‘I think therefore that this is good by reason of the present (or ‘impending') necessity (distress, calamity, necessity, compulsion, means of compulsion) namely that it is good for a man to be as he is. Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be loosed. Are you loosed from a wife? Do not seek a wife. But and if you marry you have not sinned.'
There are two words in this verse which are crucial to the interpretation of what follows, 'enestosan (present, impending) 'anagken (distress, calamity, necessity, compulsion, means of compulsion - compare its use in 1 Corinthians 7:37). The question is, does this refer to some current or impending distress or calamity facing only the Corinthians, or does it refer to the ‘present necessity' or ‘impending distress' resulting from the fact that it is the end of the age (1 Corinthians 10:11; 1 Peter 1:20; 1 Peter 4:7), together with the divine compulsion that such a situation applies, or to a general divine necessity.
In favour of the first would be the view that Paul is not describing a normal attitude but one dependent on the fact that the particular times are unusual, but will pass. In favour of the second is the language in the following verses which may be seen as suggesting the brevity of life and the final days of the age, and the fact that it is strange, if such a specific calamity were coming, why it is not more specifically mentioned elsewhere in the letter.
The New Testament certainly sees the people of God as living in ‘emergency times'. To the Romans Paul said, ‘And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time for you to awaken from sleep, for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. The night is almost gone, and the day is at hand. Let us therefore throw off the works of darkness and let us put on the armour of light' (Romans 13:11-12). And again he says, ‘they were written for our instruction, on whom the ends of the ages have come (1 Corinthians 10:11). While John also tells us, ‘Children, it is the last hour, and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have arisen. From this we know that it is the last hour' (1 John 2:17-18).
Whichever interpretation is right, he approaches his answer to the Corinthians' question in terms of both men and women. He does not want the principle he is applying to be seen as something that only applies to virgin women. It applies to all. And that principle is that ‘in view of the present (or ‘impending') necessity (or distress or divine compulsion)', whatever it is, it is better for men not to change their married or unmarried state.
‘This is good.' That is, remaining single.
‘The present distress.' Using this translation it would suggest that, at the time, times were possibly hard, or were expected to be hard, either due to persecution or due to the threat of civil disturbance or even war. In such circumstances men had enough to cope with without a change of marital state and its possible repercussions. To be unmarried would be helpful in facing up to the crisis for they would have no one to consider but themselves. But such a situation was not a good grounds for seeking to break up a marriage. And if indeed they did decide to marry, he assures them that they will not have sinned.
So the idea then is that it is not marrying or not marrying that he is advising against but marrying under those particular unique circumstances.
If we translate ‘in view of the present (or impending) necessity', meaning the divine compulsion of it being the end of the age, then his words here describe what should be a permanent attitude. In the light of the urgency of the situation and the imminence of the coming of Christ, says Paul, celibacy has great advantages.
But that, some say, would seem to make the advice contradictory to what has been said earlier in the chapter, where marriage has been recommended to those who have strong sexual desires. However, in answer to this we could argue that that recommendation was because of the recognised weakness of man and that here Paul is recommending what he sees as the more ideal position for those able to take it, giving a different slant on things, while at the same time also allowing for man's weakness, as earlier, by pointing out that it would be no sin to marry. But he does point out the troubles that could ensue.
‘By reason of the present necessity.' This might also be translated, ‘in view of the present (or impending) distress', ‘in view of the impending Messianic woes', ‘in view of the present necessity caused by our responsibilities to reach out to the world', ‘in view of the present divine dispensation', ‘in view of the present compulsion in the light of the second coming' and ‘in view of the methods of compulsion presently available to the authorities'. So what may be in mind may either be a period of distress coming on the Corinthian church, a God impressed necessity, a present divine dispensation, an awareness of the imminence of the second coming or an expectation of the application of pressure, or even torture, by the authorities in a period of persecution. Pressure and torture is much harder to fight when loved ones are involved.
Even if it was present or impending distress that was in mind it may be suggested that the ‘distress' was so severe, or expected to be so severe, that he took it as an indication of the possibility of the Lord's imminent return, as one of those signs that should awaken men's thoughts to such a possibility, for he speaks of time being shortened and seems to speak of the need for Christians to be ready and prepared as they live through difficult conditions (1 Corinthians 7:29-31). In that case his words would have general application. But it is equally possible that he had in mind some expected distress of some duration which was or would be peculiar to Corinth and its surrounding area, so that nothing major should be entered into until it was past. Then his words would apply to all such situations.