Verse 2. To avoidfornication] dia tav porneiav? verto, propter exercendam libidinem, vel ut libidinem licite exercere liceat. Probo hanc notionem ex Hebraeo, ibi hnz , zanah, est libidinem exercere, Hos. iv. 10: For they shall eat and not have enough; they shall commitwhoredom, wnzt , libidinem exercebunt, and shall not increase. Here the prophet certainly does not speak of whoredom in our sense of the word; for the persons he mentions expected to have children, which cannot be said of those who are addicted to improper connections: the prophet speaks concerning married persons, whom he threatens with a privation of children, notwithstanding libidinem exercebant in order to have numerous families. See Schoettgen. The following verse shows that this is the apostle's meaning.
Let every man have his own wife] Let every man have one woman, his own; and every woman one man, her own. Here, plurality of wives
and husbands is most strictly forbidden; and they are commanded to marry for the purpose of procreating children.
In the Jewish constitutions there are some things not only curious, but useful, respecting marriage. "There are four causes which induce men to marry: 1. Impure desire; 2. To get riches; 3. To become honourable; 4. For the glory of God. Those who marry through the first motive begetwicked and rebellious children. Those who marry for the sake of riches have the curse of leaving them to others. Those who marry for the sake of aggrandizing their family, their families shall be diminished. Those who marry to promote the glory of God, their children shall be holy, and by them shall the true Church be increased."
Ver. 2. Nevertheless, to avoidfornication , etc.] Or fornications; meaning either the frequent commission of that sin; or all sorts of uncleanness and pollution, which may be avoided by wedlock, and the proper use of the marriagebed, where the gift of continency is not bestowed: wherefore to prevent unlawful copulations, as of single persons with one another, or of a married person with a single one, the apostle advises, as being what is right and proper, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband ; that is, let every man that has a wifeenjoy her, and make use of her, and let every woman that has an husband, receive him into her embraces; for these words are not to be understood of unmarried persons entering into a marriagestate, for the words suppose them in such a state, but of the proper use of the marriagebed; and teach us that marriage, and the use of it, are proper remedies against fornication; and that carnal copulation of a man with a woman ought only to be of husband and wife, or of persons in a marriedstate; and that all other copulations are sinful; and that polygamy is unlawful; and that one man is to have but one wife, and to keep to her; and that one woman is to have but one husband, and to keep to him.
Verses 1-9 - The apostle tells the Corinthians that it was good, in that juncture of time, for Christians to keep themselves single. Yet he says tha marriage, and the comforts of that state, are settled by Divinewisdom Though none may break the law of God, yet that perfect rule leaves me at liberty to serve him in the way most suited to their powers an circumstances, of which others often are very unfit judges. All mus determine for themselves, seeking counsel from God how they ought to act.
