Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary 1 Corinthians 7:11

"(but should she depart, let her remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband); and that the husband leave not his wife." — 1 Corinthians 7:11 (ASV)

Paul’s next major concern relates to Christians and divorce. What he states in v.10 “to the married” is by “command”—not his own, but the command of the Lord. He has just stated that for the unmarried to remain so is a “good” thing if a person can control his or her sexual desires. But for a married couple to stay together is not just “good”—it is commanded by the Lord.

How specifically Paul is citing the words of Jesus depends on whether he had access to the notes of one of the gospel writers or to one of the Gospels themselves. He could have had access to such notes when he visited the Jerusalem area earlier in his ministry (cf. Acts 9:26–28; 11:30; 15:1–2). That such material, as well as any accurate oral tradition regarding Jesus, was available is seen from a statement given by Luke, Paul’s close companion .

Furthermore, the formula for the Lord’s Supper in 1 Corinthians 11:23–26 is clear evidence that Paul acquired accurate information from an oral or written source concerning Jesus’ teaching.

The burden of Christ’s command was that the married were not to be divorced (Matthew 5:32; Matthew 19:3–9)—a principle Paul summarizes from both sides of the marriage partnership: the woman is not to separate herself from her husband, and the husband must not divorce his wife (v.11). Such separations seem to have occurred at Corinth, for Paul says, “If she does [separate], she must remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband.” The stress in this passage on maintaining the marriage bond unbroken definitely strengthens the second of these options, that separated marriage partners become reconciled.