1 Corinthians 7:29-31

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• Reading the Text:
  • NRSV (with link to Anglicized NRSV) at Oremus Bible Browser.
  • Greek Interlinear Bible, ScrTR, ScrTR t, Strong, Parsing, CGTS, CGES id, AV.
  • The Bible Gateway: NIV, NASB, CEV, The Message, KJV, etc.
  • The Blue Letter Bible. KJV, alternate versions, Greek text with concordance, commentaries.
  • The World Wide Study Bible includes commentary, exposition and sermons.
• Historical References, Commentary and Comparative Texts:
  • Similitude IV, Shepherd of Hermas. (c.145)
  • IV.III.1, V.XXXV.2, V.XXXVI.1, Adversus Haereses, Irenaeus of Lyons. (c. 180)
  • II.3, Paedagogus, Clement of Alexandria (c 200)
  • II.9, On The Apparel of Women, Tertullian (c. 202)
  • I.29, Against Marcion, Tertullian (c. 207)
  • Chapter IX, On Idolatry, Tertullian (c. 211)
  • Chapter V, On the Resurrection of the Flesh, Tertullian (c. 211)
  • V.7, V.8, Against Marcion, Tertullian (c. 212)
  • Chapter III, On Monogamy, Tertullian (c. 215)
  • I.VI.4, II.III.6, III.V.1, First Principles (De Principiis), Origen. (c.225)
  • XIII.1, Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew, Origen. (c.247)
  • On the Dress of Virgins, Cyprian of Carthage (c. 249)
  • From the Geneva Notes.
    • "By "weeping" the Hebrews understand all adversity, and by "joy", all prosperity."
  • From Matthew Henry's Commentary.
    • "All worldly things are show; nothing solid. All will be quickly gone."
  • From Wesley's Notes.
    • "The time of our abode here is short. It plainly follows, that even they who have wives be as serious, zealous, active, dead to the world, as devoted to God, as holy in all manner of conversation, as if they had none - By so easy a transition does the apostle slide from every thing else to the one thing needful; and, forgetting whatever is temporal, is swallowed up in eternity."
  • From the Commentary on the Whole Bible (Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, 1871).
    • "The oldest manuscripts read, "The time (season) is shortened as to what remains, in order that both they," &c.; that is, the effect which the shortening of the time ought to have is, "that for the remaining time (henceforth), both they," &c. The clause, "as to what remains," though in construction belonging to the previous clause, in sense belongs to the following."
  • From The People's New Testament, B.W. Johnson, 1891.
    • "It was but a short time until Jerusalem should be destroyed, and the early church supposed this would be the end of the world. Life, too, is short; the time of preparation is short. It was the general feeling then that some awful convulsion was close at hand. There was. Within half a generation the whole Roman world was turned up by civil war, three emperors in succession were slain, and Jerusalem was destroyed."
• Contemporary Commentary, Studies and Exegesis:
  • Commentary, 1 Corinthians 7:29-31, Arland J. Hultgren, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2009.
    • "In the end, the primary message of this text is that nothing in this world can compare to the eternal fellowship we have with God and Christ."
  • "First Thoughts on Year B Epistle Passages in the Lectionary: Epiphany 3," William Loader, Murdoch University, Uniting Church in Australia.
    • "Paul's word may jolt us into asking whether we have in the process lost God and lost ourselves - let alone the real interests of others."
  • Comments (commentary) and Clippings (technical notes for in-depth study), Chris Haslam, Anglican Diocese of Montreal.
  • "Living in the Last Times," Rev. Bryan Findlayson, Lectionary Bible Studies and Sermons, Pumpkin Cottage Ministry Resources. Includes detailed textual notes.
  • "Detachment," Larry Broding's Word-Sunday.Com: A Catholic Resource for This Sunday's Gospel.
    • "What are your daily concerns for the moment? How can you detach yourself from them? How can you place them in the hands of God?"
• Articles & Background:
  • "The Ascetic Impulse in Ancient Christianity," Vincent L. Wimbush, Union Theological Seminary. Theology Today, October, 1993.
    • "In the end, the matter is about perspective: whether Christianity's ancient legacy should be read as an admittedly complicated development toward the embracing of the world or as a struggle to sustain resistance."
  • "Who Should Be Called Father? Paul of Tarsus between the Jesus Tradition and Patria Potestas," S. Scott Bartchy, Biblical Theology Bulletin, 2003.
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  • Botman, H Russel and DJ Smit, "Exegesis and Proclamation -- 1 Corinthians 7:29-31: 'To Live...as If It Were Not,'" Journal of Theology for Southern Africa, 1988.
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  • Branick, Vincent P., "Apocalyptic Paul," Catholic Biblical Quarterly, 1985.?
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  • Gerike, Henry V., "Homiletical Helps on the LSB Series A - Gospels," Concordia Journal, 2005. (Section on this text begins on page 446.)
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  • Kuck, David W., "The Freedom of Being in the World 'As If Not' (1 Corinthians 7:29-31)," Currents in Theology and Mission, 2001.
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  • Wimbush, Vincent L., "The Ascetic Impulse in Ancient Christianity," Theology Today, 1993.
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• Sermons:
• Reviews:
  • Review: Will Deming, Paul on Marriage & Celibacy: The Hellenistic Background of 1 Corinthians 7. Eerdmans, 2004. Review by Brent Smith in SBL's Review of Biblical Literature.
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  • "It Won't Matter If You Are Crying or Laughing," Sunday School Lessons: Family Bible Study, art projects, music, stories, etc.
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• Study Links and Resources for the Book of 1 Corinthians