What if one Greek word has helped shape Christianity’s view of gay people for generations — and we still debate exactly what that word meant?
In Part 4 of my Affirming Theology series, I looked at 1 Corinthians 6:9–10 and the Greek words malakoi and arsenokoitai.
But arsenokoitai appears somewhere else in the New Testament:
1 Timothy 1:9–10.
Depending upon the English translation you’re reading, this unusual Greek word may be rendered in very different ways.
That matters.
Many scholars believe arsenokoitai draws upon the Greek wording of the prohibitions in Leviticus. So I don’t think affirming Christians should simply pretend the word has nothing to do with male-male sexual behavior.
But an important question remains:
What kind of behavior was Paul describing?
Was this about exploitation, prostitution, pederasty, or sexual relationships involving power and status?
Or was Paul intending a universal prohibition against every sexual relationship between men — including the loving, faithful, covenantal relationships we recognize today?
Traditional and affirming Christians answer that differently.
My purpose in this series isn’t to tell people that difficult Bible passages don’t exist.
It’s to slow down long enough to ask what the original words meant before using modern English translations to make sweeping statements about millions of people’s lives and relationships with God.
Translation requires interpretation.
And when Scripture has been used to tell LGBTQ people that God rejects something fundamental about who they are, I believe these questions are worth asking.
Let’s look at the words.
Let’s look at the history.
Let’s look at the context.
And let’s be honest about what we know — and what we don’t.
Affirming Theology — Part 5
1 Timothy 1:9–10
Darkness may be part of the journey, but it doesn’t have to be the destination.
Light Heals.
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