Garland's Argument V. 39-40a
2.4.6. ARGUMENT V: PRACTICAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR WIDOWS (vv. 39-40a)
In the fourth argument on celibacy (7, 25-38) Paul instructed already single, engaged men about whether or not they should marry. In this fifth argument (7, 39-40a) he shortly instructs widows on whether or not they should remarry. According to Garland the question is very short and in the third person because it is not the burning issue. The point of question in this case lies with a woman’s remarriage.
‘In my opinion she is happier if she remains as she is,’ is to be taken as the basic principle where Paul makes it clear that he is not giving a command, but is giving a good counsel for the benefit and blessing of those who take it. Paul writes unambiguously about the various …show more content…
He believes that the widow would be ‘happier’ if she remained single. It harmonies with his maxim that the present crisis makes it good for a person to remain as he or she is (7, 26). The comparative use of μακαριωτέρα (blessed) parallels with the use of κρεῖσσον (better) which is applied to the male in 7, 38. Paul uses the word μακάριος in the religious sense of blessed in Rom 4, 7- 8 and 14, 22. Edwards states; “he means that the widow is more blessed by remaining a widow and consecrating her life to the work of the Lord”. But here Paul says nothing similar and many assume that the term μακαριωτέρα has no religious overtones but refers only to worldly well-being that is ‘she is happier.’ Thus the final argument from the advice to widows clearly exposes Pauline preference for singleness.
2.5. EPILOGUE: ENDOWED WITH THE SPIRIT OF GOD (v. 40b)
Pauline statement in v. 40b ‘I think that I also have the Spirit of God’ does not lessen but clearly strengthen his point. With a clever touch of sarcasm he was saying that he, too, had access to the leading of the Holy Spirit, which is a claim apparently made both by the group that advocated celibacy only and by the group that advocated marriage only. He was still speaking like ‘an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God’ (1, 1). Pauline command was God’s command and his advice was God’s advice as commented by …show more content…
The implied meaning here is that the apostle was led by the Spirit to give the advice in question; so Pauline advice is the advice of the Spirit. Other people may believe that their views are inspired by the Holy Spirit, but the apostle endeavors also to believe that he is guided in his judgment by God’s Spirit. Thus Paul is trying to make a proper conclusion to the whole chapter by overwhelming the power of Spirit upon all his nine arguments presented
In the fourth argument on celibacy (7, 25-38) Paul instructed already single, engaged men about whether or not they should marry. In this fifth argument (7, 39-40a) he shortly instructs widows on whether or not they should remarry. According to Garland the question is very short and in the third person because it is not the burning issue. The point of question in this case lies with a woman’s remarriage.
‘In my opinion she is happier if she remains as she is,’ is to be taken as the basic principle where Paul makes it clear that he is not giving a command, but is giving a good counsel for the benefit and blessing of those who take it. Paul writes unambiguously about the various …show more content…
He believes that the widow would be ‘happier’ if she remained single. It harmonies with his maxim that the present crisis makes it good for a person to remain as he or she is (7, 26). The comparative use of μακαριωτέρα (blessed) parallels with the use of κρεῖσσον (better) which is applied to the male in 7, 38. Paul uses the word μακάριος in the religious sense of blessed in Rom 4, 7- 8 and 14, 22. Edwards states; “he means that the widow is more blessed by remaining a widow and consecrating her life to the work of the Lord”. But here Paul says nothing similar and many assume that the term μακαριωτέρα has no religious overtones but refers only to worldly well-being that is ‘she is happier.’ Thus the final argument from the advice to widows clearly exposes Pauline preference for singleness.
2.5. EPILOGUE: ENDOWED WITH THE SPIRIT OF GOD (v. 40b)
Pauline statement in v. 40b ‘I think that I also have the Spirit of God’ does not lessen but clearly strengthen his point. With a clever touch of sarcasm he was saying that he, too, had access to the leading of the Holy Spirit, which is a claim apparently made both by the group that advocated celibacy only and by the group that advocated marriage only. He was still speaking like ‘an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God’ (1, 1). Pauline command was God’s command and his advice was God’s advice as commented by …show more content…
The implied meaning here is that the apostle was led by the Spirit to give the advice in question; so Pauline advice is the advice of the Spirit. Other people may believe that their views are inspired by the Holy Spirit, but the apostle endeavors also to believe that he is guided in his judgment by God’s Spirit. Thus Paul is trying to make a proper conclusion to the whole chapter by overwhelming the power of Spirit upon all his nine arguments presented