is presenting the Corinthians' objection here, or asking a rhetorical question, before answering it in the following verses.)

10,30 The apostle seems to be saying here that it seems very contradictory to him to give to God thanksgiving, hurting his brother in the process. It is better to deprive yourself of a legal right than to thank God for something that will force others blame you. William Kelly comments: “It is better to deny yourself, lest your freedom be condemned by another, than to suffer yourself to be blamed for that for which you give thanks.” Why use your freedom to cause offense? Why allow yourself something that will be misinterpreted or called sacrilege or a shameful act?

10,31 In the Christian life we ​​must be guided by two great rules: first - glory of God, and the second is the good of our neighbors. Paul states the first rule this way: “So, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God.” Young Christians often have to decide whether a particular action or course of action is right for them. Here good principle for guidance: will God be glorified by this?

Is it possible, before doing this, to bow your head and ask that the Lord Jesus be magnified through your action?

10,32 The second rule is the good of our neighbors. We shouldn't give temptation or cause for stumbling, neither Jews, nor Greeks, nor the Church of God. Here Paul divides all mankind into three classes. Jews- this, of course, is the people of Israel. Greeks- these are unconverted pagans, while Church of God includes all true believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, both Jews and Gentiles. In a sense, we are forced to be a temptation to others and provoke their wrath if we witness faithfully to them. However, that is not what is being said here. The apostle rather means unnecessary temptation. He warns us against exercising our legal rights in ways that may cause others to stumble.

10,33 Pavel can honestly say that he is trying please everyone in everything, seeking not your own benefit, but the benefit of many. Probably, few people lived for others as selflessly as the great Apostle Paul.

Chapter 11

11,1 The first verse of chapter 11 relates to chapter 10. Paul was just talking about how he tried to weigh all his actions in light of their effect on others. Now he offers the Corinthians be imitators to him, How He To Christ. He gave up personal benefits and rights in order to help others. The Corinthians should do the same, and not use their freedom selfishly, which could hinder the gospel of Christ or serve as a temptation to a weak brother.

B. About the veil for women (11.2-16)

The theme of verses 2-16 of this chapter is the veil for women. The second part of the chapter deals with abuses concerning the Lord's Supper (vv. 17-34). There has been a lot of controversy about the first part of Chapter 11. Some believe that the instructions contained in it apply only to the time of Paul. Others go even further, suggesting that these verses reflect Paul's prejudice against women because he was a bachelor. Some are just accept this is teaching, trying obey his instructions, even if they do not fully understand them.

11,2 First of all, the apostle praises the Corinthians because they remember him in everything and adhere to legends as He passed on them. Legends here are not tales, stories and legends that are passed down orally from generation to generation. Also, this word cannot mean the traditions and customs established by that time in the Church. Under legends This refers to the inspired instructions given to the Corinthians by the Apostle Paul.

11,3 Here Paul begins to talk about the veil for women. His instructions are based on the fact that every orderly society stands on two pillars - power and submission to that power. Without observing these two principles, society cannot function normally. Paul speaks of three great relationships involving authority and submission. Firstly, The head of every man is Christ; Christ is Lord, and man is subject to him. Secondly, the head of the wife is the husband; dominance is given to the man, and the woman submits to his authority. Third, The head of Christ is God; even in the Godhead one Person rules and another voluntarily submits.

These examples of headship and submission are ordained by God Himself and serve as the foundation upon which the universe is built.

It should be especially noted that subordination Not means lower position. Christ is subject to God the Father, but He is not inferior to Him. Likewise, a woman is not lower than a man, although she is subordinate to him.

11,5 And every woman who prays or prophesies with open head, shames his head, that is, the husband. By this she says that she does not recognize the leadership given to her husband by God and will not obey him. (Verses 4 and 5 make it clear that when praying and prophesying, a woman's head should be covered, whereas a man should stay with uncovered head. Women who have difficulty knowing what to do and when should watch what men do and do the opposite.)

If this verse were the only one in the entire Bible on this subject, it would imply that a woman could pray or prophesy in a congregation if her head was covered with a scarf or other covering. But in other places Paul teaches that women should remain silent in the assembly (1 Cor. 14:34), that they are not allowed to teach or rule over a man, but should remain silent (1 Tim. 2:12).

Nothing is said about meetings at all until verse 17, so the instructions about veils in verses 2-16 cannot be limited to church services. They apply whenever a woman prays or prophesies. During the service she prays silently, since 1 Timothy 2:8 allows only men to pray in public. In other cases, the woman prays out loud or silently. She prophesies when she teaches other women (Titus 2:3-5) or children in Sunday school.

11,6 If the wife does not want to cover herself, then she can get a haircut And if a wife is ashamed to have her hair cut or shaved, then she should cover up. A woman's bare head is as shameful as her hairless head. Apostle Not indicates here the need to go to the hairdresser, he rather speaks of what moral consistency requires.

11,7 In verses 7-10, Paul teaches that women are to be subject to men and goes back to the days of creation to support this. This forces us to forever abandon the idea that the veil was for women culturally conditioned in his time and does not apply to us today. The headship of man and the subordination of woman is an order established by God from the very beginning.

Women were never given a leading role; instead she there is the glory of the husband in the sense that, as V. E. Vine said, “it makes the power of a man noticeable.” (Vine, Expository Dictionary, under Glory, p. 154.)

So the husband should not cover his head during prayer; it will be equivalent to what he is hiding the glory of God, and such an act insults the Divine Majesty .

11,8 Paul then reminds us that not husband was created from my wife, A wife from her husband. Man was created first, then woman was created from a part of him. This primacy of man strengthens the apostle's argument for male headship.

11,9 Wanting to finally clarify the meaning, the apostle once again speaks about the purpose of creation. And not the husband was created first of all for the wife, but quicker, wife for husband. The Lord clearly stated in the book of Genesis (2:18): “It is not good for man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.”

11,10 Since the woman is in a subordinate position, she must have on her head a sign of power over her. Sign of power is a veil that indicates her submission to her husband's authority.

Why does Paul add "for angels"? We would guess that angels they see everything that happens on earth today, just as they saw what happened during creation. At the first creation, they saw how a woman seized power over a man. She made a decision that Adam was forced to obey. As a result of this, sin entered the world and brought its terrifying consequences to humanity - suffering and grief. God does not want this to happen again in the new creation. He wants the angels to look down and see that the woman is submissive to the man and shows this outwardly by covering her head.

Here we may pause to notice that the veil is an outward sign and has value only when it is an outward confirmation of inward grace. In other words, a woman can cover her head but not be submissive to her husband. In this case, wearing a veil makes no sense. The most important thing is the confidence that the heart is in true submission; then the veil on a woman’s head takes on its true meaning.

11,11 Paul does not mean that man is completely independent of woman, and therefore adds: “Nevertheless, neither is man without wife, nor wife without husband, in the Lord.” In other words, man and woman are interdependent. They need each other, and the idea of ​​submission in no way contradicts the idea of ​​interdependence.

11,12 Wife created from my husband that is, it was created from the rib of Adam. But Paul points out that and husband through wife. By this he means the process of birth. A woman gives birth to a male child. Thus, God created a perfect balance to show that they could not exist without each other.

Still - from God. This means that God, by His Divine power All arranged it this way, which means that this order of things is not subject to appeal. These relationships are not only created by God but also called to glorify Him. Therefore, men should be modest, and women should be happy.

11,13 The apostle suggests to the Corinthians themselves to judge whether it is proper for a wife to pray to God with her head uncovered. He appeals to their intuitive feelings. It is assumed that it would be disrespectful and indecent for a woman to enter the presence of God with her head uncovered.

11,14 How nature itself teaches us that a man ( to my husband) it’s a shame to grow long hair - it’s not entirely clear. Some people assume that a man's hair will not grow to the same length as a woman's hair naturally. Long hair in a man they give him a feminine appearance. In most cultures, men's hairstyles are shorter than women's.

11,15 Many people misunderstand this verse. Some suggest that because a woman hair is given instead of a veil, she doesn't have to cover her head with anything else. But such a teaching violates the meaning of this passage of Scripture. He will remain hopelessly confused if he does not recognize that this chapter is about two bedspreads. This can be shown by going back to verse 6. There we read: “For if a woman does not want to be covered, let her have her hair cut.” According to the above interpretation, this means: “If a woman does not have hair, then let her cut her hair.” But this is just funny. If she has no hair, then how can she cut her hair?!"

In fact, verse 15 says that there is a specific analogy between the spiritual and the natural. God gave woman a natural covering honor, which he did not give to the man. There is also a spiritual meaning to this. It says here that a woman, turning to God in prayer, should have a veil on her head. What is true in the natural realm must also be true in the spiritual realm.

11,16 The apostle ends this topic with the statement: “And if anyone wanted to argue, then we do not have such a custom, nor do the churches of God.” Did Paul mean, as has been suggested, that what he said was not important enough to be argued about? Did he mean that it was not the custom for women to cover their heads in church? Did he think that this teaching was unnecessary and did not need to be imposed on women as a commandment of the Lord? It is strange that such interpretations appear at all, yet today they can be heard. From them it follows that Paul considered these instructions to have no real significance and simply wasted more than half a chapter of Holy Scripture on them! There are at least two possible explanations for this verse that are consistent with the rest of Scripture.

First of all, the apostle may say that he expects to hear objections to this, but he adds: we do not have such a custom, that is, the custom of arguing about it. We do not argue about such things, but accept them as the teaching of the Lord.

Another interpretation, favored by William Kelly, is that Paul is saying that in church of god It was not the custom for women to pray or prophesy with their heads uncovered.

D. About the Lord's Supper (11:17-34)

11,17 The apostle reprimands the Corinthians because when they met, there were divisions among them (vv. 17-19). Note the repetition of the expression “when you are going” or similar words (11,17.18.20.33.34; 14,23.26). In verse 2 of this chapter Paul took the opportunity to praise the Corinthians for holding to the tradition handed down to them, but there was one thing for which he Not could praise, and this is what he talks about here. When they came to meetings, they gathered not for the best, but for the worst. For us, this is an important reminder that when leaving after a service, you can only take away harm from it, not benefit.

11,18 Firstly, the reason for the reprimand was divisions, or split. This does not mean that factions broke away from the church and formed separate communities; rather, cliques and factions existed within the community. A schism is the presence of a group within, while a sect is another group outside the Church. Pavel could believe these reports of divisions, because he knew that the Corinthians were carnal; he already had occasion to reprimand them in this Epistle for division.

F. B. Hole writes:

"Paul was willing to at least partly believe the reports of divisions in Corinth, knowing that the carnal condition of the Corinthians allowed the existence of self-righteous groups among them. Here Paul, based on their condition, assumes their actions. Knowing that they live according to the flesh and according to human laws, he had no doubt that they would certainly fall prey to the deep-rooted tendency of the human mind to form its own unshakable opinions and on the basis of these opinions to create factions, which in turn lead to schisms and divisions.He also knew that God could prevail over their folly and take this opportunity to identify those whom He favors who live according to the laws of the Spirit and not the flesh, and as a result put an end to all these divisions."(F. B. Hole, "The Administration of Mystery" (booklet), p. 5.)

11,19 Paul foresaw that the discord that had begun in Corinth would escalate until it became much more serious. While this will cause great harm to the church overall, good things will also come out: between Corinthians will open truly spiritual, having received approval from God. When Paul says in this verse: "...There must also be differences of opinion between you," that doesn't mean they have moral necessity. (The Greek word translated here as "difficulties" is haireseis, but he still didn't have more late meaning of "heresy". See note on Titus 3:10. To indicate moral necessity in Greek the word commonly used is ophelio. Here Paul uses the word dei, usually meaning logical necessity.)

God does not turn a blind eye to schism. Paul rather means that because of the carnal state of the Corinthians, the appearance differences of opinion was inevitable. Divisions indicate that some have failed to discern God's purpose.

11,20 Paul's second rebuke is directed against the abuses associated with the Lord's Supper. When Christians met together to celebrate the Lord's Supper, their behavior was so deplorable that Paul was forced to admit their inability to remember the Lord in the way He indicated. They could do all the external activities, but their behavior hindered the true remembrance of the Lord.

11,21 In the early days of Christianity, churches celebrated “agape,” or the festival of love, along with the Lord’s Supper. It was a kind of communal meal, which took place in the spirit of love and brotherhood. At the end of the holiday of love, Christians often remembered the Lord with bread and wine. But very soon abuses penetrated into this holiday. For example, this verse implies that the holiday has lost its true meaning. Not only did Christians not serve each other at table, but moreover, the rich embarrassed their poor brothers by eating rich food and not sharing it. Some went home hungry, while others simply reveled! And since the Lord's Supper usually followed the feast of love, they were still drunk when they partook of the Lord's Supper.

11,22 The apostle indignantly condemns such shameful behavior. If they insist on continuing in this manner, they should at least be respectful in not doing so at a meeting in churches. To behave incontinently at such times and humiliate poor brothers - completely incompatible with the Christian faith. He can not praise saints for such actions, and by refusing them praise, he thus condemns them harshly.

11,23 Wanting to show them how inconsistent their behavior was with the true meaning of the Lord's Supper, Paul goes back to the time of its establishment. He reminds us that this was not an ordinary dinner or holiday, but a holy institution of the Lord. Paul accepted knowledge of the Supper itself from the Lord Himself and mentions it to show that any violation is disobedience. What he teaches next is received by him through revelation.

First of all, it reminds how Lord Jesus in that the most the night in which he was betrayed, he took bread. The literal translation is “when He was betrayed.” While a vile plot was being prepared outside to turn Him over to the authorities, the Lord Jesus gathered His disciples in the upper room and took the bread. The fact that it happened at night, does not mean that the Lord's Supper should be celebrated only at night. At that time, for the Jews, the beginning of the day was sunset. Our day begins at dawn. Moreover, it should be noted that there is a difference between the apostolic example and apostolic instructions. We don't have to do everything did apostles, but we are certainly obliged to fulfill everything that they taught.

11,24 The Lord Jesus first took bread and thanked for him. Since the bread symbolized His body, He thereby thanked God for giving Him a human body in which He could come and die for the sins of the world.

When the Savior said: "This is My Body" did He think that bread was really became His body in the literal sense of the word? Roman Catholic dogma of transubstantiation states that the bread and wine are literally transformed into the Body and Blood of Christ. Lutheran doctrine implementation teaches that the true Body and Blood of Christ are present in the wine and bread along with the material wine and bread on the table.

In order to understand these views, it is enough to remember that when the Lord Jesus began the remembrance, He had not yet given His Body or shed His Blood.

Speaking: "This is My Body" The Lord Jesus meant, “This is a symbol of My Body,” or “This is a type of My Body, which is broken for you.” To eat bread means to remember His atoning death for us. In the words of our Lord “in my remembrance” there is inexpressible love.

11,25 Also Lord Jesus took and the cup after Easter supper, and said: This cup is the new covenant in My blood; Do this whenever you drink, in remembrance of me. The Lord's Supper began to be celebrated immediately after the Jewish Passover. This is why it is said that the Lord Jesus took cup after supper. ABOUT more often than not He said that in His Blood- New Testament. This refers to the covenant that God promised to the people of Israel in the Book of Jeremiah (31:31-34). This promise does not impose any conditions; in it He agreed to be merciful to their unrighteousness and to remember their sins and iniquities no more. The terms of the new covenant are also set out in the Epistle to the Hebrews (8:10-12). The covenant is still in force, but unbelief prevents the people of Israel from enjoying it. All who trust in the Lord Jesus receive the promised benefits. When the people of Israel turn to the Lord, they will enjoy the blessings of the new covenant; this will happen during the Millennial reign of Christ on earth. New Testament was sealed Blood Christ. That's why He says that the cup is the new testament His Blood. The foundation of the new covenant was laid on the cross.

11,26 Verse 26 deals with the question of how often the Lord's Supper should be celebrated. Whenever you eat... and drink. No legal rule has been laid down, no set date has been given. From Acts (20:7) it is clear that Christ's disciples usually met on the first day of the week to remember the death of the Lord.

That this institution was established not only for the early Church is fully confirmed by the words "until He comes." Gaudet beautifully said that the Lord's Supper is "the link between His two comings - a monument to the one, a pledge of the other." (Godet, First Corinthians, p. 163.)

Notice that in all this teaching concerning the Lord's Supper there is not a word said about the minister or priest officiating. This simple service of remembrance is left to all of God's children.

Christians gather together simply as believers-priests in order to thus proclaim the death of Christ, until He comes.

11,27 Having discussed the origin and purpose of the Lord's Supper, the apostle turns to the consequences of improper participation in it. If somebody If he eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily, he will be guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord. We are all unworthy to participate in this sacred Supper. In this sense, we are unworthy of God's goodness and mercy towards us. But that is not what is meant here. The apostle is not talking about our personal unworthiness. Purified by the Blood of Christ, we can approach God in all the dignity of His beloved Son. But here Paul is talking about how shamefully the Corinthians behaved when they assembled for the Lord's Supper. They were guilty in a frivolous, disrespectful manner. To behave this way is to be guilty against the Body and Blood of the Lord.

11,28 We must come to the Lord's Supper having gone through our own judgment. You need to confess your sin and renounce it; it is necessary to compensate for losses and restore what was destroyed; we need to ask for forgiveness from those we have offended. In general, we must make sure that our soul is in proper condition.

11,29 Eat and drink unworthy- means to eat and drink condemnation of oneself, without considering the Body of the Lord. We must understand that the Body of the Lord was sacrificed so that our sins could be taken away. If we continue to live in sin and at the same time partake of the Lord's Supper, we are living in a lie. F. J. Petterson writes: "If we partake of the Lord's Supper with sin uncondemned in us, we do not talk about the Body of the Lord being broken to take away sin from us."

11,30 Some people in the Corinthian church did not judge themselves for their sins, and this resulted in them being judged and punished by God. Many were weak and sick and quite a few died. In other words, they became physically ill and some were taken home to heaven. They did not condemn the sin in their lives, and therefore the Lord had to punish them.

11,31 Against, if we judged ourselves, there would be no need to punish us.

11,32 God treats us like his own children. He loves us very much and therefore cannot allow us to continue to live in sin.

That is why we soon begin to feel the hooked shepherd's crook around our necks, which leads us back to Him. As someone said, "The saints may be fit for heaven (in Christ), but they are not fit to stay on earth and testify."

11,33 Getting ready on the holiday of love, or agape, they must wait for each other rather than acting selfishly without regard for others. “Wait for one another” is contrasted with verse 21: “…everyone hastens to eat his own food before others.”

11,34 And if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home. In other words, the love feast associated as such with the Lord's Supper cannot be mistaken for a communal meal. Not respecting his holiness means gather for condemnation.

1 And what you wrote to me about is that it is good for a man not to touch a woman.
2 But, to avoid fornication, each one have his own wife, and each one have his own husband.
3 The husband show his wife due favor; likewise is a wife to her husband.
4 The wife has no authority over her own body, but the husband does; Likewise, the husband has no power over his body, but the wife does.
5 Do not withdraw from each other, except by consent, for a time, to practice fasting and prayer, but Then be together again, so that Satan does not tempt you with your intemperance.
6 However, I said this as permission, and not as a command.
7 For I desire that all men should be as I am; but everyone has his own gift from God, one this way, the other another.
8 But to the unmarried and to the widows I say: It is good for them to remain as I do.
9 But if not can abstain, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to become inflamed.
10 But to those who are married, I command not I, but the Lord: the wife must not divorce her husband,
11 If she divorces, she must remain single, or be reconciled with her husband, and the husband must not leave his wife. his.
12 But to the rest I say, and not the Lord: if any brother has an unbelieving wife, and she agrees to live with him, then he should not leave her;
13 And a wife who has an unbelieving husband, and he agrees to live with her, should not leave him.
14 For an unbelieving husband is sanctified by a believing wife, and an unbelieving wife is sanctified by a believing husband. Otherwise your children would have been unclean, but now they are holy.
15 If the unbeliever wants divorce, let him divorce; brother or sister in these cases not connected; The Lord has called us to peace.
16 Why do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or do you, husband, why do you know if you won’t save your wife?
17 Only do each one as God has determined for him, and each one as the Lord has called. This is what I command in all churches.
18 If anyone is called to be circumcised, do not hide himself; If anyone is called uncircumcised, do not be circumcised.
19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but All in keeping God's commandments.
20 Let each one remain in the rank in which he was called.
21 Whether you are called to be a slave, do not be embarrassed; but if you can become free, then use the best.
22 For a servant called in the Lord is a free servant of the Lord; likewise, he who is called free is a servant of Christ.
23 You are bought dear price; do not become slaves of men.
24 In what rank whoever is called, brethren, let each one remain before God.
25 Regarding virginity, I do not have a command from the Lord, but I give advice, as one who has received mercy from the Lord to be To him faithful.
26 Out of real need, I acknowledge that it is good for a person to remain like this.
27 Are you united to your wife? don't look for a divorce. Are you left without a wife? don't look for a wife.
28 However, even if you marry, you will not sin; and if the girl marries, she will not sin. But such will have tribulations according to the flesh; and I feel sorry for you.
29 I tell you, brethren: the time is short, so that those who have wives must be as if they had none;
30 And those who weep, as if they did not weep; and those who rejoice, as if they did not rejoice; and those who buy, as if they did not acquire;
31 And they that use this world, as if they use them not; for the image of this world passes away.
32 And I want you to be without worries. An unmarried man cares about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord;
33 But a married man cares about the things of this world, how to please his wife. There is a difference between a married woman and a girl:
34 The unmarried woman is concerned about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord, so that she may be holy in both body and spirit; but a married woman worries about worldly things, how to please her husband.
35 I say this for your own benefit, not to put bonds on you, but so that you served No entertainment for the Lord.
36 If anyone considers it indecent for his maiden to remain like this when she is of mature age, let him do as he wishes: he will not sin; let such get married.
37 But whoever is unshakably firm in his heart and, not being constrained by need, but having power in his own will, decides in his heart to keep his virgin, he does well.