Tag: gay

Book Review: Does the Bible Support Same-Sex Marriage?

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A few weeks ago, I was sitting in the car with my kids on a family trip, and my teenage daughter asked me, “Dad, why is it wrong to be gay?”

I responded that, first we needed to discuss what she meant by “gay”; did she mean: “Is it a sin to feel attraction to people of the same sex?” or did she mean, “Is it a sin to perform sexual activities with people of the same sex?” – because those are two very different questions, which have two different responses from the Bible.

She clarified by saying, “Well, why is it wrong for two people of the same sex to be in love?”

I responded, “The Bible encourages people of the same sex to love each other. We are all called to love everyone God puts in our path, but that certainly doesn’t mean that we are to have sex with everyone God puts in our path.” “For example, the Bible says that David loved Jonathan more than he loved any woman. But that doesn’t mean that they performed sexual acts together; rather that they had a close and intimate friendship. In other words, when we reduce ‘love’ down to sex, we are cheapening it. Further, the Bible’s vision is for people of the same sex to have meaningful, loving friendships, but that’s different than having sex with someone.”

She clarified once again, “Why is it that people of the same sex can’t have romantic relationships?”

I responded, “What do you mean by romantic? Are you talking about an exclusive relationship which is characterized by touching of a sexual nature?”

At this point, she said, “Okay, I get it,” and we changed the subject.

I tell this story to illustrate why Preston Sprinkle’s latest book, Does the Bible Support Same-Sex Marriage?: 21 Conversations from a Historically Christian View, is so needed right now.

My daughter did not ask these questions from a heart of rebellion against God, but out of genuine curiosity and interest, and because she has sincere questions. Certainly the questions she asked were shaped by the cultural influences she faces at school and in the world in general. You can imagine people asking her these questions, and her wondering how to respond. As a father, I’m glad she asked me, and gave me the chance to help her understand.

I received an advance copy of this book to read and review a few months ago. The book was released to the public on August 1, 2023 and is now available wherever books are sold.

The book begins with two chapters which give “Foundations,” or principles which need to be clarified up front. The first is about how to have a fruitful conversation about these topics which are highly charged when it comes to emotions and politics, in the world today. The second foundation is an explanation of the historically Christian view of marriage. This chapter is helpful, in that it looks at how Christians have viewed and understood marriage for the past 2000 years, and why. It looks at the Bible and the writings of church fathers, and more.

Then, the book goes into a response to 21 common questions or claims, which people use as justification for why same-sex marriage should be affirmed by Christians. Preston then responds to these in brief but content-rich chapters. He does so with tact and empathy, which I appreciated very much. He also shares data, statistics, history, facts, and quotes to support his responses.

Overall, the recurring theme of his answers is that sex difference is part of God’s design for marriage and that both same-sex sexual activity as well as all sex outside of marriage is considered “sexual immorality” (porneia in Greek) in the Bible.

For me, the most helpful chapters were Conversations 12-14, which addresses the claims that:

  • Jesus’ Sabbath Hermeneutic Informs How We Should Interpret Same-Sex Prohibitions
  • God’s Acceptance of Gentiles Mirrors How We Should Accept LGB People
  • The Trajectory of Women and Slavery Justifies Same-Sex Prohibitions

There are other chapters which are more “ground-level,” which address questions and claims which may be more common, such as:

  • Love is Love
  • Some People are Born Gay, So It Must Be Okay
  • Paul Was Not Talking about Consensual Same-Sex Relationships
  • The Word Homosexual Was Added to the Bible in 1946

In each chapter, Preston begins by giving a summary of the claim or viewpoint of those who argue for that particular position, then he follows it by sharing a few points of agreement, and finally gives a response.

In the end, Preston’s answer to the question posed in the title of the book is: No, the Bible does not support same-sex marriage. Yet he gives this answer in a thoughtful and helpful manner, which shows respect for his readers and those whose claims he seeks to refute. Finally, he urges the church to truly live out a biblical vision of being a community where the same-sex attracted can find acceptance, love, and care, so that they have a loving community to support them in faithfully following Jesus, including God’s instructions about sexual ethics.

I recommend this book as a helpful resource on this very relevant issue. It would be better if more Christians were well equipped to answer the questions people are asking about same-sex issues, with love and truth.

Did Jesus Heal a Centurion’s Same-Sex Partner?

Published on by nickcady3 Comments

A while back a friend shared a TikTok video with me in which a young guy was teaching something from the Bible which he portrayed as something people had overlooked, or about which they had been unaware, which could be potentially paradigm-shifting.

What this young man claimed is that the gospels tell us that Jesus healed a centurion’s servant, but that the word used there for “servant” actually means a same-sex lover. Thus, his conclusion was that by doing this, Jesus essentially affirmed and condoned, rather than condemned, homosexual sexual relationships.

The story of this healing is found in Matthew 8:5-13 and Luke 7:1-10, and is about a Roman centurion who comes to Jesus and begs that Jesus heal his servant. Jesus agrees and says he will come to the centurion’s home, but the centurion says that he does not deserve to have Jesus under his roof, and that he has faith that all Jesus has to do is say the word, and his servant will be healed.

Did Jesus Heal a Centurion’s Same Sex Lover?

The word in question is the Greek word “Pais.” Interestingly, the word Pais literally means boy. There is another Greek word for servant, the word doulos, but the word pais was used to designate a young, male servant boy.

Pederasty and Sexual Abuse

As Preston Sprinkle explains in his excellent book, People to Be Loved: Why Homosexuality is Not Just an Issue, it was common in the Greco-Roman culture of Jesus’ day for homosexual sex to be part of the power differential in a relationship, but only as long as the dominant partner was older, of higher social standing, and in the penetrating role. This is often referred to as pederasty, in which older men would have dominant sexual relationships with teenage boys. Both modern psychology and laws would deem these relationships to be unethical and illegal for multiple reasons, as they are abusive and harmful; not only are they an abuse of power, but these relationships were physically, sexually, and psychologically abusive to the younger victim.

Furthermore, Sprinkle goes on to explain that such relationships in the ancient world were not at all like our modern conception of a gay couple in a loving, consensual, co-equal relationship. For example, the penetrating partner in such relationships was not necessarily considered “gay” or “same-sex attracted,” rather this was an act of subjugating the passive partner and was about asserting power.

Pais Alone Doesn’t Imply a Homosexual Relationship

However, there is actually no indication that this centurion had such a relationship with his servant boy just by use of the word “pais.” While these relationships did exist, to assume that this centurion was sexually abusing his servant boy based on the simple fact that he had a servant boy, would be like reading that a man had a wife and then assuming that he must have abused his wife, because some people do that. It’s a major assumption, in other words, that requires a giant leap that is not indicated by anything in the text.

In fact, Luke uses the word doulos (the general word for servant) to describe this boy (Luke 7:2). Furthermore, of the 24 uses of pais in the Greek New Testament, it is never used of a homosexual relationship. So, the idea that this specific servant boy was being sexually abused by his master is definitely not something that ancient readers would have automatically assumed based on the use of the word pais. Furthermore, since any such relationship would have been abusive in nature, to say that this is an example of Jesus condoning or affirming a homosexual relationship is far-fetched and misguided; certainly no one would argue that Jesus, by healing this servant, was affirming or condoning of the sexual abuse of a minor by an older man in position of power.

Would Jesus have healed a gay person?

Although it is very unlikely that this passage is speaking about the healing of a centurion’s same-sex partner, the question remains: Would Jesus have healed a gay person? I think the answer to this question is also very simple: Yes.

Here’s why I say this: because Jesus’ healing of people never hinged on, or depended on, their level of personal righteousness. When Jesus healed the man born blind, he never brought up that man’s struggle with bitterness, greed, or envy. When Jesus healed the man with the withered hand, he never brought up that man’s struggle with lust. Healing is an act of grace, and grace – by definition – is not something that is earned or merited, it is a gift from a God who gives to undeserving recipients.

The message of the gospel is that God shows grace to sinners, and that’s good news for a sinner like me, and for you as well. As Paul tells us in Romans 2, the kindness of God often leads us to repentance.

Recommended Resources for Further Study

I highly recommend the above mentioned book, Preston Sprinkle’s People to Be Loved: Why Homosexuality is Not Just an Issue. Preston addresses the topic of homosexuality with scholarly insight and tons of empathy and love. Furthermore, I recommend Justin Thomas’ online course on Biblical Gender and Sexuality. Justin is the lead pastor of Calvary: The Hill on Capitol Hill in Seattle, Washington, and a fellow leader in Calvary Global Network.