The Living Waters

"You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination."

Unlike the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, the concern in this verse is clearly male homogenital activity. The context is the section of Leviticus called the "Holiness Code." To be "holy" means to be set apart; they were to be God's chosen people different from their neighbors. So the bottom line is don't imitate the customs of other cultures. The fear is idolatry, so anything associated with pagan religions is forbidden.

A summary command at the beginning of chapter 18 sets the context: "You shall not do as they do in the land of Egypt, where you dwelt, and you shall not do as they do in the and of Canaan, to which I am bringing you." The Holiness Code prohibits surrounding religions' customs like male sacred prostitution. Homogenital sex is prohibited not for ethical reasons but because it is associated with idolatry. Like not eating fish on Friday, the judgment concerns a particular religious context, rather than a universal condemnation.

Still an "abomination" -- something hateful -- sounds pretty bad. What does Leviticus mean by "abomination"? Leviticus 20:25-26 makes the distinction between "clean and unclean birds," indicating that uncleanliness results in "abomination." The unclean are no longer set apart and holy to God. An abomination breaks the ritual purity laws.

What does Jesus say about ritual purity laws? We see Jesus setting them aside for the bigger picture of God's love. When the Pharisees ask why his disciples don't follow the customs of ritual purity, his response is to quote Isaiah: "You leave the commandment of God and hold fast the tradition of men" (Mark 7:8), adding that "For the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God" (Matthew 15:6; Mark 7:13).

Jesus is concerned with compassion for human suffering instead of denials of ritual purity. Jesus says nothing to condemn homosexuality. It is Jesus that Christians are called to follow.