Gays and the Book of Leviticus
Leviticus must be understood by its context, since we have freedom from the Law.
Suppose Evangelical Christians apply the “plain sense” rule to Bible verses. In that case, they will have to murder gays who have had anal intercourse.
“Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman. That is an abomination!” (Leviticus 18:22)
“If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done an abomination. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.” (Leviticus 20:13)
Since Jesus fulfilled the laws of the Bible, how does that relate to 1) the belief that the Bible is infallible; 2) the meaning of “abomination;” 3) whether we should murder certain types of people; 4) the meaning of “a man lies with a man;” and 5) the prohibitions of the Jerusalem Council?
Let’s go find out!
Once we understand the above five areas, we can relax regarding our need to murder gays.
The Belief that the Bible is Infallible
Evangelical Protestants in America believe that God inspired the entire Bible. Thus, every verse is infallible, without error. The more conservative Evangelicals also believe that the Bible verses were meant to be plain enough for anyone to understand: “God said it; I believe it; that settles it.”
As understood by Evangelicals, the Hebrew Bible (a.k.a. the Old Testament) comprises 36 books. The books called the Torah (a.k.a., the Law) include one book — Leviticus — chock-full of commands of what Levitical priests should do (and ostensibly, all Jews). Leviticus contains some commands we almost universally ignore today (examples: prohibition of eating shellfish, mixing two different cloths in a garment, and having sex during a woman’s menstruation).
Evangelical Protestants believe that all of the Bible is inerrant — and that the Bible is the sole source of Truth. Therefore, Evangelicals should take seriously all of the commands in Leviticus. But does that include killing gay people? Read on.
The Meaning of an “Abomination”
The word “abomination” implies a great moral infraction. That word appears 117 times in the Old Testament. Sometimes this Hebrew word is interpreted as “detestable.” “Lies with a man as one lies with a woman” is said to be an abomination. However, eating pork or charging interest on a loan are likewise called abominations.
That means we are horribly immoral when we eat barbeque pork sandwiches or own a credit card!
Should We Murder Certain Kinds of People?
Leviticus says that whenever two men have anal intercourse, somebody must put them both to death.
So what can we make of this infallible, authoritative command? Other Levitical commands also require people to be killed (because the offense is so heinous). Some examples include: cursing your father or mother, committing adultery, and serving as a fortune teller or communicator with the dead.
Should we murder our kids who speak back to us as parents? Please say “no.”
Sometimes a man will display a sign at a Gay Pride event that calls gays an “abomination.” Does this protester intend to murder all of the gays in the parade? And if not, why not?
Because to kill gays would be a horrific crime — and the complete opposite of Jesus’ selfless love.
As you can see, Evangelicals “pick and choose” which Bible verses to obey.
The Meaning of “A Man Lies with a Man”
There needs to be more clarity over the contextual meaning of the words from the above phrase. The Hebrew text states: “[If] [a man] [lies-down] [with a male] [couch] [a woman], [have committed] [an abomination].”
Huh?
Contemporary interpretations allude to a man having anal sex with a man rather than vaginal sex.
However, one must understand the context of the Leviticus culture at the time of the writer.
Intercourse was only to occur with a man (i.e., the dominant role) penetrating the vagina of a woman (i.e., the passive part) with his erection. For a man to penetrate another man’s anus, it would make the receiver out to be a woman. And it was terrible for a man to be considered as a woman! Women were supposed to be passively subservient to the man. Thus a man is degraded when he performs the passive role of intercourse.
However, it was also very common for men to have anal intercourse with other males. Sometimes it was with temple prostitutes, sometimes with male prostitutes in the streets, sometimes with a man’s slave or captive, and sometimes with young boys (i.e., pederasty). Such homoerotic intercourse was horrendous! It was an act of raping a male who had lesser power.
Furthermore, male anal intercourse when Leviticus was written has no similarity with today’s romantic relations between two gay men. Such men are in love, hold equal power, and may be in a same-sex marriage.
The Prohibitions of the Jerusalem Council
While Levitical priests (and perhaps many Jews) were compelled to live out every law from the Torah, they never succeeded. Thus, during Passover in Jerusalem, they were required to bring an animal to be killed as a substitution for their sins.
There has always been an atonement option for pious Jews.
However, when Jews from “the Way” (i.e., Jesus’ followers) began partnering with Gentile Christians, the Christian leaders agreed upon an entirely revised set of commands.
At the famous Council of Jerusalem, the principal Jewish leaders declared that Gentile Christians were not bound to follow the laws of the Old Testament. That is, with four exceptions.
Three exceptions involved eating restrictions: abstain from food sacrificed to idols, secreted blood, or meat of strangled animals. Even these few restrictions were eliminated by the Apostle Paul (1 Corinthians 8 and 10).
The fourth restriction was abstaining from “sexual immorality.” And during the Council of Jerusalem era, this essentially meant no sex with a prostitute.
Jesus Fulfilled the Laws of the Bible
God “forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; Jesus has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.” (Colossians 2:13–14)
For those people who align with Jesus (out of faith), no sin is charged against them. Ever.
And the only requirement we Christians have is to love others as Jesus loved us.
Jesus is love. Therefore, if we want to align with Jesus, we must love all others. And for those who do not want to love all others, then they are not aligned with Jesus.
Conclusion
The two Levitical passages are irrelevant for today’s Christians. When we love others in Jesus’ way, we are unselfish. The hedonistic men during the time that Leviticus was written were certainly selfish. One man (of higher money or prestige) would rape a man of lesser status. This crime in no way resembles contemporary gay love.
So, the next time someone tells you that homosexuality is an abomination, ask him if he intends to kill any gays.
And fortunately, people are no longer under the requirement to murder gays.
Instead, let’s try giving gays the same love Jesus gives us.
Dr. Mike Rosebush (Ph.D., Counseling Psychology; he, him, his;) is the creator and editor of GAYoda, plus a writer for Backyard Church. A short synopsis of Dr. Rosebush’s life can be found at I Lived the Most Unusual Gay Christian Life Ever. He may be contacted at mikerosebush75@gmail.com.
