夫妻雙方都沒有權力主張自己的身體 — 哥林多前書讀經隨筆 第7章

哥林多前書第七章第1—7節，保羅說為了避免淫亂，男人當娶妻，女子當嫁人。丈夫該向妻子所獻的情感要獻上；同樣，妻子該向丈夫所獻的情感也要獻上。妻子沒有權力主張自己的身體，因為主張妻子身體的權力在丈夫；同樣，丈夫也沒有權力主張自己的身體，因為主張丈夫身體的權力在妻子。夫妻不可彼此剝奪親熱的權利，除非雙方同意暫時分房為要專心禱告和禁食，但之後仍要同房，免得被誘惑而犯罪。可見，夫妻雙方都沒有權力主張自己的身體。乍聽，這似乎挺可怕，因為在婚姻裏作為基督徒好像連主張自己身體的權力都沒有了。其實不用擔心，因為基督徒行事為人都應以基督的愛為出發點，若你的配偶身體勞累或特殊情況，因著對配偶的愛，你還會隻求自己的益處嗎？保羅在後麵第十和第十三章裏勸勉弟兄姐妹們不求自己的益處。

保羅說他這樣說是出於對弟兄姐妹們的讓步，而不是命令。因為他願意眾人像他一樣單身一生 ，隻是各人從神那裏領受的恩賜不同，有人領受的是單身的恩賜，有的人領受的則是結婚的恩賜。

林前7:1 論到你們信上所提的事、我說男不近女倒好。
Now concerning the things about which you wrote to me: it is good for a man not to touch a woman.
林前7:2 但要免淫亂的事、男子當各有自己的妻子、女子也當各有自己的丈夫。
But, because of sexual immoralities, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband.
林前7:3 丈夫當用合宜之分待妻子、妻子待丈夫也要如此。
Let the husband render to his wife the affection owed her, and likewise also the wife to her husband.
林前7:4 妻子沒有權柄主張自己的身子、乃在丈夫．丈夫也沒有權柄主張自己的身子、乃在妻子。
The wife doesn't have authority over her own body, but the husband. Likewise also the husband doesn't have authority over his own body, but the wife.
林前7:5 夫妻不可彼此虧負、除非兩相情願、暫時分房、為要專心禱告方可、以後仍要同房、免得撒但趁著你們情不自禁、引誘你們。
Don't deprive one another, unless it is by consent for a season, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer, and may be together again, that Satan doesn't tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
林前7:6 我說這話、原是準你們的、不是命你們的。
But this I say by way of concession, not of commandment.
林前7:7 我願意眾人像我一樣．隻是各人領受 神的恩賜、一個是這樣、一個是那樣。
Yet I wish that all men were like me. However each man has his own gift from God, one of this kind, and another of that kind.