By Chris Reeves
Synopsis: Some brethren today are teaching that a married person can divorce his (or her) spouse for being addicted to pornography. Does the Greek word porneia (translated “fornication” or “sexual immorality”) used in the Bible allow for the putting away of a mate for being addicted to pornography?
It has come to my attention that some brethren today are teaching that a married person can scripturally divorce his (or her) spouse for being addicted to pornography. Is this biblical? Sound brethren in the past, with but a few exceptions, have never said that such was grounds for divorce. Have some brethren discovered something in the Bible that the rest of us have never seen? Or, is this teaching, in fact, error?
This teaching is causing division in the Lord’s church and it is becoming a local church issue. I know of at least one congregation that has divided over this teaching and has caused brethren in their area not to be in fellowship with each other. We need to set aside our emotions and think rationally about what the Scriptures teach about the cause for divorce. It doesn’t matter “how we feel” or “what we think” or “what’s in our heart.” What matters is what the Scriptures teach.
Some brethren have begun to argue that since the English word “pornography” comes from the Greek word porneia, that pornography is included in the definition of porneia. Since porneia is the Greek word Jesus used for the cause of divorce (putting away) in Matthew 5:32 and 19:9, they argue that pornography is included in the cause for divorce. This sounds good, but is this argument sound and valid? No, it is not.
Our English words “pornography” and “pornographic” come from the Greek word porneia. There is no debate here. However, just because an English word comes from a Greek word (many of our English words come from Greek and Latin roots), doesn’t mean that when a Greek word was used in the first century, that it contains the modern English word. You don’t read back into the Greek words of the New Testament the meaning and definition of modern English words. You find the meaning of the Greek word as it was used in the first century and in its biblical context and stay with that.
Take, for example, the English word “pharmacy.” This English word comes from the Greek word pharmakeia that Paul used in Galatians 5:20 (see also Rev. 18:22). Since our English word “pharmacy” comes from the Greek word pharmakeia, and since you get your prescription drugs from a pharmacy, does that mean that using prescription drugs is a work of the flesh? Of course not. The Greek word pharmakeia is translated “sorcery” because, in its first century and biblical context, it meant the use of drugs, medicines, and spells as it related to the practice of magic, enchantments, and sorcery.
Consider the English word “baptism.” Today, the English word “baptism” includes, in its definition, the act of sprinkling or pouring water. Collins English Dictionary includes the following in its definition of baptism: “the symbolic application of water to the head. . . sprinkling with water.” Yet, in the New Testament, the Greek words baptisma (noun) and baptizo (verb) mean “to dip or immerse.” They do not mean “sprinkle with water.” You do not use modern English words and their definitions from English dictionaries to understand the meanings of New Testament Greek words. If you do, you are engaged in sloppy and irresponsible Bible study and teaching.
In studying the New Testament, we must use standard definitions of Greek words that are defined by reputable Greek lexicons, not English dictionaries. Brethren have known this and practiced this for many years, and yet, today, some are ignoring this standard practice and have begun to define porneia in such a way that it was not used in the New Testament. Some brethren are now redefining porneia to include the modern practice of viewing pornography. This is similar to some people today in our society who are redefining the meaning of “man” and “woman” or “male” and “female.” When you allow people to redefine the original meanings of words, then you allow them to change doctrines and practices.
So, what does the Greek word porneia mean that Jesus used in Matthew 5:32 and 19:9? It signified. . .
“any kind of illegitimate sexual intercourse” (Mounce, 268);
“of illicit sexual intercourse in general” (Thayer, 532);
“of every kind of unlawful sexual intercourse” (BDAG, 693);
“unlawful sexual intercourse generally” (Moulton and Milligan, 529);
“illicit sexual intercourse” (Vine, 252);
“illegitimate sexual intercourse” (Reisser, 500).
The key part of the definition that you need to understand is the word “intercourse.” Porneia is not simply sexual thoughts, sexual looks, or sexual conversations. Porneia (fornication), in its literal sense, is sexual intercourse. In fact, porneia came from the Greek porne and pornos which referred to prostitutes, whores, or harlots. The porne (female prostitute) was “any woman indulging in unlawful sexual intercourse, whether for gain or for lust” (532). The pornos (male prostitute) was “a man who indulges in unlawful sexual intercourse, a fornicator” (Thayer, 532). So, the porneia that Jesus was talking about in Matthew 5:32 and 19:9 refers to “extra-marital intercourse on the part of the wife” (Hauck/Schultz, 592).
Even if a person “acts out” (masturbation) while viewing pornography, it is still not intercourse. That porneia is sexual intercourse can be clearly seen in John 8:41. Here, the Jews said to Jesus: “we were not born of fornication” (porneia). Viewing pornography, as bad as that practice is, will never lead to someone being born, but sexual intercourse between a man and a woman can certainly lead to someone being born. Also in 1 Corinthians 6:18, Paul writes: “Flee fornication . . . he that commits fornication sins against his own body.” This, according to Thayer, means “to give oneself to unlawful sexual intercourse” (532). Later, Paul writes that the solution to porneia (unlawful sexual intercourse) is for each man to have his own wife in which their bodies may be given to each other for lawful sexual intercourse and gratification (1 Cor. 7:1-5). Consider the use of porneia in Jude 7 (ekporneuó, to give oneself over to fornication). Here, the reference is to men “having gone after strange flesh” because they were engaging in homosexual intercourse (Gen. 19).
What about the words “sexual immorality” used in some Bibles for porneia? Wouldn’t pornography be included in the word “immorality”? Some brethren are arguing from modern versions which use “sexual immorality” (ESV, NASB, NIV, etc.) to translate porneia instead of “fornication.” They say that pornography is immoral, so it is included in “sexual immorality.” While it is true that pornography is immoral, still it is not an act of sexual intercourse. Pornography is lust (Matt. 5:28), it is “lasciviousness” (Gal. 5:19), and it is “uncleanness, passion, evil desire” (Col. 3:5), but it is not sexual intercourse.
Without question, pornography is bad. Yet, emotions and terrible situations do not change the meaning of the Greek word porneia. We are not ignoring the problem of the lust of the eye (as some are being accused of doing). Pornography is destructive to oneself and to others and causes great pain, heartache, and trauma. Yet, we cannot change what porneia actually means. To say that we are ignoring the problem of pornography is a distraction. We can properly deal with the problem of pornography in a person’s life and maintain a proper view of porneia at the same time.
Some brethren are now beginning to castigate and criticize elderships and congregations for not supporting women. They are saying that if you do not allow a woman to divorce her husband for being addicted to pornography, then you do not care about women. This is simply not true. We care greatly about the pain caused to women, but we also care about rightly dividing the word of God. It’s not either/or, it is both. If truth be told, you really don’t care about women when you give them an erroneous cause for divorce.
Some are now saying, “Brother so-and-so and sister so-and-so have told me that I can divorce my mate for being addicted to pornography.” That may be the case, but the Lord has not told you that you can do it. The solution to pornography addiction that some brethren are now advocating is divorce, but this is not God’s solution.
Well-meaning brethren who are trying to help with the problem of pornography are actually creating another problem. They are adding to the number of causes for divorce, and where does it end? What other practices short of sexual intercourse can now be included in the cause for divorce? Can you divorce your spouse for going to a strip club? Can you divorce your spouse for having phone sex? Also, one must ask, “What constitutes addiction?” Some brethren say you can divorce your mate if they are addicted to pornography, but how many times does it take to become addicted? Some brethren say that the viewing of pornography has to include masturbation before it can be a cause for divorce. Who is going to make the rules? Will we allow the brethren teaching this doctrine to be our judges of all these things?
Consider what brother Ron Halbrook wrote years ago about this matter:
On the other hand, we must guard against overreacting to the sin of pornography by expanding the definition of fornication to include conduct short of illicit sexual intercourse. In an effort to tighten the restraint against pornography, we must not loosen the restraint against divorce and remarriage. We must strive with all of our might against pornography, and strive equally against broadening the ground for divorce and remarriage beyond the act of formication (Halbrook, 18).
I call upon my brethren who are advocating this teaching to cease from this line of argumentation. You are adding to the word of God by saying that porneia includes being addicted to pornography. You are causing people to sin by telling them to divorce their mates for being addicted to pornography. They will be putting asunder unscripturally what God has joined together and they will be committing adultery when they remarry, all because of your ill-advised counsel. You will be held accountable for leading them down this erroneous path. You are dividing the Lord’s body.
Brethren, let us help and support anyone and everyone who has been hurt and traumatized by the painful and devastating effects of pornography. At the same time, let us never broaden the definition of porneia to include activities that it did not originally include, and let us never add causes for divorce to the one cause that Jesus gave in Scripture.
Arndt, William F. and F. Wilbur Gingrich. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature. Second Edition. Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago Press, 1979.
“Baptism.” Collins English Dictionary—Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014. https://www.thefreedictionary.com/baptism
Halbrook, Ron. “Pornography and Fornication: Two Deadly Sins.” Truth Magazine, July 4, 2002, 18.
Hauck, Friedrich and Siegfried Schulz. “Porneia.” Theological Dictionary of the New Testament. Volume 6. Gerhard Kittel and Gerhard Friedrich, Editors. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1968.
Moulton, J.H. and G. Milligan. Vocabulary of the Greek Testament. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 2004.
Mounce, William D. Mounce’s Complete Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 2006.
Reisser, H. “Porneuō” The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology. Volume 1. Colin Brown, Editor. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1986.
Thayer, Joseph Henry. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1977.
Vine, W. E. An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1985.
Chris Reeves has preached for the Warfield Blvd. church of Christ in Clarksville, TN, since 2016. He and his wife, Cheri, have four children and two grandchildren. His Bible study website is here. The church website is here. He can be reached here.
