EINUHI DEBESU VALSTĪBAS DĒĻ: Mt 19, 10-12 ekseģēze: Eunuchs for the Sake of the Kingdom of Heaven: Exegesis of Matthew 19:10-12.
Interpretation of the biblical passage on eunuchs in Matthew 19:10-12 has varied in church history. Early church fathers based on the passage their view that life in sexual abstinence is better then marriage. Contrary to that, during the Reformation, other interpretations dominated. For example, Mar...
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | Latvian |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
LU Akadēmiskais apgāds
2009
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| In: |
Cel̜š
Year: 2009, Issue: 59, Pages: 5-18 |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (kostenfrei) |
| Summary: | Interpretation of the biblical passage on eunuchs in Matthew 19:10-12 has varied in church history. Early church fathers based on the passage their view that life in sexual abstinence is better then marriage. Contrary to that, during the Reformation, other interpretations dominated. For example, Martin Luther emphasized the necessity to delight in sexuality as a God-given order and considered celibacy mentioned in Matthew 19:10-12 as a rare gift of God. The history of exegesis indicates moving away from the historical meaning of that text. Firstly, we should separate the historical level of Jesus sayings from the overall context of the Gospel of Matthew as such. Jesus words should be viewed in the Jewish context, where marriage and having offspring played an important role; therefore, castrates were perceived in negative terms. Jesus here takes a word that in general had negative connotations and gives it a new meaning. Eunuchs who are such for the sake of the kingdom of heaven should not be condemned, as it would be naturally done by the society of that day. If Jesus himself probably was speaking about abstinence for a particular period of life, or even for the whole life, the author of the Gospel of Matthew interprets these words connecting them with Jesus words on the inseparable character of marriage and its value. Therefore, this passage seems to be proposing two alternatives-marriage or celibacy. Marriage from Mathew's perspective is a traditional part of creation order, but it is not forced upon, it is not presented as the only option for human beings. This passage and the history of its interpretation also has hermeneutical implications that should be taken into account by contemporary interpreters. At first, we should note the fact that Jesus, speaking about marriage or celibacy, interprets the Law of Moses in a quite flexible way that does not allow to make his words into a law applicable for all situations. We should remember that the voice in Matthew 19:10-12, in its context, speaks from the man's perspective. For centuries, interpretations of this passage have lacked a woman's perspective. Therefore, exegesis of this passage should follow the example of Jesus who challenges us to look at life from the perspective of the kingdom of heaven, where the marginalized and outcasts are valued in a different way. |
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| Contains: | Enthalten in: Cel̜š
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