SEV Biblia, Chapter 7:11
y si se apartare, que se quede sin casar, o reconcíliese con su marido; y que el marido no despida a su mujer.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 7:11
Verse 11. But, and if she depart] He puts the case as probable, because it was frequent, but lays it under restrictions. Let her remain unmarried] She departs at her own peril; but she must not marry another: she must either continue unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband.
And let not the husband put away his wife.] Divorces cannot be allowed but in the case of fornication: an act of this kind dissolves the marriage vow; but nothing else can. It is a fact that, among the Jews, the wife had just as much right to put away her husband as the husband had to put away his wife. As divorces were granted, it was right that each should have an equal power; for this served as a mutual check.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 11. But and if she depart , etc.] This is said, not as allowing of such a departure, which only in case of fornication is lawful; but supposing it a fact, that a woman cannot be prevailed upon to stay with her husband, but actually forsakes him upon some difference arising between them, let her remain unmarried : she ought not to marry another man; her departure does not make the marriage void; nor is it to be made void by any difference between them, either on religious or civil accounts, only in case of adultery; and therefore, if upon such separation she marries, she is guilty of adultery: or be reconciled to her husband ; which is rather to be chosen, than to remain separate, though unmarried; if she has given the offence, and is the cause of the separation, she ought to acknowledge it, and ask forgiveness of her husband, and return to him and live in peace with him; and if the fault is on his side, she ought to make use of all proper methods to convince him of it, bring him into good temper, forgive any injury done her, and live peaceably and comfortably together: and let not the husband put away his wife ; as the Jews were wont to do, upon every trifling occasion; See Gill on Matthew 5:31 See Gill on Matthew 5:32 Ver. 12. But to the rest speak I, not the Lord , etc.] He had spoken before to married persons in general, and had delivered not his own sentiments barely, but the commandment of the Lord, that such should never separate from, or put away each other; in which he has respect to such as were upon equal foot in matters of religion, who were both of them believers in Christ; but now he speaks to the rest, to such as were unequally yoked, the one a believer, the other an unbeliever; and what he delivers on this head, concerning their living together, there being no express determination of this matter by the Lord himself, he under divine inspiration gives his sense of it; as that such marriages were valid, and that such persons ought to live together, and not separate on account of difference in religion: or the sense is, that as to the rest of the things they had wrote to him about, besides what he had given answer to already, he should speak to under divine illumination; though he had not an express law of Christ to point unto them, as the rule of their conduct: and particularly, whereas they had desired his judgment and advice upon this head, whether one who before conversion had married an unbeliever, ought to live with such an one, or whether it would not be advisable to leave, or put such away, to it he answers, if any brother hath a wife that believeth not ; that is, if any man who is now a brother, one called by the grace of God, and is in church fellowship, has a wife to whom he was married whilst in a state of unregeneracy and infidelity; who is as she was when he married her, entirely destitute of faith in Christ; not one that is weak in the faith, or only makes an outward profession, but that has no faith at all in Christ, nor in his Gospel, not so much as an historical one; who disbelieves, denies, and rejects, the truths of the Gospel: and she be pleased to dwell with him ; loves her husband, chooses to continue with him, notwithstanding their different sentiments of religion: let him not put her away ; infidelity is no reason for a divorce. The Gospel revelation does not dissolve the natural obligations men and women are in to one another. The Jews had a law prohibiting marriages with Heathens and idolaters; and such marriages were dissolved, and such wives put away, ( Exodus 34:16 Ezra 10:3) but this was a law peculiar to that people, and was not obligatory on other nations, and especially has no place under the Gospel dispensation. Ver. 13. And the woman which hath an husband that believeth , etc.] The apostle puts the case both ways, there being the same reason for one as for another; that if she that was a sister, who was partaker of the grace of God, and a member of the church, had a husband to whom she was married before her conversion; who was an unbeliever, had no faith in Christ, nor any notion of the Gospel, but an infidel to both: and if he be pleased to dwell with her ; loves her, and is willing to continue with her; neither puts her away from him, nor departs from her on account of her Christianity: let her not leave him ; but continue, and cohabit with him as man and wife; this is the advice the apostle gives, as agreeably to the light of nature and reason; as becoming the Gospel of Christ, and as what might serve to recommend it, and spread the knowledge of it.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 10-16 - Man and wife must not separate for any other cause than what Chris allows. Divorce, at that time, was very common among both Jews an Gentiles, on very slight pretexts. Marriage is a Divine institution and is an engagement for life, by God's appointment. We are bound, a much as in us lies, to live peaceably with all men, Ro 12:18, therefor to promote the peace and comfort of our nearest relatives, thoug unbelievers. It should be the labour and study of those who ar married, to make each other as easy and happy as possible. Should Christian desert a husband or wife, when there is opportunity to giv the greatest proof of love? Stay, and labour heartily for the conversion of thy relative. In every state and relation the Lord ha called us to peace; and every thing should be done to promote harmony as far as truth and holiness will permit.
Greek Textus Receptus
εαν 1437 COND δε 1161 CONJ και 2532 CONJ χωρισθη 5563 5681 V-API-3S-M μενετω 3306 5720 V-PAM-3S αγαμος 22 N-NSF η 2228 PRT τω 3588 T-DSM ανδρι 435 N-DSM καταλλαγητω 2644 5649 V-2APM-3S και 2532 CONJ ανδρα 435 N-ASM γυναικα 1135 N-ASF μη 3361 PRT-N αφιεναι 863 5721 V-PAN
Robertson's NT Word Studies
7:11 {But and if she depart} (ean de kai cwrisqei). Third class condition, undetermined. If, in spite of Christ's clear prohibition, she get separated (ingressive passive subjunctive), {let her remain unmarried} (menetw agamos). Paul here makes no allowance for remarriage of the innocent party as Jesus does by implication. {Or else be reconciled to her husband} (e twi andri katallagetw). Second aorist (ingressive) passive imperative of katallassw, old compound verb to exchange coins as of equal value, to reconcile. One of Paul's great words for reconciliation with God (#2Co 5:18-20; Ro 5:10). diallassw (#Mt 5:24 which see) was more common in the older Greek, but katallassw in the later. The difference in idea is very slight, dia- accents notion of exchange, kat- the perfective idea (complete reconciliation). Dative of personal interest is the case of andri. this sentence is a parenthesis between the two infinitives cwrisqenai and afienai (both indirect commands after paraggellw). {And that the husband leave not his wife} (kai andra me afienai). this is also part of the Lord's command (#Mr 10:11). apoluw occurs in Mark of the husband's act and afienai here, both meaning to send away. Bengel actually stresses the difference between cwrisqenai of the woman as like _separatur_ in Latin and calls the wife "pars ignobilior" and the husband "nobilior." I doubt if Paul would stand for that extreme.
