No — Paul is not anti-marriage; he upheld marriage as God's design from the Garden of Eden and instructed those who could not control their desires to marry.
Les Feldick shows that Paul's words in 1 Corinthians 7 were answers to real questions from Corinthian believers who had come out of an immoral, idolatrous pagan culture and were confused about the marriage relationship (Clip 0). Paul "certainly was not putting the kibosh on marriage and family" (Clip 2), and he told those who could not contain their sexual desires, "let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn" (Clip 1). God put His stamp of approval on marriage in the Garden, and Paul can say that the marriage bed is undefiled (Clip 7).
1 Corinthians 7:9 — Paul's command that the unmarried marry rather than burn with desire directly refutes the idea that he banned marriage.
Genesis 2:24 — Paul grounds his "one flesh" teaching in God's original marriage design in Genesis, showing marriage is God's intent, not a concession.
Hebrews 13:4 — The declaration that marriage is honorable and the bed undefiled shows that the marriage relationship is holy, not something to be avoided.
1 Corinthians 7:2 — Paul's first clarification after verse 1 is that each man is to have his own wife and each woman her own husband, to avoid immorality.
1 Corinthians 7:1 — This verse — "It is good for a man not to touch a woman" — is the one typically quoted to claim Paul was anti-marriage; Paul is answering the Corinthians' written questions.
The passage most often used to suggest Paul was anti-marriage is 1 Corinthians 7:1, where he writes, "Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman." But the very next verse shows his meaning: "Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband" (1 Corinthians 7:2). Paul immediately directs believers toward marriage. In verse 9 Paul states, "But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn." The pattern of the passage is that marriage is the Biblical remedy for sexual temptation, not the problem. Paul also points back to Genesis 2:24 — "Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh" — when he teaches about the one-flesh union in 1 Corinthians 6:16. Scripture also declares, "Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge" (Hebrews 13:4). The Bible never presents marriage itself as unclean; it condemns sexual immorality outside of marriage, not the marriage relationship.
Les explains that Paul was answering real questions from believers in the wicked city of Corinth who had come out of "abject, immoral, idolatrous" pagan backgrounds. In the pagan world there was no real sanctity in marriage, so these new believers were "hung up" on how the marriage relationship should now work in light of Scripture (Clips 0 and 3). Paul answered their written questions one by one, and one of the first was "Is it right for men and women to marry?" (Clip 0). Les stresses that Paul's wish, "I wish all men were even as I myself" (1 Corinthians 7:7), was not a rejection of marriage. Paul "certainly was not putting the kibosh on marriage and family" (Clip 2). Paul's instruction in verse 9 — "If they cannot contain, let them marry" — shows that marriage is the proper answer to uncontrolled sexual desire and temptation (Clip 1). God's original plan for marriage never changed: "one man married for life to one woman," with remarriage permitted only if death interrupted the union (Clip 5). Paul's teaching rests on Genesis 2, where the "one flesh" relationship was set up (Clip 6), and Les points to Paul's own words: "the marriage bed is undefiled" (Clip 7).
The Corinthians were not questioning marriage out of moral superiority. They had been saved out of the wicked, pagan city of Corinth, where the pagan world "had no real sanctity in marriage" (Clip 3). They had no New Testament and had to write to Paul with their questions, so he answered them "one by one" (Clip 0). Les says these were the hang-ups of believers who were "still so carnal," and that is why Paul had to address them (Clip 4).
After saying he wished all men were even as he himself (1 Corinthians 7:7), Paul was not putting a ban on marriage. Les's own view is that Paul was probably married at one time and was alone by the time we meet him in the book of Acts, but Paul "certainly was not putting the kibosh on marriage and family" (Clip 2).
If someone cannot control their sexual desires and is being tempted toward adultery or immorality, Paul says it is better to marry. This connects to verse 2, where marriage is presented as the remedy "to avoid immoral circumstances or the temptations of it" (Clip 1).
The Bible's concept of marriage has never changed: "God intended one man married for life to one woman," and only death would allow remarriage (Clip 5). Paul's teaching about the one-flesh union goes back to Genesis 2 (Clip 6), and God has placed His stamp of approval on the marriage relationship from the Garden of Eden onward (Clip 7).
Corinthian Believers' Questions
Les explains that Paul's words about marriage in 1 Corinthians 7 were written to believers who had come out of the abject, immoral, idolatrous background of Corinth and were confused about the now-Biblical marriage relationship.
Better to Marry Than to Burn
Les teaches that Paul instructed those who could not control their sexual desires to marry rather than fall into temptation — showing Paul endorsed marriage, not forbade it.
Paul Not Against Marriage and Family
Les shows that Paul's wish that all men were like him was not a rejection of marriage; Paul was not putting the kibosh on marriage and family.
Pagan Corinth's Lack of Sanctity in Marriage
Les sets the background: in the pagan world, marriage had no real sanctity, which explains why the Corinthians struggled to understand a Biblical marriage.
Carnal Believers' Hang-ups
Les notes the Corinthians' questions about the marriage relationship were among the hang-ups of carnal believers that Paul had to address.
One Man for One Woman for Life
Les teaches that God's original plan from the Garden to today is one man married for life to one woman, with remarriage permitted only if death interrupted the union.
Paul's 'One Flesh' Reference to Genesis
Les shows Paul's teaching about the one-flesh union in 1 Corinthians 6:16 goes back to Genesis 2, grounding marriage in creation.
Marriage Bed Undefiled
Les points out that Paul wrote in Hebrews that the marriage bed is undefiled and that God put His stamp of approval on the marriage relationship from the Garden onward.
1 Corinthians 7:1: Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman.
The verse often cited to claim Paul was anti-marriage; it introduces Paul's reply to the Corinthians' written questions about the marriage relationship.
1 Corinthians 7:2: Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.
Paul's immediate clarification that marriage is the remedy for immorality, not something to be avoided.
1 Corinthians 7:9: But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.
Paul's direct instruction to marry rather than suffer uncontrolled sexual desire.
Genesis 2:24: Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
The creation basis for marriage to which Paul looks back in his "one flesh" teaching.
1 Corinthians 6:16: What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.
Paul applies the Genesis "one flesh" principle to sexual union, grounding his moral teaching in God's creation design.
Hebrews 13:4: Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.
The declaration that marriage itself is honorable and the marriage bed is undefiled.
No. Paul told those who could not control their sexual desires, "let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn" (1 Corinthians 7:9), and he never put the kibosh on marriage and family (Clip 2).
Paul was answering real questions from believers who had come out of pagan Corinth, where marriage had no sanctity, and who were confused about how to live out the marriage relationship as Christians (Clips 0 and 3). His immediately following instruction — that each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband — shows he was not forbidding marriage (1 Corinthians 7:2).
Paul's instruction was conditional: if a person cannot contain their sexual desires and is tempted toward immorality, then marry. Outside of that, remaining single was better under those circumstances (Clip 1).
God's original plan is one man married for life to one woman, and only death interrupts the union and permits remarriage (Clip 5).
Watch the Teaching: Your Body Is the Temple of the Holy Spirit — 1 Corinthians 6:19