A.T. Robertson Commentary 1 Corinthians 6:19

A.T. Robertson Commentary

1 Corinthians 6:19

1863–1934
Southern Baptist
A.T. Robertson
A.T. Robertson

A.T. Robertson Commentary

1 Corinthians 6:19

1863–1934
Southern Baptist
SCRIPTURE

"Or know ye not that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which ye have from God? and ye are not your own;" — 1 Corinthians 6:19 (ASV)

Your body is a temple (το σωμα υμων ναος εστιν). A sanctuary as in 3:16 which see. Our spirits dwell in our bodies and the Holy Spirit dwells in our spirits. Some of the Gnostics split hairs between the sins of the body and fellowship with God in the spirit. Paul will have none of this subterfuge. One's body is the very shrine for the Holy Spirit. In Corinth was the temple to Aphrodite in which fornication was regarded as consecration instead of desecration. Prostitutes were there as priestesses of Aphrodite, to help men worship the goddess by fornication.

Ye are not your own (ουκ εστε εαυτων). Predicate genitive. Ye do not belong to yourselves, even if you could commit fornication without personal contamination or selfviolation. Christianity makes unchastity dishonour in both sexes. There is no double standard of morality. Paul's plea here is primarily to men to be clean as members of Christ's body.