Cheryl Schatz

Mark,
You asked:

I’d like to know whether you believe verse 10 has more authority than verse 12 of 1 Cor 7 because Paul makes the different distinctions between his charge and the Lord’s charge? Or is verse 12 another example of Paul using his ‘authority’ to expand on a marriage scenario that Jesus perhaps didn’t comment on? Opinions???

The authority of both the verses comes from the authority of God’s word. While verse 10 is a directly worded command of the Lord, verse 12 is an application of Paul’s on the command not to divorce. The underlining authority is the same on both. The only difference is that one is a direct command with God’s exact words and a command with Paul’s interpretation based on the command. We can readily note that Paul is not giving his own command in verse 12 that would have Paul creating his own law. That is not the case. Paul appeals to God’s law in both instances with one appeal directly and the other indirectly.

So what is your trouble with these verses? Do you see a hierarchy here?