Is Pornography Considered Adultery in Biblical Context
In biblical contexts, adultery primarily refers to conjugal infidelity, specifically illicit sexual intercourse involving a married or betrothed woman and a man who is not her husband [1, 2]. The Mosaic Law prescribed stoning for both parties in such cases [2]. While the Old Testament definition of adultery focuses on the physical act, the New Testament, particularly through the teachings of Jesus, expands the understanding of this commandment to include internal desires and intentions.
Jesus, in Matthew 5:27-28, states, "You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart." This teaching significantly broadens the scope of the commandment, moving beyond the physical act to encompass the internal disposition and desire [6]. This internal aspect of lustful intent is crucial when considering the relationship between pornography and adultery.
Pornography, by its nature, involves looking at images or videos with lustful intent. Therefore, according to Jesus' teaching in Matthew 5, engaging with pornography would fall under the category of committing adultery "in the heart" [6]. This interpretation aligns with the understanding that the commandment against adultery prohibits "the act itself, and every thing leading to the act" [4].
Beyond the literal understanding of sexual infidelity, biblical texts also use adultery and fornication metaphorically to describe spiritual unfaithfulness, particularly the worship of other gods or idols [5, 8]. For instance, Jeremiah condemns Jerusalem's "adulteries and lustful neighings, your shameless prostitution on the hills and in the fields" as detestable acts against God [3]. Similarly, the book of Revelation depicts "adultery with her" as a biblical image for serving other gods [5]. This metaphorical usage highlights the gravity of unfaithfulness, whether to a spouse or to God.
The Old Testament law also distinguished between adultery and fornication. Intercourse between a married man and an unmarried woman was considered fornication, not adultery, under Mosaic law [1]. However, the broader interpretation of the commandment against adultery, especially in the New Testament, encompasses all sexual sins [6]. John Gill, in his commentary on Romans 2:20, notes that adultery was a prevalent iniquity among Jews during Jesus' time, to the extent that some rabbis ceased the trial of suspected women due to its widespread nature [7]. He also describes adultery as a "heinous crime" that is a breach of the marriage covenant and an injury to a spouse's property and affection [9].
While the specific term "pornography" does not appear in biblical texts, the principles articulated, particularly Jesus' expansion of the definition of adultery to include lustful intent, provide a framework for understanding its moral implications. The act of viewing pornography, which is designed to incite lust, directly contravenes the spirit of the seventh commandment as interpreted by Jesus. This internal transgression is considered a form of adultery in the heart, even if it does not involve physical interaction with another person [6].
Sources
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Adultery — Conjugal infidelity. An adulterer was a man who had illicit intercourse with a married or a betrothed woman, and such a woman was an adulteress. Intercourse between a married man and an unmarried woman was fornication. Adultery was regarded as a great social wrong, as well as a great sin. The Mosaic law (Num. 5:11-31) prescribed that the suspected wife should be tried by the ordeal of the "water of jealousy." There is, however, no recorded instance of the application of this law. In subsequent times the Rabbis made various regulations with the view of disc”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Adultery — (Exodus 20:14) The parties to this crime, according to Jewish law, were a married woman and a man who was not her husband. The Mosaic penalty was that both the guilty parties should be stoned, and it applied as well to the betrothed as to the married woman, provided she were free. (22:22-24) A bondwoman so offending was to be scourged, and the man was to make a trespass offering. (Leviticus 19:20-22) At a later time, and when owing, to Gentile example, the marriage tie became a looser bond of union, public feeling in regard to adultery changed, and the pena”
- Jeremiah “Jeremiah 13:27 (BSB) — Your adulteries and lustful neighings, your shameless prostitution on the hills and in the fields— I have seen your detestable acts. Woe to you, O Jerusalem! How long will you remain unclean?””
- Exodus (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Exodus 20:14: Thou shalt not commit adultery - Adultery, as defined by our laws, is of two kinds; double, when between two married persons; single, when one of the parties is married, the other single. One principal part of the criminality of adultery consists in its injustice. 1. It robs a man of his right by taking from him the affection of his wife. 2. It does him a wrong by fathering on him and obliging him to maintain as his own a spurious offspring - a child which is not his. The act itself, and every thing leading to the act, is prohibited by this commandment; for our Lor”
- Revelation (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Revelation 17:2: 17:2 Adultery with her is a biblical image for serving other gods (see, e.g., Exod 34:12-16; Judg 2:17; Hos 2). • drunk by . . . her immorality: Drunkenness in Scripture often depicts nations that indulge in wanton and immoral behavior (see Rev 18:3, 9; Jer 25:27; 51:7; Lam 4:21; Ezek 23:33).”
- Exodus (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Exodus 20:14: 20:14 adultery: Here this term represents all sexual sins, among which adultery most clearly indicates breaking faith. Adulterers satisfy their sexual desires as they please, and they break faith with their spouse in so doing. Jesus expanded on this command in Matt 5:27-30.”
- Romans (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Romans 2:20: Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery,.... Adultery here is to be taken not figuratively for adulterating the word of God, and mixing it with their own inventions; but literally for the sin of adultery, and that not in heart only, but in act: dost thou commit adultery? an iniquity which greatly prevailed among the Jews at this time of day; hence Christ calls them "an adulterous generation", Mat 12:39; and that to such a degree, that by the advice of their great Rabbi, R. Jochanan ben Zaccai, they left off the trial of the suspected woman, cases of this n”
- 2 Chronicles (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on 2 Chronicles 21:11: To commit fornication - That is, to serve idols. The Israelites were considered as joined to Jehovah as a woman is joined to her husband: when she associates with other men, this is adultery; when they served other gods, this was called by the same name, it was adultery against Jehovah. This is frequently the only meaning of the terms adultery and fornication in the Scriptures.”
- Job (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Job 31:10: For this is an heinous crime,.... Adultery; it is contrary to the light of nature, and is condemned by it as a great sin, Gen 20:9; as well as contrary to the express will and law of God, Exo 20:14; and, though all sin is a transgression of the law of God, and deserving of death; yet there are some sins greater and more heinous than others, being attended with aggravating circumstances; and such is this sin, it is a breach of the marriage contract and covenant between man and wife; it is doing injury to a man's property, and to that which is the nearest and dearest to h”