Sexual Purity: A Call to Holiness
Micah Garman - CPO# 248
Dr. Burke - Greek Exegesis II
Exegetical Paper
Sexual Purity: A Call to Holiness
INTRODUCTION
The world in which Christians live today is very similar to the world that Paul taught, lived, and traveled in. Christians are surrounded by and struggle with the issue of sexual purity that believers struggled with in Paul’s day. Sexual immorality is a result of a much larger problem: the refusal of God’s call to be holy. The pagan Gentiles during the New Testament had a skewed picture of moral issues, including sexuality. F. F. Bruce provides a unique look into
Greek culture and morality when he quotes Demosthenes who lived during this time period: “We keep mistresses for pleasure, concubines for our day-today bodily needs, but we have wives to produce legitimate children and serve as guardians of our homes.”1 Paul concentrates on these issues in regards to holiness in his first letter to the Thessalonians because believers needed to know how to instruct converts from paganism. The purpose of this paper is to cover these issues of sexual purity and holiness brought up by Paul in 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8. Also, this paper will cover the significant grammatical, syntactical and theological aspects within 1 Thess 4:3-8.
Finally, this paper will conclude with a modern day application of these verses written by Paul to the church in Thessalonica.
1
F. F. Bruce, 1 & 2 Thessalonians,ed. David A. Hubbard, et. al., (WBC 45; Waco: Word Books, 1982), 87.
1
BACKGROUND AND HISTORICAL INFORMATION
Thessalonica was located in a strategic location at “the northernmost point of the
Thermaic Gulf, while sitting astraddle the Egnatian Way.”2 According to Luke in Acts 17:6, the government at Thessalonica was run by “politarchs” at the time of Paul. Thessalonica was also very cosmopolitan, like Corinth, and contained many different religions and immigrants; including Jews. The founding of the church in Thessalonica is mentioned in Acts
Dr. Burke - Greek Exegesis II
Exegetical Paper
Sexual Purity: A Call to Holiness
INTRODUCTION
The world in which Christians live today is very similar to the world that Paul taught, lived, and traveled in. Christians are surrounded by and struggle with the issue of sexual purity that believers struggled with in Paul’s day. Sexual immorality is a result of a much larger problem: the refusal of God’s call to be holy. The pagan Gentiles during the New Testament had a skewed picture of moral issues, including sexuality. F. F. Bruce provides a unique look into
Greek culture and morality when he quotes Demosthenes who lived during this time period: “We keep mistresses for pleasure, concubines for our day-today bodily needs, but we have wives to produce legitimate children and serve as guardians of our homes.”1 Paul concentrates on these issues in regards to holiness in his first letter to the Thessalonians because believers needed to know how to instruct converts from paganism. The purpose of this paper is to cover these issues of sexual purity and holiness brought up by Paul in 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8. Also, this paper will cover the significant grammatical, syntactical and theological aspects within 1 Thess 4:3-8.
Finally, this paper will conclude with a modern day application of these verses written by Paul to the church in Thessalonica.
1
F. F. Bruce, 1 & 2 Thessalonians,ed. David A. Hubbard, et. al., (WBC 45; Waco: Word Books, 1982), 87.
1
BACKGROUND AND HISTORICAL INFORMATION
Thessalonica was located in a strategic location at “the northernmost point of the
Thermaic Gulf, while sitting astraddle the Egnatian Way.”2 According to Luke in Acts 17:6, the government at Thessalonica was run by “politarchs” at the time of Paul. Thessalonica was also very cosmopolitan, like Corinth, and contained many different religions and immigrants; including Jews. The founding of the church in Thessalonica is mentioned in Acts
Bibliography: Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellshaft, 2008. Beale, G. K. 1-2 Thessalonians. IVPNTC. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2003. Fee, Gordon. The First and Second Letters to the Thessalonians. NICNT. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2009. Fredrickson, David. “Passionless Sex in 1 Thessalonians 4:4-5.” Word & World 23. 2003. Furnish, Victor Paul. 1 & 2 Thessalonians. ANTC. Nashville: Abingdon, 2007. Kubo, Sakae. “1 Thessalonians 4:3-8.” Reader’s Greek-English Lexicon. Grand Rapids: Regency, 1975. Malherbe, Abraham J. The Letter to the Thessalonians. ABC. New York: Doubleday, 2000. TNTC. Leicester: InterVarsity Press, 1984. NIGNC. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1990.