Thank you for the question on marriage, “In the Bible, why was Paul against marriage?”
The Apostle Paul is not against marriage. He encourages men and to marry, That is God’s plan for humans of a man and a woman marrying each other.
As one reads I Corinthians 7, one may think that the Apostle Paul was against marriage. A careful reading of chapter 7 explains why he discourage marriage for the Corinthians.
I Corinthians 7 says this, “Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” 2 But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. 3 The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. 4 For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. 5 Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 6 Now as a concession, not a command, I say this. 7 I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has his own gift from God” (NIV).
The words, for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman, are subject to interpretative question. The Greek word, to have sexual relationship, is heptesthai, to touch. How are we to understand what it means “not to touch a woman”
A. Interpretations of not to touch a woman.
1. It may mean literally not to have any contact with any woman. It is avoiding all physical contact with a woman.
2. It may be a figure of speech of avoiding sexual contact with a woman. It is avoiding the women in the temple, the temple prostitutes in Corinth.
3. It may be interpreted that the man is to be celibacy. He is not to marry.
4. It may be interpreted that the man/husband is not to touch or be sexually intimate with his wife/woman.
As one reads the context of I Corinthians 7:1–7, the Apostle Paul is not saying avoiding physically touching any woman, nor is he calling men to be celibate for he advises men to marry the one whom he is engaged to, nor to avoid sexual contact with his wife. He tells marry couples to be intimate to avoid sexual immorality.
The Apostle Paul shares that men are to avoid sexual immorality by having their own wife. Going to the temple prostitute is defying one’s body (I Cor. 6). It is better to marry than to burn with passion that may cause one to engage in fornication.
The reason why the Apostle Paul writes that men and women are to avoid marriage is due to the present circumstances or the coming circumstances. In verses 25–29, he states the reason why is giving his advice. “Now concerning[f] the betrothed,[g] I have no command from the Lord, but I give my judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy. 26 I think that in view of the present[h] distress it is good for a person to remain as he is. 27 Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be free. Are you free from a wife? Do not seek a wife. 28 But if you do marry, you have not sinned, and if a betrothed woman[i] marries, she has not sinned. Yet those who marry will have worldly troubles, and I would spare you that. 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, 30 and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods, 31 and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away.”
It is unclear what is the present crisis or distress that Paul is referring to. The Greek word is ananken may refer to “necessity” or adverse situation. What was happening during this time is unclear. Paul implies that the world is passing away. Did he believe in the immediate eschatological return of Jesus Christ or the upcoming persecution of the Christian church? Was it paganism infiltrating the Christian church?
Personally, I tend to think that is the persecution by Jews or the Romans. There was a movement of emperor worship or restoring the worship of the Greek-Roman gods/goddess. Failure to worship the Roman deities may lead to loss of property, possession or even life. To spare the anguish that may come to them, he advises to stay single.
Summary: The Apostle Paul recommends avoiding marriage due to the present adverse situation.
-Kingston