I reading today, I came across a blog that made a statement about Leviticus 18:22 and its prohibition against homosexual relations. The claim is that it is about ritualistic uncleanliness and not about morality. The purpose then is to say that it the Law does not prohibit it in a moral sense, only that it is unclean but not sinful (or at least that I got). I have heard this one a few times. Secondly, I have heard from other places its Levitical Law and Christ came to take away the Law so it is no longer in effect. Is this really correct interpretations of Leviticus 18:22?
Let us look at the first interpretation that claims it is a matter of ritualistic cleanliness and not morality.
""Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, 'I am the LORD your God. 'You shall not do what is done in the land of Egypt where you lived, nor are you to do what is done in the land of Canaan where I am bringing you; you shall not walk in their statutes. 'You are to perform My judgments and keep My statutes, to live in accord with them; I am the LORD your God. 'So you shall keep My statutes and My judgments, by which a man may live if he does them; I am the LORD.
'None of you shall approach any blood relative of his to uncover nakedness; I am the LORD. 'You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father, that is, the nakedness of your mother. She is your mother; you are not to uncover her nakedness. 'You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father's wife; it is your father's nakedness. 'The nakedness of your sister, either your father's daughter or your mother's daughter, whether born at home or born outside, their nakedness you shall not uncover. 'The nakedness of your son's daughter or your daughter's daughter, their nakedness you shall not uncover; for their nakedness is yours. 'The nakedness of your father's wife's daughter, born to your father, she is your sister, you shall not uncover her nakedness. 'You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father's sister; she is your father's blood relative. 'You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother's sister, for she is your mother's blood relative. 'You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father's brother; you shall not approach his wife, she is your aunt. 'You shall not uncover the nakedness of your daughter-in-law; she is your son's wife, you shall not uncover her nakedness. 'You shall not uncover the nakedness of your brother's wife; it is your brother's nakedness. 'You shall not uncover the nakedness of a woman and of her daughter, nor shall you take her son's daughter or her daughter's daughter, to uncover her nakedness; they are blood relatives. It is lewdness. 'You shall not marry a woman in addition to her sister as a rival while she is alive, to uncover her nakedness. 'Also you shall not approach a woman to uncover her nakedness during her menstrual impurity. 'You shall not have intercourse with your neighbor's wife, to be defiled with her. 'You shall not give any of your offspring to offer them to Molech, nor shall you profane the name of your God; I am the LORD. 'You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination. 'Also you shall not have intercourse with any animal to be defiled with it, nor shall any woman stand before an animal to mate with it; it is a perversion.
'Do not defile yourselves by any of these things; for by all these the nations which I am casting out before you have become defiled. 'For the land has become defiled, therefore I have brought its punishment upon it, so the land has spewed out its inhabitants.
Leviticus 18:2-25 (NASB)
Let us note what is prohibited here in the context of Leviticus 18:22.
- One shall not uncover the nakedness of any blood relative (may be a euphemism for sexual realtions). See verses 6-17
- One shall not marry a spouse's sister (keep in mind Polygamy may have been tolerated though not necessarily embraced). See verse 18
- One shall not uncover the nakedness of a woman who is in their period. See verse 19
- One shall not have intercourse with a neighbor's wife (adultery). See verse 20.
- One shall not sacrifice children to the god Molech. See verse 21.
- One shall not lie with a man in the same way they lie with a woman. See verse 22.
- One shall not have intercourse with any animal. See verse 23
Taking away the prohibition against homosexuality, no one would consider the other prohibitions not about morality. It seems to be a double-standard applied to verse 22 in order to support a certain agenda.
Secondly, homosexuality is referred to as an abomination to God (along with all the things, in verse 24). In my brief look up of the word used there, the word is not used in anything that can clearly be said to be merely about ritual. Rather, the word seems to be used of something that is horrible in the eyes of God. The only other instance of the word in the laws of the Pentateuch is used to describe insects, to describe their uncleanliness.
Finally, there is no other indication that this is about ritualistic purity. Where is the discussion about how to be cleansed? Where is the discussion about who can approach the temple? What about transmitted the uncleanliness? Or anything else that is typical of what one could consider ritualistic purity texts? There are none. There is no contextual reason then, therefore, to consider Leviticus 18:22 to be about ritualistic purity.
These two basic points renders the first objection without evidence. One must conjecture that there is homosexuality is an exception in that list that seems to be about morality, or must change their moral stance of many issues. Secondly, they much make an exception of the usage abomination with no clear instance of the Hebrew word an abomination of God being used in a manner of ritualistic uncleanliness. Finally, they must argue without context indicating this is about ritualistic purity. Long story short is, the presupposition that Leviticus 18:22 is about ritualistic purity is without much substantial evidence, but based for the most part upon conjecture.
Besides, what would be the purpose or ritualistic purity? One can say the cleanliness laws were to prevent the transmissions of diseases. What about the ones in Leviticus 18? What practical value can one offer behind them? Even ritualistic purity had its purposes. What is the purpose of Leviticus 18 that is no longer in effect now, if it is about ritualistic purity?
This brings us to the second point, that this is Levitical Law and it is taken away by Christ. Notwithstanding that in my opinion this is a faulty interpretation of the theology of the New Testament surrounding the Law, was this a commandment that was restricted only to the Law? No. It isn't. Notice in verse 3, God commands the Israelites not to mimic the practices of Egypt and Canaan. Furthermore, God goes on to state that in verse 25 that the other nations have received punishment because of those practices, nations which were not under the Old Covenant. These prohibition were laid across many nations, regardless of whether they had the Law of Moses or not. Therefore, the only way to argue that these commandments are no longer in effect (assuming any commandments are annulled) is either:
1) To say that the Law of Moses applied across all nations, which in opposition to what Paul speaks of about the Law in regard to the Jews and Gentiles in Ephesians 2:14-25.
2) To say that Christ made all types of laws before He came void, not just the Law of Moses. This is circumspect as there is no indication of this type of teaching anywhere within the New Testament, not to mention the idea of Jesus annulling commandments is suspect.
So in summary, the evidence suggest that Leviticus 18:22 is about morality and that this moral code given in the Levitical Law is in effect now just as it was in effect for nations other than Israel then.
We will return to our regularly scheduled programming in the next installment.
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