1 Corinthians 6:15

Members of Christ (melh Cristou). Old word for limbs, members. Even the Stoics held the body to be common with the animals (Epictetus, Diss. l. iii. 1) and only the reason like the gods. Without doubt some forms of modern evolution have contributed to the licentious views of animalistic sex indulgence, though the best teachers of biology show that in the higher animals monogamy is the rule. The body is not only adapted for Christ (verse Acts 13 ), but it is a part of Christ, in vital union with him. Paul will make much use of this figure further on ( Acts 12:12-31 ; Ephesians 4:11-16 ; Ephesians 5:30 ). Shall I then take away? (ara oun;). First aorist active participle of airw, old verb to snatch, carry off like Latin rapio (our rape). Make (poihsw). Can be either future active indicative or first aorist active subjunctive (deliberative). Either makes good sense. The horror of deliberately taking "members of Christ" and making them "members of a harlot" in an actual union staggers Paul and should stagger us. God forbid (mh genoito). Optative second aorist in a negative wish for the future. May it not happen! The word "God" is not here. The idiom is common in Epictetus though rare in the LXX. Paul has it thirteen times and Luke once ( Luke 20:16 ).