Widows re-marrying

PuerAzaelis

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1 Corinthians 7:40 NLT
But in my opinion it would be better for her to stay single, and I think I am giving you counsel from God’s Spirit when I say this.

1 Timothy 5:14 NLT
So I advise these younger widows to marry again, have children, and take care of their own homes. Then the enemy will not be able to say anything against them.

Isn't this a contradiction?
 

Kris Jordan

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1 Corinthians 7:40 NLT
But in my opinion it would be better for her to stay single, and I think I am giving you counsel from God’s Spirit when I say this.

1 Timothy 5:14 NLT
So I advise these younger widows to marry again, have children, and take care of their own homes. Then the enemy will not be able to say anything against them.

Isn't this a contradiction?

Hi PuerAzaelis,

No, it is not. Read 1 Corinthians 7:40 in its context, paying close attention to what is said in the verse preceding it (v.39).
 
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Dave L

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1 Corinthians 7:40 NLT
But in my opinion it would be better for her to stay single, and I think I am giving you counsel from God’s Spirit when I say this.

1 Timothy 5:14 NLT
So I advise these younger widows to marry again, have children, and take care of their own homes. Then the enemy will not be able to say anything against them.

Isn't this a contradiction?
I assume it's better to be single and focus on God. But it's also better to be married if you cannot stay focused.
 
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ViaCrucis

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St. Paul isn't giving some kind of commandment here, but offering counsel and advice in two completely separate circumstances.

Paul is of the general opinion that it's better to be unmarried than married, but he is always adamant that this is only his opinion. In the letter to Timothy, however, the circumstance is that there are these young childless widows, Paul here advises marriage for them, and to have children so that the children can take care of them when they are older (this was pretty standard for how things operated back then). While it was the Church's responsibility to care for orphans and widows, Paul understood that practical advice was also important. For a child to care for his aged parents, when he could do so, was important as it was part of the ordinary family structure of the time, but also because it put less strain on the community as a whole. Especially when the community was dependent upon the good will and charity of the wealthier members, who were themselves often older, wealthier widows.

The thing about pastoral counsel, and both of these are examples of that, is that it's not always a one size fits all kind of thing. Different circumstances, and different needs from different people, requires addressing the needs, people, and circumstances.

-CryptoLutheran
 
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yeshuaslavejeff

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1 Corinthians 7:40 NLT
But in my opinion it would be better for her to stay single, and I think I am giving you counsel from God’s Spirit when I say this.

1 Timothy 5:14 NLT
So I advise these younger widows to marry again, have children, and take care of their own homes. Then the enemy will not be able to say anything against them.

Isn't this a contradiction?
In the first, it looks like he is talking about one person, to stay single.
He and all of them probably knew Jesus' Word that singleness and marriage both are each a gift from the Father - and to accept it as a gift from Him if one is able to receive it.

IN the second , it looks like he is talking about more than one person, who are at risk of doing something else instead of marrying, that will give the enemy cause to say something against them.
 
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splish- splash

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1 Corinthians 7:40 NLT
But in my opinion it would be better for her to stay single, and I think I am giving you counsel from God’s Spirit when I say this.

1 Timothy 5:14 NLT
So I advise these younger widows to marry again, have children, and take care of their own homes. Then the enemy will not be able to say anything against them.

Isn't this a contradiction?
1 Corinthians 7:40 NLT
But in my opinion it would be better for her to stay single, and I think I am giving you counsel from God’s Spirit when I say this.

1 Timothy 5:14 NLT
So I advise these younger widows to marry again, have children, and take care of their own homes. Then the enemy will not be able to say anything against them.

No its not a contradiction at all. In my view, I believe the apostles were simply stating facts from their findings. More like the pros and cons of marrying/not marrying. In fact look at the whole chapter of 1 Corinthians 7 and that of Timothy. Whichever one decides is fine / whether they marry or stay single it is all good, as long as they are at peace in the Lord with their decision.
 
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splish- splash

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No its not a contradiction at all. In my view, I believe the apostles here were simply stating facts from their findings. More like the pros and cons of marrying / not marrying. In fact look at the whole chapter of 1 Corinthians 7 and that of Timothy. Whichever one decides is fine / whether they marry or choose to remain single it is all good,just as long as they are at peace in the Lord with their decision.
 
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Bob Carabbio

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1 Corinthians 7:40 NLT
But in my opinion it would be better for her to stay single, and I think I am giving you counsel from God’s Spirit when I say this.

1 Timothy 5:14 NLT
So I advise these younger widows to marry again, have children, and take care of their own homes. Then the enemy will not be able to say anything against them.

Isn't this a contradiction?

Not at all (considering the context of heavy persecution) if you stay single, then you DON'T have a husband and family to be concerned about - IF YOU HAVE THE CAPABILITY to do that. The "Younger widows" have more flexibility and pPaul was concerned that if wouldn't be good for them to get a "Free ride" at the church's expense.
 
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HTacianas

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1 Corinthians 7:40 NLT
But in my opinion it would be better for her to stay single, and I think I am giving you counsel from God’s Spirit when I say this.

1 Timothy 5:14 NLT
So I advise these younger widows to marry again, have children, and take care of their own homes. Then the enemy will not be able to say anything against them.

Isn't this a contradiction?

It depends on the age and disposition of the widows in question. Paul says in one case it is better for the widow to remain unmarried but does not prohibit it, while in the other case it is better for younger widows to remarry but it is not required.
 
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Radagast

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Hi PuerAzaelis,

No, it is not. Read 1 Corinthians 7:40 in its context, paying close attention to what is said in the verse preceding it (v.39).

Both passages require context. In both cases, the whole chapter should be read.
 
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JackRT

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1 Corinthians 7:40 NLT
But in my opinion it would be better for her to stay single, and I think I am giving you counsel from God’s Spirit when I say this.

1 Timothy 5:14 NLT
So I advise these younger widows to marry again, have children, and take care of their own homes. Then the enemy will not be able to say anything against them.

Isn't this a contradiction?

Not really, just two different authors giving two different opinions.
 
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JackRT

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No, same author. Paul wrote the Pastoral Epistles.

Modern analytical bible scholars have intensively studied the text of those epistles that are generally attributed to Paul. By closely examining vocabulary, grammar and thought themes they are in agreement that the following epistles are genuinely from Paul. They are 1 Thessalonians, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Philippians, Philemon and Romans. Two more letters, Colossians and 2 Thessalonians are in dispute. Hebrews does not reflect Paul’s style and content whatsoever. Ephesians does not reflect the style of Paul but is very much Pauline in content and is thought to have been written by a close follower of Paul’s. The Pastoral letters (Titus, 1 Timothy and 2 Timothy) are attributed to Paul, but someone writing in Paul’s name wrote them around AD120, some 60 years after Paul’s death. Each letter uses vocabulary Paul is not known to have used; each has a different concept than Paul had of key matters such as faith; and each refers to Paul’s close friends Timothy and Titus in formal rather than friendly terms. They assume that Christian churches are governed by the kind of carefully organized authority structures that developed decades after Paul’s time. They are similar in style and in content and in the issues they raise. Scholars generally believe them to have been written by the same person. In addition two of Paul’s epistles are thought to be composed of what were originally several smaller letters. In particular Philippians is composed of three and 2 Corinthians is composed of six. Chapter 16 of Romans seems to be a later addition but genuinely by Paul.
 
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Radagast

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Modern analytical bible scholars have intensively studied the text of those epistles that are generally attributed to Paul.

And the style of the Pastorals fits that of Paul, if you allow for the difference in subject-matter.

There is not the slightest evidence that the epistles with Paul's name are not by Paul, although there has been a quite a bit of poor-quality scholarship on the subject.

Hebrews does not reflect Paul’s style and content whatsoever.

Hebrews does not bear Paul's name, so yeah.

The Pastoral letters (Titus, 1 Timothy and 2 Timothy) are attributed to Paul, but someone writing in Paul’s name wrote them around AD120, some 60 years after Paul’s death.

False.
 
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