Jesus gives a possible answer to the same-sex marriage question

 

The recent Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex marital unions has left a sour taste in the mouths of those opposed to it on moral and religious grounds. In fact, for many Evangelical Christians, traditional marriage advocates, as well as political and religious Conservatives, this new law is a bitter pill to swallow; but what would Jesus say? It appears that we might at last finally have a clue, and it has been hiding in plain sight after all. In the 19th chapter gospel of Matthew Jesus was asked a question regarding divorce by his religious antagonists, the Pharisees. In verse 4 Jesus said: “Have you not read that at the beginning the Creator (God) made [them] male and female?” He continues with an explanation about the exceptions that allow for the marital bond to be broken, and the disciples say in verse 10: “If this is the situation between a husband and wife, [then] it is better not to marry.” Jesus’ reply to them, found in verse 11, was: “Not everyone can accept this word, but only to those [for whom] it is given.”

Now, that should have been the end of the matter but curiously or inexplicably Jesus adds more, of which special notice should be given to the following statement found in verse 12: “For some are eunuchs because they are born that way from their mother’s womb; others because they were [have been] made that way by men; and others have renounced marriage for the kingdom of God’s sake [like celibate priests and nuns??]. Why did Jesus make this statement and include it here on the issue of issue of marriage, and more broadly, what does being a eunuch have to do with anything? According to Holman’s Bible Dictionary a ‘eunuch’ is a castrated male, or rather a male who does not have testes and/or male genitalia. The Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary expands the meaning of ‘castrate’ to include not only males, but females who have been deprived of their ovaries [and/or fallopian tubes??]. This condition could well affect or influence physical development, hormonal levels, and or gender identity which is opposite in orientation to the outward biological appearance. In the modern sense the person could be born into the wrong body. Coincidentally, In the book of Genesis (Cp. 37: 36; 39: 1, 6b-7) where the Patriarch Joseph becomes a servant of Potiphar, the Pharaoh’s “officer” and captain of the bodyguard, the Hebrew word for officer is the word s’ris/saris (“eunuch”) and it is the same word used by Jesus. This could very well explain the behavior of Potiphar’s wife in wanting Joseph to have sexual relations with her because her husband was incapable of performing the act. Be that as it may, the key point here is, I think, one of attitude where Jesus says, “The one who can accept this should accept it.” Can anything else more be said about the issue or could it be plainer than this?

 

Robert Randle
776 Commerce St Apt B11
Tacoma, WA 98402
July 27, 2015
robertrandle51@yahoo.com