Bible Thumping: An Introduction to Sexuality and The Bible.
An Introduction to Sexuality and the Bible (also known as Bible Thumping)
It is the last thing that comes to mind when one thinks of biblical teachings and expressions, and it is sexuality that comes to mind even more so. In fact, when it comes to the subject, it is more common than not that negative opinions are expressed. However, sex is as old as the beginning of time, and the Old Testament makes no attempt to avoid the subject. Although sexuality is mentioned, it is also discussed in depth, with specific reference to many subcategories of sexuality, including but not limited to desire, sexual destructiveness, sexual law, and homosexuality, to name a few. Early Israelite society was shaped by discussions of intimacy, which portray human sexuality not only as a fundamental and celebrated part of life, but also as a motivating factor in the development of its structures and laws. The Old Testament, in contrast to popular belief, encourages sexual desire without regard to fecundity and views sex as a natural part of human nature; it depicts a society that, like our own, simultaneously culturally glorifies and legislatively condemns sexual activity.
According to the priestly account of creation in Genesis, humans are born with a sexual nature. In Genesis 1:27, it is emphasised that humanity was created as a pair of male and female beings, and that they are considered to be extremely good. “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth,” are the first words spoken to humankind, and they are repeated over and over again in the Bible (Genesis 1:28). The first creation narrative establishes sexual union as a necessary condition for reproduction, while the second creation narrative elaborates on the human tendency toward sexual longing. Throughout the second narrative, Adam’s loneliness serves as the central problem. Even though God tries to provide man with companionship in the form of animals or birds, he is unable to do so effectively in those forms. To the contrary, it is only the company of a woman that Adam can find fulfilment in his need for a partner. Specifically, Genesis 2:24-25 states, “As a result, a man leaves his father and mother and clings tightly to his wife, and the two of them are one flesh.” In addition, both the man and his wife were completely undressed and showed no signs of shame.” As Adam and Eve “become one flesh,” they stand naked together in a glorious and “unified” state, marking the beginning of the introduction of sex into the storey of creation.
Following the introduction of the first humans as sexual beings, the importance of sexual intercourse and desire is repeatedly emphasised in Genesis, with numerous references to it throughout the book. When God reprimands Adam and Eve for eating the forbidden fruit, it is important to note that God specifically punishes Eve for her sin. “You will give birth to children in pain, but your desire will be for your husband,” the prophecy says (Genesis 3:16). This passage is almost cruel in that God is causing women to be plagued with desire for their husbands, even in the absence of the excruciating pains of childbirth, which is almost as bad as childbirth itself. God, on the other hand, did not take away a woman’s desire for sex. In one instance, when God tells Sarah that she will have children at a very old age, she bursts out laughing. “Do you mind if I have pleasure?” She quotes Genesis 18:12, in which she refers to sexual intercourse not only as a means of reproduction but also as something pleasurable. Furthermore, Potiphar’s wife is desperate to sleep with Joseph, not for fecundity reasons, but because she has a sexual desire for him– “his master’s wife looked at Joseph with desire, and she said, “Lie with me.” (Genesis 39:7).
Women, on the other hand, are not the only ones who have a strong desire for intimacy. Men are frequently depicted as inherently sexual in Genesis, and as being unable to control their desires. After telling Abimelech that his wife Rebekah was his sister, Isaac “fondled” her in front of the entire congregation (Genesis 26:6-8). Isaac was apparently taken with Rebekah’s beauty to the point where he couldn’t stop himself from touching her sexually, despite the danger he knew he was putting himself in. Additionally, in Genesis 6:1-2, men choose wives for themselves based on their perception of their beauty. This implies physical attraction, which is, without a doubt, a significant factor in human sexual behaviour. In Genesis, there are numerous accounts of men “knowing” their wives, as well as numerous accounts of men expressing admiration for the physical appearance of women. To give an example, when Jacob saw Rachel for the first time, he couldn’t stop himself from kissing her (Gen 29:11). In order to win her hand in marriage, Jacob made a seven-year commitment to work for her father, Laban, in order to earn her affection. Because of his physical attraction to Rachel – “Rachel was lovely in form and beautiful. 18 Jacob was head over heels in love with Rachel” – he did this. (Genesis 29:17-18; cf. It was probably for the best that Jacob did not adore Leah as much as he did Rachel because she was not as physically attractive as Rachel.
Genesis, without a doubt, provides an excellent introduction to sexuality and its unassailable place in the human condition. However, there is no other place in the Bible where sexual desire is more overtly expressed and glorified than in the “Song of Solomon.” The poem, which is erotic and bordering on pornographic, celebrates not only the life-giving power of sexuality, but also its ability to provide pleasure and to enrich the lives of those who partake in it. When it comes to love as a driving force, Genesis describes it in great detail: “Set me as a seal upon your heart,” “Set me as a seal upon your arm,” and “Set me as a seal upon your arm.” For love is as strong as death, and passion is fierce as the grave, Genesis says. Its flashes are flashes of fire, a raging flame, and it has no sound. Love can’t be quenched by many waters, and it can’t be drowned by floods. The offer of one’s entire estate as a gift for love would be met with utter contempt by the recipient. (8:6-7, Song of Songs)
This passage is undeniably suffocating with praise for the institution of marriage. The phrases “passion as fierce as the grave” and “raging flames” conjure up images of intense intimacy. While this passion is acceptable, the idea of receiving material gain in exchange for it is unacceptable, if not offensive. It appears that the bible is stating that nothing, not even all of the wealth in the world, can be used to compensate for the loss of sex. In this passage, the Bible makes a definitive statement about the importance of love. It is priceless, and it is devoid of any hierarchy. It is also not always done with the intention of reproducing something. Unlike all of the other passages in Song of Solomon, this one does not make any reference to fertility. They are merely expressions of admiration for an unquenchable romantic passion.
It may come as a surprise to learn that the “Song of Solomon” also serves as an explicit description of specific sexual acts, such as oral sex. A good example of this is found in Song 4:16: “Blow upon my garden, so that the fragrance of my flowers may be carried far and wide.” Allow my beloved to visit him in his garden and partake of the best fruits he has to offer.” Similarly, in Song 2:3, oral sex is depicted: In the same way that an apple tree stands out among other trees in the wood, so is my beloved among young men.” Sitting in his shadow brought me great pleasure, and his fruit was delicious to my palate.” In both of these passages, it is the word “fruit” that elicits images of genitalia, both male and female, in the reader. According to allegorical interpretation, the word “fruit” can refer to something sexual or something “forbidden,” such as the common perception of genitalia. Adam and Eve are shown to have done so in the storey of temptation in Genesis, where they eat the “forbidden fruit.” After eating the “fruit,” Adam and Eve realised that they were naked and without shame, and they immediately covered themselves. It is clear from this passage that the consumption of the “forbidden fruit” corresponds to the realisation of the sexual nature of the genitalia. Furthermore, the use of the word “garden” in Song 4:16 is undoubtedly a reference to this scene from the “Garden of Eden.” These words not only depict gardens and fruit in a sexually suggestive manner, but they also emphasise the relationship between sex and nature, implying that the beauty of intimacy is proportionate to the beauty of the natural world, according to some interpretations.
However, it is not all flowers and fruit trees when it comes to sexuality in the Old Testament. The destructiveness of certain aspects of sexuality is also mentioned, and examples of what not to do when plagued by desire are provided as cautionary tales. When it comes to praising sex, consent is extremely important. If consent is not given, the ramifications will be catastrophic. The rape of Dinah is an excellent illustration of this. An unknown young Hivite nobleman named Sachem sexually assaulted the daughter of Leah and Jacob, who was named Dinah. After that, Sachem expressed an interest in marrying Dinah, and he and his father, Hamor, travelled to Jacob’s house to seek permission. In order to marry, Sachem would have to be circumcised, as would all of the other males in his tribe. The conditions for marriage were horrifying. However, that was not the only ramification of this rape. Sachem and his men were in agony at the time, and Dinah’s brothers took advantage of their weakness to murder him and every other man in the city. In addition, the city’s wealth was looted to the fullest extent possible. It demonstrates that an act such as the one that Sachem committed is unforgivable—and thus deserving of God’s wrath—and that it justifies a bloody retaliation. Because they were defending the honour of their sister, the murderers were not prosecuted or punished for their crimes.
Rape committed with violence is an even more serious sexual offence. In Sodom, when the men of the city surrounded Lot’s house, they demanded to “know” the men who were inside. When Lot attempted to negotiate with them, they reacted violently and angrily, even attempting to rape him (“they pressed hard against the man Lot,” Genesis 19:9). In addition to murder, these acts of sexual violence paved the way for even more devasting consequences down the road. Men in Sodom were first rendered visually impaired before their city was rained down with sulphur and fire until every person and structure was destroyed. The reason for this was not only due to their sexual prowess, but also due to their lack of morality and hospitality, as well as their desire to have sex simply for the sake of having sex. There is no indication that these men are attracted to Lot or the men in his house on a physical level, much less that they are infatuated with him. Their sin was violence, as well as promiscuity for no other reason than to satisfy their insatiable lust for power.
However, the bible does not always contain the negative sexual messages that the majority of people believe it to contain. As a way of addressing the issue of homosexuality as something that God does not approve of, the storey of Sodom is frequently used. This is not the case; rather, their sin is inhospitality as well as violent gang rape and rape in groups. Aside from this, many people believe that the storey of Onan is not about the sin of masturbation, but rather about “his disobeying the Levite Law in order to procreate with his deceased brother’s wife.” (Haffner, pg. 4) In fact, Onan “spilled his semen on the ground” whenever he had sexual relations with Tamar, rather than masturbating.
Whether it was regarded as good or bad by God or the general public, sexuality was unquestionably a common feature of ancient Israelite society. As a result, it was only natural that when Mosaic Law was established, there would be sex-related restrictions, just as there are in contemporary American society. This body of legislation attempted to “channel and order sexuality for the welfare and purity of the community, in addition to for the perceived benefit of the individuals involved.” (Menn nr. 40) The laws on sexuality were written for an ancient Israelite society, but many of them address issues that are still relevant today, such as adultery, incest, rape, and homosexuality, which are all addressed in our current laws. The differences between modern sexuality and ancient law, on the other hand, create the most striking perpendicularities that we have seen thus far.
The laws concerning adultery, for example, reveal the stark contrast between Israelite society and our own culture and society. When it comes to adultery with a neighbor’s wife, it says in Leviticus 20:10, “If a man commits adultery with her, both the adulterer and the adulteress shall be put to death.” This demonstrates that adultery laws in the Bible are intended to protect the family of the person who has been wronged, whereas our own laws are intended to protect the individual who has been wronged themselves. Contrary to modern-day societal norms, married men in ancient Israelite society are permitted to have sexual relations with a woman who is not married to them, whereas women are restricted to having sexual relations with their own husbands only. This draws attention to the differences between ancient Israelite society and modern society in terms of hierarchical social structure. The man is in charge, and he treats women as if they are property, with little regard for their sexual equality. Even though adultery is frowned upon in our society, we do not resort to the extreme measure of the death penalty, nor do we generally allow men to have different restrictions on who they are allowed to sleep with than women do in our society. However, we do consider adultery to be a legitimate reason for filing for divorce, which can result in the division of property between the parties involved in the divorce.
Another notable distinction between Mosaic sexual law and contemporary sexual norms is the severity of the punishment for raping a virgin woman. In the event that a man encounters a virgin who is not engaged, seizes her, and lies with her, and they are caught doing so, the man who lied with her must pay fifty shekels of silver to the young woman’s father, and she will become his wife. (Duet ends at 22:28) This would be considered strange in today’s society because the potential rape survivor is not consulted at all in this situation. In reality, her father receives payment, and she is forced to marry the rapist who raped her. After reaching a certain age, a woman’s independent legal agency to make her own decisions about sexuality and marriage is violated by this law, according to experts. Menn (Menn 39)
Specifically, the Old Testament contains two prohibitions against homosexuality. A male lying with a female is considered an abomination (Lev 18:22), and “if a man lies with a male lying with a female, both of them have committed an abomination, and they shall be put to death” (Lev 18:23). (Exodus 20:13) Both of these references to homosexuality are negative in nature, and they are placed within the context of the laws of sexual immorality, which include incest, beastiality, and sex during menstruation, among other things. There is no mention of woman-to-woman sex in the book. This issue has remained contentious in America to this day because God has made it clear that he despises homosexuality in a direct and blatant manner. However, there is a segment of our culture that accepts and even glorifies homosexuality to a certain extent. The law of the United States does not expressly condemn homosexuality, but the majority of states do not permit same-sex marriage. These similarities between the cultures are highlighted, though the differences between them appear to be a little more dramatic in Israel’s case.
Think about the differences and similarities between these moral and civil laws, as well as the references to Genesis and the Song of Solomon, and our own contemporary views of sexuality and gender roles. Our feelings for the celebration of love and sex depicted in Genesis and even more so in Song of Solomon are stronger, but we cringe at the moral and civil laws found in the Bible; laws that condemn homosexuality and degrade a woman’s sexual freedom in comparison to a man’s. Despite the fact that the bible appeared to be a lover of sex in the same way that contemporary American society is, they were more strict about who was allowed to enjoy it—basically, a married man and his wife.
It is clear that the Old Testament recognises the significance of human sexuality, despite the fact that the subject is obsessively avoided by many religious institutions. However, our own human nature tells us that if God created us, he must have also created sex and sexuality, which are two things that do not appear to be a threat. As a matter of fact, God has given humans the gift of sexuality, recognising it as a part of the natural world’s beauty and as a driving force in our social structure. Our common flesh, our common capacity for love with a physical dimension, and our common desire to know and be known by another are what strike us as striking about our biblical ancestors, rather than our fundamental differences with them. Menn 45 is a slang term for “menn 45.” Despite the fact that our laws are different, it is clear that the Old Testament and the new world can both agree on the importance of human sexuality in the overall scheme of things.
Several sources are cited.
The New Oxford Annotated Bible, edited by Michael Coogan, is available online. The Oxford University Press, New York, published a book in 2007 titled
Weibel, Deana L. A Sacred Vertigo: Pilgrimage and Tourism in Rocamadour, France. Rowman & Littlefield, 2022.
Jaynes, Sharon. Never Less Than: Living Empowered, Esteemed, and Equipped When the World Tells You Otherwise. Harvest House Publishers, 2022.
Debra W. Haffner’s “The Really Good News: What the Bible Says about Sex” is available online. Journal of SIECUS Report No. 26 (1997): 3-8.
“Sexuality in the Old Testament: Strong as Death, Unquenchable as Fire,” by Esther M. Menn, is available online.
CURRENTS IN THEOLOGY AND MISSION, volume 30, number 3, 2003, pages 37-45.
