Secret Number 58

Never Touch a Woman’s Hand

Audio read by Tom Parks - MP3

The Byte Show Interview - MP3

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Does the apostle Paul advocate never to touch a woman – even to shake hands?: To avoid fornication "it is good for a man not to touch a woman" (I Corinthians 7:1,2). Some feel this is simply a quote from the letter sent to Paul by the Corinthian congregation. Whatever the case, it means a touching with the hand (Matthew 8:3) and if taken literally, in an excessive sense, it would mean not even to shake hands. And though Paul felt it better for certain men and women not to marry if they had the will-power to remain single for the time he designated (I Corinthians 7:37-40), it is difficult to believe that he would not allow even the shaking of hands between the sexes. Indeed, the context shows that Paul had reference to intimate "touching" that would lead to immorality.