was the apostle paul ever married ....?

Was just about to mention 1 Cor 7:7-8, then re-read original post and saw it there....oops We are just not told about Paul, whether he was then wasn't, or just never was....should pick an easy one like Peter

 

It makes for interesting chit-chat i suppose, but it has no doctrinal implications for debate. Just doesn't matter to me I guess.

God Bless! :thumbs:

 

When all is said and done, we are still left with conjectures. :thumbs:

 

Those who argue for Paul take the verse that says that Paul 'gave his voice against' believers when he persecuted the church, or something along those lines. They say he voted for their execution, imprisonment, or whatever. They argue that he had to be married to be a judge.

Remember, though, the the tradition recorded that judges had to be married was recorded by Maimoinedes 300 years after the fact. That's the one I've read in a few sources. Of course, there could be something specific in the Talmud about it as well, for all that's worth. Talmudic commentors could disagree.

I would like to talk to an expert on this. If Paul were a young rabinnical student or 'graduate', and he had authority from the chief priests to bring Jewish Christians to trial, perhaps he served as a witness to their activities. Perhaps he gave his voice against them because he witnessed their participation in church meetings when he busted in while they were eating the Lord's Supper or talking about Christ.

Others argue that to be recognized as a rabbi, one had to be married. Paul is not clear on whether he completed rabbincal training and whether Gamaliel had laid his hands on him. One might argue that in order to have enough clout to recieve letters from the chief priests, he would have had to have been recognized as a rabbi. I doubt that argument holds much water.

Since Christ was called Rabbi, I suspect the popular definition in the first century could have been a bit looser than some of the formal rules we read about as well. Plus, there were plenty of preachers who had not undergone rabinnical training. In the midst of all this, Paul, if he were a zealous Pharisee, and Roman citizen, who was well connected, perhaps he could have gotten letters without getting married and being recognized as a rabbi.

 

1Co 7:7 For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that.
8 I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I. (KJV)

It is clear that Paul was unmarried, at least when he wrote this letter. He is telling the unmarried and widows that, if they have his level of self-control, it is good for them to remain unmarried, even as he.

 

Or a widow...

What if he was divorced, would that fit the catagory of unmaried?