continuing part #4 (I think); used by permission,  THE SOURCE AND NT MEANING OF ARSENOKOITAI, WITH IMPLICATIONS FOR CHRISTIAN ETHICS AND MINISTRY                                        James B. DeYoung  W. Petersen       More recently Wright's understanding has itself been questioned from a different direction.  In a brief 1986 study William Petersen found linguistic confusion in using the English word "homosexuals" as the meaning of arsenokoitai.[22]   He faulted Wright and English Bible translaions for rendering it by "homosexuals" in I Cor 6:9 and I Tim 1:10.       In a sense Petersen has coalesced Bailey, Boswell, and Scroggs into a single assertion that reiterates, in effect, the position of Bailey.  He finds "homosexuals" unacceptable as a translation because it is anachronistic.  "A major disjunction" exists between contemporary thought and terminology and the thought and terminolgy in Paul's time (187-88).        What is this "disjunction"?  He bases it on historical and linguistic facts.  Accordingly, ancient Greek and Roman society treated male sexuality as polyvalent and characterized a person sexually only by his sexual acts.  Virtually all forms of behavior, except transvestism, were acceptable.  Christianity simply added the categories of "natural" and "unnatural" in describing these actions.  Ancient society know nothing of the categories of "homosexuals" and "heterosexuals," and assumed that, in the words of Dover quoted approvingly by Petersen, "everyone responds at different times to both homosexual and to heterosexual stimuli. . ." (188). [23]        In contrast to this, modern usage virtually limits the term "homosexual" to desire and propensity.  K.M. Benkert, who in 1869 coined the German term equivalent to "homosexual," used it as referring to orientation, impluse or affectional preference and having "nothing to do with sexual acts" (189).       Petersen then proceeds to cite the "Supplement to the Oxford English Dictionary,"  which defines "homosexual" only as a propensity or desire with no mention of acts.  Petersen's point is that by using "homosexuals" for arsenokoitai, one wrongfully reads a modern concept back into early history "where no equivalent concept existed" (189).  Consequently the translation is inaccurate because it "includes celibate homophiles,. . . . incorrectly exludes heterosexuals who engage in homosexual acts . . . [and]incorrectly includes female homosexuals" (19=89).  Prior to 1869 there was no "cognitive structure, either inour society or in antiquity, within which the modern bifurcation of humanity into 'homosexuals' and 'hetersosexuals' made sence" (189).       The foregoing clarifies why Petersen feels that the translatio "homosexual" is mistaken.  Yet is it possible that Petersen is the one mistaken, on both historical and linguistic or philological grounds?  The next phases of this paper will critically examine Petersen's position.                          THE JUSTIFICATION FOR TRANSLATING                           ARSENOKOITAI BY "HOMOSEXUALS"  Historical Grounds       A refutation of the foregoing opposition to the traslation of arsenokoitai by "homosexuals" begins with the historical and cultural evidence.  Since virtually everyone acknowledges that the word does not appear before Paul's usage, no historical settings earlier than his are available.  Yet much writing reveals that ancient understanding of homosexuality prior to and contemporary with Paul.  The goal is to discover wheither the ancient s conceived of homosexuality, particularly homosexual orientation, in a way similar to present-day concepts.         Peterson, Bailey, Boswell, and Scroggs claim that the homosexual condition, desire, propensity, or inversion -whatever it is called- cannot be part of the definition of the term.  They assert this either because the term is limited to acts of particular kind (Boswell, active male prostitutes;  Scroggs, pederasty) or because the homosexual condition was unknown in ancient times (Bailey; Petersen).  The following discussion will show why neither of these positions is legitimate.  Attention will be devoted to the latter postion first with the former one being addressed below under "Linguistic Grounds."       In regard to the latter position, one may rightfully ask, did not the homosexual condition exist before 1869?  Is it only a modern phenomenon? Yet if it is universal, as alleged today, it must have existed always including ancient times, even though there is lack of sophistication in discussing it.  Indeed, evidence show that the ancients, pre-Christian and Christian, not only knew about the total spectrum of sexual behavior, including all forms of same-sex activity (transvestism included), but also knoew about same-sex orientation or condition.  Petersen admits (190 n. 10) that Plato in "Symposium" (189d-192d) may be a "sole possible exception" to ancient ingnorance of this condition.  He discounts this, however, believing that even here "acts appear to be the deciding factor."  However, this is a very significant exception, hardly worthy of being called "an exception," because of the following additional evidence for a homosexual condition.       THe "Symposium" of Plato gives some of the strongest evidence for knowledge about the homosexual condition. [24]   Plato posits a third sex comprised of a maile-female (androgynon ("man-woman"). Hence "original nature" palai physis, consisted of three kinds of human beings.  Zeus sliced these human beings in half, to weaken them so that they would not be a threat to the gods.  Consequently each person seeks his or her other half, either one of the opposite sex or one of the same sex.  Plato then quotes Aristophances:      Each of us, then, is but a tally of a man, since every one shows like     a flatfish the traces of having been sliced in two;  and each is ever     searching for the tally that will fit him.  All the men who are sections     of that composite sex that at first was called man-woman are      woman-courters;  our adulterers are mostly descended from that sex,     whence likewise are derived our mancourting women and adulteresses.     All the women who are sections of the woman have no great fancy for men:     they are incllined rather to women, and of this stock are the she-minions.     Men who are sections of the male pursue the masculine, and so long as      their boyhood lasts they show themselves to be sliced of the male by     making griends with men and delighting to lie with them and to be     clasped in men's embrasces;  these are the finest boys and striplings,     for they have the most manly nature.  Some say they are shameless     creatures, but falsely:  for their behavior is due not to shamelessness     but to daring, manliness, and virility, since they are quick to welcome     their like.  Sure evidence of this is the fact that on reaching maturity     these alone prove in a public career to be men.  So when they come     to man's estate they are boy-lovers, and have no natural interest in     wiving and getting children but only do these things under stress of     custom;  they are quite contented to live together unwedded all their days.     A man of this sort is at any rate born to be a lover of boys or the      willing mate of a man, eagerly greeting his own kind.  Well, when     one of them -whether he be a boy-lover or a lover of any other sort-      happens on his own particular half, the two of them are wondrously      thrilled with affection and intimacy and love, and are hardly to be      induced to leave each other's side for a single moment.  These are     they who continue together throughout life, though they could not     even say what they would have of one another (191d-192c) [25]  Should these two persons be offered the opportunity to be fused together for as long as they live, or even in Hades, Aristophanes says that each "would unreservedly deem that he had been offered just what he was yearning for all the time:  (192e).       Several observations about this text are in order.  Lesbianism is contemplated, as will as male homosexuality (191e).  "Natural interest" (ton noun physei), (192b) refelects modern concepts of propensity or inclination.  The words, "born to be a lover of boys or the willing mate of a man:  (paiderastes te kai philerastes gignetai), (192b) reflect the modern claims "to be born this," i.e., as homosexual.  The idea of mutuallity ("the two of them are wondrously thrilled with affection and intimacy and love," 192b) is present.  Aristophanes even speaks of "mutual love ingrained in mankind reassembling our early estate" (ho eros emphytos allelon tois anthropois kai tes archaias physeos synagogeus, 191d). The concept of permanency ("These are they who continue together throughout life," 102c) is also present.  Further mention of and/or allusion to permanecy, mutality, "gay pride," pederasty, homophobia, motive, desire, passion, and the nature of love and its works is recognizable.      Clearly the ancients thought of love (homosexual or other) apart from actions.  THe speakers in the Symposium argue that motive in homosexuality is crucial;  money, office, influence, etc. . . bring reproach (182e-183a, 184b).  They mention the need to love the soul not the body (183e).  There are tow kinds of love in the body (186b) and each has its "desire" and "passion" (186b-d).  The speakers discuss the principles or "matters" of love (187c), the desires of love (192c) and being "males by nature" (193c).  Noteworthy is the speech of Socrates who devotes much attention to explaining how desire is related to love and its objects (200a-201c).  Desire is felt for "what is not provided or present; for something they have not or are not or lack."  This is the object of desire and love.  Socrates clearly distinguishes between "what sort of being is love" and the "works" of love (201e).  This ancient philosopher could think of both realms -seaual acts as well as disposition of being or nature.  His wors have significance for more than pederasty. [26]       In summary, virtually every element in the modern discussion of love and homosexuality is anticipated in the Symposium of Plato.  Petersen is in error when he claims that the ancients could only think of homosexual acts, not inclination or orientation.  Widespread evidence to the contray supports the latter. [27]       Biblical support for homosexuality inclination in the contexts where homosexual acts are discribed adds to the case for the ancient distinction.  In Rom 1:21-28 such phrases as "reasoning," "heart," "becoming foolish," "desires of the heart." and "reprobate mind" prove Paul's concern for disposition and inclination along with the "doing" or "working" of evil (also see vv. 29-32).  Even the catologues of vices are introdiced (I Tim 1:8-10) or concluded (I Cor 6:9-11) by words describing what people "are" or "were," not what they "do."  Habits betray what people are within, as also the Lord Jesus taught (cf. Matt. 23:28).  The inner condition is as important as the outer act; one gives rise to the other (cf. Mt 5:27).       Petersen errs regarding other particulars too.  Transvestism apparently was accepted by the ancients.   It was practiced among Canaaniteds, Syrian, people of Asia Minor, as well as Greeks, according to S.R. Driver. [28]  Only a few moralist and Jewish writers are on record as condemning it.  For example, Seneca (Moral Epistles 47.7-8) condemns homosexual exploitation that forces an adult slave to dress, be beardless, and behave as a woman.  Philo also goes to some length to describe the homosexuals of his day and their dressing as women (The Special Laws III, 37-41;  see also his On the Virtues, 20-21, where he justifies prohibition of cross-dressing).  Even the OT forbade the interchange of clothing between the sexes  (Deut 22:5).       Petersen is also wrong in attributing to Christianity the creating of the "new labels" of "natural" and "unnatural" for sexual behavior.  These did not begin with Paul (Rom 1:26-27) but go as far back as ancient Greece and even non-Christian contemporaries used them.  Plato, the TEST.NAPH., Philo, Josephu, Plutarch, and others used these words or related concepts. [29]  Linguistic Grounds