Commentary - 1 Corinthians 7:32-35

Bird's-eye view

In this dense section of pastoral counsel, the apostle Paul is not denigrating the holy estate of marriage in the slightest. He is, rather, a spiritual field general looking over the battlefield, and he is making tactical assessments. Given the "present distress" he has already mentioned, he is explaining the strategic advantages that come with the gift of celibacy. Marriage is the norm, the creation ordinance, and the beautiful picture of Christ and His Church. But for certain individuals, God gives a particular gift of singleness for a particular reason: undistracted devotion to the work of the kingdom. Paul's aim here is not to make marriage second class, but to elevate a genuine, God given calling to consecrated singleness, and to explain the practical reasons for it. He is contrasting two legitimate callings, and explaining the different sets of cares and concerns that come with each.

Outline

Context In 1 Corinthians

Paul is in the middle of answering a series of questions the Corinthian church had sent him in a letter. This entire chapter is intensely practical. He is not writing abstract theology from an ivory tower; he is giving specific, pastoral guidance to a real church with real problems. Earlier in the chapter, he alludes to a "present distress" (1 Cor. 7:26), which likely refers to some kind of persecution or societal upheaval. This context is crucial. Paul's advice is wartime counsel. In a time of crisis, those who are not encumbered with family responsibilities are more mobile, more flexible, and can undertake missions that a man with a wife and small children simply cannot. He is therefore weighing the goodness of marriage against the strategic needs of the church in a time of trouble.

Key Issues

Commentary

But I want you to be free from concern. (v. 32a)

Paul begins with his pastoral heart. The word for "concern" here is amerimnos, which means to be without anxiety or distracting care. He is not calling believers to a stoic detachment from all of life's responsibilities. Rather, he is expressing his desire for their spiritual effectiveness. He wants them to be unencumbered in their service to the Lord. This is the foundational premise for the comparison that follows. The goal is a state of mind that is not fractured by competing, legitimate loyalties. This is not a command, but a stated wish from their apostle. He wants what is best for them and for the advance of the gospel.

One who is unmarried is concerned about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord. (v. 32b)

Here is the ideal, the very purpose of gifted singleness. It is not simply "not being married." It is a positive calling to a singular focus. The unmarried man, if he has the gift of celibacy, is free to direct all his energy, all his time, and all his emotional capital toward "the things of the Lord." His central, organizing question is simple: "How may I please the Lord?" He does not have to factor in how a particular decision will affect a wife or children. He can pick up and go to Ephesus on a moment's notice. He can devote his evenings to study and prayer without neglecting a spouse. This is a high and holy vocation, a consecration of one's entire life to the direct service of God.

But one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how he may please his wife, and his interests have been divided. (vv. 33-34a)

Paul is a realist, not a cynic. When he speaks of "the things of the world," he does not mean sinful things. He means the necessary, legitimate, and good affairs of this created order. A husband has a God-given duty to be concerned with how to please his wife. He is to love her as Christ loved the church. This means he needs to be concerned about the mortgage, the leaky roof, her emotional well being, and where the children will go to school. These are earthly, worldly concerns. And they are good. But they necessarily divide his interests. A godly husband cannot have the singular focus of the unmarried man, because God has given him a second focus: his bride. His devotion to God is now expressed through his devotion to his family, which is a different, and more complex, arrangement. His interests are not corrupted; they are divided.

The woman who is unmarried, and the virgin, is concerned about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and spirit. (v. 34b)

Paul applies the same principle to women, making it clear this is a universal truth, not a gender-specific one. The unmarried woman's great pursuit is the Lord's business. And Paul defines this pursuit as being "holy both in body and spirit." This is a comprehensive consecration. Her body is a living sacrifice, kept pure for the Lord. Her spirit, her inner life, her thoughts and affections, are also set apart for Him. She is not saving herself for a future husband; she is giving herself entirely to her present Lord. This is a picture of total dedication, where every aspect of her being is oriented toward pleasing God.

But one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how she may please her husband. (v. 34c)

And again, the contrast is not between good and evil, but between two different kinds of good. A godly wife has a biblical mandate to please her husband (Titus 2:4). Her domain is the home. Her concerns are with meals, with children, with creating a peaceful and orderly environment that honors God and blesses her husband. These are "things of the world" in the same way a husband's concerns are. They are earthly, tangible, and demanding. And they are the God-ordained theater in which she is to work out her salvation with fear and trembling. Her service to the Lord is mediated through her service to her husband and family. It is a glorious calling, but it is one with a different set of anxieties and cares than that of her unmarried sister.

Now this I say for your own benefit, not to put a restraint upon you, but to promote propriety and undistracted devotion to the Lord. (v. 35)

Paul concludes by clarifying his motive. He is not trying to lay a trap or place a "restraint" on them. The Greek word is brochon, a noose or a snare. He is not issuing a new law that says "singleness is mandatory for the truly spiritual." That would be the very legalism he fights elsewhere. His goal is their benefit. He wants to promote two things. First is "propriety," what is fitting and seemly for the cause of Christ. Second is "undistracted devotion to the Lord." The word for undistracted means to not be pulled in different directions. He wants them to be effective, focused, and powerful in their service. For those with the gift, singleness is the way to achieve this. For everyone else, marriage is the context for their service. The point is not the state you are in, but your faithfulness to God within that state.

Application

The modern church has a tendency to idolize marriage, treating it as the default, normative experience for every mature adult. Paul's teaching here is a necessary corrective. While marriage is good and honorable, the gift of celibacy for the sake of the kingdom is also a high and honorable calling. This passage forces us to ask what our primary concern is.

For the unmarried, the question is not "how can I get married?" but rather "how can I leverage my present freedom for the maximum glory of God?" If God has given you the gift of contentment in singleness, then you have a strategic opportunity for focused, undistracted service. Do not waste it.

For the married, this passage is a sober reminder that your spouse and family are your primary mission field. Pleasing your spouse is a central part of pleasing the Lord. Your interests are divided by divine design. Your task is to glorify God within that beautiful complexity, demonstrating the gospel in the midst of diapers, budgets, and daily frictions. Neither station is inherently superior. The superior thing is faithful, undistracted devotion to the Lord, right where He has placed you.