Like us, the ancient Corinthians had questions about marriage. They were particularly interested in knowing how faith changes the relationship between a husband and wife. Paul’s first answer is that faith in Christ makes marriage equal. Ancients were very familiar with the idea that a husband had authority over his wife’s body. That the wife would also have authority over her husband’s body (1 Corinthians 7:4) was revolutionary! The Bible teaches that marriage is a mutual relationship between people of equal dignity and value. Occassionally I hear people say that Paul is anti-women. I’m convinced that people who make this claim have never read his words for themselves. “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all ONE in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28) These are words that changed the world and they came from God through the pen of Paul.
