Paul's letters and homosexuality
Article* published on the site The Reformation Project (United States), freely translated by Giacomo Tessaro
Negative message: These texts state that “homosexuals” will not inherit the Kingdom of God; therefore, the Church cannot approve homosexual relationships without betraying the Gospel.
Positive message: 1 Corinthians and 1 Timothy talk about exploitation.
In 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 Paul warns that those who persist in sin will not inherit the Kingdom of God. In his list of people who do evil he writes two Greek words that have to do with sexual practices.
“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not deceive yourselves: neither immoral people, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate (malakoi), nor sodomites (arsenokoitai), nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor slanderers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.
“And such were some of you; but you have been washed, you have been sanctified, you have been justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God!” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11)
1 Timothy 1:10 also talks about arsenokoitai in one of his “list of vices”. Since many Bible translations today render malakoi and arsenokoitai with “homosexuals”, Or “men who have sexual relations with men”, it is worth taking a look at these two Greek terms.
The term “malakoi” literally means “soft, fluffy”, and was widely used to describe a mixture of lack of self-control, weakness, cowardice and laziness.
– Since such negative characteristics were unfortunately (and incorrectly) attributed to women in the ancient world, the term has very frequently been translated as “effeminate”.
– Although most senses of the term found in ancient literature do not refer to sex, men who took the passive role in a homosexual relationship were sometimes called malakoi; this is why many anti-LGBT Christians say that this step is a condemnation of homosexual relationships.
– In a sexual sense, however, the term malakos it was mostly used to describe men who lacked self-control in their love for women.
– Only in the last century have many biblical translators connected this word with homosexual relationships. Other times the term has been translated as “debauched”, “effeminate”, Or “soft” in the Diodati Bible (1607).
Yes, malakoi does not necessarily refer to homosexual behavior, but Paul places this term alongside arsenokoitai: Isn't the context pretty clear?
– The deadline arsenokoites (singular form) comes from two Greek words: “arsen”, what does it mean "male", is “koites”, what does it mean "Bed". These two words appear in the same verse in Leviticus 20:13, in the ancient Greek translation, so some speculate that Paul coined the term arsenokoitai to condemn homosexual behavior.
– However, as New Testament scholar Dale Martin writes, “The only reliable way to define a term is to analyze how it is used in as many contexts as possible”.
– After Paul apparently coined the term, it was then used, in ancient literature, only within lists of vices. As Dale Martin has shown, various contexts indicate that the term likely refers to sexual or economic exploitation; therefore, even if it refers to homosexual behavior, it would still be an exploitative context, not a loving relationship.
It is possible that Paul paired the two terms to condemn i partner active and passive in a homosexual relationship?
– There were many pairs of terms, commonly used in ancient literature, to describe the partner active and passive sexual intercourse between men: for example, “erastes” and “eromenos”. Malakoi and arsenokoitai, in this sense, are never used.
– Even if Paul had meant this, it is worth remembering the strong gap between homosexual behaviors in ancient societies (all based on status social, the exercise of power and sexual desire) and today's homosexual unions, based on love.
- Some translations make the two terms with “homosexuals”, but this term was coined only in 1869 in the German language, and only in 1892 did it arrive in the English language. In the ancient world not only did this word not only existed, but the idea was not conceived.
If we want to be faithful to the scriptures, we must trace a clear distinction between the homosexual behavior condemned by the Bible and the desire for love, sharing and family of Christians LGBTQ today.
* The biblical passages are taken from the Jerusalem Bible/CEI.
Original text: 9. I Corinthians and I Timothy Address Exploitation.
