My Body is a Temple

This is homework given from a ministry I am a part of, as of Tuesday. I am going to do my best as to get a thorough exegesis of the correlation between a human body and the temple of God.

(Daily Scriptures from the past several days):

Matthew 11:28-30 (New Living Translation)

Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light."

Proverbs 20:27 (The Message)
God is in charge of human life, watching and examining us inside and out.

Revelation 15:3 (New Living Translation)
Great and marvelous are your works, O Lord God, the Almighty. Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations.

Man, that cat is so insensitive. I think the study logo is very cool. Anyway, let's look at four scriptures.

Exodus 22:25-27
"If you lend money to one of my people among you who is needy, do not be like a moneylender; charge him no interest. If you take your neighbor's cloak as a pledge, return it to him by sunset, because his cloak is the only covering he has for his body. What else will he sleep in? When he cries out to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate."

Body: ‛ôr (pronounced: ore):

• Skin (as naked); by implication hide, leather: - hide, leather, skin.
• Skin (of men), hide (of animals).

God is concerned about the well being of his people. He wants his people to have compassion on others. The body is important to God.

(Gill Commentary) ...which is next to his skin, and covers his naked body, as it is when he lies down to sleep; and therefore if not returned, he must lie naked without any covering, which to deprive him of would be cruel: Jarchi interprets this covering of his shirt, but it rather means his bed clothes: the Septuagint version calls it the clothes of his shame, what cover and hide the shame of nakedness.

Exodus 28:39-43

"Weave the tunic of fine linen and make the turban of fine linen. The sash is to be the work of an embroiderer. Make tunics, sashes and headbands for Aaron's sons, to give them dignity and honor. After you put these clothes on your brother Aaron and his sons, anoint and ordain them. Consecrate them so they may serve me as priests.

"Make linen undergarments as a covering for the body, reaching from the waist to the thigh. Aaron and his sons must wear them whenever they enter the Tent of Meeting or approach the altar to minister in the Holy Place, so that they will not incur guilt and die. This is to be a lasting ordinance for Aaron and his descendants."

This "body" is a bit different from the Exodus 22 version.

Body: bâśâr (pronounced: baw-sawr'):

• Flesh (from its freshness); by extension body, person; also (by euphemism) the pudenda of a man: body, [fat, lean] flesh [fleshed], kin, [mankind] kind, nakedness, self, skin.
• Flesh, of the body, of humans, of animals, the body itself, male organ of generation (euphemism), kindred, blood-relations, flesh as frail or erring (man against God), all living things, animals, mankind.

Body: ‛ervâh (pronounced: er-vaw'):

• Nudity, literally (especially the pudenda) or figuratively (disgrace, blemish): nakedness, shame, unclean (uncleanness).
• Nakedness, nudity, shame, pudenda; pudenda (implying shameful exposure); nakedness of a thing, indecency, improper behaviour; exposed, undefended (figuratively).

(Gill Commentary) "the flesh of nakedness", that part of the body which ought not to be naked and exposed to view, and which, when it is, causes shame and ridicule; what part is designed is easily gathered from the next clause; great care was taken, in the service of God's house, to preserve decency, prevent immodesty, and to guard against laughter and levity, and the like care should be always taken.

For the priests in the OT, they had to have coverings to cover themselves, so that they could be modest, decent, and most of all, not to cause shame on themselves and who they represent, God. As for my body, God wants the same for me. He wants for me to wear underwear. And I must say, I am happy to oblige him.

Matthew 5:27-30
"You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.

This scripture is always convicting to read... on so many different levels. Let's look at ye ol' Greek...

Body: melos (pronounced: mel'-os):

• A limb or part of the body: member.
• A member, limb: a member of the human body; of bodies given up to criminal intercourse, because they are as it were members belonging to the harlot’s body.

Body: sōma (so'-mah):

• The body (as a sound whole), used in a very wide application, literally or figuratively: bodily, body, slave.
• The body both of men or animals; a dead body or corpse; the living body; of animals.
• The bodies of planets and of stars (heavenly bodies).
• Is used of a (large or small) number of men closely united into one society, or family as it were; a social, ethical, mystical body; so in the NT of the church.
• That which casts a shadow as distinguished from the shadow itself.

Now the first and third body (usage in scripture above) are the melos body, while the second and fourth are the sōma body. It is better to loose a limb then to loose the whole thing. That is the obvious message. I can also think of the scripture that the body of the church are the members of the church. It may hurt to loose a limb, but the body still lives on. It's like, the bad limb can bring down the entire body, if the body is not careful. Just a thought...

Matthew 6:19-34
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

"The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!"

"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money."

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?"

"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

This is probably my most favorite passage in the entire Bible. I can't think of my least favorite... probably somewhere in Leviticus or something... that book has a reputation for being a really snoozer, but I have found Leviticus to be interesting at times.

All the "bodies" in the passage above are all "sōma" Bodies. There is also a painkiller called Soma... but that has nothing to do with the Bible, I suppose, although it is highly addictive. Be careful if you ever get put on Soma, because you could be on it for a while.

Since you cannot serve both God and money, obey one, and neglect the other. That's what will happen anyway. Christ does not forbid labor to maintain, support, and preserve, your life; nor does he forbid all thought and care about it, but all anxiety, immoderate, perplexing, and distressing thoughts and cares; such as those that arise from diffidence, unbelief, and despair; are dishonourable to God. The things which are necessary for the support and comfort of human life are mentioned: food, drink, and clothing; Eating and drinking are necessary to preserve life; and clothes are to cover and defend the body. Having these, men have everything necessary, and should be content. They should not be anxious when thinking about these things. Still, God has given these without man's thought. And since men are much better and more excellent than food and clothing, God has given greater gifts. (This paragraph was from the Gill Commentary, edited by Johnny).

Now, my goal this year is to finish with 90% or higher on the year. Now, if I hit everyday for the rest of the year, then I will finish with 91%, so it is still within grasp. To me, that is important. If my goal is within grasp, then that is all I need to have for motivation. Johnny Out.

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