K
I've been reading with interest recently the threads in which Sodom and Gomorrha are mentioned and set out to study all the Biblical references to it. In a lot of places, Sodom and Gomorrha are simply used as threats - "you'll be destroyed like they were if you don't repent" - which doesn't shed a lot of light on the particulars of their sins. We begin with the pertinent passage from Genesis 19:
It's clear that all the men of Sodom meant to rape the visitors and that this would have been male-male sex. However, it's worth noting that even the mob sees the sex as a bad thing. They plan on doing worse to Lot, which means they think this is some kind of punishment or torture. This is not merely sex, this is sex with the intent of cruelty. What had the visitors done to deserve this? We most commonly assume that the men of the town tried to have sex with the visitors because they were new and attractive. It seems, however, that we are to understand that the town didn't treat strangers well. By telling Lot that he "came in to stay here," they're reminding him that he's an outsider they still haven't accepted. By merely protecting the strangers, he's going to receive worse than gang rape.
If this instance is meant to characterize the sin of Sodom, the primary conclusion is that they were awful to their passersby and probably left a number of them dead. Perhaps they raped everyone who came through town, but they were still capable of worse. What were they planning on doing to Lot? We look elsewhere for clues. There are two references in the Hebrew scriptures worth noting:
Jeremiah 23:14 says:
Ezekiel 16:48-50 says:
In these two comparisons, we see adultery, living a lie, strengthening the hands of evildoers, unrepentance, pride, gluttony, idleness, failing to strengthen the week and needy, haughtiness, and abominations. If the authors wanted us to understand that the primary sin of Sodom and Gomorrha were homosexuality, they did a poor job. Adultery is primarily understood as a heterosexual sin and abominations, which are listed last, can include: disaster (Daniel 11:31), bad sacrifices (Isaiah 66:3), idolatry (Deut 29:17, Ezekiel 20:7-8, 1 Kings 11:5-7), witchcraft (2 Kings 23:24), sexual sins (Jeremiah 13:27), forbidden foods (Leviticus 11:10-12, 13, 23, 41), other animals (7:21), etc.
Finally, the most important New Testament reference. Jude 1:7 says:
"Fornication" is clear enough, but this in itself does not indicate homosexuality. The key phrase here for those who quote it seems to be "going after strange flesh," which in transliterated Greek is "apelquosai opisw sarkos eteras." Interestingly, the word "strange" here is "eteras," from which we get our word "hetero." It is only used once in Jude. It means, according to Middle Liddell:
It's a pretty common word. For instance, it's used 32 times in Luke. Here are some examples:
In other words, it's not clear why the English translation reads "strange" there. I must preach the kingdom of God to the strange cities also? And they beckoned unto their partners, which were on the gay boat? No, the word here merely means "other." It's one of those cases in which the translators didn't quite know what the author intended, picked a vague English word, and ran with it.
If the author wished to indicate that men went after other men, "eretos" was definitely the wrong word to use. If they were going after their own type of flesh, we would have seen "omo," from which we get the prefix "homo-" as in "homosexual." What did the author intend? Some have suggested that the three men in Genesis were actually angels, so the men were going after angel flesh. Alternatively, the men of Sodom did tend to rape any foreigner who came through - they went after foreigner flesh.
In any case, it seems the word is still as vague today as when the translators first tried to bring it over. Nevertheless, there are some interpretations which are definitely wrong, such as the idea that they were going after the same type of flesh as themselves.
I welcome your comments and corrections.
Now before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both old and young, all the people from every quarter, surrounded the house. And they called to Lot and said to him, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may know them.” So Lot went out to them through the doorway, shut the door behind him, and said, “Please, my brethren, do not do so wickedly! See now, I have two daughters who have not known a man; please, let me bring them out to you, and you may do to them as you wish; only do nothing to these men, since this is the reason they have come under the shadow of my roof.” And they said, “Stand back!” Then they said, “This one came in to stay here, and he keeps acting as a judge; now we will deal worse with you than with them.” So they pressed hard against the man Lot, and came near to break down the door.
If this instance is meant to characterize the sin of Sodom, the primary conclusion is that they were awful to their passersby and probably left a number of them dead. Perhaps they raped everyone who came through town, but they were still capable of worse. What were they planning on doing to Lot? We look elsewhere for clues. There are two references in the Hebrew scriptures worth noting:
Jeremiah 23:14 says:
And among the prophets of Jerusalem
I have seen something horrible:
They commit adultery and live a lie.
They strengthen the hands of evildoers,
so that none of them turn from their wickedness.
They are all like Sodom to me;
the people of Jerusalem are like Gomorrah.
I have seen something horrible:
They commit adultery and live a lie.
They strengthen the hands of evildoers,
so that none of them turn from their wickedness.
They are all like Sodom to me;
the people of Jerusalem are like Gomorrah.
As I live,” says the Lord GOD, “neither your sister Sodom nor her daughters have done as you and your daughters have done. Look, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughter had pride, fullness of food, and abundance of idleness; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty and committed abomination before Me; therefore I took them away as I saw fit.
Finally, the most important New Testament reference. Jude 1:7 says:
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.
one or the other of two
another, of many, with a sense of difference
of another kind, different
another, of many, with a sense of difference
of another kind, different
Luke 4:43: And he said unto them, I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent.
Luke 4:7: And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.
Luke 9:59: And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
Luke 4:7: And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.
Luke 9:59: And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
If the author wished to indicate that men went after other men, "eretos" was definitely the wrong word to use. If they were going after their own type of flesh, we would have seen "omo," from which we get the prefix "homo-" as in "homosexual." What did the author intend? Some have suggested that the three men in Genesis were actually angels, so the men were going after angel flesh. Alternatively, the men of Sodom did tend to rape any foreigner who came through - they went after foreigner flesh.
In any case, it seems the word is still as vague today as when the translators first tried to bring it over. Nevertheless, there are some interpretations which are definitely wrong, such as the idea that they were going after the same type of flesh as themselves.
I welcome your comments and corrections.