1 Corinthians 7:29
This is what I mean, brothers: the appointed time has grown very short. From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none,
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The verse doesn't actually tell married people to divorce, but rather to shift their focus. Paul wants believers to live with an urgency that doesn't let earthly relationships or possessions distract them from serving God wholeheartedly, especially with the understanding that Christ's return is imminent. It's about how you engage with your life, not whether you engage.
Paul is responding to questions the Corinthian church has sent him about marriage, singleness, and specific circumstances like being married to an unbeliever. He's just finished explaining his personal preference for remaining unmarried and encouraging others to do the same if they can. Then, he offers a compelling reason for this perspective: the urgency of the times, as Christ's return is drawing near.
Paul drops a bombshell in verse 29: 'the appointed time has grown very short.' What 'time' is he talking about, and why does it change everything?
An Urgent Perspective
Paul isn't talking about the end of the world necessarily, but about a profound shift in perspective. He's living in light of Jesus' imminent return and the dawning of God's new age. This isn't a call to inaction, but a call to live with different priorities. The 'appointed time' refers to this present, temporary era before Christ's full establishment of His kingdom.
Key Idea: Eternity Shapes Today
When we truly grasp that our current circumstances are temporary and that eternity with God is the ultimate reality, our earthly concerns naturally shift. Possessions, relationships, and even our daily routines take on a new light. They are not to be discarded, but viewed through the lens of eternity.
Paul tells wives to 'live as though they had none.' Is this a call to emotional detachment or something far more profound?
Radical Reorientation, Not Rejection
This isn't about abandoning responsibilities or neglecting loved ones. Instead, Paul is advocating for a reorientation of our affections and loyalties. In light of the 'short time,' our deepest allegiance must be to Christ.
Living Unencumbered
Imagine living with such deep trust in God that even your most cherished earthly relationships are experienced with a freedom that says, 'These are precious gifts from God, but my ultimate security and identity are found in Him alone.' This allows us to love others more fully, without possessiveness or the anxiety of losing them, because our ultimate hope is secure in Christ.
Understand the original words
kairos · Greek Noun
A specific, limited, and God-ordained period of time; it implies that the historical era or the window of opportunity before the Lord's return is constrained and fleeting.
Paul's urgency about the 'appointed time growing very short' likely reflects his awareness of intense persecution, societal instability, and the imminent, albeit unknown, return of Christ, urging believers to live with a focus on eternal realities rather than temporary earthly ties.
c. AD 41-54
Roman Emperor Claudius Expels Jews
Emperor Claudius expelled Jewish communities from Rome, potentially impacting early Christian gatherings and causing socioeconomic disruption.
c. AD 50-52
Paul Founds Church in Corinth
The Apostle Paul establishes the church in Corinth, a bustling and morally complex port city. He later writes to them from Ephesus.
c. AD 55— this verse
Paul Writes 1 Corinthians
Paul pens this letter to address divisions, doctrinal issues, and practical matters within the Corinthian church, including questions about marriage.
c. AD 60-62
Paul Imprisoned in Rome
Paul is imprisoned in Rome, during which time he writes letters like Philippians and Philemon, reflecting on his circumstances and the advance of the gospel.
This passage echoes Paul's sense of urgency, stating that our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed, reinforcing the idea that the 'appointed time' is drawing to a close.
1 Peter 4:7Peter also urges believers to be self-controlled and sober for prayer because 'the end of all things is at hand,' mirroring Paul's exhortation to live differently in light of a shortened time.
Matthew 24:43-44Jesus Himself warns His disciples to 'be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect,' which directly supports Paul's call to a life of readiness and detachment in the face of imminent return.
Philippians 3:20Paul reminds the Philippians that 'our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,' aligning with the idea that our ultimate hope is not in earthly relationships but in Christ's return, prompting a re-evaluation of current priorities.
The verse doesn't actually tell married people to divorce, but rather to shift their focus. Paul wants believers to live with an urgency that doesn't let earthly relationships or possessions distract them from serving God wholeheartedly, especially with the understanding that Christ's return is imminent. It's about how you engage with your life, not whether you engage.
Paul is responding to questions the Corinthian church has sent him about marriage, singleness, and specific circumstances like being married to an unbeliever. He's just finished explaining his personal preference for remaining unmarried and encouraging others to do the same if they can. Then, he offers a compelling reason for this perspective: the urgency of the times, as Christ's return is drawing near.
Paul is responding to questions the Corinthian church has sent him about marriage, singleness, and specific circumstances like being married to an unbeliever. He's just finished explaining his personal preference for remaining unmarried and encouraging others to do the same if they can. Then, he offers a compelling reason for this perspective: the urgency of the times, as Christ's return is drawing near.
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c. AD 64
Great Fire of Rome
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c. AD 66-70
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The First Jewish-Roman War erupts, culminating in the destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple. This event signaled immense upheaval for Jewish people and believers.
"This is what I mean, brothers: the appointed time has grown very short. From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none," — The verse doesn't actually tell married people to divorce, but rather to shift their focus. Paul wants believers to live with an urgency that doesn't let earthly relationships or possessions distract…
