[B-Greek] 1 Cor. 7:1,2
Mitch Larramore
mitchlarramore at yahoo.com
Fri Oct 29 09:27:00 EDT 2004
1. PERI DE hWN EGRAYATE, KALON ANQRWPWi GUNAIKOS MH
hAPTESQAI
2. DIA DE TAS PORNEIAS hEKASTOS THN EAUTOU GUNAIKA
EXETW, KAI EKhASTH TON IDION ANDRA ECETW
NET Translation:
Now with regard to the issues you wrote about: "It is
good for a man not to have sexual relations with a
woman."1 7:2 But because of immoralities, each man
should have relations with his own wife and each woman
with her own husband
The NET footnote reads this way:
1tn Grk "It is good for a man not to touch a woman," a
euphemism for sexual relations. This idiom occurs ten
times in Greek literature, and all of the references
except one appear to refer to sexual relations (cf.,
e.g., Josephus, Ant. 1.8.1 [1.163]; Gen 20:6 [LXX];
Prov 6:29 [LXX]). For discussion see G. D. Fee, First
Corinthians (NICNT), 275. Many recent interpreters
believe that here again (as in 6:12-13) Paul cites a
slogan the Corinthians apparently used to justify
their actions. If this is so, Paul agrees with the
slogan in part, but corrects it in the following
verses to show how the Corinthians misused the idea to
justify abstinence within marriage (cf. 8:1, 4;
10:23). See also G. D. Fee, "1 Corinthians 7:1 in the
NIV, " JETS 23 (1980): 307-14.
This translation and footnote have confused me.
Based on the above translation, it would appear that
the translators do not take verse 1 as referring to a
current marriage situation. What are the biblical and
lexical options here? Is this describing acceptable
sexual behavior between a man and woman in a courting
relationship (for example, since the translation uses
man and woman not husband and wife in verse 1), or
does Paul envision some other kind of relationship?
Based on the footnote, I take it that perhaps Paul is
referring to those within a marriage relationship but
for whatever reason have come to believe that sex is
to be avoided. Is this ambiguous enough to allow for
both scenarios? (That is, either within a marriage,
you should not abstain from sex. And, outside a
marriage, you should only have sex within the bonds of marriage.)
=====
Mitch Larramore
Spring Branch, Texas
Student/Memorial High School
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