The City Where Kissing Has to Stop

[rtwo]

Hey, wait a minute! It doesn't say anything about any of the couples, if they are married or not. I personally appreciate PDAs, how else will my daughter learn the signs of a healthy marriage? Married people hugging and holding hands is a beautiful, God-given gift, along with the rest (although the rest does not belong in public!)

For the record, I never once tried to inhale Mike's face. Thanks so much for that lovely visual.

Oh, but you must try it. Face-inhaling is sublime!

I can understand parents wanting their kids to wait on any sort of physical contact. It's so easy for kids (and, sadly, many adults) to strip the meaning away from these things until handholding, and even french-kissing, become simple acts of play, rather than acts of deep affection. As a teenager, I dated a girl with these rules imposed... we never so much as hugged until over a year into our relationship. Though we ultimately went our separate ways (we -were- teenagers, after all), I've always appreciated the specialness imbued in those acts because of our restrictions.

I've never considered hand holding a deep act of affection.

Perhaps not a 'deep' act of affection, but it is affection, nonetheless. Still, I concede I misspoke on that particular point, and had considered editing it, but chose not to. Regardless, the point is that kids today treat physical contact with far less seriousness than they should -- a fact that is proven in the rising number of pregnant teenagers.

[Marnie]

Hey, wait a minute! It doesn't say anything about any of the couples, if they are married or not. I personally appreciate PDAs, how else will my daughter learn the signs of a healthy marriage? Married people hugging and holding hands is a beautiful, God-given gift, along with the rest (although the rest does not belong in public!)

For the record, I never once tried to inhale Mike's face. Thanks so much for that lovely visual.

Oh, but you must try it. Face-inhaling is sublime!

I can understand parents wanting their kids to wait on any sort of physical contact. It's so easy for kids (and, sadly, many adults) to strip the meaning away from these things until handholding, and even french-kissing, become simple acts of play, rather than acts of deep affection. As a teenager, I dated a girl with these rules imposed... we never so much as hugged until over a year into our relationship. Though we ultimately went our separate ways (we -were- teenagers, after all), I've always appreciated the specialness imbued in those acts because of our restrictions.

I've never considered hand holding a deep act of affection.

Perhaps not a 'deep' act of affection, but it is affection, nonetheless. Still, I concede I misspoke on that particular point, and had considered editing it, but chose not to. Regardless, the point is that kids today treat physical contact with far less seriousness than they should -- a fact that is proven in the rising number of pregnant teenagers.

I agree on that point. I think there is a difference between a married couple demonstrating an appropriate PDA at an appropriate moment and a teen aged couple groping each other at the Wal-Mart. Now that can be disgusting spectacle to observe.

[TheoMike]

Since I actually teach NT Greek, I can tell you both that you are both correct. As is the case with much "translation" of NT Greek, one must consider the context in which a word is being used. Greek is a language of many layers and very pictorial in nature. Many times translators don't actually translate a word so much as interpret it for the reader. The NIV, at least, footnotes this often.

I think both of you are trying to put up a tent in wind storm.

[apothanein kerdos]

Since I actually teach NT Greek, I can tell you both that you are both correct. As is the case with much "translation" of NT Greek, one must consider the context in which a word is being used. Greek is a language of many layers and very pictorial in nature. Many times translators don't actually translate a word so much as interpret it for the reader. The NIV, at least, footnotes this often.

I think both of you are trying to put up a tent in wind storm.

You teach it?

Then I'd trust your interpretation over mine on the Greek. I've only had a few years of learning.....never teaching or anything at the masters or doctorate level.

[TheoMike]

Since I actually teach NT Greek, I can tell you both that you are both correct. As is the case with much "translation" of NT Greek, one must consider the context in which a word is being used. Greek is a language of many layers and very pictorial in nature. Many times translators don't actually translate a word so much as interpret it for the reader. The NIV, at least, footnotes this often.

I think both of you are trying to put up a tent in wind storm.

You teach it?

Then I'd trust your interpretation over mine on the Greek. I've only had a few years of learning.....never teaching or anything at the masters or doctorate level.

Brother, take my word on it, you NEVER stop learning NT Greek. I guess I have been studying it for over a 15 years and I've been teaching it on and off for half a dozen maybe. It is a fascinating language and I highly recommend every believer have a basic understanding of it; your New Testament will just come alive. Of course, I know most people struggle with languages, but having a good study Bible and commentary that delineates key Greek words is a big help.

[apothanein kerdos]

Since I actually teach NT Greek, I can tell you both that you are both correct. As is the case with much "translation" of NT Greek, one must consider the context in which a word is being used. Greek is a language of many layers and very pictorial in nature. Many times translators don't actually translate a word so much as interpret it for the reader. The NIV, at least, footnotes this often.

I think both of you are trying to put up a tent in wind storm.

You teach it?

Then I'd trust your interpretation over mine on the Greek. I've only had a few years of learning.....never teaching or anything at the masters or doctorate level.

Brother, take my word on it, you NEVER stop learning NT Greek. I guess I have been studying it for over a 15 years and I've been teaching it on and off for half a dozen maybe. It is a fascinating language and I highly recommend every believer have a basic understanding of it; your New Testament will just come alive. Of course, I know most people struggle with languages, but having a good study Bible and commentary that delineates key Greek words is a big help.

True. I doubt I'll ever be an expert in it (not my calling), though I do look forward to graduate studies in it.

Where did you get your degrees from?

[TheoMike]

Since I actually teach NT Greek, I can tell you both that you are both correct. As is the case with much "translation" of NT Greek, one must consider the context in which a word is being used. Greek is a language of many layers and very pictorial in nature. Many times translators don't actually translate a word so much as interpret it for the reader. The NIV, at least, footnotes this often.

I think both of you are trying to put up a tent in wind storm.

You teach it?

Then I'd trust your interpretation over mine on the Greek. I've only had a few years of learning.....never teaching or anything at the masters or doctorate level.

Brother, take my word on it, you NEVER stop learning NT Greek. I guess I have been studying it for over a 15 years and I've been teaching it on and off for half a dozen maybe. It is a fascinating language and I highly recommend every believer have a basic understanding of it; your New Testament will just come alive. Of course, I know most people struggle with languages, but having a good study Bible and commentary that delineates key Greek words is a big help.

True. I doubt I'll ever be an expert in it (not my calling), though I do look forward to graduate studies in it.

Where did you get your degrees from?

I did my doctoral (in Divinity) studies at Trinity College, Cambridge, back in the late 80's and early 90's. I was fortunate enough to have sat under men like John Stott and the late F.F. Bruce. I currently am candidate for a Ph.D in Biblical Studies, also from Trinity. This will be my last fling at "formal" education; my wife keeps telling me I am too old for "continuing education." She might be right! It may be time to start sailing....

[EricH]

I removed some posts were folks got "overzealous". Could we try and minimize our attempts to show who is most credentialed? Degrees are nice, but God is more concerned with how we treat one another. Jesus did not say, "Get ye degrees, because by this all men will know you are my disciples -- if you have degrees". Jesus said the identifying mark of disciples would be the love we demonstrate toward each other (John 13:34-35)

[WayneB]

This will be my last fling at "formal" education; my wife keeps telling me I am too old for "continuing education." She might be right! It may be time to start sailing....

My wife just tells me I'm too old...

Me? I started playing golf.

Brother, do you pastor a church or teach full time?

[Eliyahuw]

Way to take that verse out of context.

1) Paul says that this portion is his opinion, not a command from the Lord The bible is the Word of God, given through man. Therefore, we can assume that Pauls opinion is included herein because it also represents the very words the God himself would have for us.

Sorry no you can't assume that. Paul put lots of his personal opinion into his letters. That doesn't mean that it came from God himself! Sorry but Epistles are letters, not Gospels.

Yes, I wonder if Solomon kissed ALL of his 1000+ women before marriage. There is ZERO biblical evidence that pre-marital contact is acceptable.

There is Zero biblical evidence that it is forbidden too!

However, we are told to not participate in any activity that could lead us to sin either physically or mentally.

And who determines what is or isn't an activity!?? You, The pope, president Bush, former president Clinton? This is one of those "man made Doctrinal"issues that someone plucked out of the bible like the long hair issue.