I have been studying 1 Thess. 4:1-6. I wanted to get a feel for how most of you interpret verse 4. "That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honor."

I don't want to say a lot more about what I think about the verse until I hear some other opinions, but the Greek is really interesting here and would seem to have some pretty significant effect upon how verses 5 and 6 relate to verse 4.

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Travis

I would say, upon a quick read, and taking into context the verses prior and post, verse 4 would relate to the deepest part of control of ones own body - the sexual urges and desires revolving around lust, sex, marriage, adultery and etc.

Just my thoughts.

Peace and blessings,

bro jeremy

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Jeremy B Strang

I know I am "bumping" my own post, but I am really interested in other's perspectives on this scripture. I have been studying it in the context of courtship and marriage, and have been pretty amazed at what I have learned as I really studied. I am interested in knowing if anyone else has come to the same conclusion. If you closely study the Greek here, you can come to the conclusion that we are to go about obtaining our wife in sanctification and honor. If you then read the following few verses in that context, it makes a lot of sense. I just wondered if anyone else has really dug into this verse, and if so, what conclusions they reached.

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Travis

Are you able to share what you have found in studying the Greek ? As it may help us to know at what parts of the scripture you want to hear from others.
I liked what Jeremy wrote but is that what you wanted to know ?

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David Keel

Sure. I heard this perspective from a man who ministers to family issues and began to dig into the scripture to see if what he was saying was plausible. This is what I found.

I had always thought of possessing my vessel as the day to day conduct of maintaining my own body in purity. But the term possess in the Greek here does not mean to maintain, but rather to acquire or to obtain. So I am to acquire my vessel in sanctification and holiness. The only example given in Thayer's lexicon is to marry a wife. The word vessel is a word with very broad usage. But if the act of possessing indicates the act of acquiring, then the only usage that seems to make sense is that the vessel in this case refers to your wife. Men are often referred to as vessels, and the wife is referred to as the weaker vessel 1 Peter.

Verse 3 tells us to abstain from fornication. Verse 5 contrasts our behavior as believers with that of the Gentiles who possess their vessels in the lust of concupiscence. Concupiscence is lust, desire, or craving. It is a fleshly desire to have something. Again, we are implying that we are seeking to acquire something. To defraud in verse 6 means to take something that rightfully belongs to someone else.

So if I put it all together in this context, assuming that possessing means the act of acquiring a wife, this is the message.

A Godly man should abstain from fornication (that is from sexual relationships with women outside of the marriage covenant). He should know how to go about acquiring a wife in sanctification and honor. Not the way the Gentiles acquire a wife by pursuing the objects of their fleshly lust, until they find the one they desire the most. To do this is to defraud their brothers, to take from them something that only rightfully belongs to them, that is the body and heart of their future wife.

I just wonder if anyone has ever considered that this way of thinking about these scriptures. As I studied this, I finally decided to find out what several commentators had to say. If found it interesting. Clarke in his commentary gives this as one possible interpretation. Gill also gives it as one possibility. Several commentators are strong in saying that this is specifically dealing with personal sexual behavior, but at least two that I read say that it is hard to tell in this case whether Paul was referring to keeping our personal purity, or obtaining a wife.

What I saw was that the surrounding verses make perfect sense in both cases. To interpret this as acquiring a wife does not do any harm to the context or the interpretation of the surrounding scriptures.

I just wondered what others might think of this interpretation.

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Travis

It is interesting how quickly we forget. I found another thread in which this topic was discussed. I guess I had forgotten.

https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?mode=viewtopic&topic_id=34774&forum=36&start=0&viewmode=flat&order=0

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Travis

Hi Travis, yes it is interesting. I have only ever thought it meant to take possession of your own body (vessel) in sanctification and honour. It's interesting to see those interpretations.

I don't personally think it means to take possession of the wife. As when you are married the term for sex with another partner is adultery.

But If you mean that by being pure you can possess a wife, I don't think it means that because it has the phrase 'everyone of you' should know how to posses ... in verse 4 . And marriage isn't for every person. As Paul has also taught in another place where he didn't encourage everyone to get married.

I don't know what others think, maybe they can add something.

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David Keel

Good Morning David:

Actually, what I mean is the process by which you obtain, or get, your wife. There is a right way and a wrong way to go about the process of choosing a wife and getting to the marriage altar. At least that is what I get out of this if it is to be interpreted that way.

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Travis

God Bless. It's an honourable thing to do this.

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David Keel

Can you explain what "get your wife" means to you?