19 responses

  1. Chris van Wyk
    2015/09/24

    As you rightly point out, the meaning of arsenokoites in Timothy and Corinthians have to do with the background that Leviticus gives, but in the context of Leviticus it isn’t just about temple prostitution (Lev. 18), but also about normal family and community sexual relations (Lev. 20). That exegetical background has to be dealt with as well in the discussion of the meaning of arsenokoites. What we do with that meaning hermeneutically is still a whole separate issue.

    Reply

  2. Graeme
    2015/09/24

    Leviticus 20 is not merely about family sexual practices, Chris. Read Leviticus 20:1-6 and it will be pretty clear the context has to do with temple worship, Molek and cultic practices.

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  3. Chris van Wyk
    2015/09/29

    You are not fair in your portrayal of what I said. I did not say “merely” but “also” in reflecting on this verse that says something about same-sex relations in a family and community context. I accept the temple worship context in Lev. 18, but not in Lev. 20. That influences the interpretation of arsenokoitai in the NT.

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  4. stephen mihailides
    2017/12/03

    arsenokoitai is the most abused word in misapplication.

    1. It’s appearance is in the Dative grammitcal case, and plural declension. The Epistle by Paul in Corinthians was to a cohort of men and women.
    2. It was translated relatively accurately in the Latin Vulgate about 450ad, and the King James 1611 version relatively preserved as ‘abusers of themselves with Mankind’.
    3. Arseno- means man. Koitai is slang. It probably refers to a female, like a prostitute. The gender was probably meant to refer to both men and women “arseno” and “Koitai” (a Bedder (Koitai) of MALES).

    It was meant to warn that one man had sex with a woman and then next man who had sex with the same woman (or man) had some affliction ‘transmitted’ (abusers of themselves with Mankind).

    In any case, it is INCORRECT to render the singular as O Arsenokoitis (O, meaning ‘male’ and ‘-is’ as Ita sigma in singular. We cannot infer that, as Paul said it in the DATIVE grammatical case, and PLURAL declension. It’s about humanity, men and women and about improper sexual practices in the marital bed.

    Koitai to be about abusing the marital bed, and Paul was talking to the congregation where sexploits at home in the marital bed were by the woman OR the man, and by rendering Arseno he meant ‘men abusing themselves with Mankind. Again, koitai is a feminine term and colloquial about female prostitute. It is extending the problem to bisexuality to even include direct same sex contact.

    Paul pointed out that the woman having sex with two men transmitted abuse in the exchange by the male complicit. He placed a male agency on that emphasis.

    I have never seen such disregard for simple grammar. Had a Grade 6 grammar teacher, or Year 7 German teacher had a look at it, the implications of Dative grammar would be obvious. The liberty taken to make the term masculine and singular is the single biggest abuse perpetrated upon modern Man by the implication that it’s somehow about homosexuality at all.

    It’s not. It’s about Vanity of Affliction of sexual exchange, and the abuse of sexual greeds to deceive and to use a marital bed for that sexual greed of engorgement to enhance sexuality by vanity and conceit.

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    • Graeme
      2017/12/03

      Thanks for this information, Stephen. I will definitely look into this.

      Reply

    • Russell
      2019/06/15

      Talk about a reach. It’s simple. ‘It clearly echoes the Greek of Lev 18:22 and 20:13 in the LXX (arsen = “male,” and koite = “bed”), so that arsenokoites literally means “one who goes to bed with a male” (cf. Malick 1993b: 482-87).’, Scobie, ‘The Ways of Our God: An approach to biblical theology’, p. 838 (2003).

      [21] ‘It is significant that of all the terms available in the Greek language, Paul chose a compound from the Septuagint that in the broadest sense described men lying with men as they would lie with women.’, Malick, ‘The Condemnation of Homosexuality in 1 Corinthians 6:9’, Bibliotheca Sacra (150.600.484), 1996.

      [22] ‘He points out that in all other similar compounds ending in -koites the first half specifies the object of the sleeping, or its scene or sphere. That is, the first part always functions in an adverbial sense.21 This is because koites has a verbal force, in most not all instances, arseno denotes the object.22 Hence, the compound word refers to those who sleep with males, and denotes “‘male homosexual activity’ without qualification.”

      Reply

      • Graeme
        2019/06/17

        Russell, you seem to have missed the point. Paul is definitely talking about homosexuals. The question is: in what context? It most definitely is not in the context of a loving, committed, monogamous relationship. He has in mind homosexuality as related to temple cults and worship rituals. This is what Paul is against.

        What you’re suggesting is that if the Bible says “Do not rape” it must also mean that a husband and wife can’t have sex. That’s nonsense, of course, because sex in the context of a loving relationship is very different from sexual abuse. Paul is talking about sexual abuses and excesses.

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  5. Tom
    2019/11/01

    Graeme, how do we know that “It most definitely is not in the context of a loving, committed, monogamous relationship”? Thanks don’t see a strong foundation for that claim?

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  6. James
    2020/07/16

    I think it’s absurd to say that arsenokoites refers to homosexual sex.

    If arsenokoites literally means “male bedders” (i.e. “one who takes males to bed”) then it could be referring to women for all the hell we know!

    Obviously we know that heterosexuality isn’t wrong, but that doesn’t mean it couldn’t mean a woman who pays a man to have sex with her (i.e. prostitution where the client is female and the prostitute is male).

    What’s even more confusing is John Chrysostom in 3rd century says something to the effect of, “Some men do arsenokoites with their wives.” (which could mean that women pay for sex with their husbands, not sure but you KNOW that it doesn’t mean homosexual here)

    John the Faster also uses the word. He says, “A priest must inquire about arsenokoites. Some people have it done to them, which is the lest serious, some do it to others, which is more serious, and some do it both, which is most serious.” Well obviously it doesn’t mean homosexual because we saw it used with a man and a woman before. Some say it could refer to anal sex, but then that wouldn’t make sense. Think about it. How does “male bedder” have to do with anal sex. Imagine a guy saying, “I did male bedder with my wife.”

    I think it most logically means prostitution. You could pay for (give money) prostitution, you could receive (receive money) prostitution, or you can do both (be the client AND the prostitute other times). It’s the only thing that fits.

    I think if you honestly think it has to do with homosexuality, you’re on crack. No need to be ignorant. Follow the clues.

    Reply

    • Graeme
      2020/07/16

      James, why do you think Paul made up the word? What do you think of the idea that he was deliberately linked back to Leviticus?

      Either way, I agree with you that this is not meant to be about homosexuality, and especially not about loving, consensual gay marriage.

      Reply

  7. carolus
    2022/01/19

    arsenokoit?s and scholars agree that Paul actually made this word up.
    arse
    no
    coitus
    is it the belief that, that which they consider to be only desirable, coitus from penetration versus the undesirable coitus or unachievable or undeserved maybe business like just for procreation. it is fascinating to see that the real problem is segregating the zealotry into definable camps for the sake of what we have now. we really need to see what different groups garden, nit-pick and cherry pick as a zealot zealous group. the individual scantily reveals but seldomly reigns in when in “good company”. this says all about us all. I am no different but what I share freely as in this post says what i don’t share freely in confort I have secret lusts as well.

    Reply

    • Graeme
      2022/01/19

      Carolus, do you really think this is how words work? Do you understand etymology at all?

      If so, I’d love to see your drawing of a butter-fly. And I wonder what you think an ass-ass-in does for a living?

      Reply

  8. Grant
    2022/06/23

    A question please Graeme: you only put forward English examples like “butterfly” and “firearm” to substantiate the point that the meaning of a compound word is not necessarily the sum of its parts – is this also true in the Greek language? And if so, can you provide examples sufficient (not one or two isolated ones) to support the conclusion? If you can this would help you argument. If you cannot, then it would (imo) significantly weaken your conclusion.

    Reply

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