Freedman in the Lord; virginity beyond command (1 Cor 7)

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called in the Lord as a slave is the Lord's freedman; as if: Were you called a slave? Know this, that you are not only not a slave, but you also have something of freedom because of the Lord. For the freedman is neither purely free nor still a slave, so that the one wholly pure is free and the one in marriage a slave; but when he is a slave in the Lord, then we say he is the Lord's freedman. And the one called free is a slave not of a wife but of the Word of God. You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of human beings. With all your strength understand the one who bought us out, the Word of God; let us propitiate the blood poured out for us. We were saying in the word about unmarried and married that he tightens and loosens the word. So also here he has done, saying: Do not become slaves of human beings; for he as it were tightens and makes the word sharper, exhorting those able, as far as possible, to live purely, and each to live purely in the calling in which he was called. And one must know that the other interpreters have given the sense about uncircumcision and circumcision according to the letter; for customarily, they say, he passes from what is before him to other things, legislating for all what is fitting.

Now concerning virgins I have no command of the Lord, but I give an opinion as one who by the Lord's mercy is trustworthy (1 Corinthians 7:25). Of the commandments some are commanded, and some are not commanded but left free and entrusted to choice by God. For those without which one cannot be saved—these are the ones commanded; but the greater ones than the commanded, which even if we do not do we are saved, are not a command of God. Hear, he says, the gospel of Jesus Christ teaching in it and saying: when you have done all that is commanded you, you ought to say we are unprofitable servants; we have done what we ought to do (Luke 17:10). And if, when I do all that is commanded, I am an unprofitable servant, when will I flee being an unprofitable servant? If being more ambitious you ascend from what is commanded; for example: if I keep "you shall not commit adultery" and not looking at a woman to desire her, I have done what I ought. But if I remain a virgin, not ordered and not commanded, I no longer say over the achievement of virginity: we are unprofitable servants; we have done what we ought. So also on the remaining commandments: if I do not steal or overreach, we ought to say we are unprofitable servants. But if I sell all that I have and give to the poor, I no longer say I am unprofitable; I have done what I ought. Therefore the apostle says: Concerning virgins I have no command of the Lord, but I give an opinion as one who by the Lord's mercy is trustworthy. For in the Lord's saying to the disciples not all receive the word but those to whom it has been given, and he adds: let the one who is able to receive it receive it (Matthew 19:11–12); he did not command, but left it free. So I give an opinion, says the apostle, and to show that the Lord speaks in him he said as one who by the Lord's mercy is trustworthy.

I think therefore that this is good because of the present necessity, that it is good for a person to be thus (1 Corinthians 7:26). By necessity he means the sojourn in the body, as also elsewhere he says: but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for your sake (Philippians 1:24). Four times in the place the apostle named the good; for he says first: it is good for a man not to touch a woman; second: it is good for them if they remain as I also am; third: I think therefore that this is good because of the present necessity; fourth: it is good for a person to be thus. You see how many things said about chastity are named with the good; but whatever is said about marriage, with the marrying person's not sinning.

Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be loosed. Are you loosed from a wife? Do not seek a wife (1 Corinthians 7:27). Through the whole discourse, as has been said, he tightens and loosens, that the hearer, taking it in his own authority, may judge what he is able and to what exercise he can give himself. So also here he turned away from loosing marriage, and again exhorts to live purely. Therefore he called the married husband bound; and if to be bound is a circumstance, one must flee circumstances as far as possible. And do not seek to loose being bound to a wife; and the one not bound ought to guard himself lest he be bound; for truly you will find them bound by the marital love-charm. It is not permitted, then, for the one forestalled in marriage to seek untimely freedom, but to remain in the slavery; and if someone has been loosed, not to seek a wife. But if you also marry, he says, you have not sinned. He did not say: If you marry, it is good; but: If you marry, you have not sinned; keep the difference. And

Greek

κυρίῳ κληθεὶς δοῦλος ἀπελεύθερος κυρίου ἐστίν· οἷον· Ἐκλήθης δοῦλος; τοῦτο ἴσθι ὅτι οὐ μόνον οὐκ εἶ δοῦλος, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἔχεις τι ἐλευθερίας διὰ τὸν κύριον. ὁ γὰρ ἀπελεύθερος οὔτε καθαρῶς ἐλεύθερός ἐστιν οὐδὲ ἔτι δοῦλος, ὡς εἶναι τὸν μὲν καθαρὸν πάντῃ ἐλεύθερον τὸν δὲ ἐν γάμῳ δοῦλον· ὅταν δὲ ἐν κυρίῳ ᾖ δοῦλος, τότε λέγομεν ὅτι ἀπελεύθερος κυρίου ἐστίν. ὁ δὲ ἐλεύθερος κληθεὶς δοῦλός ἐστιν οὐ γυναικός, ἀλλὰ τοῦ λόγου τοῦ θεοῦ. Τιμῆς ἠγοράσθητε· μὴ γίνεσθε δοῦλοι ἀνθρώπων. ὅση δύναμις νοήσατε τὸν ἐξαγορά αντα ἡμᾶ τὸν λόγον τοῦ θεοῦ· τὸ αἷμα τὸ ἐκχυθὲν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἐξευμενίσωμεν. Ἐλέγομεν ἐν τῷ λόγῳ τῷ περὶ ἀγάμων καὶ γεγαμηκότων ὅτι ἐπιτείνει καὶ ἀνίησι τὸν λόγον. οὕτως καὶ ἐνθάδε πεποίηκεν εἰπὼν Μὴ γίνεσθε δοῦλοι ἀνθρώπων· οἱονεὶ γὰρ ἐπιτείνει καὶ σφοδρότερον ποιεῖ τὸν λόγον, προτρεπόμενος τοὺς κατὰ τὸ δυνατὸν οἵους τε καθαρεύειν καὶ καθαρεύειν ἕκαστον ἐν τῇ κλήσει ᾗ ἐκλήθη. Ἰστέον δὲ ὡς οἱ λοιποὶ ἑρμηνευταὶ περὶ ἀκροβυστίας καὶ περιτομῆς κατὰ τὸ ῥητὸν ἐκδεδώκασι τὴν ἔννοιαν· συνήθως γάρ, φασίν, ἀπὸ τοῦ προκειμένου εἰς ἕτερα μεταβαίνει, πᾶσι νομοθετῶν τὰ κατάλληλα. 39 vii 25 [Περὶ δὲ τῶν παρθένων ἐπιταγὴν κυρίου οὐκ ἔχω, γνώμην δὲ δίδωμι ὡς ἠλεημένος ὑπὸ κυρίου πιστὸς εἶναι.] [Ὠριγένους] Τῶν ἐντολῶν αἱ μὲν εἰσὶν ἐπιτεταγμέναι, αἱ δὲ οὐκ ἐπιτεταγμέναι ἀλλ' αὐτεξούσιοι καὶ τῇ προαιρέσει ἐπιτετραμμέναι ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ. αἱ μὲν γὰρ αὐτῶν ὧν οὐκ ἔστιν ἄνευ σωθῆναι, αὗταί εἰσιν αἱ προστεταγμέναι· αἱ δὲ μείζονες τῶν προστεταγμένων, ἃς κἂν μὴ ποιήσωμεν σωζόμεθα, οὐκ εἰσὶν ἐπίταγμα τοῦ θεοῦ. ἄκουε γάρ, φησίν, τοῦ εὐαγγελίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ διδάσκοντος ἐν αὐτῷ καὶ λέγοντος ὅταν ποιή ητε πάντα τὰ διατεταγμένα ὑμῖν, ὀφείλετε λέγειν δοῦλοι ἀχρεῖοί ἐ μεν, ὃ ὀφείλομεν ποιῆ αι πεποιήκαμεν. καὶ εἰ, ἐὰν ποιήσω πάντα τὰ διατεταγμένα, δοῦλός εἰμι ἀχρεῖος, πότε φεύξομαι τὸ εἶναι δοῦλος ἀχρεῖος; ἐὰν φιλοτιμότερος ὢν ἐπαναβαίνῃς ἀπὸ τῶν διατε ταγμένων· οἷον· Τὸ οὐ μοixεύ ει ἐὰν τηρήσω καὶ τὸ μὴ ἐμβλέψαι γυναικὶ πρὸ τὸ ἐπιθυμῆ αι, ὃ ὤφειλον ποιῆ αι πεποίηκα. ἐὰν δὲ παρθένος μείνω, οὐ κελευσθεὶς οὐδὲ διαταχθείς, οὐκέτι λέγω ἐπὶ τῷ τῆς παρθενίας κατορθώ ματι δοῦλοι ἀχρεῖοί ἐ μεν, ὃ ὀφείλομεν ποιῆ αι πεποιήκαμεν. οὕτως καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν λοιπῶν ἐντολῶν, ἐὰν μὴ κλέψω ἢ πλεονεκτῶ, ὀφείλομεν λέγειν ἀχρεῖοι δοῦλοι ἐ μέν. ἐὰν δὲ πωλήσω πάντα τὰ ὑπάρχοντά μου καὶ δώσω πτωχοῖ , οὐκέτι λέγω Ἀχρεῖός εἰμι, ὃ ὤφειλον ποιῆσαι πεποίηκα. διὰ τοῦτο λέγει ὁ ἀπόστολος Περὶ δὲ τῶν παρθένων ἐπιταγὴν κυρίου οὐκ ἔχω, γνώμην δὲ δίδωμι ὡς ἠλεημένος ὑπὸ κυρίου πιστὸς εἶναι. ἐν γὰρ τῷ λέγειν τοῖς μαθη ταῖς τὸν κύριον οὐ πάντε χωροῦ ι τὸν λόγον ἀλλ' οἷ δέδοται καὶ ἐπιφέρει ὁ δυνάμενο χωρεῖν χωρείτω· οὐκ ἐπέταξεν, ἀλλ' αὐτεξούσιον εἴασεν. Γνώμην οὖν, φησὶν ὁ ἀπόστολος, δίδωμι, καὶ ἵνα παραστήσῃ ὅτι κύριος ἐν αὐτῷ λέγει εἶπεν ὡς ἠλεημένος ὑπὸ κυρίου πιστὸς εἶναι. [vii 26] Νομίζω οὖν τοῦτο καλὸν ὑπάρχειν διὰ τὴν ἐνεστῶσαν ἀνάγκην, ὅτι καλὸν ἀνθρώπῳ τὸ οὕτως εἶναι. Ἀνάγκην φησὶ τὴν ἐν τῷ σώματι διατριβήν, ὡς καὶ ἑτέρωθί φησι τὸ δὲ ἐπιμεῖναι τῇ αρκὶ ἀναγκαιότερον δι' ὑμᾶ . τετράκις δὲ ἐν τῷ τόπῳ τὸ καλὸν ὠνόμασεν ὁ ἀπόστολος· φησὶ γὰρ πρῶτον μὲν καλὸν ἀνθρώπῳ γυναικὸ μὴ ἅπτε θαι· δεύτερον δὲ καλὸν αὐτοῖ ἐὰν μείνω ιν ὡ κἀγώ· τρίτον Νομίζω οὖν τοῦτο καλὸν ὑπάρχειν διὰ τὴν ἐνεστῶσαν ἀνάγκην· τέταρτον Καλὸν ἀνθρώπῳ τὸ οὕτως εἶναι. ὁρᾷς, ὅσα περὶ ἁγνείας εἴρηται, ταῦτα μετὰ τοῦ καλοῦ ὠνό μασται· ὅσα δὲ περὶ τοῦ γάμου, μετὰ τοῦ μὴ ἁμαρτάνειν τὸν γαμοῦντα. [vii 27] ∆έδεσαι γυναικί; μὴ ζήτει λύσιν. λέλυσαι ἀπὸ γυναικός; μὴ ζήτει γυναῖκα. ∆ι' ὅλου τοῦ λόγου, καθὰ εἴρηται, ἐπιτείνει καὶ ἀνίησιν, ἵνα ὁ ἀκροατὴς ἐν τῇ ἰδίᾳ ἐξουσίᾳ λαβὼν κρίνῃ εἴ τι δύναται καὶ ποίᾳ ἀσκήσει ἑαυτὸν ἐπι δοῦναι δυνηθῇ. οὕτως οὖν καὶ ἐνθάδε ἀπέτρεψε μὲν τοῦ λύειν τὸν γάμον, προτρέπεται δὲ πάλιν καθαρεύειν. οὐκοῦν δεδεμένον μὲν εἶπεν τὸν ἄνδρα τὸν γεγαμηκότα· εἰ δὲ περίστασίς ἐστι τὸ δεδέσθαι, καὶ δεῖ φεύγειν τὰς παριστά σεις ὅση δύναμις. καὶ τὸ δεδέσθαι γυναικὶ μὴ ζήτει λύειν, ὁ δὲ μὴ δεδεμένος ὀφείλει φυλάττεσθαι ἵνα μὴ δεθῇ· ἀληθῶς γὰρ εὑρήσεις αὐτοὺς δεδεμένους τῷ φίλτρῳ τῷ γαμικῷ. οὐκ ἔξεστιν οὖν τὸν ἐν γάμῳ προληφθέντα ζητῆσαι ἄκαιρον ἐλευθερίαν, ἀλλὰ μένειν ἐν τῇ δουλείᾳ· καὶ εἰ λέλυταί τις, μὴ ζητεῖν γυναῖκα. [vii 28a] Ἐὰν δὲ καὶ γήμῃς, φησίν, οὐχ ἥμαρτες. οὐκ εἶπεν Ἐὰν γαμήσῃς, καλόν· ἀλλ' Ἐὰν γήμῃς, οὐχ ἥμαρτες· τήρει τὴν διαφοράν. καὶ

About this text

Origen of Alexandria, Fragmenta ex commentariis in epistulam i ad Corinthios (Greek).

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Khazarzar scan

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Copy-text PG 14 (Khazarzar) (Greek)

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