Homosexuality in the New Testament - Part 1

1 Corinthians 6:9-11

            The New Testament contains several references to homosexual sexual acts, all of which, after proper exegesis reveal the condemnation of such acts, but for the purposes of this paper we will only address two such references.  First we will look at a passage in Paul’s first letter to the Corinthian church, as it tends to be under the most scrutiny by those claiming the New Testament does not condemn homosexual acts.  “Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.”^[1]

The passage as translated to English seems to be as simple and straightforward as the passage found in Leviticus, but it is often argued that the translation is faulty.  The argument stems from the fact that the original Greek words, which are translated as ‘homosexuality’, contain either some ambiguity, or are just falsely translated.  In order to determine if this allegation is correct, we must review the literary and historical/cultural components of the passage.

The original Greek passage uses two terms, ἀρσενοκοίτης (arsenokoites), and μαλακός (malakos), which are then translated to homosexuality in the English translation.  The argument that the passage does not refer to consensual homosexual relationships stems from an argument about the semantics of the two Greek words, it is for that reason that we must first look at the two terms.

μαλακός (malakos)

            The literal definition of the term malakos means ‘soft’, often referring to a fabric or a freshly ploughed field.  When speaking of human sexuality however, the term is employed to mean, “being passive in a same-sex relationship, effeminate especially of catamites, of men and boys who are sodomized by other males in such a relationship.”[2]  The context of the 1 Corinthians passage is clearly speaking to human sexuality, and therefore the most acceptable definition of the term would fit that of a passive partner in a same-sex relationship.

ἀρσενοκοίτης (arsenokoites)

            Arsenokoites refers to “the active male partner in homosexual intercourse.” ^[3]  This term is not frequently used, in fact, it is used only twice in the entire New Testament.  Later use of the word would clearly point to the definition being the active partner in homosexual intercourse.

Argument for Ambiguity of μαλακός (malakos) and ἀρσενοκοίτης (arsenokoites)

            The argument that is typically made in favor of ambiguity of these two terms begins with the term malakos.  At the time of the writing of 1 Corinthians, the most common expression of ‘malakos’ as it pertains to human sexuality would have been that of young men, typically between the ages of 12 and 20, who would allow themselves to be the passive partner in homosexual sex with older men.  This is referred to as pederasty, not to be confused with pedophilia. 

Pederasty was widely practiced and celebrated in Greek culture.  Often, older men would have young male partners with whom they would have homosexual intercourse, the boys, or ‘malakos’ being the passive partner, the one being penetrated.  These boys would often participate as male-temple prostitutes.  The term arsenokoites then would apply to the active partner, the older male, and the one who penetrates the younger male.

            From this position it is often argued that the prohibition of homosexual sex in 1 Corinthians, is actually referring to the act of pederasty and that either this is a prohibition of the use of male-temple prostitutes, or a prohibition of forcefully engaging in sodomizing young men.  There are a few things we must consider when looking at this position.

            First, the argument that the prohibition is made in order to protect young men from being sodomized by older men ignores the culture at the time the passage was written.  In Greek culture, the ‘malakos’, ‘arsenokoites’ relationship was largely celebrated.  The older, active partner would often become a mentor figure for the younger men.  They would assist in providing education to the younger male, and in many cases the father of the young male (malakos) would have to be in approval of the relationship.

            This position also assumes that the boys who participated as the ‘malakos’ would have been below the age of consent.  The issue with that assumption is that it simply was not true.  The age that most boys would participate in this kind of activity would have been the same age as girls were given in marriage.  Based on the fact that the relationships were neither forced, nor culturally prohibited, the idea that the prohibition was being made because the ‘malakos’ were being forcefully sodomized by the ‘arsenokoites’ is untrue.

            The argument that the ambiguity of the terms allows for an alternate understanding of the prohibition of homosexual sexual acts ignores the culture in which the passage was written.  The fact is that the passage is not referring to sex being forced on a younger man by an older man, or pedophilia.  The concept of consensual sex seems to be apparent when we look at the culture in which the passage was written.

            Given that the cultural understanding shows the passage is not addressing pederasty or pedophilia as a forced act, or that it is an act which is not conducted between two consenting men, we are left to view this as a prohibition of consenting same-sex sexual acts.  The true weight of the argument for the prohibition of homosexual sexual acts in this passage comes not from either of the terms on its own, but the fact that both terms are present, and representing both the passive and active roles of homosexual sex.  Although there is some ambiguity in the terms as presented on their own, the cultural and literary context of the passage assures that it is referring to consenting same-sex acts.

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^[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. 2001 (1 Co 6:9–10). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

[2] Walter Bauer, W. F. Arndt, and F. W. Gingrinch, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, ed. Frederick W. Danker, Third ed. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 613.

^[3] Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). Vol. 1: Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: Based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition.) (771). New York: United Bible Societies.