“Do you not know
That your bodies
Are members of Christ?
Should I therefore
Take the members of Christ
And make them
Members of a prostitute?
Never!”
οὐκ οἴδατε ὅτι τὰ σώματα ὑμῶν μέλη Χριστοῦ ἐστιν; ἄρας οὖν τὰ μέλη τοῦ Χριστοῦ ποιήσω πόρνης μέλη; μὴ γένοιτο.
Paul asked them two ironic questions. Did they not know (οὐκ οἴδατε ὅτι) that their bodies (ὅτι τὰ σώματα ὑμῶν) are members of Christ (μέλη Χριστοῦ ἐστιν)? Should I therefore take the members of Christ (ἄρας οὖν τὰ μέλη τοῦ Χριστοῦ) and make them members of a prostitute? Never would it happen (μὴ γένοιτο)! Paul then asked these Corinthians didn’t they know that their bodies were part of the members of Christ. Should he take a member of Christ and then turn them into prostitutes. You might expect Paul’s answer. Of course not, never would it happen. Paul would expand later on the mystical body of Christ, the Christian community. Here he pointed out that the baptized members of the Christian community should not be involved with a prostitute, whether in idol worship or anywhere. They were the brotherly believing saints or holy ones of Christ. Therefore, they should not be involved with adulterous prostitutes. Do you know people who are involved with prostitutes?
