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Is the Bible Contradictory About Whether Marriage Is Good?

Some argue that the Bible is contradictory concerning whether marriage is good.

Scriptures – Is the Bible Contradictory About Whether Marriage Is Good?

Marriage Is Good

Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”
Genesis 2:18

Marriage Is Not Good

1 Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.”… 7 I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has his own gift from God, one of one kind and one of another… 8 To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain single, as I am… 26 I think that in view of the present distress it is good for a person to remain as he is.
1 Corinthians 7:1, 7, 8, 26

The Answer – Is the Bible Contradictory About Whether Marriage Is Good?

The Context of 1 Corinthians 7 Is the Judgement of AD 70

When Paul suggests that Christians should not get married in 1 Corinthians 7, he does so in the context of the coming judgment and persecution in AD 70. He knows that suffering and difficult times are coming soon, so he offers advice that will mitigate the amount of difficulty Christians will experience.

This does not at all contradict the clear teaching of Scripture that God created marriage to be a good thing, and that in general, humans should pursue the blessing of marriage.

Foundational Principles Regarding Bible Difficulties

There are some foundational principles that apply to all alleged and apparent contradictions in the Bible. To read more, see Bible Difficulties: Foundational Principles.

Related to “Is the Bible Contradictory About Whether Marriage Is Good?”

To read more answers to alleged and apparent contradictions in the Bible, see “Contradictions” in the Bible Answered.

These books are also excellent resources: