Building Hedges against Adultery

During the Allied invasion of France in 1944, a lot of fighting was done in areas bordered by hedgerows. Hedgerows were mounds of earth situated along roads and between fields. These mounds, which measured between 4 and 8 feet high and as much as 10 feet thick, were heavily planted with trees and shrubs. During the war, the dense growth made them tough barriers for armies to get through. In addition, areas surrounded by hedgerows could be easily defended by very few troops.

In the Bible, the word “hedge” is used as a picture of protection. For instance, in Job 1, Satan complains that God has put a hedge around Job and everything he has. With this protection in place, Satan is unable to attack Job. The seventh commandment, “You shall not commit adultery,” is God’s way of putting a protective hedge around marriage. This hedge is a strong barrier that is meant to keep the union safe and to keep temptation out.

I don’t have to tell you about the damage that adultery can do; physically, emotionally, and relationally, adultery can wreak havoc in your life. But the greatest damage it does is to your relationship with God. After all, the cry of David in Psa 51 was, “Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight” (Psa 51:4).

Of course, adultery is not the unpardonable sin, and it can be forgiven (see 1 John 1:9). But you can prevent adultery by putting a hedge around your married relationship.

Secure your mind. You need to put a hedge around your mind. That’s where the battle is fought and where it is either won or lost. Job offered good advice when he said, “I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a girl” (Job 31:1 NIV).

Block out temptation. Build a hedge against temptation. This is more than just avoiding the magazines, movies, and TV channels that cause you to stumble (not to mention the internet). It also means severing any emotional attachments that threaten your marriage. Maintain appropriate distances in relationships. Flee from temptations.

Recognize your weaknesses. Christians often fall into immorality through overconfidence. They leave themselves wide open to an emotional hook—and then a physical hook. Paul cautioned, “Let him who thinks he stand take heed lest he fall” (1 Cor 10:12; NASV, NKJV).

Protect your marriage. Build a hedge of affection around your marriage. Marriages don’t collapse overnight; they suffer a slow leak. Find ways to help your partner grow and feel satisfied. Try writing a letter telling him or her how you felt the day you got married. Maybe renew your vows in a public ceremony. Commit to meeting each other’s needs—emotional, spiritual, and sexual (Paul is very candid about the latter in 1 Cor 7:3–5).

God put a hedge of protection around marriage so that our lives would be full, blessed, and satisfied. We should cultivate and tend that hedge through our thoughts and actions.

In 1 Corinthians 5–6, Paul addressed issues related to reports he received about the Corinthians. Paul now turns to answer questions from the Corinthian church. The Corinthian believers wrote to him about several issues in the church community, including marriage (v. 1), virgins (v. 25), food sacrificed to idols (8:1), spiritual gifts (12:1), and the money he was collecting for Jerusalem Christians (16:1). Paul spends a majority of the rest of the letter responding to these inquiries.

the things about which you wrote The precise nature of the Corinthians’ first question is unknown. Paul’s response suggests that the inquiry was broadly related to matters of marriage and sexual relations.

the things about which you wrote The precise nature of the Corinthians’ first question is unknown. Paul’s response suggests that the inquiry was broadly related to matters of marriage and sexual relations.

touch a woman The Greek text here uses an idiom to refer to having sexual intercourse with a woman; it may not imply marriage.

ascetic group among the Corinthian Christians who not only condemned sexual promiscuity (rightly) but also argued (wrongly) that Christians should avoid marriage and abstain from sexual relations even in marriage.

Sexual abstinence by devotees of the gods was common among the devotees of the cult of Isis, an Egyptian goddess, who was also widely celebrated and worshiped in Corinth

The Cynics of Paul’s day were more likely to urge sexual abstinence so that the pursuit of their philosophy could go uninterrupted,

touch a woman The Greek text here uses an idiom to refer to having sexual intercourse with a woman; it may not imply marriage.

This is most likely a quote from the Corinthians’ previous letter to Paul and not the position of the apostle himself. Some married believers in Corinth deprived their spouses of sexual relations on the basis of this slogan. While Paul acknowledges the benefits of celibacy, he asserts it is not an option for those who are already married (v. 5). Thus, married couples should enjoy sexual relations and only abstain from them when both parties agree to do so.

because of sexual immorality Although the Greek word porneia can refer to any illicit sexual behavior, Paul may refer to prostitution here (see 6:9, 12 and note; 6:15–16). Some female believers may have deprived their husbands of sexual relations. In response, these men sought out prostitutes.

These are remarkable verses in that they reveal viewpoints that appear to be far ahead of their time: a healthy perception of the woman’s sexuality, and an understanding of the complete equality that exists between a man and a woman in the most intimate area of their relationship. The Scripture gives no support whatever to the notion that sexual relations are solely at the direction and for the enjoyment of the husband.

The wife does not have authority Paul discusses this because of the problem of unsatisfied husbands seeking fulfillment from local prostitutes. In Paul’s view, married men and women have pledged their bodies to their spouses and thus do not have authority to deny their spouses sexual relations.

Paul’s perspective assumes a framework in which a godly, loving husband does not take advantage of his wife (see note on Eph 5:23; note on Eph 5:25). Paul immediately follows this exhortation with the same requirements for husbands whose bodies are likewise committed to their wives.

For Paul, it was expected that men and women would marry (Gen. 1:28), but there were times when it was appropriate with the consent of the spouse to dedicate a time to prayer and during this time it was agreed by both partners to avoid sexual contact.

not defraud one another Paul advises married Corinthian believers not to deprive each other of sexual relations (see note on 1 Cor 7:1); doing so could lead them into temptation.

Building Hedges against Adultery Devotional

devote yourselves to prayer Paul advises the Corinthians to practice abstinence within marriage only for the express purpose of a limited season of focused prayer.

According to the Mishnah,

If a man vowed to have no intercourse with his wife, the School of Shammai say: [She may consent] for two weeks. And the School of Hillel say: For one week [only]. Disciples [of the Sages] may continue absent for thirty days against the will [of their wives] while they occupy themselves in the study of the law; and laborers for one week. The duty of marriage enjoined in the Law [Exod. 21:10] is: every day for them that are unoccupied; twice a week for labourers; once a week for ass-drivers; once every thirty days for camel-drivers; and once every six months for sailors. So R. Eliezer (m. Ketuboth 5.6, Danby trans.).

Paul is closer in thought to the author of The Testament of Naphtali (ca. 137–107 B.C.), however, who writes: There is a time for having intercourse with one’s wife, and a time to abstain for the purpose of prayer” (T. Naph. 8:8, OT Pseud 1:814). Paul contends that abstinence must be mutually agreed to by husband and wife, that it must be for a limited amount of time, and that it should be for the purpose of prayer.

concession Paul is advising, not commanding, the Corinthians.

Paul now addresses the concerns of those who are unmarried and widowed.

unmarried The Greek work used here, agamos, occurs only four times in the NT, all in this passage (compare vv. 11, 32, 34). The word refers to someone who has no spouse, a state that may result from various circumstances: death of one’s spouse, desertion by a spouse (see v. 15), divorce, or remaining single.

good for them Paul describes the advantages of remaining single in vv. 32–34, but he recognizes that not everyone has this “gift” (v. 7); some people should get married (v. 9; compare v. 39).

if they remain as I am The circumstances of Paul’s unmarried state are unclear, and he does not reveal them in any of his autobiographical comments found elsewhere.

they should marry The solution for those without the gift of celibacy (v. 7). Those with this gift appear to be the exception, not the rule.

to burn with sexual desire Refers to intense sexual desire. Some believers could not refrain from illicitly satisfying their sexual desire. He advises such people to marry and enjoy sexual relations within an exclusive relationship.

not I, but the Lord Refers to Jesus, who provided His own commands about divorce (e.g., Matt 5:32; 19:9; Mark 10:11; Luke 16:18). While Roman law and some Jewish teachers permitted divorce, Jesus did not permit divorce except in cases of marital unfaithfulness.

wife Paul addresses wives first, probably because women brought up this issue. Women in Graeco-Roman society could separate from their husbands, but this was not the custom in Jewish tradition.

remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband Not an ordinary command; rather, this refers back to seeking the gift of celibacy in 1 Cor 7:6–9. Paul is not categorically prohibiting all remarriage after divorce; instead, he is encouraging people to be free in Christ just as he is, rather than seeking another spouse.

There may have been a problem in Corinth with believers divorcing unbelievers for the sake of marrying a believer (compare note on v. 14). Paul’s prohibition makes that an unsatisfying option since it would result in a celibate lifestyle (vv. 12–16).

has an unbelieving wife Some married people converted to Christianity but their spouses did not. The Corinthians sought Paul’s counsel on this issue.

consents to live with him A euphemism for marriage.

he must not divorce her Paul applies the same instruction from vv. 10–11 to believers who are married to unbelievers. In this instance, if an unbeliever chooses to remain married to a believer, the couple should not seek divorce.

is sanctified Some believing spouses in Corinth may have been concerned that sexual relations with their unbelieving spouse would cause defilement. Paul explains to these believers that they are not defiled; instead, it is their unbelieving spouses who are sanctified through the process of knowing a believer (compare v. 16). This does not mean that such spouses receive salvation.

unclean Describes unbelievers.

holy Just as it is acceptable for a believing wife to have sexual relations with an unbelieving husband, it is also acceptable for her to have children by her husband. Paul also reasons that since the marriage relationship leads to “holiness” instead of defilement, there is no need for divorce.

brother or the sister is not bound The believing spouse is under no obligation to maintain a marriage with an unbelieving spouse who decides to leave the relationship.

you will save The believing spouse may have the opportunity to participate in the conversion of the unbelieving spouse. In this way, the believer becomes an instrument that helps the unbeliever turn toward God