Marriage -- A Partnership of Equals (Part 2)
In verse 5 of 1
Corinthians 7 Paul addresses those who advocate permanent abstinence from
sexual intercourse in marriage on spiritual grounds. Although Paul concedes
that spouses might set aside time away from each other for the purpose of prayer, they must do this together and then
come back together, lest they be tempted to seek sexual fulfillment outside the
marriage. Even then Paul it is only a concession and not an expectation that
one would feel the need to abstain from sex in order to pursue a time of
prayer.
Although the focus of
Paul’s attention in verses 5-6 is the issue of sexual abstinence and
infidelity, the key is mutual agreement. In context, there is a contrast
between prostitution, which is one-sided (1 Corinthians 6:12-20), Paul calls
for the sexual relationship in marriage to be "completely
two-sided." This idea of "two-sided
marriage" is rooted in the Greek word symphonia,
which we can translate as "mutual agreement" or as "with one
voice." The intent of verse 4 then is to remind sexual partners that they
don’t have automatic control of their own bodies.[1]
In the case of the
sexual relationship the decision to refrain from that relationship should come
by way of mutual agreement (symphonia). It is important to note here that Paul
did not appeal to the husband as the "spiritual leader" or "head
of the family." Instead, Paul instructs married partners to decide
together what is appropriate to their own spiritual welfare. It would seem that this passage, which
relates so directly to the shared spiritual life of husband and wife, rules out
the idea of the husband being the sole "spiritual leader."
[1]. Scott Bartchy, "Power,
Submission, and Sexual Identity among the Early Christians," in Essays on New Testament Christianity, C.
Robert Wetzel, ed., (Cincinnati:
Standard Publishing Company, 1978), 59.
A chapter in formation of Marriage Bible Study Guide
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