2 Corinthians 6:14

[gtr21]

I’m trying to find the Churches interpretation of 2nd Corinthians 6:14. I have had many protestant friends attempting to use this scripture to confirm that Christians should marry Christians and not be “unequally yoked” with an unbeliever.

My understanding of this scripture is that Paul is speaking to the Corinthians who are facing many issues in their church including the worship of other gods such as belia. What is Paul refferring to when he says “yoked”. this was a term used for following the teaching of another and you took on his teaching (yoke) as to become a disciple of that person?

 

[tobinatorstark]

I’m trying to find the Churches interpretation of 2nd Corinthians 6:14. I have had many protestant friends attempting to use this scripture to confirm that Christians should marry Christians and not be “unequally yoked” with an unbeliever.

My understanding of this scripture is that Paul is speaking to the Corinthians who are facing many issues in their church including the worship of other gods such as belia. What is Paul refferring to when he says “yoked”. this was a term used for following the teaching of another and you took on his teaching (yoke) as to become a disciple of that person?

from the Haydock Bible Commentary

Ver. 14. Bear not the yoke together with unbelievers. He does not mean, that they must wholly avoid their company, which could not be done, but not to have too intimate a friendship with them, not to marry with them, to avoid their vices. Be ye separate…touch not the unclean thing. He does not speak of meats, clean and unclean, according to the law of Moses, nor of legal uncleannesses, but what is sinful under the new law of Christ, and would defile the soul, as idolatry, fornication, &c. (Witham)

Idolatry is part of it. I got that its about touching things are that are considered unclean to God what would hurt the soul

 

[Chesster]

Aquinas’ commentary:

He says therefore, Do not be mismated [bear the yoke] with unbelievers. Here it should be noted that a yoke is anything which binds several to do something. Hence, because some come together sometimes to do something good, which is from God, and some to do something evil, which is from the devil, we speak of God’s yoke and the devil’s yoke. God’s yoke is charity, which binds a man to serve God: “Take my yoke upon you” (Matt. 11:29). But the devil’s yoke is for doing evil: “The yoke of his burden” (Is. 9:4). Therefore he says this: Do not be mismated, i.e., do not take part in works of unbelief, with unbelievers; and this for two reasons. First, because there were some among them who considered themselves wiser, not refraining from idolatry; as a result they scandalized the lowly. But there were others who took part with the Jews in the traditions of their elders. Hence, the Apostle exhorts them and says, do not be mismated with unbelievers, i.e., do not communicate with the Jews in the traditions of the Law or with Gentiles in the worship of idols, for both groups were unbelievers.

 

[Gottle_of_Geer]

I’m trying to find the Churches interpretation of 2nd Corinthians 6:14. I have had many protestant friends attempting to use this scripture to confirm that Christians should marry Christians and not be “unequally yoked” with an unbeliever.

My understanding of this scripture is that Paul is speaking to the Corinthians who are facing many issues in their church including the worship of other gods such as belia. What is Paul refferring to when he says “yoked”. this was a term used for following the teaching of another and you took on his teaching (yoke) as to become a disciple of that person?

There’s nothing really to discuss, because the Church used to take pretty much that position: marriages between Catholics & non-Catholics were not approved of, to say the least. “Mixed marriages”, though not quite unknown, have become common only rather recently - in the last 40 or so years.​

Marrying within one’s own faith has the advantage of excluding religious disagreements over such thorny issues as where to worship, what the religion of the children of the children should be, & so on. A Christian family, as a “domestic church”, should of all things be united - not riven by religious discord; that would be a very serious counter-witness; & disunity (of that sort especially, though of all kinds indeed) is a negation of the sacramental reality of marriage Sacramental Christian marriage, by uniting man & wife in an indissoluble unity of persons, is a reflection & effect of the unity of Christ with His Church in mutual love. For St. Paul, there is:

• One God and Father of us all
• one Church
• one Faith
• one Lord

• & so on: they can’t be separated from one another. So every possible source of strength for such a superhuman reality is needed - which is not fully possible, without unity in faith & these other things. Mixed marriages contradict the sacramental sign - they are not desirable.

 

[Ruthie]

I like Aquinas’ comment. Thanks, Chesster!

Another way to think of it is to consider the literal meaning of “yoked unequally.”

Yoke two oxen together, and your goods will get to market in good shape. Two fiery stallions yoked together will get them there much faster than the oxen.

But if you yoked an ox with a fiery stallion, your goods might get to market - or they might not.

Or if you yoked a huge ox (I’ve seen some that are more than 6 feet high at the shoulder) with a tiny burro, the ox will bear the whole load and part of the weight of the burro, because the little burro will be forced by the height difference to walk on his hind legs!

HTH,

Ruthie