2 Corinthians 6:14-18 [open]

[Abiel]

4Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 15What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? 16What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people."[c]
17"Therefore come out from them
and be separate, says the Lord.
Touch no unclean thing,
and I will receive you."[d]
18"I will be a Father to you,
and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.


What's it all about?

 

[progressivegal]

It's a toughie. At first glance, it seems to contradict the teachings of Christ. Actually at first glance, and through my own cultural lens, many of St. Paul's writings seen to ignore the teachings and life of Christ and he seems to be presented as something of a mascot, or a means to and end, and much of this seems contradictory to the words and deeds attributed to Christ. I do not think though, that this is how St. Paul meant his writings to be interpreted, especially since even some of St. Paul's other writings seem to contradict the "Jesus as means to an end" attitude. think we have to look at it in a deeper sense.
What I can come up with myself from the verse you've quoted is "don't sell out", or like Jesus said "you can't serve too masters" don't be greedy like the higher ups in power, don't seeks revenge or show hate, but show mercy and love and kindness to all as Christ taught". A stretch? maybe.
Also I think it's important that we take into account Pauls's own cultural background ( he was a Pharisee) and the cultural of the people he was writing to at the time.
"cleanliness" was something highly valued by both.
When I read this at face value, I find myself strongly disagreeing with St. Paul to be honest with you. This is a tough verse, but I think the problem lies not in what Paul said, but in my interpretation of it. Maybe I should stop reading it as a 21 year old woman in the 21rst century and attempt to understand it in a way someone in his intended audience might perceive it. But how to go about doing that? hmmm...

 

[seebs]

I don't see anything in this connecting it to marriage. 2 Cor 6 isn't otherwise about marriage. Why would Paul suddenly jump over to marriage and then back to his previous topic?

 

[Im_A]

4Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 15What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? 16What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people."[c]
17"Therefore come out from them
and be separate, says the Lord.
Touch no unclean thing,
and I will receive you."[d]
18"I will be a Father to you,
and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.


What's it all about?

i look at it like this:

it's the 2nd letter to the church in Corinth.

i live in the USA, in the state Ohio. i hope my point is made there.

then on the other hand:

Paul has a lot of words of wisom and a hard man to understand at times. realistically he makes a point. i think it can be very hard to bound to people that you have nothing in common with.

then again, i don't see it as conflicting with the message of Christ, but at the same time, i see Christ as the goal, not Paul as the goal of how to live my life by. i think in occasions we need to remember what Paul said here, because it can benefit our lives and heal bad moments that we get ourselves into.

but let's remember that a man that we believe was perfect hung out with the sinners, the nobody's of that society. that should be our goal if we are to be Christ-like. where in the Bible does it say to be Paul-like?

 

[BlackLamb]

Forgive me, because I feel like this is going to sound very ignorant, and like I'm "missing the point", but most of my best friends for the past six or so years are non-Christians, and I have tons of things in common with them. Hence the reason we're friends .

I suppose that's not what Paul means when he's talking about having things in common (obviously, something more spiritual), but I think...I don't know. My very best friend is a Buddhist, and she's been one of the most loving and supportive people I've ever met, and I think it would be a mistake to say our friendship isn't a gift from God.

What are you supposed to do with something like that? I'll admit, the fact we sometimes have very different opinions about things has bothered me, and these verses have bothered me. But why should I deny such a blessing like friendship? Why should I deny my best friend who has stuck with me through the worst times in my life?

It's funny how a faith that's supposed to be all about love makes you question the love in your life. It makes me sad. It makes me sad that all I've been doing recently is questioning Christianity and what we're really supposed to believe.

I apologize to the OP, I know that does nothing to answer your question. It just kind of provoked me to write. I hope maybe we can both find some answers here .

 

[UberLutheran]

I yoked myself together with an unbeliever, and he became a Christian!

(And we've been together now for 17 years!)

 

[Kaonashi]

It's sad that I've seen too many good relationships ruined because of the conservative interpretation of this verse when it's not even about relationships/marriages.

 

[Abiel]

Well I find my unequal yoke fits quite well.

So, if we can tentatively agree that the writer didn't have marriage specifically in mind- then what?

 

[Im_A]

personally i don't know. he wrote to the church of Corinth, not us.

i can just see metaphorical stuff of friendships. even then, it just doesn't seem to be the realistic case at all times.

so in ending, i really don't know. any assumption on my part is metaphorical biasedness to how i use the scriptures for my own salvation.

Well I find my unequal yoke fits quite well.

So, if we can tentatively agree that the writer didn't have marriage specifically in mind- then what?

 

[glo1]

I agree with much people have said here.
I am 'yoked to unbelievers' in marriage, in friendship and in other kinds of relationships - in itself that's not a problem at all.

However, I find it does become a problem when my relationships with unbelievers threaten my faith or tempt me to walk away from Christ's teachings.

The way I read 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 is that we need to be aware of those possibilities and walk with a strong faith through them.

glo

 

[seebs]

I think it's important to distinguish between "yoked" and "unequally yoked".

But read the whole chapter; I don't think it was about marriage at all. I'm not sure what it was about, but there was no reference to marriage.

 

[Margim]

I think it's important to distinguish between "yoked" and "unequally yoked".

But read the whole chapter; I don't think it was about marriage at all. I'm not sure what it was about, but there was no reference to marriage.

Ditto and hurrah!!

The yoking v unequally yoking point is the key to this whole mess, to my thinking... its what makes the verse a warning to think about who we partner with (in life, business, intimacy, etc), not a precept and demand to segregate ourselves from one another.

As far as marriage not being mentioned... spot on. There is no reference to marriage in the chapters on either side of this chapter either. I've pointed this out several times in the singles, young adults and GT forums... needless to say, the response has not been positive.

Its been so ingrained in people's heads that this is a marriage text, that people no longer read the words for themselves.

 

[JacktheCatholic]

Paul is saying to stop being bound to the unbelievers.
The yoke is not about marriage since there are other ways to be bound. Stop hanging around those that would misguide you from the Truth.

"6:17. Wherefore: Go out from among them and be ye separate, saith the Lord"

In Corinth Paul had some trying to undermine him and telling lies. Corinth seemed to be an easily divided people at times and Paul was trying to keep them together.

This second Epistle (or letter) to the Corinthians helped to destroy all opposition.

 

[progressivegal]

It might also be wroth mentioning that in the time of Jesus a Rabbi's "yoke" was basically what followers of that individual Rabbi did/didn't do (i.e. walk so many miles on the Sabath.)

 

[glo1]

As far as I understand the term 'yoke' relates to a wooden crosspiece to which two animals (usually oxen) are strapped for work. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoke

In order to work effectively, both animals have to work in the same way and to the same rules.
A young, inexperienced animal may be yoked to a trained, experinced one to 'learn the ropes'.

That's what I understand this teaching to mean: yoke yourself to those who can train you well. Don't be yoked to those who will lead you off the right track ... whatever that may mean in certain situations/circumstances.

glo

 

[progressivegal]

As far as I understand the term 'yoke' relates to a wooden crosspiece to which two animals (usually oxen) are strapped for work. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoke

In order to work effectively, both animals have to work in the same way and to the same rules.
A young, inexperienced animal may be yoked to a trained, experinced one to 'learn the ropes'.

That's what I understand this teaching to mean: yoke yourself to those who can train you well. Don't be yoked to those who will lead you off the right track ... whatever that may mean in certain situations/circumstances.

glo

It's that too. The people of the time (as I understand) used it as a metaphor.

 

[JulySheMustFly]

It's that too. The people of the time (as I understand) used it as a metaphor.

Isn't yoke actually used as a metaphor elsewhere in the NT? I'm drawing blank at the moment as to where.

 

[seebs]

Isn't yoke actually used as a metaphor elsewhere in the NT? I'm drawing blank at the moment as to where.

The Gospel According to St. Matthew, Chapter 11, Verses 29-30
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.​

 

[CaDan]

The only other time Paul uses the term "unclean" is in I Cor. 7:14, which directly contradicts the unequally yoked in marriage idea.

[Bible]1 Corinthians 7:14[/bible]
(Note: I do not consider Ephesians authentically Pauline, so the ref in Eph 5:5 doesn't count)

 

[brightmorningstar]

Dear progressivegal,
May I ask a question please which youmy or may not answer.
When you write It's a toughie. At first glance, it seems to contradict the teachings of Christ.
From where do you think we get the teachings of Christ?
Had you considered that there doesnt seem to be any dispute from the rest of the NT apostles and disciples about Paul's teaching, including Peter. Paul claimed He received His gospel not from people but from the risen Lord and encountered the risen Lord. It is widely thought that the gospel writers Mark and John were eyewitnesses, that Mark relied on Peter and the Matthew may not have been an eyewitness and Luke definately wasn't. Whilst I do not see any discrepancies, had you not considered if you do that Paul's epistels may be nearer the teachings of Christ than anything else?
Had you not also considered that even in the gospels say much the same sort of thing?
And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave, as a testimony against them." - Mark 6:11