WOMAN, MARRIED WOMAN OR WIFE?

"BUT I SAY TO YOU THAT EVERYONE WHO LOOKS AT A WOMAN LUSTFULLY HAS ALREADY COMMITTED ADULTERY WITH HER IN HIS HEART" (MATTHEW 5:28).

In response to my post of three days ago, Anonymous questioned my use of "married woman" in place of "woman" in Matt. 5:28, when the translators have almost universally said "woman." Anon thought I was adding to the Scripture. Why did I do what I did?

A little time spent with an analytical concordance reveals that the Greek term "gune" is translated in the King James Version as "wife" 92 times; as "married woman" only once; and as "woman" 129 times. How "gune" is translated depends on the context, but it seems to me that in many cases "woman" is an arbitrary translation rather than a contextual one.

Jesus spoke these words to those with an Old Testament understanding, not a New Testament one. For any man to desire a woman was not sinful. It only became sinful when a woman was married and the marriage covenant was disregarded. Physical attraction is not a bad thing. It is one of the factors that motivates guys to check out gals. That is how God created us. What is bad is if physical attraction is the only thing! I do not believe Jesus was out to make an adulterer out of every young man. They become adulterous by continuing to desire a woman regardless of her marital status. Desire becomes sinful when it is out of bounds and out of control. Thus, in my view, "gune" should be translated, "wife" or "married woman" in Matthew 5:28.

The Greek term "thelus" is translated "female"twice and "woman" three times in the KJV New Testament. Jesus could have used that term if it could have been just any woman.

Grace&Peace;
Tom