The Great Commentary of Cornelius a Lapide: the First Epistle to the Corinthians
It follows, in the second place, that God and His angels have such familiar communion with virgins, and give them such protection , that they attend upon them, and often preserve them safely from the cruelty of tyrants. Of this S. Basil is a witness (de Vera Virgin.).
There is a famous instance of this in the life of S. Theophila, who was condemned to prostitution under the Emperor Maximian ; and, while being led to it, she prayed thus : “ My Jesu, my love, my light, my spirit, the guardian of my chastity and my life, look on her who has been betrothed to Thee ; make haste to deliver Thy lamb from the teeth of the wolf; preserve, O my Bridegroom, Thy bride; preserve my chastity, Thou fount of chastity.” Then, when she entered the place of prostitution, she drew from her bosom the Gospel and read it attentively. Soon an angel stood by her side, and smote with death the first youth who approached her, the second with blindness, and punished the others with different penalties, so that at last no one dared come near her. Then lust gave way to fear ; and when many entered the place from religious motives, they saw Theophila sitting unharmed, and intent on her book. They saw too a youth standing near her, refulgent with light and of ineffable beauty, sending forth, as it were, darts of lightning from his eyes. He at length led out Theophila to the church, and placed her in the porch, and left her with “ Peace be to thee,” to the amazement of the heathen, who exclaimed, “Who is such a God as the God of the Christians ? ” We have similar marvels in the life of S. Agnes, S. Cecilia, and S. Lucy, and other virgins. We frequently read in the lives and martyrdoms of the holy virgins that, when they were solicited to prostitute themselves by the promises or threats of evil-minded tyrants, and even publicly condemned to it, yet they all preserved their virginity, by the aid of God and the holy angels, and even added to its merit by martyrdom.
Ver. 36. — But if any man think that he behaveth himself uncomely toward his virgin. If any one think that it is unbecoming for himself and his daughter to be despised by men of the world, says Ephrem, because she is of more than marriageable age, and is not yet married, though she has passed the flower of her age, the age when she is ripe for marriage, and need so require , if the father think that he ought to give her in marriage, either because she cannot contain, or because he seeks for children by her, or for other reasons, let him do what he will ; let him give his daughter in marriage, or keep her as a virgin, if he so prefer it.
Observe that this saying of the Apostle's does not imply that it is in a father's power to keep his daughter a virgin if she is unwilling, or to give her to a husband of his own choosing against her will ; nor does it imply that the consent of the daughter is insufficient to matrimony without that of her father, as some laws have laid down, by enacting that the marriages of daughters are null and void without the consent of the head of the family. The opposite is laid down by the law natural, Divine, and canonical. The Apostle merely says here and in ver. 37, that it is prudent and fitting for parents, who see the inclination of their daughters or sons to marriage, to seek by their superior wisdom a suitable union for them, after the custom of their forefathers ; and he says that the son and daughter ought, in such a matter, to follow the counsel and wish of their parents, if it be prudent to do so, unless they can allege some sufficient excuse. So did Abraham, Isaac, and Tobias choose wives for their sons, and their wish was obeyed.
Let them marry. The plural is used to embrace the virgin and her wooer, and to signify that the latter is doing the former a dishonour, as is commonly the case; and to prevent it going further, he says, “Let them be joined in matrimony.” So Maldonatus (Note).
Ver. 37. — Nevertheless he that standeth stedfast in his heart . . . doeth well. This is linked on to the preceding, let him do what he will: if he give her in marriage he sinneth not, if he give her not he does well — nay, both father and daughter do better.
Having no necessity . Not being compelled, say heretics, to give his daughter in marriage, through lack of the gift of continence. This is to say that, if for this reason he keeps her unmarried, he does wrong ; but he who is not under such necessity, if he keeps her unmarried does well.
But this is a mistake : for the words having no necessity , as well as hath power, are to be referred to the phrase to keep his virgin . He does well who keeps his daughter a virgin, unless necessity compel him to keep her unmarried, through poverty, infamy, or because no one will have her, or other causes of the same kind. For then it is a case of necessity, not of virtue. Virtue is where no necessity compels, but where piety impels, as, e.g., when any one, by an act of free-will, chooses virginity. So Chrysostom, Theophylact, Œcumenius.
But hath power over his own will. That is when the father can do what he wills, through his virgin daughter consenting to remain a virgin.
Observe these words of the Apostle, and learn from them that man has free-will, even in the moral and supernatural spheres, as, e.g., in the case of lifelong virginity. For the father cannot will it for the daughter unless she freely choose and embrace it.
Secondly, we might take the words having no necessity as meaning, not being bound by any precept, but having the power of free-will to choose without sin which he will. Virginity is not a matter of precept but of counsel ; he, therefore, that wishes his daughter to remain a virgin is not compelled to it by any law ; yet he does well, because he fulfils the counsel of Christ and the Apostle.
Ver. 39. — But if her husband be dead. Literally, if he be asleep. With the faithful, death is called a sleep; for they awaken from it at the resurrection. Hence pious Christians say, when one dies, that he is asleep in the Lord.
She is at liberty to be married to whom she will only in the Lord. The Greek Fathers understand in the Lord to mean, according to the law of the Lord, which bids us marry with self-restraint, and for the procreation of children, not to satisfy our lusts. S. Basil says (de Vera Virgin.): “ What is it to marry in the Lord ? It is not to be dragged , as a despicable slave , to concubinage , to please the flesh , but to choose marriage in sound judgment , and because it will make life more convenient. For this reason was it that the Creator ordained marriage as a necessity in nature .”
Secondly, in the Lord means religiously, in the fear of God and to the Lord's glory. This will be especially the case if she marry an upright Christian.
Thirdly, and most properly, in the Lord means in His church and religion. She may marry a Christian. So Ambrose, Theodoret, Theophylact, Anselm, Sedulius, S. Thomas, Augustine (de Adulter.
Hence the Church afterwards, because of the danger of perversion, and because of its unseemliness, wholly forbade a Catholic to intermarry with a heretic, and disannulled the marriage of a Christian with a heathen. It is a mortal sin, therefore, to marry a heretic. We must except from this Germany, Poland, and France, where heretics live mingled with Catholics. For there a woman that is a Catholic is freely permitted, and, without danger of perversion, can remain in the faith, and bring up her children in it, as is said by S. Thomas, Sanchez ( Disp . 72, no. 3, vol. ii.). But all such marriages are to be guarded against and dissuaded, because of the dangers they entail. Lastly, notice against Tertullian, the Montanists , Novatian, that second marriages are plainly sanctioned by this passage.
Fourthly, marriage in the Lord is that which is, according to the laws and usages of the Church, handed down by the Apostles, who represented the Lord and wielded His authority. The usages instituted by the Apostles and received by the whole Church are especially (a) that marriage should be solemnised in the presence of the priest lawfully deputed for the purpose. “It is seemly,” says S. Ignatius to Polycarp, “ that men and women should be united with the approbation of the bishop , that marriages may be entered into according to the precept of the Lord , and not for the sake of concupiscence. ” ( b ) Matrimony should be solemnised with a celebration of the sacrifice of the Mass, (c) Those who are contracting matrimony should receive the Eucharist. Tertullian (ad Uxorem , lib. ii.) says : “ How can I sufficiently describe the happiness of that marriage which is blessed by the Church, confirmed by the oblation, and , when sealed , is recorded by the angels ? ”
Ver. 40. — But she is happier if she so abide. Happier here in a more peaceful and holy life, as well as in the greater bliss which awaits her in heaven. So Ambrose. Hence it appears that the state of widowhood is better than matrimony. It appears also from what has been said before and from the Fathers, cited at ver. 7. Cf. S. Augustine (de Bono Viduit. vol. iv.) and S. Ambrose (de Viduis, vol. i.).
And I think also that I have the Spirit of God. The Spirit of counsel, according to which I think that I give good advice. So Anselm and others. Observe the stress laid on I. As other Apostles have, so have I also the Spirit of God. He modestly reminds them of his authority, lest he should seem to give his advice according to human and not Divine wisdom. S. Augustine again observes (in Joan, tract 37) that I think is not an expression of doubt, but of asseveration and command.