<p>7:39 <em>A wife is bound for as long as her husband lives; but if the husband dies she is free to be married to whoever she chooses- </em>Paul in this chapter has spoken of marriage in the same language as slavery, because he sees both of those institutions as examples of the 'ties that bind' which a believer finds themselves in, or not in, at baptism. And the status is to be seen as a gift from God. This verse is it seems another answer to a specific question about widows. &quot;Whoever she chooses&quot; was a radical thing to say in first century society, where marriage was thought appropriate only between those of the same ethnic or social background. But the new community in Christ featured radical bonding between all groups. There was also doubtless the expectation that elderly widows should remain single in respect to their deceased husbands, and again Paul cuts right across such traditions.&nbsp;</p><p>Paul&rsquo;s teaching that remarriage could only take place after the death of the first partner (1 Cor.7:39; Rom.7:1-8) actually elevated the status of women compared to what it was in the local culture. He can hardly be accused of being a woman hater, in the light of this; nor is he giving commandments regarding the place of women which only fitted in with the local culture. Immorality, particularly in terms of temple prostitution, was so widespread that it is hard for us to appreciate the radicalness of Paul&rsquo;s insistence on absolute faithfulness to one&rsquo;s partner.</p><p><em>But only in the Lord- </em>This is alluding back to the command to Zelophehad's daughters to marry &quot;whom they think best&quot;, but only &quot;in&quot; their tribe, otherwise they would lose the inheritance (Num. 36:6,7). The implication is that those who do not marry &quot;in the Lord&quot; will likewise lose their promised inheritance. And this rather strange allusion indicates one more thing: the extent of the seriousness of marriage out of the Faith is only evident to those who search Scripture deeply. As man and woman within Israel were joint heirs of the inheritance, so man and wife are&nbsp; joint heirs of the inheritance of the Kingdom&nbsp; (1 Pet. 3:7).&nbsp; </p>