Albert Barnes Commentary 1 Corinthians 7:30

"and those that weep, as though they wept not; and those that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and those that buy, as though they possessed not;" — 1 Corinthians 7:30 (ASV)

And they that weep. Those who are afflicted.

As though they wept not. This means restraining and moderating their grief with the hope of the life to come. The general idea in all these expressions is that, in whatever situation Christians are, they should be dead to the world and not improperly affected by passing events. It is impossible for human nature not to feel when persecuted, maligned, slandered, or when near earthly friends are taken away.

But religion will calm the troubled spirit; pour oil on the agitated waves; light up a smile in the midst of tears; cause the beams of a calm and lovely morning to rise on the anxious heart; silence the commotions of the agitated soul, and produce joy even in the midst of sorrow.

Religion will keep us from immoderate grief and sustain the soul even when, in distress, nature forces us to shed the tear of mourning. Christ sweated great drops of blood, and Christians often weep; but the heart may be calm, peaceful, elevated, confident in God, in the darkest night and the severest tempest of calamity.

And they that rejoice. This refers to those who are happy; those who are prospered; those who have beloved families around them; those who are blessed with success, with honor, with esteem, with health; those who have occasion for rejoicing and gratitude.

As though they rejoiced not. This means not rejoicing with excessive or immoderate joy; not with riot or unholy mirth; not being satisfied with these things, though they may rejoice in them; not forgetting that they must soon be left; but keeping the mind in a calm, serious, settled, thoughtful state, in view of the fact that all these things must soon come to an end. Oh, how would this thought silence the voice of unseemly mirth! How would it produce calmness, serenity, heavenly joy, where there is now often unhallowed riot; and true peace, where now there is only forced and boisterous revelry!

As though they possessed not. It is right to buy and obtain property, but it should be held with the conviction that it is held by an uncertain tenure and must soon be left. Men may give a deed that will secure it from their fellow men, but no man can give a title that will not be taken away by death.

Our lands and houses, our stocks and bonds and mortgages, our goods and chattels, will soon pass into other hands. Other men will plow our fields, reap our harvests, work in our shops, stand at our counters, sit down at our firesides, eat on our tables, and lie upon our beds.

Others will occupy our places in society, have our offices, and sit in our seats in the sanctuary. Others will take possession of our gold and appropriate it to their own use; and we will have no more interest in it, and no more control over it, than our neighbor has now, and no power to eject the man who has taken possession of our houses and our lands.

Secure, therefore, as our titles are, and safe as our investments are, yet how soon will we lose all interest in them by death! And how ought this consideration to induce us to live above the world and to secure a treasure in that world where no thief approaches and no moth corrupts.