Part 1 – Introduction From
the Swedish – HBTQ: Homosexual. Bisexual, Transgender, Queer movement in Sweden 2012
It was an ordinary
day (as if there are ordinary days for those who follow the Spirit’s leading),
and the Holy Spirit tells Philip that he must go down to the desert road. There
Philip is instructed to stay close to a chariot carrying an Ethiopian eunuch. “Go
to that chariot and stay near it.” The eunuch was a believer and read aloud
from the book of Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand
what you are reading?” Philip asked. The eunuch replied humbly that he needs
guidance. Philip seizes the opportunity to tell the eunuch about Jesus and the
good news. Then comes the question: "There is water
here. Is there anything to prevent my being baptized?”
One might think
that it's a simple question, a rather innocent question. But for Philip, it
must have been an incredibly loaded question. As though it wasn’t enough that
the man was a heathen (and Peter had not yet received his vision to preach to
the Gentiles), but this man was also a eunuch (i.e. probably neutered in order
to work for the Ethiopian queen without having to be mistrusted). Eunuchs were
castrated in order to be entrusted with positions of trust, to among other
things, serve the harem and queens but not be seduced by them.
According to the
Law of Moses eunuchs were unclean and were not to put their foot in the Lord's
sanctuary (Deuteronomy 23.1). The word used is ecclesia in the Septuagint
(assembly), so it is quite clear that a eunuch was not welcome, not only in the
physical temple, but also not in the Jewish community. A eunuch was a sexual
deviant and pagan.
It was probably not
an easy decision for Philip to baptize this man; what will the brothers in
Jerusalem say? What are Peter and James going to say? But presumably it was the
instructive voice of God and the Holy Spirit who convinced Philip to baptize this
marginalized man. The reason why this story appears in the Acts of the Apostles
is enough to give a glimpse of the outrageous inclusion of heathens, and other and
marginalized people through all of the early history of the Christian church.
Translation: Dr. Sven Ljungholm
London
Former Officerhttp://www.olterman.se/blog/?series=hbtq-kyrka
14 comments:
thanks for your hard work in translating, Sven!
This is well-written & well-translated (Thanks, Sven). Because baptism is an external witness/testimony of an inner change, it makes perfect sense that Phillip would baptize the ennuch.
Elizabeth Hogan-Hayduk
Canada and Bermuda
Thanks for the article and the translation- looking forward with anticipation to the rest of the series. Many times God the Holy Spirit prompts us to move out of comfortable tradtions.
Tina Paddock
Former
Canada and Bermuda
Perhaps the point needs to be made here that baptism in the New Testament was originally a statement of someone's willingness to surrender their lives to Christ, not of their "church membership". It did not imply that the person's life immediately and miraculously changed, but rather that this was the beginning of the journey towards wholeness and holiness in Christ.
Just because we are sinners when we become saved, does not give us permission to continue practising sin. It is true that it may take many months, years or even a lifetime for us to be able to cast off all the dross of our past, but there is an expectation that we will continue to seek the better life that God has planned for us.
Each of us have been tainted by things in our past and each of us will respond differently to that pain and hurt. Some will shy away from relationships all together, others will choose unhealthy relationships or become promiscuous, and still others will turn to same sex relationships.
However Scripture gives us a clear template for godly relationships and if we are truly surrendered to Christ, and truly committed to following God's plan for our lives then it would only make sense that we would seek God's perfect will for our lives, not some counterfeit that has oftentimes been forced upon us.
Like the Eunuch, we may still wear the marks of our past, but in Christ we no longer have to be controlled by them.
Former - Australia Southern Territory
Very good introduction to the topic - I would never have thought of such an introduction - Thanks Sven and Patrik.
I think though, from the beginning of this series, we all need to agree to discuss the topic from a new perspective - otherwise we are just going to go around in circles - with the same people putting forward the same arguments for and against.
I suggest we all agree to to:
1) Acknowledge the cultural setting of the texts and contrast that setting with today's culture.
2) Acknowledge the linguistic difficulties - translating ancient languages.
3) Acknowledge that none of us know fully the whole mind of God - and as a result, changes occur which appear to us that God has changed his mind etc, but in fact it is just giving us a bigger picture of who God is.
4) Acknowledge that science, philosophy, psychology etc etc etc have increased exponentially from the time the Bible was written - and that the Bible was never intended to disprove Science - just simply show that God is God and wants a relationship with mankind. We need to consider the implication that increased scientific knowledge has on our faith and understanding of God and the Bible. If God is God, and the creator of all - then nothing we find out through the study of that creation can disprove God. It can only deepen and mature and change our understanding of that unchanging God.
5) CHALLENGE statistics, reports etc. Statistics and reports can be made up, falsified, wrongly interpreted. We need to properly, and intellectually challenge them. Then, if the reports/statistic falls down, we need to abandon that line of 'proof' and acknowledge that maybe our argument is less strong than we thought.
6) Acknowledge the reality of human experience! We cannot make stories up because they support our argument, or encourage people to say things that aren't true in order to gain acceptance (which has happened a lot).
7) VERY IMPORTANT!!!!!! Discuss the topic in relation - and in comparison - to all of scripture. This topic is no more important than slavery, paedophilia, warfare, marriage, diet, clothing laws etc etc etc. We need to apply the same argument we apply to the rest of scripture to this topic.
8) Lastly - and possibly most controversially - We need to let God be God - and not tell Him what He needs to do in our lives (or the lives of others) so that it conforms to scripture. Perhaps we need to accept that if God doesn't fix something, then maybe it's not in his will that it be 'fixed'.
Only if we accept these parameters for the discussion will we tread new ground - otherwise, we will just re-hash old arguments and prejudices and go no-where.
Yours in Christ,
Graeme Randall
Former Australian East.
Pleased to have input from Sweden, particularly as I recall Sven's many translations relative to the controversy surrounding the TV undercover mishap. And to know that it's from an active SA officer.
Also pleased to know that one of the SA's most widely read blogs does not shy from subjects the corporate SA wishes would go away!
Blessings, Former
USA NY
A Warning to all who read this blog.
Matt 24:4-5 Jesus answered them, “Be careful not to let anyone deceive you. 5 Many will come using my name. They will say, ‘I am the Messiah,' and they will deceive many people.
See Also Mat 24:9-12
Prov 3:5-7 Trust in Yahweh with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear Yahweh and shun evil.
John 8:31-32 Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free".
2Th 2:3 Let not anyone deceive you by any means. For that Day shall not come unless there first comes a falling away
Pro 3:5-7 Trust in Jehovah with all your heart, and lean not to your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. 7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear Jehovah and depart from evil.
Rom 1:24-25 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves. 25 For they changed the truth of God into a lie, and they worshiped and served the created thing more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. (see also Rom 1:26-28, 32)
2Co 11:3,4,13-15 But I fear lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve in his craftiness, so your thoughts should be corrupted from the simplicity due to Christ. 4 For if, indeed, the one coming proclaims another Jesus, whom we have not proclaimed, or if you receive another spirit, which you did not receive, or another gospel, which you never accepted, you might well endure these. 13 For such ones are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 14 Did not even Satan marvelously transform himself into an angel of light? 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves as ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works.
1Ti 4:1-2 But the Spirit expressly says that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and teachings of demons, 2 speaking lies in hypocrisy, being seared in their own conscience.
Ecc 1:9 That which has been is that which shall be; and that which has been done is that which shall be done; and there is nothing new under the sun.
At the heart of a new perspective is the view that for hundreds, if not thousands, of years Christians have seriously “misunderstood” the Bible and its teachings…thus the need for a new perspective. The idea that todays scholars are so wise that they can figure out the correct perspective on Scripture, when biblical scholars from the time of Christ on could not, is indeed audacious and even borders on arrogance. The implied arrogance is that we are much wiser and know more today about what was done and said than those that were there at or close to the time. The attitude that Christians for almost 2000 years have been wrong about what they believe is at least very audacious.
Former Aust Southern Territory
firstly thanks sven and patrik great to read tsa blog having discussion with depth and understanding.
graeme i agree there are those who already are plowing the same channel of dissent without clear understanding, as prefaced by the blog.
look forward to further chapters, and quality discussion.
max walters
former australian eastern, now in australian southern.
Graeme, I really like those 8 points regarding the conversation, I look forward to having a conversation governed by those guidelines...
I also want to point out that I was one of the officers badly miss-quoted in the recent undercover TV scandal. That program is one of the reasons this paper was made public. It is the result of several years of reading, pondering, dialoguing and wrestling with GLBTQ issues and Scripture.
Former Australian Southern Territory,
Many will appreciate the Scripture that you have posted. Some will throw disdain at you. Most Scripture is simple and to the point. I like the emphasis of I Timothy 4:1-2.God never changes. I believe He wants us to KNOW correct info from INCORRECT. I believe that He wants us to know evil from good. Some would want to belittle a conservative stand that continues to believe that sin has not changed. It is still evil , deceptive and (what you stated) in Scripture.
Graeme was correct about the fact that many things have been discussed and there is no sense in "rehashing" opinions and belief. I would point out that I strongly disagree with statement number 8.Of course one day everything will be "fixed" but for now we live in a world of free will where some bad choices can be made. I believe with Salvation Army doctrine that our whole spirit, soul and body may be made blameless before the Lord.
Thank you for the reminder of those verses !
USA Former
This introduction is fascinating. Its interesting that Philip and the eunuch are referenced. I have read and studied a lot about the eunuchs mentioned throughout scripture. Its an interesting study in both the Old and New Testaments and relates in many ways to the people in the GLBT community today.
Larry Sampson
Former Southern Territory USA
Since the eunuch was (in most cases)forced to become a eunuch I do not see how that relates to this article. I do know that the Jews looked down on a eunuch because he was (altered) and not a whole person in their view. If that would compare to gays and lesbians being treated in a mean-spirited way then I catch the point.
USA Former
The Eunuch was a sexual deviant, not welcome in the temple because of his "condition". Being a eunuch could have been chosen freely but was most often not it was either enforced or the result of a deformity.
We also have to remember that a man with his "members cut of" was considered not a man (that is equal to a woman) and hebrew men where taught to pray thank God I am not a woman.
There are scholars who suggest that men who where born homosexual where called eunuchs, but I have yet to see any convincing evidence of this.
Either way, being a eunuch would be enough cause to make philip think twice before including this man into the Christian fellowship (if the old testament laws or any purity code was concidered at the time of conversion). If considered with Jesus love priority in mind there is no question, everyone should be included no questions asked.
Thank you for such a well written and thoughtful series. And to our dear translator as well.
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