Some of the Laws About Sex in the Bible
Given the ongoing validity of (written) Torah values, let’s take a look at the two main chapters of laws relating to sex in the (written) Torah: Leviticus 18: and Leviticus 20.
Leviticus 18:
1 ¶ And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, I am the LORD your God.
3 After the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do: and after the doings of the land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall ye not do: neither shall ye walk in their ordinances.
4 Ye shall do my judgments, and keep mine ordinances, to walk therein: I am the LORD your God.
5 Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the LORD.
Law Against Incest or Sex Between Relatives in the Bible
Leviticus 18: (cont.)
6 ¶ None of you shall approach to any that is near of kin to him, to uncover their nakedness: I am the LORD.
“Uncover their nakedness” means literally that, ie. behaviour which would be unbecoming of close relatives.
Leviticus 18: (cont.)
7 The nakedness of thy father, or the nakedness of thy mother, shalt thou not uncover: she is thy mother; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness. (mother or father)
8 The nakedness of thy father’s wife shalt thou not uncover: it is thy father’s nakedness. (step mother)
9 The nakedness of thy sister, the daughter of thy father, or daughter of thy mother, whether she be born at home, or born abroad, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover.
10 The nakedness of thy son’s daughter, or of thy daughter’s daughter, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover: for theirs is thine own nakedness. (Grand children)
11 The nakedness of thy father’s wife’s daughter, begotten of thy father, she is thy sister, thou shalt not uncover her nakedness. (step sister)
12 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father’s sister: she is thy father’s near kinswoman. (aunt)
13 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother’s sister: for she is thy mother’s near kinswoman.
14 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father’s brother, thou shalt not approach to his wife: she is thine aunt.
15 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy daughter in law: she is thy son’s wife; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.
16 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy brother’s wife: it is thy brother’s nakedness. (Sister in law)
17 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of a woman and her daughter, neither shalt thou take her son’s daughter, or her daughter’s daughter, to uncover her nakedness; for they are her near kinswomen: it is wickedness.
18 Neither shalt thou take a wife to her sister, to vex her, to uncover her nakedness, beside the other in her life time. (Jacob did this)
Law Against Sex in the Bible During the Menstrual Cycle / Menstruation
Leviticus 18: (cont.)
19 ¶ Also thou shalt not approach unto a woman to uncover her nakedness, as long as she is put apart for her uncleanness.
Again “uncover her nakedness” means literally that. It's the same sort of behaviour that would characterise incest between close relatives. For more information about this, see our article about sex in the Bible during a woman’s menstrual period.
Adultery
Verse twenty of Leviticus 18: documents a law against adultery.
Leviticus 18: (cont.)
20 Moreover thou shalt not lie carnally with thy neighbour’s wife, to defile thyself with her.
Child Sacrifice?
Leviticus 18: (cont.)
21 And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.
The Chumash, a Jewish commentary on the first five books says:
"Molech was an idol whose worship…was prevalent in Canaan. It is the only sin in the entire chapter that does not involve sexual conduct".
Perhaps we should say: with what we know it appears that it is the only sin in the entire chapter that does not appear to involve sexual conduct. However, because of the context perhaps that’s not the case?
Moving on then to verse 22.
Law Against Homosexual Sex in the Bible
Leviticus 18: (cont.)
22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.
Again the Chumash – the Jewish commentary on the first five books says of: “An Abomination”:
“None of the relationships given above are described with this term of disgust because they involve normal activity, though with prohibited mates. Homosexuality, however, is unnatural and therefore abominable”.
The subject of homosexual sex in the Bible is controversial with today’s prevailing values. Homosexuals argue that the Bible doesn’t condemn homosexuality. However, its arguably difficult to see how God could communicate in a less ambiguous manner on the subject than Leviticus 18:22.
Put another way, if for the sake of argument, we were to agree with the Christian gay and lesbian community for a moment, that Leviticus 18:22 does not in fact mean what it appears to; exactly what wording would be deemed conclusive enough for the Christian gay and lesbian community to accept that God prohibits homosexuality?
Certainly Jude 7 disagrees with the analysis that the sin(s) of Sodom were not attempted homosexual rape, but as Margaret Evans once wrote for “Lesbian and Gay Christians” at http://lgcm.org.uk/resources/ “the sin of breaching sacred hospitality”.
7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, 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.
Paul’s references in Romans 1: to homosexuality are again hotly contested by Christians who endorse homosexuality. Their usual argument here is that the condemnation is only against cultic temple homosexuality.
Romans 1:
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
19 ¶ Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
However the Expositor’s Bible Commentary doesn’t entirely agree.
Verse 24. “At this point a problem must be faced. How is it that we have a reference to sexual immorality in v. 24 and again in vv. 26, 27? Is this a case of repetition? No, the immorality lies in different areas. The earlier reference is to cultic prostitution, the latter to immoral relations in ordinary life. In reading the OT it is sometimes difficult to determine which type is intended. Fertility cults made use of prostitutes, based on a definite rationale. "This religion was predicated upon the belief that the processes of nature were controlled by the relations between gods and goddesses. Projecting their understanding of their own sexual activities, the worshipers of these deities, through the use of imitative magic, engaged in sexual intercourse with devotees of the shrine, in the belief that this would encourage the gods and goddesses to do likewise. Only by sexual relations among the deities could man's desire for increase in herds and fields, as well as in his own family, be realized" (O.J. Baab, IDB 3:932-933). How true is the observation that "their foolish hearts were darkened." Paul was no stranger to the matter he discusses here. Writing from Corinth, where the temple of Aphrodite housed hundreds of cult prostitutes, he must have been keenly aware of this scourge that affected the moral life of the city so adversely. "They exchanged the truth of God for a lie."
Back to Lev 18: then...
Law Against Bestiality: Sex With Animals in the Bible
Leviticus 18: (cont.)
23 Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it is confusion.
It’s probably worth stopping for a second at this point and reflecting that God isn’t afraid to discuss sex in even it’s rawest forms in scripture. If God chooses to legislate on the subject of bestiality, arguably He wouldn’t be embarrassed to legislate for example on the subjects of say masturbation or oral sex ?
We now get to a point in Leviticus 18 where we learn some of God’s motivation for specifying this legislation.
Leviticus 18: (cont.)
24 Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you:
25 And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants.
26 Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations; neither any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourneth among you:
27 (For all these abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is defiled;)
28 That the land spue not you out also, when ye defile it, as it spued out the nations that were before you.
29 For whosoever shall commit any of these abominations, even the souls that commit them shall be cut off from among their people.
30 Therefore shall ye keep mine ordinance, that ye commit not any one of these abominable customs, which were committed before you, and that ye defile not yourselves therein: I am the LORD your God.
Importantly many of these laws are restated only two chapters later in Leviticus 20 and we get a clarification of the particular penalties:
Leviticus 20:
7 Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God.
8 And ye shall keep my statutes, and do them: I am the LORD which sanctify you.
…
10 ¶ And the man that committeth adultery with another man’s wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.
11 And the man that lieth with his father’s wife hath uncovered his father’s nakedness: both of them shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.
12 And if a man lie with his daughter in law, both of them shall surely be put to death: they have wrought confusion; their blood shall be upon them.
13 If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.
14 And if a man take a wife and her mother, it is wickedness: they shall be burnt with fire, both he and they; that there be no wickedness among you.
15 And if a man lie with a beast, he shall surely be put to death: and ye shall slay the beast.
16 And if a woman approach unto any beast, and lie down thereto, thou shalt kill the woman, and the beast: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.
17 And if a man shall take his sister, his father’s daughter, or his mother’s daughter, and see her nakedness, and she see his nakedness; it is a wicked thing; and they shall be cut off in the sight of their people: he hath uncovered his sister’s nakedness; he shall bear his iniquity.
19 And thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother’s sister, nor of thy father’s sister: for he uncovereth his near kin: they shall bear their iniquity.
20 And if a man shall lie with his uncle’s wife, he hath uncovered his uncle’s nakedness: they shall bear their sin; they shall die childless.
21 And if a man shall take his brother’s wife, it is an unclean thing: he hath uncovered his brother’s nakedness; they shall be childless.
22 ¶ Ye shall therefore keep all my statutes, and all my judgments, and do them: that the land, whither I bring you to dwell therein, spue you not out.
23 And ye shall not walk in the manners of the nation, which I cast out before you: for they committed all these things, and therefore I abhorred them.
24 But I have said unto you, Ye shall inherit their land, and I will give it unto you to possess it, a land that floweth with milk and honey: I am the LORD your God, which have separated you from other people.
So How Seriously Did the Church of the Apostolic Scriptures Take These Laws?
Well certainly John the Baptist criticized Herod for taking his brothers’ wife, contrary to...
Leviticus 18:
16 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy brother’s wife: it is thy brother’s nakedness.
Mark 6:
17 For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for Herodias’ sake, his brother Philip’s wife: for he had married her.
18 For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother’s wife.
Let’s take a look at another well known example of sexual immorality which was reported in the New Testament Church and let’s see how it was dealt with.
1 Corinthians 5:
1 ¶ It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife.
Very clearly Paul is addressing here a breach of another of the laws that we’ve just read about in Leviticus 18:8
Leviticus 18:
8 The nakedness of thy father’s wife shalt thou not uncover: it is thy father’s nakedness. (step mother)
What was the penalty for this? We read this in vs 29:
29 For whosoever shall commit any of these abominations, even the souls that commit them shall be cut off from among their people.
The answer is given more precisely in Leviticus 20 which in many instances reiterates the laws of Lev 18 about sex in the Bible, but clarifies the penalty more precisely. For example:
Leviticus 20:
11 And the man that lieth with his father’s wife hath uncovered his father’s nakedness: both of them shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.
However, under Roman law in the promiscuous Greek town of Corinth Paul didn’t have the authority to have someone executed, so he told the Corinthians to cut the individual off by disfellowshipment from the rest of the church. We read about this in the rest of:
1 Corinthians 5:
2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.
3 For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,
4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?
7 ¶ Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:
8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
9 ¶ I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:
10 Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.
11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.
12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?
13 But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
OK. So we see Paul implementing laws on sexual conduct from Leviticus 18 within a Apostolic scriptures context. Later in the Bible in 2 Corinthians we find Paul recognising the repentance of the disfellowshiped member and reinviting them back into the fellowship.
More Judianity Articles on the the Subject of Sex in the Bible
Go back to the start of Judianity - A "Third Way" Between Judaism or Christianity ?
Theologians believe that even after the crucifixion Paul kept Nazirite vows at the temple and offered sacrifices. One predictable adjustment to a written Torah law about circumcising gentile proselytes in Acts, caused massive turmoil in the church. If most of the other "Old Testament" laws were abolished, why wasn't a similar level of controversy recorded then? Was the Torah really "done away" in Galatians ?
Let's take a look at the subject of Sex in the Bible: Adultery.
© www.judianity.info Nov 2011.
