HOMOSEXUALITY AND THE BIBLE
STUDY - 3
Though last week I said I would save the study of the pertinent passages in Jude for a later time, I have reconsidered and deem it more appropriate to study it here, as a lot of what will be written refers back to the story of Sodom and Gomorrah.
I have provided both the KJV and NIV translations both for easier reading, and so that you might get a sense of how differences between archaic and modern language affect your understanding of particular passages, and also so that you could see how updated language and different interpreters can present different pictures of the same events.
Jude 7 - KJV
Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
Jude 7 - NIV
In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.
The book of Jude is very tiny–only one chapter long. Scholars aren’t exactly sure who the author is, but he identifies himself as a "servant of Christ and brother of James." This particular passage is the only other place in scripture where sexual activity is connected with Sodom and Gomorrah and their condemnation. On the surface of it, the passage says that the cities were not only destroyed, but its inhabitants apparently sent to hell (the punishment of eternal fire.) What was their sin? According to Jude, and depending on the translation, they gave themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, or gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion.
What was their sin? According to the teachings of many Christian churches, the sin was homosexuality. Was it? The KJV says they were going after strange flesh. Since homosexuals "go after" those of the same gender, the phrase strange flesh would hardly apply. So what could it be referring to?
Remember the importance of keeping scripture in context. Notice the words Even as above in the KJV and In a similar way in the NIV. Those phrases indicate a comparison between what happened in Sodom and Gomorrah with what had happened previously. We need to go back to verse six:
Jude 6 - KJV
And the angels which, kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, God hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.
Jude 6 - NIV
And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned heir own home–these God has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day.
Jude is comparing what happened in Sodom and Gomorrah with something that happened with what we would call fallen angels. Whatever the angels did in their time was similar to what the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah did in their time. Do we know what that is? Where did the angels go after strange flesh? Our answer lies in Genesis six:
Genesis 6:1 & 2, 4 - KJV
And it came to pass, when people began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, that the sons of God saw that the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.
There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.Genesis 6:1 & 2, 4 - NIV
When people began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose.
The Nephilim were on the earth in those days–and also afterward–when the sons of God went to the daughters of men and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown.
Admittedly, these verses are very controversial. There are differing opinions by scholars as to exactly what these verses mean. There’s disagreement as to who the sons of God are. Some believe they are human followers of God. If that were true, though, why would the author differentiate these people from the daughters of men? We do have a scriptural reference to indicate that they were beings in the court of God. Job 1:6 tells us that the sons of God (KJV) came to present themselves before God, and they were accompanied by Satan. Note that the NIV translates sons of God to read angels.
So we see that there was a time when angels came to earth and were attracted to human women. They married them and had children by them. Now we find a peculiar word which was translated in the KJV as giants. The NIV didn’t bother to translate it but simply took the Hebrew letters and wrote them in English: Nephilim. The word is so rare that no one knows what it means for sure, but it has something to do with being strange, weird, grotesque, huge–giant! While its literal meaning is unknown, part of its root is Naw-fal which means, to fall or fallen away. But regardless of the meaning of the word, whatever it was, it was displeasing to God, because the result was the flood.
So Jude tells us that some angels had abandoned their heavenly homes, and whatever they did resulted in their being chained up till the end of time. Genesis 6:1-4 tells us that angels mated with human women and had grotesque, giant children. What was the sin the angels committed? They mated with a different order of creation.
Then Jude says that what the Sodomites did and were punished for was similar to what the angels had done and had likewise also been punished. What was the strange flesh the Sodomites were after according to Jude? Not people of the same gender, but angels disguised as men–a different order of creation.
In addition to what previously has been mentioned about the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah, the first chapter of Isaiah indicates that the reason God turned away from the cities was because their hands were full of blood (Is.1:15), and, similar to what Ezekiel wrote, they were unjust and did nothing to help the oppressed, widows or orphans (Is.1:17). Jeremiah lists many irresponsible acts attributed to Sodom and Gomorrah.
Thus we see that there were many reasons for God to destroy the cities–pride, immorality, lack of care and concern for those who were the most vulnerable in their society, lack of hospitality, and an attempt to rape a different order of creation. Not one word anywhere about homosexuality.
To those who would still argue that what the Sodomites wanted was homosexual sex, I direct you to the story in Judges 19, which parallels the story of Sodom and Gomorrah previously discussed. There we see that when the concubine was thrown out to the crowd, she was raped repeatedly until she died, just as they would have done to the man had the elderly man let him out of his home. It is obvious that their intent was to rape the man, not make love to him. We must remember that rape is always about the commission of violence and never about sex, and definitely not about love between two people who just happen to be of the same gender.
This ends our study for today.
Next week: Leviticus
LIFE APPLICATION