Jesus silence on homosexual unions.

The gays often gloat that Jesus said nothing about homosexuality¹¹. But why should he? His ministry was to the Jews¹ who already knew the Levitical law. They certainly did not need any teaching about that. If Jesus started teaching about same-sex intercourse or incest they would have said "who is doing that"? Jesus taught about adultery and divorce because they were doing that¹². It is only during Paul's ministry to the Gentiles that he has to deal with same-sex intercourse and incest², because they were "doing that".

1. Jesus treats the Genesis 1 and 2 narratives on sexuality ¹⁰ as normative for the church, i.e. Gen 1:27 (he created them male and female) and 2:24 ('For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh') i.e. a woman and a man within marriage, see his use in (Mark 10:6-9 and Matt 19:4-5). He presupposes the two sex requirement for marriage based on the Genesis scriptures. He restates the Creator's intent in Genesis 1 and 2 and thus also rules out polygamy, bestiality, incest and same-sex unions¹⁰. His teaching on marriage (and divorce) indicates that it should be for life.
2. The Genesis texts (1:27, 2:24) are not just descriptive; they are normative and prescriptive according to Jesus. He uses them as the basis for marriage before talking about divorce.
3. His teaching on divorce closed any loop-holes in the Mosaic Law³. A man could not divorce his wife for any reason except sexual immorality (Mat 5:32, Mat 19:9).
4. Jesus uses the Greek word porneia⁴, in his vice list of things that defile a man, which would include incest, bestiality, same-sex intercourse, and adultery, (i.e. any illicit sex, that is sex outside of marriage), Mark 7:21, Mat 15:19. Adultery is listed separately to porneia. That does mean that a wife can divorce her husband if he has sex with another man.
5. Jesus was a second temple Jew and homosexuality would not be an issue because they (the Jews) already knew the Law of Moses. Jesus does deal with issues of adultery and divorce, which would be an issue in his day. It is only with Paul's ministry to the Gentiles (e.g. Romans, Corinthians) that same-sex intercourse needs to be dealt with.
6. His teaching on lust shows that he was even stricter than the Mosaic Law (Mat 5:28). See also his hyperbolic statements in Mat 5:29-30.
7. Jesus affirms the second part of the Ten Commandments which includes adultery⁵. His inclusion of adultery clearly presupposes that he has in mind one woman and one man, based on his teaching on divorce.
8. Jesus approves John the Baptist⁶ who was beheaded because he had accused Herod of incest (Mark 6:16-29).
9. Jesus upheld the law in Matt. 5:17- 19, which clearly condemns male-male intercourse in the Levitical prohibitions.
10. Mat 19:12 affirms that celibacy⁸ is the only legitimate alternative to marriage⁹.
11. John 21:25 says that there are many other things that Jesus did (and presumably said) which were not written. However, we still have the clear testimony on same-sex intercourse from Paul.

Jesus presupposes a man and a woman in a marriage relationship. And he says this twice, linking Gen 1:27 and 2:24 back to back (Mark 10:6-9 and Matt 19:4-5). Jesus is also well aware that the "therefore" in Gen 2:24 is because the woman was made from the man.

Mat 19:4-6 ESV He answered, "Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, (5) and said, 'Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh'? (6) So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate."

Mar 10:6-8 ESV But from the beginning of creation, 'God made them male and female.' (7) 'Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, (8) and they shall become one flesh.' So they are no longer two but one flesh.

Neither did Jesus explicitly deal with bestiality or incest, but his silence does not make these lawful either. In fact the whole NT is silent on bestiality, but we know that it is wrong from the Levitical prohibitions, plus the creation narrative, no animal was found suitable for Adam (Gen 2:20), therefore God created Eve (Gen 2:22), therefore a man shall be joined to his wife and they shall become one flesh (Gen 2:24). Note that the "therefore" is there because the woman was taken out of the man and therefore the two different sexes are reunited within marriage.

An Indian Pastor friend of mine never has to preach against homosexuality to the tribal people of India, because it is not a problem, he has to preach against adultery just as Jesus did. He is preaching to those who do not know God, and yet they do not indulge in these Western sins. Even the heathen amongst the tribal people of India do not indulge in the homosexual practices of the West.

None of us has ever heard a sermon that says that we should not have sex with our mother. We do not need a sermon against that because we know that it is wrong, and no one is doing it.. Neither did the Jews of Jesus time need a sermon on why same-sex intercourse was wrong, they already knew that it was wrong. They had the scriptures and no one was doing it. Jesus talks about divorce and adultery because they were doing that and Paul in his ministry to the Gentiles talks about same-sex intercourse and incest because they were doing that.

Another Indian Christian told me that they had too much freedom. In other words, freedom to do as you like, freedom to indulge any passion that you wish. When Jesus preached to the Jews in his own country, he did not have to preach against homosexuality simply because it was not a current concern.

Jesus on eunuchs.

The nearest that Jesus gets to talking about homosexuals is when he talks about eunuchs in Mat 19:11.

Mat 19:10 The disciples said to him, "If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry." 11 Jesus replied, "Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given. 12 For some are eunuchs because they were born that way; others were made that way by men; and others have renounced marriage because of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it."

Eunuchs are incapable of marriage. A homosexual⁷ is also incapable of marriage as Jesus defines it. The intersexed may also fall into this category; they are eunuchs because they were born that way. For a homosexual a male-female marriage is impossible, or undesirable if his orientation is unchangeable and he was born that way. My interpretation of this is that celibacy is the only option, based on the scriptures that prohibit same-sex intercourse and based on Mat 19:12⁸. In all three cases that Jesus mentions, celibacy is assumed, there is no other special provision given.. This is probably why the gays tend to ignore this particular scripture. Jesus only presents two options, fidelity within marriage between a man and woman and chastity outside of marriage, he does not give a third way. Neither does the rest of scripture.

It is interesting to note that some eunuchs were born that way. The gays like to argue that they were born that way. To argue that they were born that way is a two-edged sword, because it means that they were born incapable of the kind of marriage that Jesus endorses. Jesus assumes celibacy; He does not offer any other options. Scripture nowhere offers a loop-hole to homosexuals. I have been trying to find a loop-hole for my gay brothers.

It would be much better for the pro-gay theologian to admit defeat, rather than lie to the gay brothers. To twist scripture and to be false teachers is not good.

The Levitical prohibitions and Paul's teaching in Romans 1 also emphasise the male and female aspect of God's creation.

Even the Levitical prohibitions formulates the problem as that of a man lying with a male as with a woman.

Lev 18:22 You shall not lie with a male (zakar) as with a woman; it is an abomination.

Lev 20:13 If a man lies with a male (zakar) as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood is upon them.

Compare with:

Gen 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male (zakar) and female he created them.

This emphasis on gender is repeated in Rom 1, Paul uses the Greek words for male (arsen) and female (thelus), not the common Greek words for men and women.

Rom 1:26-27 ESV For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women (thelus) exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; (27) and the men (arsen) likewise gave up natural relations with women (thelus) and were consumed with passion for one another, men (arsen) committing shameless acts with men (arsen) and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.

Footnotes::

¹ Jesus ministry was to the Jews (Mat 15:24, John 1:11, Act 3:26). It was only later, when the gospel was preached to Gentiles (Acts 10:45, 13:46), that Paul talks about same-sex intercourse (Corinthians, Romans).

² On incest see 1 Cor 5:1, on homosexuality see Rom 1:26,27, 1 Cor 6:9-10, 1 Tim 1:10.

³ Previously a man could divorce his wife for any reason (Deut 24:1), now it is only in the case of adultery (Mat 19;9). The wife could not divorce her husband, but now the wife can divorce her husband in the case of adultery (Mark 10:12).

⁴ porneia Illicit sexual intercourse of any kind: adultery, fornication, incest, homosexuality, lesbianism, intercourse with animals etc.

⁵ Mar 10:19 ESV You know the commandments: 'Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.'"

⁶ Mat 11:11 ESV Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. It was John who did not accept the incest of Herod.(Mat 14:4 ESV because John had been saying to him, "It is not lawful for you to have her." ) Jesus approved of John's condemnation of incest. Would Jesus also approve approve homosexual acts even in if they are done in love?

⁷ If they define themselves as exclusively attracted to the same sex

⁸ Those who are incapable of marriage or choose celibacy.
1) Those who were born eunuchs (mother's womb were so born) and are therefore not capable of marriage. Even Jesus does not charge God with creating creating gays gay.

2) Those who were made eunuchs by men and are not capable of marriage.

3) Those who have renounced marriage because of the kingdom of heaven (e.g. Paul and Jesus) In all three cases celibacy is assumed, there is no special provision given.

⁹ A point made by Bob Davies in his article "A Biblical Response to the Pro-Gay Movement"

¹⁰ See the article "The theology of Genesis 1-2 and its relationship to sexual ethics in the bible.". Gen 1 and 2 tells us why bestiality is wrong, because no helper suitable for Adam was found among the animals (Gen 2:20). The attraction between a man and a woman is because "God made them male and female" (Gen 1:27). Within marriage they are reunited to become "one flesh" because the original woman was taken out of the man (Gen 2:23). Adultery breaks the one flesh union. Incest is wrong because a man shall leave his father and mother and cling to his wife (Gen 2:24). Same-sex sexual relationships would be against the Genesis model and are condemned in scripture. In a sexual sense a person attracted to the same sex finds themselves with their own half, rather than their other half, and have to invent ways of having sex and of having children.

¹¹ I have used the word "homosexuality" just because it is a common word today. What the bible teaches against, is same-sex intercourse (period), which will also include bisexual people. The use of the word "homosexual" in today's usage implies an orientation someone is born with, and it is natural and it cannot be changed. These are simply lies or propaganda fed to the public by a liberal media, there is no substance to these claims (born with or cannot be changed, I accept the fact that people experience same-sex attraction). The fact that a person experiences same-sex attraction does not make it right to have same-sex intercourse. Heterosexuals experience opposite-sex attraction, but the bible is clear that only within marriage sex is not a sin (1Cor 7:28). There are many heterosexuals who have to deny what feels natural to them because they have not found a marriage partner.

The bible is very clear that if we want to follow Jesus we have to deny ourselves (Mat 16:24, Mar 8:34, Luke 9:23) take up our cross and follow him. Paul uses similar words in Gal 5:24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. It is a big mistake to assume that it is easy, (crucifixion is painful) as an Indian pastor said to me "no pain no gain".

¹² In the case of adultery and divorce these cases were brought to Jesus by the Pharisees. The adulterous woman in John 8:3 and on the subject of divorce in Mat 19:3.

The scripture will always be the final obstacle to pro-gay theology (it is quite water-tight, there are no loop-holes), ultimately the truth matters, because peoples eternal destiny depends on who speaks the truth. The best that the pro-gay theologian can do is to lie and to twist scripture. Speaking personally, I am very sick of the lies coming from the pro-gay theologians. God's people need a teacher/pastor who cares for their eternal welfare, not just this life.

It would be much better if the pro-gay theologians quit and become social workers (who deal with this life) rather than continue to be false prophets who deceive God's people about the next life.

Links: (this site)

Common pro-gay theological arguments:

Jonathan and David's romantic love?

Malakos and arsenokoites

Sodom and Gomorrah

A parody of the pro-gay theologian, the pro-alcoholic theologian.

The theology of Genesis 1-2 and its relationship to sexual ethics in the bible.