1 Corinthians 9:5, Right to Marry

1 Corinthians 9:5 Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?

The Apostle Paul states clearly that as a servant of God, he has the right to marry and to have his wife also supported by the church as he goes about in the work of the ministry. The fact that he is not married does not mean that he does not have the basic privilege to have a help-meet in a marital union. And by not exercising his right to marriage does not mean that others have chosen to remain unmarried.

The dissenters seemed to be stating that because he is not married, he cannot be a true apostle. There are other apostles like Peter and the siblings of our Lord Jesus who did marry. Let them be married and be taken care of by the church. He testifies in Philippians 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.

Zodhiates summarized well the lessons:

(1) Paul defends his decision to remain unmarried for the purpose of serving the Lord in an unhindered way (1 Cor. 7:7, 20, 32).

(2) He, as an apostle of Jesus Christ, had the same right to be married as any other apostle, or a brother of the Lord.

(3) Being an apostle and brother of the Lord did not deprive them of the privilege of marriage and the maintenance of their bodies.

Amen.