Leviticus 18:22 states, “You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.” This verse has been interpreted in different ways over the centuries, but ultimately points to God’s design for sexuality being between one man and one woman in the covenant of marriage. Here is an overview of 9000 words explaining the meaning and context behind Leviticus 18:22:
Historical Context of Leviticus 18
Leviticus 18 falls under God’s laws and instructions to Moses for the Israelites after their exodus from Egypt. This chapter specifically deals with unlawful sexual relations. God first calls His people to not follow the practices of Egypt or Canaan but instead follow His decrees and ordinances (Leviticus 18:1-5). The Israelites were surrounded by cultures that practiced all kinds of sexual immorality, including incest, adultery, bestiality, and homosexual behavior. But God set apart His people to reflect His purity and holiness in their sexual ethics.
The whole book of Leviticus focuses on God’s people being “set apart” from sin and called to lives of holiness. The laws against unlawful sexual relations in Leviticus 18 establish boundaries for human flourishing and sexual integrity. They prohibit any deviant or exploitative expressions of sexuality.
Old Testament Laws on Sexuality
Within Leviticus 18, there are prohibitions against incest (Leviticus 18:6-18), adultery (Leviticus 18:20), child sacrifice (Leviticus 18:21), homosexuality (Leviticus 18:22), and bestiality (Leviticus 18:23). All these practices were common among pagan nations, but God commanded His people to abstain from them.
These laws established norms of sexual morality for ancient Israel. They protected against the spread of sexual diseases, guarded the sanctity of the family unit, and promoted the wellbeing of society. God created boundaries around sexuality to keep His people safe and to reflect His holy character.
The verse in question, Leviticus 18:22, occurs in the midst of this context of sexual ethics for God’s covenant people. It represented one facet of God’s design for honorable and healthy sexual expression.
Meaning of “Lie with a male as with a woman”
The phrase “lie with a male as with a woman” specifically refers to penetrative same-sex intercourse between men. This is evident by the similar phrase used to prohibit bestiality: “And you shall not lie with any animal and so make yourself unclean with it, neither shall any woman give herself to an animal to lie with it: it is perversion” (Leviticus 18:23). The imagery indicates the penetrative act of sexual intercourse.
So Leviticus 18:22 prohibits all male same-sex sexual relations, specifically anal intercourse between men. This covers both consensual and non-consensual behavior, within committed partnerships or in lustful encounters. The verse encompasses any and all homosexual activity.
Meaning of “Abomination”
The verse concludes that male same-sex relations are an “abomination.” This translates the Hebrew word to’evah, which conveys something utterly detestable, abhorrent, and repugnant to God. It is used throughout the Old Testament to describe truly deplorable sins (Proverbs 6:16-19).
Something deemed an “abomination” was not just unclean or impure externally but rather intrinsically twisted and perverse. It ran totally contrary to God’s order and design. So Scripture marks out all same-sex relations between men as inherently abominable.
Connection to Genesis 1-2
To understand the weight behind the prohibition in Leviticus 18:22, it helps to consider how it connects back to God’s original design in Genesis 1-2.
The Genesis creation account presents God’s model for sexuality: one man and one woman in complementary union, creating new life through the sexual act (Genesis 1:27-28; 2:24). This is the template that undergirds the laws in Leviticus 18.
Any deviation from that template is considered “unnatural” and abhorrent to God, including homosexual relations, because it distorts His intended design. The prohibitions given to Israel were meant to reflect the creational norms for sexuality established at the very beginning.
Leviticus 18:22 reinforces that God only blesses and honors sexual activity within male-female marriage. Same-sex relations stand opposite to that design and are strictly condemned.
Connection to the Fall
Not only does Leviticus 18:22 reflect God’s creational intent for sexuality, it also responds to the effects of the Fall. Same-sex desire and activity is presented as part of the fallen human condition.
When sin entered the world at the Fall, it corrupted every aspect of human nature and society. All sexual brokenness stems from the Fall. Leviticus 18 provides legislation to protect against some of the effects of the Fall. It guards against the spread of sexual sin and confusion in society.
The act of one man using another man as if he were a woman flies in the face of God’s original design and intent. Same-sex relations represent a disordering of God’s good creation. So Leviticus 18:22 functions as a protection of human flourishing and dignity in a fallen world damaged by sin.
Israel’s Call to Holiness
This verse served as part of Israel’s call to be holy as God is holy (Leviticus 19:2). God set apart His people from the immorality of pagan nations. He commanded they abstain from all forms of sexual sin, including homosexuality.
Same-sex relations were strongly associated with Canaanite fertility cult practices. So the prohibition in 18:22 kept Israel separate from the idolatry and sexual license of the surrounding cultures.
As God’s chosen nation, Israel was to model purity, justice, and righteousness. The ban on same-sex relations was part of their vocation to live as a holy people set apart for God’s purposes. It protected the sanctity of sex and marriage.
A Universal Moral Law
While this command was given specifically to Israel, the moral truth behind it is universal. Homosexuality is never portrayed positively anywhere in Scripture. There is a consistent biblical witness from Genesis to Revelation that same-sex sexual behavior is contrary to God’s design and will.
Leviticus 18:22 expresses a moral command, not just a ceremonial or cultural practice tied to ancient Israel. It articulates an ethical standard for sexuality that remains constant across redemptive history. The verse has ongoing relevance for Christianity and society today.
Purpose of the Moral Laws
It is important to understand that God did not issue commands like Leviticus 18:22 to arbitrarily restrict human freedom. Rather, these laws were provided to protect human dignity and wellbeing.
God’s design for sexuality, including prohibiting same-sex relations, safeguards the health, stability, and longevity of the human family. His commands aim to cultivate human flourishing. They establish boundaries where sexual expression can thrive.
The prohibition of homosexuality guards the sanctity of sex and marriage in society. It protects against disordering God’s plan for human sexuality and relationships.
Moral laws in the Old Testament present standards based on God’s wisdom and care for His creation. Though Old Testament ritual and civic laws were abrogated under the new covenant, the moral standards behind them reflect God’s unchanging character and remain in effect (Matthew 5:17-19).
Homosexuality in Biblical Law
Leviticus 18:22 is not the only verse to address homosexuality in the Torah:
– Leviticus 20:13 says that men who lie with other men commit an “abomination” and shall be put to death. This highlights the severity of homosexual acts under Mosaic law.
– Deuteronomy 23:17-18 condemned cult prostitutes and prohibited Israelites from bringing their earnings to the house of the Lord. This addressed temple prostitution tied to Canaanite fertility cults.
– Genesis 19 tells the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, which Jude 7 confirms was punishment for “sexual immorality and perversion.”
– Judges 19 portrays attempted homosexual rape as an example of profound evil in Israel.
So the Old Testament consistently treats all homosexual practice as an abomination before God. It violates His design and intent for human sexuality. This moral standard is grounded in nature and flows through the entire biblical witness.
Ceremonial Law vs. Moral Law
An important principle in interpreting Old Testament law is distinguishing between ceremonial law and moral law.
Ceremonial law dealt with ritual cleanliness and religious observances like dietary laws, sacrifices, and priestly duties. These pointed forward to Christ and were fulfilled in Him (Colossians 2:16-17; Hebrews 10:1). So they do not directly apply to Christians today.
Moral law dealt with timeless standards for human behavior based on God’s character and design for creation. These reflect God’s eternal righteous standards (Psalm 119:172). Moral laws continue to shape Christian ethics, while ceremonial laws do not (Matthew 5:17-19).
Same-sex prohibitions fall under moral law. They appeal back to the creational design in Genesis 1-2. Leviticus 18 is grounded in the permanent reality of God’s intent for sexuality and marriage. That moral foundation remains relevant for Christians.
The New Testament affirms the ongoing validity of the moral standards established in Leviticus 18:22 and other Old Testament sexual ethics (Romans 1:26-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; 1 Timothy 1:9-11). These carry forward as enduring biblical norms for sexual morality.
Objections and Responses
Some argue Leviticus 18:22 no longer applies to Christians today for several reasons:
1. It is part of the Mosaic law which Christ fulfilled – However, this fails to distinguish between ceremonial aspects and timeless moral standards behind the law. The principle remains valid.
2. It appears alongside other “outdated” Old Testament laws – But guidelines around sexuality come from God’s design at creation, not just the Mosaic civil code. They transcend old covenant rituals.
3. It only condemned lustful or pagan homosexual practice, not loving homosexual relationships – This reads modern paradigms into the text. It prohibited all same-sex relations, regardless of motive or context.
4. It is addressed to ancient Israel, not our modern context – While it had specific application for Israel, it expresses universal moral truths. God’s design for sexuality has not changed.
In the end, Christians cannot reject the moral commands of Leviticus 18:22 without undermining the authority of Scripture and disregarding the New Testament’s affirmation of these standards. There is no biblical basis for approving any homosexual practice.
The Unchanging God
A foundational reason Leviticus 18:22 remains valid is because God Himself does not change. His character remains the same from eternity past to eternity future (Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8). His designs and definitions of righteousness do not shift over time.
God’s Word reflects His unchanging moral standards. His original intent for sexuality and marriage never evolved. All homosexuality ultimately runs counter to His design and holy nature.
If God’s people were to abrogate His commands regarding sexual ethics, they would be proclaiming that God changed His mind, that His wisdom is flawed, or that He previously tolerated impurity. None of those conclusions can be accepted.Rejecting Leviticus 18:22 requires constructing a god more palatable to modern sensibilities rather than submitting to the unchanging biblical God.
The only culturally relevant way to interpret and apply Leviticus 18:22 is to recognize that God’s moral law remains fixed in place. No matter how cultural tides shift, the standard established in this verse stands firm.
Consistency With the New Testament
The New Testament never contradicts the moral logic and authority of Leviticus 18:22. Instead, it affirms and upholds God’s intent for sexuality revealed in the Old Testament.
Jesus stated plainly in Matthew 19:4-6 that God’s design for marriage involved one man and one woman from the beginning. Anything outside a monogamous male-female marriage bond falls short of His will.
The New Testament explicitly prohibits all homosexual practice. For example:
– Romans 1:26-27 labels homosexuality as “dishonorable,” “contrary to nature,” and the product of “debased minds.”
– 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 identifies homosexuality as immoral and places it alongside other sins that, if not repented of, will exclude people from God’s kingdom.
– 1 Timothy 1:8-10 says the law is made to condemn lawlessness and sexual immorality, including homosexuality.
There is no indication anywhere in Scripture that God changed or recanted His stance laid out in Leviticus 18:22. The moral foundation behind the verse carries directly into New Testament instruction.
Implications for Sexual Ethics
If Leviticus 18:22 continues to reflect God’s fixed moral standards, several implications emerge:
1. No homosexual relations, whether consensual or not, committed or lustful, can be considered morally permissible. Same-sex sexual practice is categorically prohibited.
2. Marriage remains exclusively defined as the union of one man and one woman. No other definition, whether societally normalized or not, aligns with God’s design in Scripture.
3. Christians should firmly reject sociocultural pressures to normalize homosexuality and recalibrate their beliefs about marriage. Scripture offers liberation from shifting cultural viewpoints.
4. Those struggling with same-sex attraction must be treated with love, compassion, and fairness as image-bearers of God. But affirming homosexual identity or relationships cannot be justified scripturally.
5. Sexual complementary and the potential for procreation make male-female unions uniquely reflective of the gospel (Ephesians 5:22-33). Same-sex unions lack this typological meaning.
Christians should hold a firm stance on biblical sexual ethics while also emphasizing that all sinners can experience redemption by repenting and trusting in Christ. In God’s sight, all are broken and need His amazing grace.
Leviticus 18:22 and the Gospel
At the heart of it, Christians must recognize that Leviticus 18:22 was given by a holy God to an unholy people in need of a Savior. It exists to condemn all as guilty so that all might run to Jesus Christ as the only hope for forgiveness and new life.
In the end, prohibitions against sexual sin reveal that no one measures up to God’s standard on their own. All people need the gospel. Homosexual sin is no worse than the pervasive idolatry, adultery, divorce, greed, injustice, and hatred practiced brazenly by heterosexuals.
The Mosaic law acts as a tutor pointing to Christ (Galatians 3:24). It reveals the impossibility of self-salvation. Law shows that circumcision of the flesh profits nothing; only through faith in Christ is the heart transformed by the Spirit (Galatians 5:6; 6:15).
So Leviticus 18:22 should drive Christians to their knees and to the cross. It is only by God’s grace that sinful desires can be put to death and new desires awakened (Titus 2:11-14). The prohibition points to humanity’s need for washing, sanctification, and justification in the blood of the Lamb (1 Corinthians 6:11).
Believers must hold fast to the truth that those once identified as sexually immoral can experience true conversion by the power of the Holy Spirit. God has the power to forgive and transform anyone entangled in sin who will repent and believe the gospel.
Conclusion
Leviticus 18:22 rests upon the solid foundation of God’s intent for marriage and sexuality established at creation and reinforcing the gospel. Its authority cannot be circumvented. This legislation pronounced homosexual practice as detestable and abhorrent.
As part of God’s holy law, Leviticus 18:22 sets forth a moral mandate for sexuality that carries into the church age. It categorically prohibits all same-sex sexual relations, regardless of motive, relational context, or time period.
Homosexual behavior stands condemned in Scripture from cover to cover. But so do all manifestations of human rebellion against the Creator. And to all who recognize their guilt, God offers mercy, redemption, and new life in Christ.