Paul and Ancient Views of Sexual Desire: Paul's Sexual Ethics in 1 Thessalonians 4, 1 Corinthians 7 and Romans 1

209 Pages·2007·12.055 MB·English

by  J. Edward Ellis

LIBRARY OF NEW TESTAMENT STUDIES
354
Formerly the Journal for the Study of the New Testament Supplement set
Editor
Mark Goodacre
Editorial Board
John M. G. Barclay, Craig Blomberg, Kathleen E. Corley,
R. Alan Culpepper, James D. G. Dunn, Craig A. Evans, Stephen Fowl,
Robert Fowler, Simon J. Gathercole, John S. Kloppenborg, Michael Labahn,
Robert Wall, Steve Walton, Robert L. Webb, Catrin H. Williams

PAUL AND ANCIENT VIEWS
OF SEXUAL DESIRE
Paul's Sexual Ethics in 1 Thessalonians 4,
1 Corinthians 7 and Romans 1
J. EDWARD ELLIS
t&tciark
Published by T&T Clark International
,4 Continuum imprint
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All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any
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information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.
J. Edward Ellis has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to
be identified as the Author of this work.
Copyright © J. Edward Ellis, 2007
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
EISBN 9780567045386
Typeset by Free Range Book Design & Production Ltd
CONTENTS
Acknowledgments ix
Abbreviations xi
Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION 1
Statement of the Problem 1
History of Research 5
Methodology 14
A Note on Choice of Texts 17
Chapter 2
VIEWS OF SEXUAL DESIRE IN JEWISH LITERATURE
FROM 200 B.C.E. TO 200 C.E 18
Introduction 18
Texts That Contain Clear or Possible
Condemnations of Sexual Desire Per Se 18
Summary of Findings Regarding Texts that
Contain Clear or Possible Condemnations 40
of Sexual Desire Per Se
Texts That Condemn Misdirected or
Overpowering Sexual Desire 40
Procreationism in Jewish Literature 91
Conclusion 95
Chapter 3
VIEWS OF SEXUAL DESIRE AMONG GREEK AND ROMAN
MORALISTS AND PHILOSOPHERS 96
Introduction 96
Greco-Roman Moral and Philosophical Thought 97
Conclusion 146
Chapter 4
1 CORINTHIANS 7 IN LIGHT OF THE GREEK
ROMANTIC NOVELS 147
Introduction 147
Exegetical Choices 148
Key Components of Paul's View 152
vi Paul and Ancient Views of Sexual Desire
Paul and the Romantics 153
Conclusion 159
Chapter 5
SUMMARY, IMPLICATIONS, AND AVENUES FOR
FURTHER RESEARCH 160
Summary 160
Implications of This Study 169
Avenues for Further Research 170
Conclusion
Bibliography 171
Index of Ancient Authors and Works 187
Index of Modern Authors 189
For my wife, Terri

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I am sincerely grateful to the many people who have helped me to bring this
project to its completion. As my adviser, Dn Sharyn Dowd showed confidence
in me by granting me the 'space' to work on my own, offered valuable
scholarly advice when I needed it, and, from time to time, took on the role
of paston Her friendliness and humanity helped to make this process not only
bearable but enjoyable. Dr. Charles Talbert, to whom I owe special thanks
for suggesting the topic, pointed me toward valuable sources and offered
helpful comments during the writing process. Both of these professors have
taught me a great deal, by word and by example, about the meaning of the
word 'scholan' In the early stages of this project, when my thoughts were just
beginning to take shape and I was not entirely sure that I had an argument,
Dr. Anne-Marie Bowery's encouragement helped me to press forward. I
thank Dr. Bob Patterson and Dr. James Kennedy for agreeing to participate
in my oral examination. Dr. William Brackney's guidance and friendship
made my experience at Baylor far more pleasant than it would have been
without him. Clova Gibson, with her friendly smile and expert advice, held
me accountable, kept me on track, and helped me to navigate the procedural
labyrinth far more easily than I expected. I thank the people of Baylor's
Interlibrary Loan Department, who quickly and cheerfully acquired many
vital sources for me. I thank my first Greek teacher and track coach, Mr: Mike
Musick, who taught me to love the Greek language and to run with patience.
I thank my first writing teacher, Mrs. Judith Niven, who cultivated my love
for writing, a love that has served me well. I am grateful to the late Bob Lyon,
who refused to be called 'Doctor,' for teaching me that 'context is everything."
I thank Timothy Sherman, Kenneth Sherman, Kristen Sherman, Kate Burns,
Katie Burnett, and Melanie King, who, as my students at Mclntosh United
Methodist Church, helped me to discover my love for teaching. I am deeply
indebted to my parents, Calvin and Sarah Ellis; my sister, Susan Ellis; my
parents-in-law, Buddy and Betty Jones; my sister-in-law, Kelli Oder; and her
husband, Ben Oder (my 'brother-in-law-in-law'). Their support, encour-
agement, and prayers helped me to believe in myself and to persevere. More
than any of these, I thank the world's greatest reference librarian, my wife,
Terri. Her willingness to travel half way across the country and spend six
years supporting my pursuit of a dream both humbled me and gave me a
sense of obligation that motivated me to see my studies through to
completion. Her love and tenderness constantly reminded me that the world
was bigger than Baylor University's library and that my life consisted of more