were advised to be willing to stay as they were (21, 22). This was the wisest way of

being prepared and ready for the imminent coming of the Lord, which was the overriding

A new section now commences. The peri de indicates that an answer follows to

another of the church's problems, concerning which they had written him. Three groups

are now dealt with (1) the unmarried young (25-35); (2) the parents or engaged couples

(36-38); and (3) widows (39, 40).  With the Lord's coming in mind, celibacy was

desirable but not enforced. The single man was wiser if he did not marry. Conversely a

married man should not seek release from marriage (27, 28). In giving his advice, Paul

had only one thing in mind, sparing them trouble and anxiety (28). If wars, rumours of

wars, earthquakes, pestilence and famine, were at hand, as the Lord Himself predicted

before His second coming (Mark 13: 7, 8, 17), then to take on the obligations of

marriage was a foolish act tending to multiply difficulties.

The end of the age was near.

In  chapter 10: 11  the Apostle asserts that the

`conclusion of the ages' had arrived. The Apostle John in his first epistle stated that it

was the "last hour" (literally 2: 18), and Peter, that "the end of all things is at hand"

(I Pet. 4: 7). There can be no doubt that the age was drawing to a close, and the end,

which would be terminated by the Lord's coming, was imminent. It behooved every

believer to be on the alert, waiting for the Son from heaven (I Thess. 1: 10), and to see to

it that they were as loose as possible to all earthly relationships and cares that would

distract them from their final witness and service for the Lord, so that they might "attend

upon the Lord without distraction" (35). In the married state the tendency is for the

married man to be anxious (careful R.V.) as to how he may please his wife, and likewise

the wife her husband (32-34), whereas the unmarried can more easily be taken up with

the things of the Lord and how to please Him first and foremost.

Verses 36-38 creates a problem. What dos the word `virgin' mean in this context? At

least three ideas have been put forward (1) a father and his unmarried daughter is in view.

(2) A spiritual marriage in which people went through a form of marriage, and yet lived

together as brother and sister. We know that such relationships existed later in the history

of the church, though it is very doubtful if it took place as early as this, and also it is

difficult to conceive that such a union would have received Paul's approval. (3) An

engaged couple who are in doubt as to whether they should marry or not under the

circumstances. As for (1) the father had control of his daughter's marriage and this

interpretation is possible, though "his virgin" is a peculiar way of referring to his

daughter. The second interpretation (2) can be discounted. Taking everything into

consideration, the fewest difficulties seem to be raised by the third view (3). If such a

couple found the unmarried state too much of a strain, then marriage was desirable and

not a sin. On the other hand, were they able to exercise self-control, to stay as they were

would be better, for the reasons given before.

The Apostle now deals with the problem of widows. Marriage is a life-long tie (39),

but it a woman loses her husband by death, she is perfectly free to marry again, though