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What would you say to a man who told you his "wife" and he had never had sex?
First, as @ZecAustin has pointed out, the immediate context both before and after is clearly talking about fornication (see v13 and v18). Secondly, I don't see where you get two separate statements out of it, it seems to be talking about one thing to me - which part of these verses relates to 1 vs 2?
Now, considering that context, let's look at the passage and consider the potential options for its interpretation.
1 Cor 6:15-17:
Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid.
What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.
But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.
I have bolded the key words that we need to consider the meaning of.
Harlot:
Clearly includes a prostitute. However, Thayers lexicon states: "properly, a prostitute, a harlot, one who yields herself to defilement for the sake of gain (Aristophanes, Demosthenes, others); in the N. T. universally, any woman indulging in unlawful sexual intercourse, whether for gain or for lust:" So, if that is correct, this word includes any slut, any promiscuous woman, not just a woman you pay for sex. On the other hand, given the context of the idolatry of Corinth, and the clear spiritual nature of this passage, it could refer very specifically to a temple prostitute only. So there are three possible meanings to consider:
1) Any promiscuous woman (paid or unpaid)
2) Any paid prostitute (religious or secular)
3) A temple prostitute specifically
Joined
The two meanings suggested are
1) Sex
2) Marriage
One body / one flesh
Two different words for body / flesh are used, both emphasising the physical nature of this statement. This has been suggested to mean:
1) Sex
2) Marriage
3) Something else? @Verifyveritas76 suggested that joined = marriage, in which case this must mean something closer still, but I'm not sure what that would be.
Further, we know that marriage to prostitutes is not forbidden elsewhere in scripture. Priests were not to marry prostitutes, but apart from that marriage of prostitutes is never spoken against and seems to be encouraged (see examples of Rahab and Hosea). In general, marriage is the solution for sexual sin, and who more than a prostitute requires such a solution? It could be taken that we are all intended to be priests so all forbidden from marrying prostitutes - but that would mean that all prostitutes were now denied the possibility of a Godly husband, so that doesn't fit with God's nature. However, it may mean you can't marry a prostitute that keeps being a prostitute after you marry her.
I'm still pondering what to do with that, but I hope that it helps others to frame the issue a little more clearly.
How do you figure? This sounds like some more of your unsubstantiated eisigesis.This is referring to some future event. It doesn't say that she was a "wife" at that moment.
The term wife here is not correct. You know that. The word is woman and her legal status is not included in the title.
God literally tells us what forms a marriage in Genesis and then Christ reaffirms it in Matthew but you don't think either verse is really relevant.
We're wading in deep waters when we talk about marriage for sure. My position is unchanged and I'm not sure we're on the same page but I would agree with everything you said in this post.I think that @FollowingHim expounded on your question to make it more in prospective, however now bringing in eunuchs and oral sexs is opening the door in this discussion to gay marriage.
But, I believe that two people can create an earthly, or state marriage whatever way they want. A spiritual marriage is a little harder to define, and what I think the word of God is talking about to a large degree in this matter.
We are all looking to be the bride of Christ but I don't think any of us, particularly the males, think about having physical sex with him. The "knowing" talked about is much deeper than sex.
Bless you sir. I hadn't picked up on this one.Genesis 38:8
[8] And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother's wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother.
Onan is told to marry her by going in unto her. Seems like sex is what formed this one... although from what I can tell the word translated as “marry” here specifically refers to the duty of a man after his brothers death ...
Do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife (paraphrase) sounds a lot like he hadn't done it yet. And while I don't know what eisigesis is I have yet to say a single thing not rooted in scripture. You may not think I got it right but its all based on scripture.How do you figure? This sounds like some more of your unsubstantiated eisigesis.
The angel is differentiating between the Mary that was already his wife and all other Mary’s that weren’t his wife.
But as we've argued before there are different levels or statuses of being someone's woman. We spent a lot of time going around about it. A female can be considered a man's woman without actually being what we consider a wife. It's the betrothal period and its the only even remotely weak point in my argument.No I don’t know that.
The fact that you’re ignoring that she is not just any woman but the neighbors woman is pretty telling. You are cherrypicking the words you wanna acknowledge and ignoring them if they don’t fit your theory.
Check out the usage in the Ten Commandments. Exodus 20:17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife (Rea ishah).
Even God himself calls her the neighbors wife.
Wow. I didn't realize you were coming at this from such weird direction. Since I've misunderstood you for so long let me clarify what I think you're saying.On the contrary, I know that those are highly relevant and you just made my point for me. Every other place in Scripture without exception one flesh = marriage or family (when used between non spouses). And it’s never used for fornication, EVER!!!
Why would it be suddenly different in the 1 Corinthians passage? Did God suddenly change his mind about fornication and decide to make it acceptable?
/On the contrary, I know that those are highly relevant and you just made my point for me. Every other place in Scripture without exception one flesh = marriage or family (when used between non spouses). And it’s never used for fornication, EVER!!!
Why would it be suddenly different in the 1 Corinthians passage? Did God suddenly change his mind about fornication and decide to make it acceptable?
May I suggest to you that what is the forbidden part, what makes it fornication, is when we as men have sex with a woman knowing that she is going to break the one flesh relationship and so free us from fulfilling our commanded role in her life. The "man" in this situation wouldn't be committing any sin himself but he would enter in to the situation knowing the woman would. Fornication would result from this situation. That may be unsupported eisigesis there. I.don't know, I haven't looked eisigesis yet.
Genesis 38:8
[8] And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother's wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother.
Onan is told to marry her by going in unto her. Seems like sex is what formed this one... although from what I can tell the word translated as “marry” here specifically refers to the duty of a man after his brothers death ...
Why the separation if 'made love to her' is all that is needed?
We're going round and round in circles on this as usual.
@Verifyveritas76, what do "joined" and "one flesh" mean, individually, in this passage?
1 Corinthians 6:15-18
[15] Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid. [16] What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh. [17] But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. [18] Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
I don’t believe Paul is saying that visiting a harlot makes you married to her. I believe this is Paul warning men not to visit a harlot. And yes he references the same language as is used elsewhere referring to sex within marriage because the act of sex is supposed to be reserved for marriage. He saying that they are committing fornication as well as using sex outside of marriage.
One could also argue that he is warning against visiting a harlot because it will make him obliged to marry her... although that gets a little muddy because unless he is her first client ever she wasn’t a virgin...
Sorry I’ve not been able to keep up with you guys on this. My plate is overflowing right now with work and a rent house and family and a host of other things I call life.We're going round and round in circles on this as usual.
@Verifyveritas76, what do "joined" and "one flesh" mean, individually, in this passage?