Commentary on 1 Corinthians
Lecture 4. Supplement
Freedmen of the Lord
7:21 Were you called, being a slave? Care not for it: but if you can become made free, rather use it. [n. 368]
7:22 For he who is called in the Lord, being a slave, is the freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who is called, being free, is the slave of Christ. [n. 370]
7:23 You are bought with a price: do not become the slaves of men.
7:24 Brethren, let every man, wherein he was called, therein abide with God. [n. 372]
368. Above he showed that if an unbelieving spouse does not depart, the believer should patiently remain. To show this he adduced first the hope of the conversion of the unbeliever, second the continuance in the state of one’s own vocation, third an example in the rite of living; here, fourth, he adduces an example in legal condition.
First he gives the example itself;
second he adds the explanation of the example, at for he who is called in the Lord;
third, he deduces the general rule from this, at brethren, let every man.
And first he supposes in someone the servile state; second he supposes the possibility of liberty, at but if you can; third which of these is more beneficial for salvation, at rather, use it.
369. He says therefore, were you called, being a slave? as though to say: each one should remain in that vocation in which he was called, for example, were you called i.e., to faith in Christ being a slave? Care not for it as wanting to flee servitude. Hence Onesimus, Philemon’s slave, who had fled to him, he sent back to his master with prayers, as one sees in the epistle to Philemon; but if you can become free, remain rather in servitude, since it is a cause of humility. And as Ambrose says: the more someone is despised in this age on account of the Lord, the more he will be exalted in the future age. Gregory says: the more someone is precious to God, the more useful on his account. Boethius says: though all fortune is to be feared, still good fortune more than adverse fortune.
370. Then when he says, for he who is called in the Lord, he adds an explanation of the example. And first he gives the explanation of the example on the part of slaves, then on the part of free men, at likewise he who is called.
And the reason in general is as follows: servitude and liberty in the Lord are conducive to salvation, but we should only be solicitous about things pertaining to salvation, therefore servitude or liberty should be a matter of indifference to us.
He says therefore for he who is called in the Lord, as though to say: and truly you should not care, for—standing for because—he who is called in the Lord, i.e., in the faith of the Lord, being a slave, by bodily slavery, is the freedman of the Lord; because, namely, he has been liberated by the Lord from servitude to sin, and therefore is a freedman of the Lord: if the Son shall set you free, you shall be truly free (John 8:36).
371. Then when he says likewise he who is called, being free, he gives an explanation on the part of freemen.
Here he first takes up the servitude due to Christ of both freemen and slaves, second the explanation of this servitude, at you are bought with a price, third the obligation of this servitude, at do not become the slaves.
He says, therefore: likewise he who is called, being free, with bodily freedom, is the slave of Christ, with spiritual servitude: Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus (Rom 1:1), since whether a slave or free, all are slaves. And this is just, since you are bought with a price. This is said on account of the inestimable price of the blood of Christ: you were not redeemed with corruptible things, as gold or silver, from your vain ways of life (1 Pet 1:18). And since you are bought with so great a price, do not become the slaves of men by considering service to God as secondary and occupying yourselves with human superstitions, as these persons indeed were doing. I indeed am of Paul; and I am of Apollo (1 Cor 1:12).
372. Faithful brethren, let every man, both the circumcised and the uncircumcised, slave and free, wherein he was called, i.e., in whatever state, therein abide with God, namely by keeping the divine commandments. For he who perseveres unto the end shall be saved (Matt 24:13). Therefore if a married man is called to the faith, he should remain married, keeping faith.