Texts in Conversation
In 1 Corinthians, Paul says a widow may remarry but will be happier if she stays as she is. In the Shepherd of Hermas, an angel gives a similar teaching that covers widowers as well, and says those who stay single gain far greater honor with God.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
1 Corinthians 7:39
New Testament
32 And I want you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. 33 But a married man is concerned about the things of the world, how to please his wife, 34 and he is divided. An unmarried woman or a virgin is concerned about the things of the Lord, to be holy both in body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the things of the world, how to please her husband. 35 I am saying this for your benefit, not to place a limitation on you, but so that without distraction you may give notable and constant service to the Lord. 36 If anyone thinks he is acting inappropriately toward his virgin, if she is past the bloom of youth and it seems necessary, he should do what he wishes; he does not sin. Let them marry. 37 But the man who is firm in his commitment, and is under no necessity but has control over his will, and has decided in his own mind to keep his own virgin, does well. 38 So then, the one who marries his own virgin does well, but the one who does not, does better. 39 A wife is bound as long as her husband is living. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes (only someone in the Lord). 40 But in my opinion, she will be happier if she remains as she is—and I think that I too have the Spirit of God!
Shepherd of Hermas 32:2
Early Christian
1 I asked him again, saying, “Sir, since you are being patient with me once again, explain this to me as well.” “Go ahead,” he said. “If a wife,” I said, “or perhaps a husband falls asleep, and the other remarries, does the one who remarries sin?” 2 “They do not sin,” he said, “but if they stay single, they gain far greater honor for themselves and with great glory before the Lord; yet even if they do marry, they do not sin. 3 So keep purity and holiness, and you will live for God. Keep all the things I am telling you now and will tell you later, from now on, from the day you were entrusted to me, and I will live in your house. 4 But for your former transgressions, there will be forgiveness if you keep my commandments. Indeed, everyone will have forgiveness if they keep these commandments of mine and live in purity.”
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Notes and References
“... In asking whether remarriage in such a case is sinful, both Paul and Hermas answer, No. Neither author considers remarriage following a spouse’s death ideal. Both agree on a better way, namely to remain single afterward (even using forms of the same verb μενεῖν), although each describes the alternative somewhat differently. Paul addresses the issue from the perspective of a woman whose husband dies (cf. Rom 7:2). By contrast, in Mand. 4.4.1 [32.1] Hermas has expanded Paul’s example. The situation that he inquires about concerns “a wife or in turn a husband” (γυνή … ἢ πάλιν ἀνήρ τις, 32.1). Thus Hermas has extended the discussion about remarriage with a gender complementarity such as Paul himself uses in 1 Cor 7:2–5 in order to explicitly include the situation of a hypothetical husband as well as a wife. ...”
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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