Temple of the Holy Spirit: 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
From time to time, I hear beautiful spiritual teachings drawn from the apostolic writings that are sadly misunderstood by modern readers of the New Testament. Misunderstandings repeated often enough eventually harden into “obvious truths,” and over time, they can even become official theological doctrines that define entire religious traditions and practices. Once ideas become institutionalized, they are not easily questioned, even when the historical and linguistic contexts point elsewhere. Consider this well-known example from Apostle Paul:
“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body.” (1 Cor 6:19-20)
Countless believers have heard this passage explained as meaning that each individual human body is literally “a temple of the Holy Spirit.” From there comes the moral lesson: treat your body well, avoid impurity, avoid self-destruction, and live in a healthy and honorable way before God. At its core, this is a wonderful and positive teaching. There is absolutely nothing wrong with encouraging holiness, self-control, and respect for our human bodies. Scripture repeatedly presents human life as sacred and animated by the divine breath itself (Gen 2:7). Yet technically speaking, this famous verse does not quite say what people often claim it says.
Pinchas Shir