[B-Greek] 1 Cor 6:16
Harold R. Holmyard III
hholmyard at ont.com
Wed Mar 10 09:44:52 EST 2004
Dear Doug,
>Greetings to all B_GREEK people, I have question which is likely not
>welcome for discussion on this list so I hope someone will undertake to
>address it off list.
>My question is why Paul uses SWMA and SARX or SARKA in the same sentence.
>Exactly what distinction is meant by 'one body' and 'one flesh'. Certainly
>the later is God's ideal, whereas the former falls short of God's purpose.
>>From the text, is it legitimate to understand that though inferior, the
>>'one body' becomes a sort of one flesh substitute?
>One flesh by default? Or is Paul drawing a clear contrast between the
>two, and saying perhaps that the former becomes a person of the same
>substance and hence indistinguishable from the prostitute? In other
>words effectively a prostitute also? A sort of backward step of losing
>his identity instead of a forward step of creating a new identity. I
>guess this is a question of interpretation and so I would be appreciative
>of any Greek language based help that can be given off list.( or on list
>if that is possible)
HH: I think the first idea is right:
>>From the text, is it legitimate to understand that though inferior, the
>>'one body' becomes a sort of one flesh substitute?
HH: I don't think there is a contrast between SWMA and SARX, except that
the quoted passage is a marriage text, which this relationship obviously is
not. But God intended sex to bring a unity. Use of the term "body" rather
than "flesh" allows the body versus spirit contrast that Paul makes between
1 Cor 6:16 and 6:17:
1Cor. 6:16 Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is
one with her in body? For it is said, "The two will become one flesh."
1Cor. 6:17 But he who unites himself with the Lord is one with him in spirit.
Use of the term SWMA also introduces the discussion of body that Paul gives
in the subsequent verses:
1Cor. 6:18 ¶ Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are
outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body.
1Cor. 6:19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit,
who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;
Yours,
Harold Holmyard
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