celibacy anyone?
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R
Well, I don't think Jesus was annoyed at them for talking about celibacy. Matthew 19:9-12 says the following: [SUP]9 [/SUP]I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.”
[SUP]10 [/SUP]The disciples said to him, “If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry.”
[SUP]11 [/SUP]Jesus replied, “Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given. [SUP]12 [/SUP]For there are eunuchs who were born that way, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by others—and there are those who choose to live like eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it.”
It's not clear what Jesus's emotions were, but if Jesus was annoyed, it was probably because the disciples were saying it was better not to marry than to marry without the possibility of divorcing one's spouse so one can marry another.
Paul states in 1 Corinthians 7:8-9 the following: [SUP]8 [/SUP]Now to the unmarried[SUP][a][/SUP] and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I do. [SUP]9 [/SUP]But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
And then in the same chapter: [SUP] [/SUP]I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs—how he can please the Lord. [SUP]33 [/SUP]But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world—how he can please his wife— [SUP]34 [/SUP]and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord’s affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world—how she can please her husband. [SUP]35 [/SUP]I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord.[SUP]36 [/SUP]If anyone is worried that he might not be acting honorably toward the virgin he is engaged to, and if his passions are too strong[SUP][b][/SUP] and he feels he ought to marry, he should do as he wants. He is not sinning.
So nothing is wrong with being celibate if you feel you're called to be so. But neither are you sinning if you find yourself wanting to be married.
[SUP]10 [/SUP]The disciples said to him, “If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry.”
[SUP]11 [/SUP]Jesus replied, “Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given. [SUP]12 [/SUP]For there are eunuchs who were born that way, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by others—and there are those who choose to live like eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it.”
It's not clear what Jesus's emotions were, but if Jesus was annoyed, it was probably because the disciples were saying it was better not to marry than to marry without the possibility of divorcing one's spouse so one can marry another.
Paul states in 1 Corinthians 7:8-9 the following: [SUP]8 [/SUP]Now to the unmarried[SUP][a][/SUP] and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I do. [SUP]9 [/SUP]But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
And then in the same chapter: [SUP] [/SUP]I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs—how he can please the Lord. [SUP]33 [/SUP]But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world—how he can please his wife— [SUP]34 [/SUP]and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord’s affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world—how she can please her husband. [SUP]35 [/SUP]I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord.[SUP]36 [/SUP]If anyone is worried that he might not be acting honorably toward the virgin he is engaged to, and if his passions are too strong[SUP][b][/SUP] and he feels he ought to marry, he should do as he wants. He is not sinning.
So nothing is wrong with being celibate if you feel you're called to be so. But neither are you sinning if you find yourself wanting to be married.
