Sexual lust, fantasies are not evil. They are a very important part of God's sexual designed.

Porneia

A Greek Word Study

Brian L. Heckber

Box 489

Professor James Smith

Advanced Greek: Exhortational Literature

MWF 9:00

New Testament Seminar

T 1:30

http://www.dabar.org/JASmith/porneia.htm

 "...[T]he instincts of sex and hunger are the two great impelling factors whereby the will climbs to power and even rises to heaven; in the face of these the consciousness of impotence collapses.  Food and drink on the one hand, and on the other sexual intercourse, are therefore not merely two outstanding symbols of community with the god, but are also means where human potency sets to work." 

                     -G. van der Leeuw 

    Hunger and sexuality drive us.  They are two areas in which mankind has a difficult time controlling.  Despite the world's view on both, man can control these areas.  One might think society has evolved to the sexual state that it is in today.  But within this paper, the author will share that people in the times of the Old and New Testament dealt with the problem of sexuality.  The author's main focus will be on the subject of immoral and sinful sexuality during the time of the writing of the Holy Scriptures.  The base of this study will be taken from the Koine Greek work, porneia (this will be referred to from this point on as "porneia").   

    To get an adequate grasp on the word, porneia, one must look not just at the scriptures, but at the contextual setting of the word.  The author will look at the use of the word in the Non-Jewish world, the Old Testament, later Judaism, the New Testament, and  extra marital intercourse in the non-biblical world.  By looking at these areas, it will give one a better grasp on the use of porneia in the Greek and in its context.

THE NON-JEWISH WORLD

    Porneia derives from pernhmi, which means to sell.  This word was commonly and most prominently used in reference to slaves.  Its literal meaning was, "harlot for hire."  In this culture, the harlot was commonly bought as a slave.  This also could mean "whoremonger."  This term was used for the man who specifically allows himself to be abused for money by engaging in sexual intercourse with prostitutes.

EXTRA-MARITAL INTERCOURSE IN THE NON-BIBLICAL WORLD

    There were various instances of extra-marital intercourse in the non-biblical world.  One of the main areas the author will look at is cultic prostitution.  Within this subject of cultic prostitution, we must understand the various parts of it.  There was a prostitute who had temporary status by performing a single act, and there were ones who had permanent status.

    A national custom in Persia was for prominent families to allow their daughters to take part of this single act of prostitution.  There was no shame brought to the families when their daughter participated in this single act of prostitution.  On the other hand, those who practiced the permanent status prostitution were members of the heirodules class.  The money accrued from the prostitution was used as payment to the goddess.  This type of prostitution was widely practiced in Asia Minor and in the cults of mother deities.  Especially in Corinth,  within the temple of Aphrodite, this permanent type of prostitution became a practice.  This temple became known for its prostitutes, which the temple had over 1000 hierodules.  The Egyptians and Syrians also practiced this type of prostitution.  Through the Caanite cults of Baal and Astarte, prostitution also penetrated into the religion of the Israelites.  However, for the most part, Greeks rejected sacral prostitution.

    In the Homeric Age, prostitutes and brothels were unknown.  However, a master may keep a concubine or have casual intercourse with a female slave.  Along with increasing prosperity and commerce, the commonality of prostitution became evident.  A common source of prostitution was slavery.  A female slave would be at the mercy of her master's lusts.  "The main cause of prostitution was the Greek view of life which regards sexual intercourse just as natural, necessary, and justifiable as eating and drinking."  They viewed abstinence more harmful than moderate free intercourse. 

    A married man was permitted to extra-marital intercourse as long as he did violate a civil marriage. On the other hand, all extra-marital intercourse was forbidden to the wife.

     "Sparta and the Doric branch maintained sexual discipline more strongly than Athens, Corinth, and the Ionic Sphere.  It was here, however, that homosexuality developed and this then spread over the whole of Greece and was practiced rather than censured even by notable figures.  Lesbianism was much less common.  In a fateful way both opened the door to unnatural perversion." 

    There were three different classes of prostitutes during this time.   The lowest class were those who were in the brothels.  Their masters controlled these female slaves.  The second class was somewhat higher because they had artistic abilities such as music, dance, and singing.  There were also ones that were higher than these two classes.  This class plied on their trade independently, which meant that these prostitutes could ask for higher prices than the other classes of prostitutes.

    LATER JUDAISM

    Later Judaism shows that porneia became a broader term than its original usage.  Originally, porneia meant most "harlotry" or "extra-marital intercourse." 

    Judaism also shows a different use of porneia.  This fornication was especially related to the sin of paganism.  "Hence all marriage ties with Gentiles were impurity and desecration of the sanctuary, family, and the land and people of Israel; for this mortal sin there is no forgiveness."  A marriage involving a Jew and a Gentile was considered to be porneia.  This usage, in later rabbinical times, porneia did not merely apply to all extra-marital intercourse, but also to intercourse in marriages which go against a rabbinical decision.

    OLD TESTAMENT

    After looking at the different influences of porneia, one must look to the focal point of the discussion.  The main focus of this paper will be contained with the Old and New Testament.

    There are several main uses of porneia in the LXX. 

     "...this seems to have referred originally to sexual satisfaction on the part of the woman.  In the early period, especially in nomadic life, it was customary for a young girl to be married in her own tribe.  Sometimes young men might break the custom and marry girls from a neighboring tribe.  The Hebrew word for porneia is used for the woman whose husband does not belong to her tribe."   

    It can also be used for a married woman who is unfaithful to her husband (Hosea 1,2; Ezra 16, 23) or of the betrothed who by law already belongs to her husband.  Therefore, from the time a man and woman were set to be married, they were considered to be married and any unfaithfulness was considered to be porneia.

    In the national life of the Old Testament, a harlot was a familiar figure.  Examples of these are Tamar, Rahab, Jepthah, and the woman to whom Samson associated with in Gaza.  The Hebrew word for porneia referred to only the woman.  There were those who sought religious justification for extra-marital intercourse, but that eventually became impossible. 

 "Law developed in part out of this prophetic attack (I Kings 14:24 according to Deuteronomy 22:21), the licentiousness of a betrothed woman is to be punished by stoning on the ground.  This was considered to be a serious offense of this woman which threatened the whole people and that she had made her father's house into a house of whoredom." 

    Law developed due to this idea.  Nevertheless, extra-marital intercourse on the part of the man did not come under this concept and was not forbidden as long as he did not take the wife of a fellow countryman.

    In the Old Testament, porneia was also used to describe Israel's unfaithfulness to YAHWEH.  This a common theme throughout the book of Hosea.  The prophet develops the metaphor of marriage between God and His people.  The conduct of Hosea's wife is a portrayal of the infidelity of Israel to its God, who choose it and declared them to be His own people.  Isaiah, in his Old Testament book, uses the unfaithfulness metaphor to connect Israel to the unfaithful wife.

     "Prostitution first became a serious problem through confrontation with the fertility cults, in particular the Baal cult. Baal's relationship to the earth was that of a hieros gamos (a sacred marriage).  Human beings share in his fertilizing power by entering this mystery and imitating it. This took place through intercourse with a prostitute in the sanctuary, which was supposed to bring man into cosmic harmony.  Since this religion was not simply -- as has often been falsely assumed -- concerned with gross sensuality but with sensuality in a particular 'spiritual' form, it had a strong attraction for educated Israelites.  The prostitutes in the sanctuary were respected women." 

        Sex relations between singles was highly looked down upon.  During this time, a woman's virginity was of high value.  One's virginity can only be lost with the consent of the woman, except in the case of rape.  There was a custom for a newly married woman to bring her wedding night sheets back to her father.  These sheet would be blood stained from the breaking of hymen within the woman's vagina.  There were instances where legal cases were brought forth due to the absence of blood on the wedding-night sheets.

    In today's Arab culture, this custom is still followed.  This causes a risk of extreme public exposure for the sexually immoral woman.  A bridegroom will take his bride into the bridal chambers and have relations with her.  There would be immediate proof of the woman's virginity, due to the stains on the sheet.  If there is no blood on the sheet, a husband has the right to immediately divorce her.

(Note from inkaboutit?The author forgot to mention that the father sold the daughter at a higher price because she was declared to be a virgin. A non-virgin was sold for a lesser price. So the blood on the sheet was proof that she was a virgin and worth the higher price. It was a money thing. Women had no rights, they were owned as slaves by the father or the husband.)

NEW TESTAMENT

    Within the New Testament there are four uses of porneia.  The specific, general, cultic, and apocalyptic. Due to the nature and length of this paper, the apocalyptic use of porneia will not be covered.

    Porneia is used when stated in a list of sins.  These lists are found in Matthew 15:19, Mark 7:21, Romans 1:29, II Corinthians 12:21, Galatians5:19, Colossians 3:5.  When porneia is used in a vice list it does not carry as much definition.  In this instance , porneia is more of a broad term.  In Galatians 5:19-20, a list is given of the deeds of the flesh.  To contrast the deeds of the flesh, Paul gives a list of the Fruit of the Spirit.  Galatians 5:19-21 reads, "Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are:  immorality (porneia), impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which forewarned you that those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God." 

    The specific uses of porneia is the use wherein it is found by itself and not within a list.  Jesus uses this commonly when referring to reasons acceptable for divorce (Matthew 5:32, 19:9).  Paul also covers this in great detail in I Corinthians 5 and 6.  In this pericope, Paul is telling his readers to separate fornication from their bodies.  Paul also tells his readers that the body is the temple of God.  Therefore, one must not bring fornication into the temple of God.  Paul is very strict and passionate about keeping mankind's mind and body away from fornication (Ephesians 5:3, I Thessalonians 4:3).

        In Matthew 5:32, Jesus uses porneia as a reason for divorce.  In this instance, porneia refers to extra-marital intercourse on the part of the wife, which is adultery.  This text should not be understood as giving the husband an opportunity to have extra-marital relations. 

    In Acts 15:28-29, Luke warns against porneia and unclean food.  This is interesting due to the combination of dietary regulations and sexual regulations.  This can be traced back to Leviticus 17 and 18 and the four prohibitions listed within that text.

    Paul was very concerned with single members of the Corinthian church sharing in fornication.  From this concern, he advises each man to have one woman and each woman to have one man.  He instructs, those who cannot control themselves should marry.  "The very correlation between the case of the man and woman indicates it is not prostitution he has in mind."  Within this text, marriage and porneia are suggested as alternatives. These are licit and illicit alternatives with no middle  waters to tread in.

    When reading through Paul, one can see a common thread recurring.  Paul shares with his readers that anyone who commits porneia makes the church guilty.  It also poses a threat to one's eternal destination.  Therefore, Paul demands the churches to rid themselves of any wrong-doer (I Corinthians 5:13).  He also urges them to break off all fellowship with those who live lives of porneia (I Corinthians 5:9).  "The porneia of individual members makes the whole church unclean and threatens the whole work of the apostle."

    The passage in I Corinthians Five poses an interesting problem that Paul faced.  It is a horrible case of sexual immorality wherein a man has sexual relations with his father's wife (the man's stepmother).  In this case, porneia does not refer to adultery, but to sexual immorality.

    Another genre of the word, porneia, is within references to cult and idol worship.  In I Corinthians 6, Paul urges us to have nothing to do with a prostitute (pornei ).  He supports this with a theory peculiar to his readers.  In some Corinthian circles, "all things are lawful," supported the idea of sexual relations with a prostitute.  This was popular due to the availability of prostitutes, especially in the temple of Aphrodite, where there were claimed to be over one thousand prostitutes.  Paul answers this speculation by telling that the body is the Lord's and it was not made for sexual desecration (verse 13).  "The body is the object of the resurrection action of God's power and thus as the expression of the personality belongs to membership in Christ."   Therefore when one has sexual relations with a prostitute, his body becomes one with hers.  Therefore, the man is joining the body of Christ with a prostitute.  When a man participates in sexual immorality with a prostitute he puts himself, his faith, and his Savior in immorality.  This was especially a concern due to proximity of the prostitute to idolatry.

    "Sexual relations in marriage are to act as a check on every form of porneia, and not just on the temptation to become involved with a prostitute."  However, one can see  that it can also be used to keep a check on the fidelity of the marriage.  But evidently some men were going to (or claiming to do so) prostitutes and creating arguments for their behavior. 

    Within the class of prostitutes in the temple (within the Ancient Greek), there are three subdivisions;   pronh is a word that refers to the lowest class of prostitutes;  etaira was used to describe a higher class of courtesans;  ierodoulos was used to describe a true religious prostitute.

    Sacred prostitution is "religiously legitimate intercourse with strangers in or in the vicinity of the sanctuary...organized or at least condoned by the priesthood."  In the most strict sense, its purpose was to increase fecundity and fertility.  In these temples, prostitutes were a commonality.  The presence of a prostitute at a festival was added incentive to the merriness of the festival.  Inviting the prostitutes to the sacrificial banquet was a feature of the banquet, not a part of the ritual.  These festivals could be compared with New Orleans' Mardi Gras.  These prostitutes were often considered to be a part of the after-dinner entertainment.

     "Thus a solution to the puzzle of the historical context of I Corinthians 6:12-20 presents itself when we recognize the link between feasting and porneia, and note that both the Corinthian Christians who were eating in pagan temples and those who were using prostitutes were defending their behavior with the same slogan, 'all things are lawful for me.'  It is this:  some Corinthians were attending temple feasts and using prostitutes who offered their services on such festive occasions." 

    In Jewish scriptures, both harlots and temple prostitutes were condemned, but for different reasons.  Secular prostitution was condemned due to the social and personal stigma it carries.  In Judges 11:2, Jephthah's brothers drove him out because he was the son of a prostitute.  In Amos 7:17, part of Amaziah's punishment is that his wife was to become a prostitute.  In Proverbs 23:28, the author does not paint a complimentary picture of a prostitute.  The author says that she is in the height of her folly. 

    On the other hand, sacred prostitution is condemned because it is considered disloyalty to God.  Temple prostitution was commonly practiced by the cults of the Near Eastern fertility religions. 

    There is a link between porneia and idolatry.  Both of these subjects are associated with the devil.  Paul puts demons and pagan worship together in I Corinthians 10 and juxtaposes sexual immortality and idolatry in Romans 1:24-25.

    Paul makes a connection between prostitution and unfaithfulness.  This can be supported by four observations.  The first observation is that other forms of porneia in Scripture are not just in sacred prostitution, are treated in a theocentric fashion.  The second observation is although cult prostitutes and harlots are distinguished in the Hebrew Scriptures, the Greek normally uses the porn- group for both.  Thus in the LXX, prostitution in general is viewed as apostasy.  The third observation is that most references to prostitution in the Old Testament are referring figuratively to Israel's unfaithfulness to God.  "The fourth observation is the word that Paul uses for prostitution, porneia, and prostitute, pornei, are employed in Jewish literature, not only for literal prostitution, but also as a metaphor for unfaithfulness to the Lord.(paraphrase)"

    The Christian is a temple of the Holy Spirit ( I Corinthians 6:19), therefore he does not have the right to do with his body as he chooses.  He may not give his body, which belongs to Christ, to a harlot.  A man will shame his body and will shame Christ by participating in porneia activities.  Paul gives us the imagery of the temple prostitution.  He could be saying, "don't go to the temple (to use prostitutes), you are the temple!"

    In a similar domain of words associated with sexual misbehavior, one finds the word aselgeia.  This would prove to be an extreme case of sexual immorality.  This would be taking porneia to the next level.  One scholar associates this behavior like living like a dog or acting as a rooster.  This would pertain to a more promiscuous sexual immorality.

    Some may ask exactly what is Paul opposing in I Corinthians 6:12-20?  It is historically credible and exegetically congruent that he is referring to temple prostitution.  Prostitution did take place at festivals in the pagan temples.  This gives attention to the theocentric emphasis and the link to I Corinthians 10, and can be best understood with Paul's instructions.  When one takes these instructions against a biblical and Jewish background, one can find that porneia and idolatry are closely associated.

    Through this study of porneia, the author has come to several conclusions.  The first idea that was concluded was that most generally porneia was used to describe actions that desecrated the marriage.  This was used in a rather broad sense and is very seldom used to describe a specific action.  The second idea of conclusion is that porneia was a problem for people in ancient times.  This problem is not something that has recently evolved.  The problem brought about more severe consequences in ancient times.  The final idea of conclusion deals with Paul's emphasis on the problem within the Corinthian Church.  Due to Paul's emphasis on this, one can tell this is problem with the Christians in Corinth.  Paul brings forth some very strong words and these Christians to flee from this type of sin!

http://www.passionvillage.com/articles/quickies/2000-4-28_fornication-romanstyle.php3

Fornication - Roman Style

The world fornication derives from the Latin word fornix, meaning arch. Roman street prostitutes found brisk trade underneath the arches of the Colosseum, servicing male patrons whose passions were aroused by an erotically stimulating play or by the blood and violence of the games.

http://www.answers.org/archive/messages/287.html

Posted by danny on April 03, 2001 at 02:00:12:

In Reply to: Re: Premarital sex posted by Chris on April 02, 2001 at 14:26:16:

Chris,

Fornication, as a word was not used until the 12th or thirteenth century. One can conclude from the roots of the word that it means "womanize", as related to modern man's way of thinking. Much as marriage is now a contract between two people in a ritual performed by people and has also left it's meaning as a commitment to God.

References:Word History: The word fornication had a lowly beginning suitable to what has long been the low moral status of the word. The Latin word fornix, from which fornicātio, the ancestor of fornication, is derived, meant "a vault, an arch." The term also referred to a vaulted cellar or similar place where prostitutes plied their trade. This sense of fornix in Late Latin yielded the verb fornicārģ, "to commit fornication," from which is derived fornicātio, "whoredom, fornication." Our word is first recorded in Middle English about 1303.

Excerpted from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language.

Why didn't the bible just say, You shall not have sex before you are married? BECAUSE MARRIAGE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH SEX. sex has to do with sex. Marriage is about GOD.

True the Essenes were well known for there celibacy, but that had, again to do with commitment to God and abstainence from many things that would detract from that devotion.

Womanizing is a completely different act than sex between two souls of the opposite sex. And what of the many men that continue to womanize there wives? Do they get off scott free? Hardly. Ive never personally met such a man that seemed free.

When abandoning the self to God (and now to another)seems more the message.

A fornicator is not true to himself. He's true to the methods of control, and who he needs to portray to gain it. Marriage is about loss of control. Then one becomes the lie. The lesson seems obvious.

But hey, maybe it's complicated. danny

This page was last updated on: October 4, 2002