The Weekly Bulletin of the Livingston Church of Christ

Meeting at 639 2nd Street, Livingston, CA 95334

Office: (209) 394-3511 | Preacher: Jovan Payes
Subscribe & Email: info.livingstoncoc@gmail.com

Adultery and the Old Testament (1) | Jovan Payes January, 30 2011

Adultery. Not exactly the warmest of words. For some, it evokes the News and Notes
pain that can only be felt from experiencing a broken home. For others, it
is a reminder of what could have been if certain circumstances had A Note to Our Visitors:
presented themselves. There are some who think of this word as an Welcome! We want you to
obstacle that was overcome and they are survivors indeed. While yet still, know you are our honored
there are others who are ever vigilant of all the steps that lead to this guests. Let us know how we
dreaded sin. can serve you. We have free
And finally, there are some who stand humbled in the rubble around biblical literature and offer
them (a life destroyed), that was brought to fruition through that terrible free home bible studies.
act of adultery. They enjoyed their brief night in paradise, only to be
Questionnaire | Turn in
awakened by the torrents of pain in the morning.
Involvement sheet.
The Word Adultery
O’Hara Family | Pat
It is amazing that some who would set forth the claim that their
O’Hara’s (Rob’s mother) is at
interests are in teaching of the Word of God, hold a variety of views as to
home on hospice. Keep the
the nature and meaning of adultery contrary to the biblical data. Without
considerable interaction with these distinct points of view, let us press on family in prayer.
to consider some of the Old Testament evidence as to the meaning and Payes Family at the Freed-
nature of adultery. How does God represent it in the Hebrew Bible? Hardeman University Lectures
The actual derivation of the English word for adultery is quite in Henderson, TN.
enlightening. It actually derives from combining a number of Latin terms Remember in Prayer: our
into one: Dreams, Bill and Marilyn
The word adultery originates not from the Late Latin word for “to Hinds newborn daughter
alter, corrupt”: adulterare. Adulterare in turn is formed by the Lauren (weak heart and
combination of ad (“towards”), and alter (“other”), together with kidneys), Richard and Carol
the infinitive form are (making it a verb). (Wikipedia) Maxfield (injury), Victor
So, in English the word adultery has the idea of one person moving Barrios (grieving), Fred
towards another person in order to make a new personal arrangement. (neck), Linda (knees), Gerald
Moreover, in some cases the Latin term adulterare carried the meaning of (recovery), Hazel (recovery),
”to pollute” – taking something that is pure, and contaminating it. Rose Mary, Mike (back),
Shelly (foot tendons),
When we say that some has committed adultery, we are simply stating
that a person has corrupted his or her marriage by introducing a third Connie Payes (dialysis), Elsa
party. The marriage has been altered, changed, and polluted. The English Avalos (Alzheimer’s).
word is quite descriptive, but since the Old Testament was written Feb. 5 | Young Woman’s Bible
primarily in Hebrew we must understand this term biblically. Study (see flyer in foyer)
The Old Testament Term Feb 26 |Ladies Day at the
In the Old Testament, the primary Hebrew word for adultery is na’aph. As
Hayward church of Christ.
with any word, it is part of a grouping of words with similar meanings. Many of
these words emphasize a range of meanings; for example, they can take literal Feb. 26 | Hughson Christian
or figurative meanings, and even describe those who are married or Fajita Night and Salsa
betrothed who are unfaithful. However, na’aph is the found the majority Competition (6 PM).
 Schedule of Services Adultery and the Old Testament (1) (continued)

Sunday Services of the time to state that a person has – as we say – “cheated” on their
Bible Class 10 AM spouse.[1]
(Classes for All Ages) William Wilson notes that na’aph “is confined to adultery in the
Morning Worship 11 AM exclusive sense of the term or fornication by a married person.”[2] James
Evening Worship 5 PM Swanson amplifies the meaning, stating that it refers to a person who has
“sexual intercourse with [someone] other than a spouse, as a married or
4th Sunday Services
betrothed person.”[3]
Bible Class 10 AM
(Classes for All Ages) One of the earliest appearances of na’aph in the Old Testament is in
the reading of the “10 Commandments” (Exodus 20.14). God says
Morning Worship 11 AM
transparently, “You shall not commit adultery.” This command is
Birthday Fellowship Meal cradled between the “shall not’s” of murder and stealing, which should
Afternoon 1:30 PM give us an indication as to the severity of adultery in the eyes of God
Wednesday Services (Exod. 20.13, 15 cf. Lev. 20.10).
Bible Classes 7 PM Clyde Woods makes the observation that in this command, the
(Classes for All Ages) “sacredness of marriage” is emphasized, and it is this “principle of social
Daily Bible Readings purity” that “provides the basis for numerous [other] laws regarding
2/6 Romans 14 sexual relationships and offences” (cf. Exod. 22.19; Lev. 18.1-18; Deut.
2/7 Romans 15 22.13-30).[4]
2/8 Romans 16 And in this connection, R. Alan Cole finds in Joseph’s rejection
2/9 Psalm 1 of Potiphar’s wife the fact that: “For a man to have intercourse with
2/10 Psalm 2 another man’s wife was considered as heinous sin against God as well as
man, long before the law, in patriarchal times (Gen. 39.9).”[5]
2/11 Psalm 3
2/12 Psalm 4 The holiness of God demands that the matrimonial bed be undefiled
by extra-marital affairs (Heb.13.4). Some people defile their marriage by
enjoying the privileges of marriage with another person (John 8.4).
Others so saturated their minds with “day dream scenarios”, that if
circumstances presented themselves they would do it (Matt. 5.28). From
the beginning, however, this was not God’s ideal plan for marriage
(Matt. 19.9 cf. Gen. 2.24).

To be continued…

Sources
1. James Swanson, Dictionary of Biblical Languages With Semantic
Domains: Hebrew (2d ed. electronic ed. Oak Harbor: Logos Research
Systems, 1997).
2. William Wilson, Wilson’s Old Testament Word Studies (Peabody:
Monterey, CA Hendrickson, n.d.), 6.
March 31 to April 2 3. Swanson, DBLH 5537 (No. 1273).
4. Clyde M. Woods, Genesis-Exodus (Henderson, TN: Woods, 1972), 179.
JOVAN’S OFFICE HOURS 5. R. Alan Cole, Exodus: An Introduction and Commentary (Downers
Tuesday to Friday Grove: InterVarsity, 1973), 160.
9:30 AM to 3:30 PM