At 07:11 PM 4/23/97 -0400, Mike MacKinnon wrote:
> [...]
> Currently I am wrestling with the proper interpretation of the word
> "arsenokoitai" in this verse. Etymologically, the word seems to be
> compound in nature, containing both "arsenos"=man/male, and
> "koitai"=beds/marital relationships. The question is, is it fair to
> translate this as "male marital relationships" as in homosexual marital
> relationships.
> [...]
Beware of the "etymological fallacy"! The meaning of a word is not
determined by its derivation, but rather by its usage. The meaning of a word
sometimes takes strange turns as it develops over time.
Research in the usage of ARSENOKOITHS suggests that it generally referred to
the practice of sexual relations with male children that occurred in some
circles, hence the oft-heard suggestions that this term should be translated
"pederast" today. See the excellent material recommended by Mark Goodacre,
or the little volume on _Homosexuality in the Bible_ by Robin Scroggs.
------
Paul J. Bodin <pjbodin@sirius.com> http://www.sirius.com/~pjbodin
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