No Vow of Perpetual Celibacy

21. (a) Why is it plain that Paul did not encourage the taking of a vow of celibacy? (b) What did he imply when he spoke of being “past the bloom of youth”?

²¹ A key point in Paul’s counsel is that Christians would do “well” to make room in their lives for singleness. (1 Corinthians 7:1, 8, 26, 37) In no way, however, does he invite them to take a vow of celibacy. On the contrary, he wrote: “If anyone thinks he is behaving improperly toward his virginity, if that is past the bloom of youth, and this is the way it should take place, let him do what he wants; he does not sin. Let them marry.” (1 Corinthians 7:36) The one Greek word (hy·peʹra·kmos) translated “past the bloom of youth” literally means “beyond the highest point” and refers to passing the peak surge of sexual desire. So those who have spent several years in the single state and who eventually feel they should marry are completely free to marry a fellow believer.—2 Corinthians 6:14.

1, 2. Why is priestly celibacy unscriptural?

IN THE first century, faithful Christians were concerned with balancing their various responsibilities. When the apostle Paul said that a Christian who remains single “will do better,” did he mean that such a man would be better suited to serve as an overseer in the Christian congregation? Was he in fact making singleness a requirement for eldership? (1 Corinthians 7:38) Celibacy is required of the Catholic clergy. But is priestly celibacy Scriptural? The Eastern Orthodox Churches allow their parish priests to be married men, yet not their bishops. Is that in harmony with the Bible?

² Many of Christ’s 12 apostles, the foundation members of the Christian congregation, were married men. (Matthew 8:14, 15; Ephesians 2:20) Paul wrote: “We have authority to lead about a sister as a wife, even as the rest of the apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas [Peter], do we not?” (1 Corinthians 9:5) The New Catholic Encyclopedia concedes that “the law of celibacy is of ecclesiastical origin” and that “ministers of the N[ew] T[estament] were not obliged to celibacy.” Jehovah’s Witnesses follow the Scriptural pattern rather than ecclesiastical law.—1 Timothy 4:1-3.

Eldership and Marriage Are Compatible

3. What Scriptural facts show that Christian overseers can be married men?

³ Far from requiring that men appointed as overseers should be unmarried, Paul wrote to Titus: “For this reason I left you in Crete, that you might correct the things that were defective and might make appointments of older men [Greek, pre·sbyʹte·ros] in city after city, as I gave you orders; if there is any man free from accusation, a husband of one wife, having believing children that were not under a charge of debauchery nor unruly. For an overseer [Greek, e·piʹsko·pos, whence the word “bishop”] must be free from accusation as God’s steward.”—Titus 1:5-7.