'Evil Desires' and the Kingdom of God - Ancient Jewish Perceptions and Legislations concerning Illicit Sexual Relationships

Master's Thesis from the year 2009 in the subject History - World History - Early and Ancient History, grade: 1,0, University of Salzburg, language: English, abstract: As the title indicates, this treatise explores the field of Jewish sexual ethics. It is not intended to research all the areas associated with this topic, but to select those realms which best explain the concrete negative attitudes of Jewish society, particularly in the first century CE, towards sexuality. While a very brief introduction provides an interesting background about the pagan (i.e. Greek/Roman) views on Jews, Judaism and Jewish sexuality - as far as the few sources allow - the main chapters are dealing with the following different perspectives: (1)Jewish profane literature (2)Different Jewish sects (schools), including the early Christian 'sect' (3)Jewish Holy Scripture, including the later rabbinic (Mishnaic) legislations These differing views on that important topic allow to differentiate between some Jewish 'mainstream' practice or understanding and the various facets in different groups or authors. The early Christian 'sect' as given in the NT scriptures is included as well as the Mishnaic legislation in order to demonstrate the two most lasting and durable streams of perception. Both survived until nowadays in the Jewish and Christian communities, which differ quite a lot in legal regulations but still have the same basis as given in the Hebrew Scriptures. By researching, combining, and commenting the numerous Jewish Scriptures, this thesis finally explains what is to be understood by the term 'sexual sin' supported by some basic principles, although it has not been possible to investigate every aspect of that huge field. Thus, the goal of providing a well based reasonable argumentation as a foundation of understanding Jewish thinking and practice, especially in the most interesting and 'restless' first century CE, is reached quite comprehensively.