TO MARRY OR TO BURN: πυϱου̃σϑαι IN 1 COR 7:9

Author(s): Michael L. Barré

Source: The Catholic Biblical Quarterly, Vol. 36, No. 2 (APRIL 1974), pp. 193-202
Published by: Catholic Biblical Association
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 TO MARRY OR TO BURN:
nvQoijoůai IN 1 COR 7:9

From a pastoral point of view 1 Cor 7 is an extremely important piece of NT

writing; it represents Paul's most extended treatment of the subject of
marriage. Precisely for this reason, then, it is a great misfortune that this
chapter has been interpreted even by high-ranking scholars in such a way as
to attribute to Paul a rather unwholesome attitude toward marriage and the
place of sex in Christian life, ł To the biblically untrained reader in particu-
lar, the apparently negative tone of this section of 1 Cor must be disturbing.
The biblical scholar can perhaps offset such a misunderstanding by explain-
ing the significance of the strong eschatological overtone of ch. 7 (cf. espe-
cially vss. 29-31) and by pointing out that the introductory sentence of the
chapter, xaXòv avÚQcônq) yvvaixòç 1¿r¡ ameoůai , is most probably a quotation
from the Corinthians' letter to Paul.2 But problems still remain. Vs. 9 in
particular 3 certainly seems to lend itself to an interpretation which sees mar-
riage as a remedium concupiscentiae. As a matter of fact, this is exactly how
the verse has been traditionally interpreted in Catholic moral theology until
recent years.4 In Greek vss. 8-9 read:
8 Aeyco áè toÎç âyáyioiç xaì raíç xHQait>
xakòv auioîç eàv ¡àÌlvc ooiv œç xayco:
9 el áè oxjx eyxQarevovTai ya^rjoarcooav,
xQeîrrov yâg ¿otiv ya'if'oai r' nvQotioůai.
'Cf. H. Lietzmann, An Die Korinther /-// (HNT 9; Tubingen: Mohr, 1969) 29, who believes
that Paul viewed marriage "as an evil that frequently becomes necessary because of the
weakness of the flesh"! Cf. also R. Bultmann, Theology of the New Testament (tr. Kendrick
Grobel; New York: Scribner's, 1951) 202; H. Conzelmann, Der Erste Brief an die Korinther
( Meyer, Göttingen: Vandenhoeck and Ruprecht, 1969) 142.
2Cf. J. C. Hurd, The Origin of I Corinthians (London: S.P.C.K., 1965) 68, 163; C. H. Giblin,
In Hope of God's Glory; Pauline Theological Perspectives (New York: Herder, 1971) 147; P.
Ruef, Paul's First Letter to Corinth (Baltimore: Penguin, 1971) 53. Paul does not reject this
slogan, but qualifies it.
3Apart from 7:9 there are two verses in the section 7:1-7 which appear to endorse a negative
view of marriage. In 7:2 Paul says: "But because of incidents of immorality [did ói jàç noçvtCaç,
the plural would seem to point to actual abuses (cf. Giblin, ibid.)], each man should have his
own wife and each woman her own husband." This exhortation, however, is not addressed to the
unmarried, as if to say that the chief purpose of marriage is to avoid fornication. As becomes
clear from the subsequent verses, the subject of "have" here (¿ x¿tcj ) is an already married man
or woman. Cf. Hurd, The Origin. . . , 162; J. J. von Allmen, Pauline Teaching on Marriage (tr.
from the French; London: Faith Press, 1963) 56n. Secondly, when Paul speaks of a "conces-
sion" (ouyyvoöjirj) in vs. 6, the majority of modern commentators agree that he is not referring to
sexual intercourse within marriage. What he is allowing, rather, is the practice of abstinence
from intercourse for brief periods of time. Cf. von Allmen, Pauline Teaching. . . , 58n; J. Héring,
The First Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians (tr. A. W. Heathcote and P. J. Allcock; London: Ep-
worth, 1962) 50; F. F. Bruce, 1 and 2 Corinthians (New Century Bible; London: Oliphants,
1971)67-68.
4Cf., for example, B. H. Merkelbach, Summa Theologiae Moralis ad Mentem D. Thomae et
ad Normám Iuris Novi (1 Ith ed.; 3 vols.; Brussels: Desclée, 1962) III, 759.
193

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194 The Catholic Biblical Quarterly [Vol. 36

Almost all modern translations of the NT5 take the last

denote a state of being inflamed with passion, desire, or s
But is another interpretation possible? It will be the purpo
demonstrate that another meaning for rwQovoůai is not o
verse, but is in fact demanded by the context. If this is cor
no support whatsoever to a theology of marriage as remed
tiae or as an expedient to escape the fires of passion or

I.

What were the principal connotations suggested by nuQovoůai and related

terms in Jewish literature before Paul? This question is of primary impor-
tance in the study of our text. The trend in Pauline studies of recent decades
has shifted away from an emphasis on the Hellenistic influences in Paul's
thought to an emphasis on his Jewish background.6 It is with this background
that we must begin in interpreting our text.
In the LXX ttuqovv or nvQotioůai is used most often to translate the Hebrew
verb sārap . Out of 29 occurrences of the verb (9 in books or passages written
originally in Greek), 16 are translations of sārap (in the qal , but once in the
niph'al). Sārap means literally "to refine (metals) by fire." For example, Ps
12:6 (RSV) reads: "The promises of the Lord are promises that are pure,
silver refined [MT: sārup ; LXX: nenvQcoiAtvov] in a furnace

is more frequently encountered in one of several figu

predicated of the "word" of Yahweh or some equivalen
trustworthiness, the "tried-and-true" character of the
scored by describing it as being "refined" like pre
18:30; 119:140; Prov 30:5). (2) Sārap is also used to d
"purifying" of the righteous by Yahweh (RSV: Pss 1
Dan 11:35; 12:10). (3) Closely related to the latter sen
nuance. This close association of the two senses derives from an ambivalence
in the literal meaning of the verb itself: for to "refine" means to purify a
metallic ore, but this very process entails the destruction of the impure sub-
stances in the ore. Therefore we find passages in which sārap is used to illus-
trate Yahweh's execution of judgment (RSV: Isa 1:25; Jer 9:7; Zech 13:9).

5NEB ("to burn with vain desire"); RSV ("to be aflame with passion"); TEV ("to burn with
passion"); Phillips ("to be tortured with unsatisfied desire"); on the other hand, NAB ("to be on
fire") and JB ("to be tortured") are ambiguous.
6Cf. E. E. Ellis, Paul and His Recent Interpreters (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1961) 29-32; W.
D. Davies, Paul and Rabbinic Judaism: Some Rabbinic Elements in Pauline Theology (rev. ed.;
New York: Harper, 1948); J. A. Fitzmyer in JBC II, 802.

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1974] To Marry or to Burn 195

In the Greek deuterocanonical and apo

in which TTUQovi/ bears a figurative mea
8:27 we read: on ou xaùœç [xvgioç ó úe
cr aoiÂÒv rrjç xagóiaç aurcõv, xai rjjiãç ox
well with (3) above. In the Maccabean liter
meaning not found at all in the Hebrew
secular Greek authors7 - that of "burni
find a precedent in sacred Jewish literatu
legedly present in 1 Cor 7:9 and 2 Cor
these Maccabean texts the word is not use
roîç ùvfÂOîç); 10:35 (Ta/çontá/TEç toTç ùufÀ
3 Mac 4:2 (oTevay^oîç nenvQcofÀévrjç . . r
The use of sārap in the Qumran texts
OT, except that the eschatological nuanc
form does not occur and the nominal f
"has shifted in meaning to become a se
chatological ordeať after which the elec
sages are 1QS 1:17; 8:4; CD 20:27; 1QM
2:1; 4QpPs37b4. Besides this sectarian us
tion," "ordeal," or "trial," the word "fire"
cepts of testing, affliction, or judgmen
sārap : 1QH 2:26; 4:33; 5:16; 8:30 (testin
2:8; 4:13; 1QH 6:18f; 17:13 (judgment).
Moving into the NT, we find only six oc
Cor 11:29; Eph 6:16; 2 Pet 3:12; Apoc 1
the noun mjgœoiç (1 Pet 4:12; Apoc 18:
verse in the indisputably authentic Pau
mjQOvoůai: tíç áoůevel, xaì oxjx áoůev co;
ļxai' Here too the standard translations
ing as "I burn with indignation" or
meaning of the verb in this passage can
consideration of the context in which thi
structure of this verse, and (3) a study of
Çeoûai, and nuQovoůai and the relation
Obviously such a project would take us fa
this paper. For the moment, then, we mu

7Cf. F. Lang, m^óco, TDNT VI, 949.

8Cf. the summary of the doctoral dissertation by
of Peter 4:12" in HTR 60 (1967) 501.

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 1% The Catholic Biblical Quarterly [Vol. 36

tion.9 The Ephesians passage presents a literal use of our v

context of the eschatological struggle (cf. vs. 13: "in the e
of navra ra ßiX rj toû tt ovtjqov Ta nenvQœ^éva.
The last three occurrences of nvgovoůai are found in bo
to the close of the NT period. 2 Pet 3:12 declares that
kvůrjoovrai. Here we meet the literal sense again, as in
likewise in the context of "the day of the Lord" (vs. 1
scribes John's vision of the "one like a son of man" in
language. In 1:15 the author cites Dan 10:6: xai oí nóócç
kißävo? and then adds œç iv xa'x ivą> nemjQú)1Áévr]çTht fo
problematic, and a number of MSS read nemiQœiÀêvœ or
are surely ad sensum. It would perhaps be pressing matte
this verse anything beyond a literal use of the verb, e.g.,
the agony of Christ's passion.90 But in the next passage, A
use may with some degree of probability conceal a fu
church at Laodicea the Christ-figure says: ov^ovkeùœ
Sļiou xçuoiov naivQù)1À€vov ix miQÔ'ç iva rrÀouTjforjç,
neQiᄎfl
to buy is "gold which is refined in the agonies of the shared passion
community, which fancies itself "rich" (3:17), is in reality utterly i
ed, naked, and in desperate need of "white garments." But white gar
sign of the eschatological victory, are won only by those who have

'Briefly, I would call into question three assumptions with which most commen
Cor 11:29 begin:
(1) that the second clause in each of the two questions in vs. 29 expresses the re
first clause; e.g., "Who is weak, and I [as a result ] am not weak?";
(2) that áoůevelv and oxavóaÁí&oůai here refer to faith as in 1 Cor 8:7-13;
(3) that mjQovoûai here means "to burn with emotion" as (according to most com
in 1 Cor 7:9.
After having researched this text, however, I am convinced that the meaning of the last verb is
rather "to be afflicted" or "tested" as mentioned above (p.195). I hope to publish my research in
a future article. But to argue my thesis convincingly would require the space of an entire article,
and therefore it cannot be discussed here.
9aNonetheless it is interesting to note that in the Martyrdom ofPolycarp (15:2) it is said that
during his death by fire the saint was cbç xçuoôç xai aęyuęoę ¿v xafjívq> tt uqoíjialvoç
10P. Minear, / Saw a New Earth: An Introduction to the Visions of the Apocalypse (Nashville:
Abingdon, 1968) 57; cf. 220. A similar expression appears in 1 Pet 1:7: tò ôoxíynov v^œv rrją
moreœç ttoàuti/ìÓt cqov xQvoíov toû ¿ttoààujicvou, óià ttuqòç ói óoxif*a£ofJĆvov. . . . îIvqovv is
closely associated with or in parallelism with àoxifuá^e iv in a number of LXX passages (RSV):
Pss 17:3; 26:2; 66:10; Jer 9:7. A particularly revealing text where these two concepts are closely
related occurs in the Didache (16:5); speaking of the last days, it says: tote rj&i rj xtCoiç tcDv
àvÙQcônœv elç tt^v twqcûoiv t rjç óoxifiaoiaę, xai oxavóaAioŮTjoovrai rroÀÀoì xai cmoXovvTai. . . .

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 1 974] T o Marry or to Burn 1 97

the tribulation that proves a true follower

Hence the notion of "purifying by affliction
Finally, there are three NT passages which c
first of these is 1 Pet 4:12, which begins: ' ky
mjQœoei ti qòç neiQaopov vļjiīv y ivopcvņ. . .
dissertation by E. T. Sander.11 According to h
correctly understood only in reference to th
Qumran sectarians, although the Greek word
masrêp . Nevertheless, the eschatological ov
parent, as is indicated by the context (cf.
hand. . ."). The various afflictions which the
mark the ordeal of the eschaton.
Apoc 18 contains John's vision of the fall of "Babylon." Vss. 9-19 express
the lamentation over her destruction uttered by all those who held her in es-
teem. The passage contains three dirges, the first and third of which are oc-
casioned by the sight of ròv xùttvòv t f'ç mjQœoeœç aúrfjç (i.e., of Babylon; vss.
9 and 18). Does mjQœoiç simply mean the "burning" of Babylon, i.e., does it
refer merely to the physical act of being on fire? The context argues against
such a view. Twice in this passage it is noted that the "kings of the earth" and
the "merchants of the earth" must stand at a distance from the city óià ròv
cpoßov tou ßaoavLOlÄOv avrfjç This latter expression, which is found in vss* 10
and 15, as well as the reference to the "judgment" of Babylon in vs. 10,
indicate the precise significance of the burning of the city: the eschatological
punishment of the habitation of wickedness.
In summary, then, we can discern at least five different uses of nvQoüoüai
and its Hebrew equivalents in Jewish religious thought before Paul and in the
NT:

(1) literal: to be on fire or burning with fire;

(2) figurative: applied to the word of Yahweh in its tested, " tried-and -
true " trustworthiness;
(3) figurative: applied to the righteous as "testeď' or "purified" by
Yahweh (through various trials and afflictions);
(4) figurative: applied to the chosen people or the enemies of God inso-
far as they are deserving of the fiery judgment of Yahweh; therefore, to burn
in penal fire;
(5) figurative: used in connection with words such as úviâoí, oTevaypoi,
to express the idea of being aflame with strong emotion.

nCf. note 8 above.

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 198 The Catholic Biblical Quarterly [Vol. 36

Of these five uses, (2) is confined to relatively few passages

(5) is virtually unattested in sacred Jewish writings outside of
books. Moreover, in the NT - prescinding from the two Corin
so as not to beg the question - the verb and its nominal form o
chatological contexts, and never in the sense of (5).

II.

In 1 Cor 7 Paul addresses himself to questions raised by the Corinthians in a

previous letter. In light of the imminent parousia what should they do?
Should the married refrain from any further sexual contact (vss. 2-7)? Should
the unmarried remain celibate at all costs (vss. 8-9, 25-38)? Or under what
circumstances would it be advisable for them to marry? Paul attempts to
answer these questions in a pastorally prudent way, bearing in mind three
things: (1) his general principle, "Everyone should remain in the state in
which he was called" (7:20; cf. vs. 24); (2) the specific situation and needs of
Christians in various marital and non-marital states; and (3) the great value
of celibacy as a Christian state in life. But it is precisely with this last point
that his troubles begin. A significant factor in the Corinthian's quandary was
the presence of a group of people with sexual attitudes not unlike those of the
later encratites and who were naively incognizant of their spiritual limita-
tions. Mesmerized by the force of their "enthusiasm," they were all but in-
capable of assessing their spiritual strength objectively.12 Therefore Paul
finds it necessary to explain that he does not intend his general principle to
have the force of law but only to serve as a practical norm. Marriage is by no
means forbidden to one called to the faith as an unmarried person.
In vss. 8-9 of this chapter Paul turns his attention to the aya^oi and the
XfiQai of the Corinthian church. In interpreting these verses we must keep
uppermost in our minds the particular mind-set of these Corinthians toward
marriage. Perhaps they had been "overconverted"13 to Paul's appreciation of
celibacy and could not see marriage as a valid option. It would be difficult to
see why Paul expends so much effort trying to convince different groups
within the community that they may marry (7:8-9, 36) or should continue
normal marital relations (7:2-7) if the Corinthians were already favorably dis-
posed toward marriage. Since they obviously were not, Paul must find persua-
sive arguments to counteract their stubborn resistance to matrimony. In the
case of the x?lQai at least there was perhaps a further reason for determina-

12Cf. Hurd, The Origin. . . , 165.

13H. J. Cadbury's term in "Overconversion in Paul's Churches," The Joy of Study: Papers on
New Testament and Related Subjects Presented to Honor Frederick Clifton Grant , ed. S. E.
Johnson (New York: Macmillan, 1951) 44-45.

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1 974] T o Marry or to Burn 1 99

tion to remain celibate. If the XHQai already

the Corinthian church at the time of Paul's w
that they were fearful lest renouncing this fu
community (cf. 1 Tim 5:3-16) would const
loyalty to Christ. This worry would assume e
the expectation of an imminent parousia (cf.
necessary to point out that there is no questi
remain celibate; that on the contrary cert
marriage as the proper vocational choice.
Such a circumstance is alluded to in the p
The majority of modern translations have som
exercise self-control. . . ." But this " cannot "
terpolation which weakens the sense of the
ing. It is unwarranted first of all simply b
I oxueiv does not occur here. Secondly, the ty
this verse (el, not eáv as in vs. 8b) places "em
sumption."15 No, Paul is referring to a real , p
are not practicing continence . . . ." Furth
already prejudices the interpreter with regar
He is led to expect an allusion to some sort
makes it impossible for the parties in questio
it is no wonder that TWQovoůai is invaria
desire ." In this way Paul's moral argument -
in this verse, as we shall see shortly - is dest
that does not even appear in the entire pa
In the second half of the verse we find the
"better" to marry in such a situation? Is i
overpowering sexual urge in certain of the
have us believe? Or is there another explanat
of vs. 9a? To answer this question we must
¿yKQareuovTai. In the context this can onl
tions. The verb ¿yxgarafeotfaidoes not mean
as is implied by some commentators.16 It cle

14So Héring, The First Epistle. . . , 51; von Allmen,

15 F. Blass and A. Debrunner, A Greek Grammar of
Christian Literature (Chicago: Univ. of Chicago, 1961
I6E.g., J. Weiss, Der Erste Korint her brief (Meyer; G
1910) 176-77; H. Conzelmann, Der Erste Brief. . . , 14
First Epistle to the Corinthians: The English Text w
(Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1964) 161. Very possibly th
of the exegesis of this passage: man cannot remain con
therefore the verb must mean "to have the gift of cont
the presuppositions of a later theology to Paul.

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 200 The Catholic Biblical Quarterly [Vol. 36

stinence from something in itself morally neutral. This is

only other occurrence of eyxQaTsveoitai in the NT, 1
ay œviÇônevoç náv ra ¿yxçaT£Ú£Tai. . . . What is essential
exercise self-restraint in all things; whether he has a n
"gift" for doing so is entirely beside the point. Thus
whether the individuals involved are practicing continenc
extra-marital sex. They are unmarried by definition, a
tinuing in that state come what may, even though they m
pursuing a life-style in contradiction to the basic notion o
words, they are deceiving themselves into believing t
despite all plain evidence to the contrary. But in 6:9f P
M nÀavâoûe: ovtetîôqvoi. . . oute pioņoi. . . ßaoikeiav ůeoxj
Harsh though these terms may sound in view of their good
married Corinthian Christians who are not refraining fro
are in fact guilty of fornication or adultery. If that is th
is in far greater jeopardy from this kind of behavior than
renounced their (professedly) celibate status and marri
gument solidly on moral grounds and does not excuse t
of these "celibates" with a "cannot" any more than he e
ity of other members of the Corinthian church (cf. ch. 5).
warns that such conduct is fraught with disastrous consequ
the fires of eschatological judgment.
This is the meaning of nvQovoůai in this text: to be bur
judgment or Gehenna.18 Such an interpretation makes per
of Paul's argument, in light of the strong eschatological t
light of the uses of nvQovoůat discussed above. In effect,
to the unmarried Christians of Corinth: "Don't you see th
are opposed to the idea of marriage, it is more sensible to
be damned? Face the facts: if you find yourselves continu
chaste conduct you are obviously not called to life-long ce
riage, . So reconsider your options - before it's too late!" I
see how this approach could have been persuasive to th
thians.

17 In a similar way the immoderate asceticism of married Christia

dangers to salvation. In 7:5 Paul makes explicit reference to these da
prolonged abstinence from sexual relations: iva fur¡ miçaty vpâç ò Z
ī/ļucov. The line of argumentation is the same as in 7:9, only not as d
there is no question of immoral conduct.
Cf. Bruce, 1 and 2 Corinthians , 68, where he concedes that mjQovoů
mean 'to burn in Gehenna.' "

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 1974] To Marry or to Burn 201

On the other hand, the persuasive force

ern translations is not at all evident. This
cogency but no sense of urgency at all.
ticalities: why should one allow oneself to
it is difficult to see how this line of reas
thians, whose whole problem in the first
ability to control their passions. To suc
have responded, "We can do it!" And P
Furthermore, the usual interpretation of
bear an insupportable semantic load. T
"burn" in this passage by an expression
qualify this latter term by a word such a
Phillips' translation of the NT vs. 9b re
marry than to be tortured by unsatisfied
semantic possibilities of the word to the

in.

If our interpretation of 1 Cor 7:9 is correct, it is erroneous to attribute to

Paul an outlook which sees marriage as a remedium concupiscentiae. He
does not recommend marriage as a cure-all for passionate impulses, nor does
he see it as an "inferior" vocation, a last resort for "undisciplined" or "in-
continent" Christians. What he says in 7:9b is not meant to be taken as a
general statement on marriage per se. His purpose here is rather to drive
home to certain members of the Corinthian church the fact that even in the
shadow of the parousia a person must exercise prudence in choosing his
proper state in life, that this choice is not pre-determined. It is true that he
does hold celibacy in greater esteem, but this has nothing to do with an
alleged disparagement of sexuality or the married state. His advocacy of the
celibate state is founded on completely different grounds. (1) The married
will experience greater tribulation during the eschatological ordeal than the
unmarried (1 Cor 7:28b; cf. Mk 13:17 and par.); Christians have enough to
worry about in view of the "impending distress" (7:26) without incurring the
added "anxiety" (7:32) of family responsibility. (2) The celibate person - at
least in Paul's mind - has more freedom for dedication to Christian ministry,
including those special services of charity such as were (later?) performed by
the xñQai (7: 32-35). 19

,9To be "anxious about the affairs of the Lord" (peQifii/av jà t ov xvqíov) means to be engaged
in "building up the Church" through various types of "ministerial" activities (in the broad sense
of the term); cf. J. D. Quinn, "Celibacy and the Ministry in Scripture," TBT 46 (1970) 3169-70.
According to Quinn, the correctness of this interpretation of the phrase may be seen from Rom

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202 The Catholic Biblical Quarterly [Vol. 36

Modern theology's approach to the subject of marriage has

developed beyond that of Paul, so that the two cannot simply be
there is perhaps less difference between them than much of the
Cor 7 - particularly of 1 Cor 7:9 - has led us to imagine.

Michael L. Barre, S.S.

St. Patrick's Seminary
Menlo Park , California 94025

15:17, where he renders rà nçòç tòv ůlóv "my work for God"; and indirectly from 2 Cor 11:28,
where Paul uses the term idQipva to describe his apostolic solicitude for the churches (ibid.).
Moreover, we may compare Phil 2:20, where Paul assures the Philippians that Timothy rà ncQi
V1AÓÚV ptQinvrjoei, an expression which stands in close relation to (£rj rdv) rà 'I rjoov Xqiotov in the
following verse. (On expressions of the type to tov. . . , cf . C. H. Giblin, 4 4 'The Things of God' in
the Question Concerning Tribute to Caesar [Lk 20:25; Mk 12:17; Mt 22:21]," CBQ 33 [1971]
520-21; Blass-Debrunner, A Greek Grammar. . . .,§263). Likewise, to be <4holy in body and
spirit" (1 Cor 7:34) means to be 44wholly occupied and undistracted ( aperispastos ) [vs. 35] in the
ministry of the Lord Jesus"; cf. Quinn, "Celibacy. . . ," 3171; Héring, The First Epistle. . . , 61.

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