The Orthodox Study Bible: Not Miami Vice
The Orthodox Study Bible, New Testament and Psalms, (1993) Saint Athanasius Orthodox Academy, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee.
Preface
Originally published on Blogger, 20200625 with revisions and additions for an entry on academia.edu, 20241012.
Continuing with my review of this useful and informative biblical tool, within the Orthodox tradition (my tradition is Reformed, but I appreciate this academic work).
Glossary from Reverend John W. Morris, Ph.D.
Vice
Romans 13:13 King James Version (KJV)
13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
King James Version (KJV)
Public Domain
Selected citations
Easton's Bible Dictionary - Chambering ( Romans 13:13 ), wantonness, impurity. These dictionary topics are from M.G. Easton M.A., D.D., Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition, published by Thomas Nelson, 1897. Public Domain.
Bibliography Information
Easton, Matthew George. "Entry for Chambering". "Easton's Bible Dictionary". .
King James Dictionary - Chambering Chambering Sexual immorality; lewdness. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in CHAMBERING and wantonness, not in strife and envying. ( Romans 13:12-13 )
Source: A King James Dictionary. (Used with permission. Copyright © Philip P. Kapusta)
Bibliography Information "Entry for 'Chambering'". A King James Dictionary.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Chambering CHAMBERING cham'-ber-ing: Illicit intercourse; the rendering in English Versions of the Bible since Tyndale of koitias (literally "beds," Romans 13:13). The Greek usage is paralleled in classic authors and the Septuagint; like the English participle, it denotes repeated or habitual acts. The word is not recorded elsewhere in English literature as verb or participle in this sense; in Othello, iii, 3, a chamberer is an intriguer, male wanton, in Byron, Werner, IV, 1, 404, a gallant or carpet knight, and in Chaucer, Clerk's Tale, 766, a concubine.
Copyright Statement These files are public domain.
Bibliography Information Orr, James, M.A., D.D. General Editor. "Entry for 'CHAMBERING'". "International Standard Bible Encyclopedia". 1915.
Encyclopedias - International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Chambering
End citation
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Going from chamber to chamber, an interesting definition.
Dative is the indirect object of a verb. Not in chambering....
Pastor Courson is his commentary writes that in verse 13, the Christian is to 'clean up'. (981).
Romans 13:13
The provided Greek texts agree and Bible Hub translates as
μὴ κώμοις καὶ μέθαις, μὴ κοίταις καὶ ἀσελγείαις
not in reveling and drinking not in sexual immorality and sensuality
Cited
Greek Texts are in basic agreement...
Berean Greek New Testament 2016
ὡς ἐν ἡμέρᾳ εὐσχημόνως περιπατήσωμεν, μὴ κώμοις καὶ μέθαις, μὴ κοίταις καὶ ἀσελγείαις, μὴ ἔριδι καὶ ζήλῳ·
SBL Greek New Testament 2010
ὡς ἐν ἡμέρᾳ εὐσχημόνως περιπατήσωμεν, μὴ κώμοις καὶ μέθαις, μὴ κοίταις καὶ ἀσελγείαις, μὴ ἔριδι καὶ ζήλῳ,
Nestle Greek New Testament 1904
ὡς ἐν ἡμέρᾳ εὐσχημόνως περιπατήσωμεν, μὴ κώμοις καὶ μέθαις, μὴ κοίταις καὶ ἀσελγείαις, μὴ ἔριδι καὶ ζήλῳ·
Westcott and Hort 1881
ὡς ἐν ἡμέρᾳ εὐσχημόνως περιπατήσωμεν, μὴ κώμοις καὶ μέθαις, μὴ κοίταις καὶ ἀσελγείαις, μὴ ἔριδι καὶ ζήλῳ.
Westcott and Hort / [NA27 variants]
ὡς ἐν ἡμέρᾳ εὐσχημόνως περιπατήσωμεν, μὴ κώμοις καὶ μέθαις, μὴ κοίταις καὶ ἀσελγείαις, μὴ ἔριδι καὶ ζήλῳ.
Westcott and Hort / {NA28 variants}
ὡς ἐν ἡμέρᾳ εὐσχημόνως περιπατήσωμεν, μὴ κώμοις καὶ μέθαις, μὴ κοίταις καὶ ἀσελγείαις, μὴ ἔριδι καὶ ζήλῳ.
RP Byzantine Majority Text 2005
Ὡς ἐν ἡμέρᾳ, εὐσχημόνως περιπατήσωμεν, μὴ κώμοις καὶ μέθαις, μὴ κοίταις καὶ ἀσελγείαις, μὴ ἔριδι καὶ ζήλῳ.
Greek Orthodox Church 1904
ὡς ἐν ἡμέρᾳ εὐσχημόνως περιπατήσωμεν, μὴ κώμοις καὶ μέθαις, μὴ κοίταις καὶ ἀσελγείαις, μὴ ἔριδι καὶ ζήλῳ,
Tischendorf 8th Edition 1872
ὡς ἐν ἡμέρᾳ εὐσχημόνως περιπατήσωμεν, μὴ κώμοις καὶ μέθαις, μὴ κοίταις καὶ ἀσελγείαις, μὴ ἔριδι καὶ ζήλῳ·
Scrivener's Textus Receptus 1894
ὡς ἐν ἡμέρᾳ, εὐσχημόνως περιπατήσωμεν, μὴ κώμοις καὶ μέθαις, μὴ κοίταις καὶ ἀσελγείαις, μὴ ἔριδι καὶ ζήλῳ.
Stephanus Textus Receptus 1550
ὡς ἐν ἡμέρᾳ εὐσχημόνως περιπατήσωμεν μὴ κώμοις καὶ μέθαις μὴ κοίταις καὶ ἀσελγείαις μὴ ἔριδι καὶ ζήλῳ
Beza Greek New Testament 1598
Ὡς ἐν ἡμέρᾳ, εὐσχημόνως περιπατήσωμεν· μὴ κώμοις καὶ μέθαις, μὴ κοίταις καὶ ἀσελγείαις, μὴ ἔριδι κατὰ ζήλῳ.
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F.F. Bruce explains in his Romans commentary at 13:13 that the 'day' is the time for sobriety, in other words, not drunkenness. (229). Christian believers are to put on the new man of Ephesians 4. (229). Cranfield opines here that Paul in Romans is desiring those within the Church to live with 'relative respectability' at night as in done during the day. (333). Romans exhorts readers to flee from drunkenness which can lead to things such as fornication. (334). Mounce writes that the conduct of darkness (13: 12) is (13:13) orgies, drunkenness, sexual immorality and debauchery. (248). There is a very good quote from Mounce:
'The desire for darkness is itself an admission of the wrongness of the act.' (248).
The Orthodox Study Bible notes for Ephesians 4: 17-24 is that the process of Christian growth requires a free will commitment to walk in righteousness and holiness (13:24) (447). Those of the light should not be walking in darkness (447). A change of lifestyle and life practice (my emphasis) is possible because of the work of Jesus Christ, as the new man (447), as Christians should be Christ-like (13:24). In my Reformed theology, within limited free will, the regenerate, sanctified believer embraces, divine, salvific work.
Ephesians 4:17-24 King James Version (KJV)
17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,
18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: 19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
20 But ye have not so learned Christ;
21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
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Practical Theology
Many in western society, that are social leaders, reject abstinence as too simplistic a response to vices. Abstinence is likely often too simplistic of an approach for those already committing habitual vices. As a theology professor of mine once taught, the tracks of habitual sin are too long.
For those in the Church committing habitual vices (or dabbling with sin that could become habitual); Courson's take on Romans 13: 13 with the call to 'clean up' is good biblical theology. Abstinence from immoral activity is the preferred, documented, New Testament model, but not primarily through human morality and ethics. Rather, prayerfully in grace through faith in God, through the applied atoning and resurrection work of Jesus Christ for believers.
BROWNING, W.R.F. (1997) Dictionary of the Bible, Oxford, Oxford University Press.
BRUCE, F.F. (1986) 'Revelation' in F.F. Bruce (ed.), The International Bible Commentary, Grand Rapids, Zondervan.
COURSON, JON (2005) Application Commentary, Thomas Nelson, Nashville.
CRANFIELD, C.E.B. (1992) Romans: A Shorter Commentary, Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
FOULKES, FRANCIS (1989) Ephesians, Grand Rapids, Inter-Varsity Press.
FRANKE, JOHN R. (2005) The Character of Theology, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids.
HARPUR, GEORGE (1986) Ephesians in The International Bible Commentary, Grand Rapids, Zondervan.
MOUNCE, R.H. (1995) The New American Commentary: Romans, Nashville, Broadman & Holman Publishers.
ORR, JAMES, M.A., D.D. General Editor, Chambeirng', International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, 1915.
The Orthodox Study Bible, New Testament and Psalms, (1993) Saint Athanasius Orthodox Academy, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee.
