Matthew 5:28 - Don't lust after women

[Apologiaphoenix]

I think the difference is not just having a sexual desire but a desire that says you want to treat the person as just an object.

If I just want to treat Allie as an object to fulfill my sexual desire rather than as a person, I think I am sinning against her.

And by the way, something that you learn when you get married is that the greatest joy in the sexual relationship is not what pleasure your wife brings you, but what pleasure you bring your wife.

[KingsGambit]

I believe the early church got this wrong as early as the second century. In the influential early church document known as The Shepherd of Hermas, Hermas is severely reprimanded as a sinful luster for looking at a woman and thinking she would make a good wife.

[Apologiaphoenix]

I believe the early church got this wrong as early as the second century. In the influential early church document known as The Shepherd of Hermas, Hermas is severely reprimanded as a sinful luster for looking at a woman and thinking she would make a good wife.

If that was the case, every man who has ever been interested in marrying someone is in trouble.

[One Bad Pig]

I believe the early church got this wrong as early as the second century. In the influential early church document known as The Shepherd of Hermas, Hermas is severely reprimanded as a sinful luster for looking at a woman and thinking she would make a good wife.

Let's see what the text actually says:

Source: Shepherd of Hermas Vision 1.1

Some time after, I saw her bathe in the river Tiber; and I gave her my hand, and drew her out of the river. The sight of her beauty made me think with myself, "I should be a happy man if I could but get a wife as handsome and good as she is." This was the only thought that passed through me: this and nothing more.

© Copyright Original Source

This sounds innocuous, but it is evident when reading further that Hermas was married at the time, which means he was favorably comparing her to his wife. That's not so innocuous IMO.

[Apologiaphoenix]

That does add some clarification, and that is a battle every man has to fight.

I like to tell of walking at the mall and seeing a woman walking opposite towards me and so I look away to my right

Which happens to be where Victoria's Secret is.

Yep. It's hard to escape temptation in this day and age.

[KingsGambit]

Let's see what the text actually says:

Source: Shepherd of Hermas Vision 1.1

Some time after, I saw her bathe in the river Tiber; and I gave her my hand, and drew her out of the river. The sight of her beauty made me think with myself, "I should be a happy man if I could but get a wife as handsome and good as she is." This was the only thought that passed through me: this and nothing more.

© Copyright Original Source

This sounds innocuous, but it is evident when reading further that Hermas was married at the time, which means he was favorably comparing her to his wife. That's not so innocuous IMO.

That context does make a difference. I have seen multiple historians omit any such mention.