Because this is a lengthy passage, we will deal with it in two parts.
Now, concerning the things of which you wrote to me
This verse serves as a poignant reminder that while our scriptures draw inspiration from the divine, they weren't simply bestowed upon us as heavenly pronouncements. Within this passage, we're prompted to recognize that the words we're engaging with constitute a letter penned by a spiritual father to his cherished spiritual progeny. Paul's discourse wasn't solely a discourse of lofty theological abstractions; it also encompassed his responses to their inquiries about the tangible implementation of their recently embraced faith.
It is good for a man not to touch a woman.
It might sound odd initially, but it starts making sense when we think about the situation going on at Corinth. Remember, Paul is talking about staying pure and not getting involved in the wrong ways of behaving.
During Paul’s time, the city of Corinth was known for being a hyper-sexual city where the people of the city focused on casual sexual relationships. There were a lot of reasons for this, like where the city was located, the different kinds of people there, and a special temple called Aphrodite's temple, to name a few.
From what we could conclude, Corinth was strategically situated on the narrow strip of land called the Isthmus of Corinth, which connected the Peloponnese Peninsula to mainland Greece. This location made it a bustling commercial center and a major crossroads for trade and travel. Think of an ancient Toronto, Los Angeles, or New York. For the day, they were huge cities. With sailors, merchants, and travelers passing through, the city gained a reputation for cosmopolitanism and a transient population, often leading to a more permissive social atmosphere. They probably had a saying in Paul's day that went along the lines of “Hey, what happens in Corinth stays in Corinth!”
Another factor was that Corinth was home to the Temple of Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty. The temple employed many priestesses, known as "hierodules" or sacred prostitutes, who engaged in sexual acts as part of their religious duties. This sacred prostitution was considered a form of worship and was intertwined with the city's cultural fabric.
Remember, some of the Corinthian women in the church may very well have been these types of women before coming to faith in Christ. We might want to consider that this passage may not have been directed to men in the church at all. Paul very well could have been instructing the women of the Church about what is proper Christian protocol. It is quite possible that Paul was saying to the women, “That is it good for a man not to touch you, regardless of your past experience or the cultural norms! For all we know, some former hierodules may have been trying to “Christianize” their trade.
Regardless of the specific situation in Corinth, we can see throughout the text that Paul is restoring the sanctity of marriage and the marriage bed experience, lifting sex up out of the trivial mud that the pagan religion dragged it through.
The pagan use of sex did not lift it up; it made it cheap and common, like lighting a candle in a religious building. Sure, it may be meaningful at the time, but it has no lasting value. From a biblical view, sex was never meant to be an act of worship in how it was promoted within pagan religions.
There has been a line of thinking among some Christians that the only purpose for sex is procreation. However, we do not believe this is what the bible teaches at all. Sex is a gift from God, it is meant to be pleasurable. Its purpose is to solidify the spiritual, emotional, social, and physical bond between a man and a woman while also being used as a tool for procreation. From the beginning, the intention was that the two would become one flesh but that they would also procreate.
New Testament scholar William Barclay says of this passage:
Application
Once again, Paul's counsel to the Corinthians transcends the boundaries of time and culture. In a world where sexual norms and pressures continue to evolve, his words echo a universal truth: love, marriage, and sexuality are meant to be guided by a deeper spiritual understanding beyond societal whims. The context of Corinth is a powerful reminder that spiritual principles are a steadfast compass in navigating the intricate landscapes of human relationships.
Acts 17:11
Become a Berean
“They received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day.”
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