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Question Regarding The Apostles and Marriage Wanda Bradberry recently asked me a question concerning the Apostles. Paul made many sacrifices in preaching the Gospel, but those sacrifices were not because he was less an apostle than the others. Yet to the brethren at Corinth, Paul felt the need to defend his apostleship and justify his authority. "Do we have no right to take along a believing wife, as do also the other apostles, the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas? Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working?" (1 Corinthians 9.5-6) Her question was whether Paul and Barnabas were the only two who were not married? Or stated differently, were all the other apostles married except Paul? In answering Wanda's question, let me make the following points. First, we know that Peter was married for he had a mother-in-law, Matthew 8.14. 1 Corinthians 9.5 uses the word "apostles" which tells me that Peter was not the only apostle to have a wife. This is indeed strange in light of the Catholic Church’s teaching on Peter being the first Pope and the celibacy of the priesthood. The Catholic Church teaches that Peter separated from his wife when he became an apostle or she may have passed away. Such cannot be proved from the scripture and apparently she was still alive and well or Paul would not have used Peter's right to lead about a believing wife as a point of illustration. However, we are not specifically told who was married in this passage or any other passage. So I cannot say with certainty that all the other apostles were married. Second, Paul is making the point that he could be supported in the preaching of the Gospel. We do not read of Paul having a wife or children in any passage of scripture. --Dennis Tucker |