133 PARAINESIS ON ‘AΓIAΣMO´Σ (1 Th 4: 3-8) CHRYS C. CARAGOUNIS 1 Th 4:3-8 (particulary vv.3-6) is full of exegetical problems. Almost all the leading concepts of the passage present problems of interpretation: ϖορνεία, σκεῦος, κτᾶσθαι, ὑϖερβαίνειν, ϖλεονεκτεῖν, ἀδελϕός. On the basis of the two main interpretations of two of them, namely σκεῦος and ἀδελϕός, the author rejects the current explanations of the section and claims for a better understading that takes into account to the parameters of the text, the context, the persons addressed, and the historical significance of the bearing terms. According to the writer, Paul has no concrete case of adulterous behavior in mind, but gives a general apostolic exhortation and warns the members of this church (men and women alike) against the dangers of such a behavior. I. The problem 1 Th 4:3-8, esp. its nucleus vv. 3-6, is one of those few NT texts that have hitherto defied final certainty in interpretation. Almost all of the basic words of our text constitute problems of interpretation: πορνεία, σκεῦος, κτᾶσθαι, ὑπερβαίνειν, πλεονεκτεῖν, ἀδελφός. Particularly two of these terms, σκεῦος and ἀδελφός have caused the greatest of difficulties. With regards to σκεῦος two interpretations have commanded the field. (a) σκεῦος, which normally means ‘vessel’, ‘utensil’, ‘furniture’1, here refers to the body (as the dwelling of the Holy Spirit).2 This inter- pretation has been advocated by inter alios Tertullian,3 Chrysostom4, Theodoret5, Calvin6, Grotius,7 Schlatter8, Milligan9, Rigaux10, Dibelius11, I.e. Mt 12:29; Mk 3:27; 11:16; Lk 8;16; 17:31; Jn 19:29; Acts 10:11, 16; 11:5; Rm 9:21; 2 1 Tim 2:20, 21; Heb 9:21; Rev 2:27; 18:12 have the sense of vessel, container, etc. Acts 27:17 sail? gear? anchor? Another instance is 2 Cor 4:7. 2 According to Alford, Greek New Testament, III, 268. 3 Joannes Chrysostomus, Ὑπό�νημα εἰς τὴν πρὸς Θεσσαλονικεῖς Ἕλληνες Πατέρες 4 τῆς Ἐκκλησίας, Vol. 22, Θεσσαλονίκη 1983, 452-4, ad loc. Τheodoretus, Ἐρμηνεία τῆς πρὸς Θεσσαλονικεῖς Ἐπιστολῆς, TLG citing Migne, 5 Patrologia Graeca, Vol. 82, ad loc. Calvin, J., The Epistles of Paul to the Romans and to the Thessalonians, Tr. R. Mac- 6 kenzie, Grand Rapids 1995, 358-360. According to Alford, Greek New Testament, III, 268. 7 Filología Neotestamentaria - Vol. XV - 2002, pp. 133-151 Facultad de Filosofía y Letras - Universidad de Córdoba (España)