Ciampa, Roy and Brian Rosner, The First Letter to the Corinthians. Eerdmans, 2010. III.

Flee Sexual Immorality and Glorify God With Your Bodies 4:18-7:40

Incest, lawsuits and prostitution are the key themes of this large section, along with sexual relations, divorce and marriage. All this makes it one of the more interesting, and controversial sections of the Epistle. Let me get right to the most interesting, and in terms of modern discussion, most relevant section of this passage: Pauls discussion of sexual impurity and homosexuality. C. and R. first note, rightly, that the Roman view of homosexual practice had to do with the exertion of power and the exploitation of the weak. In the Roman world, homosexual relations were invariably exploitative relations between men of quite contrasting social statures (p. 241). So, for the Romans To desire or willingly play a passive homosexual role was considered shameful, but it was expected that men of stature would penetrate people of lesser status (whether women or men) but not be penetrated themselves. But The Jewish and Christian perspective affirmed by Paul was quite different (p. 242). Paul knew about the distinctions between power and powerlessness, exploitation and demeaning. And those are insufficient reasons to oppose the practice of homosexuality. Paul opposes the behavior, according to our writers, on the basis of creation theology and because it is marked as a vice in the Torah and was stressed as a vice by Jews (p. 242). Let me put it a bit more directly: no exegete who actually exegetes Pauls letter to the Corinthians can claim that Paul supports homosexual behavior. He doesnt. Period. Any other claim is simply ideologically driven eisegesis. Nor is he a fan of temple prostitution as C. and R. make plain in their exposition of 6:12-17, which they call

 one of the most difficult passages in Pauls letters (p. 245). And yet to their credit, they manage to make it comprehensible. Indeed, thats exactly what they do in the rest of the section as well: they take difficult texts and texts difficult to apply and make them accessible and practical. So, should the unmarried remain unmarried because the time is short? Should people live in sexual impurity? Is homosexuality a legitimate Christian lifestyle? Should Christians sue each other? Should Christians visit temple prostitutes (or prostitutes of any kind)? Should evil-doers be removed from the Church? All of these questions and many, many more are addressed by Paul here in this letter and explained by Ciampa and Rosner is at times painfully meticulous detail. Next, 8:1-14:40, Flee Idolatry and Glorify God in your Worship which runs from page 367 to page 736.

Jim West Quartz Hill School of Theology