What is Paul talking about in 1 Corinthians 7:4-5?
Paul addresses the mutual obligations of husband and wife in marriage, teaching that neither spouse has exclusive authority over their own body. He calls for equal, 50-50 awareness of each other's sexual needs, forbidding withholding intimacy to gain advantage unless by mutual consent.
Les explains that in 1 Corinthians 7, Paul is dealing with the relationship between husband and wife. Paul says the wife does not have power over her own body, but the husband, and likewise the husband does not have power over his own body, but the wife. That places them on equal ground, a 50-50 marriage relationship. Paul is talking about the satisfaction of the sexual needs of both parties. In verse 5, since it is a 50-50 situation, the husband is to be aware of the wife's needs and the wife of the husband's needs, and they are not to defraud one another unless by consent. Les notes that marriage counselors warn never to use sex as a lever against your spouse: wives are not to withhold the marriage bed to gain an advantage, and vice versa. This chapter is especially appropriate as society falls into a Corinth-like social fabric.
The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife.
Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.
More Questions
What does 1 Corinthians 7:5 tell husbands and wives to do about each other's needs?
Since marriage is a 50-50 situation, the husband is to be aware of the needs of the wife and the wife aware of the needs of the husband, and consequently they are not to defraud one another except by consent.