IMO, there was enough variety in Greek thought to support every sort of discipline and lack thereof. But I digress. : ) The overwhelming support for celibacy and continence seems to have been the desire to emulate Jesus and his apostles.
The overwhelming support for celibacy and continence seems to have been the desire to emulate Jesus and his apostles. Some of the apostles had wives. Peter had a wife, for starters. The early church leaders (elders, bishops) had wives.
Jesus has a unique ministry that precluded a wife. He never asked that of his apostles, however.