Sequence. Homosexuality and the Bible. Leviticus. Reading the Past. Holiness Code. Holiness Code. 2. The Hebrew Bible II

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1 Homosexuality and the Bible All Hallows College 2. The Hebrew Bible II Sequence Reading the past: clean and unclean Evaluation and discussion 1 2 Reading the Past קד ש sacred- Anthropology of the Vocabulary: extensive (clean / unclean) Moral purity - not contagious Ritual purity - contagious Genesis 1 - for the kosher laws Mark 7 - dismissed, but... Leviticus I.!! Regulations for Sacrifices 1:1-7:38 II.!! Ordination of the Priests and the First!!!! Sacrifices at the Tent of Meeting 8:1-10:20 III.! Laws on Ritual Purity 11:1-15:32 IV.! Regulation for the Day of Atonement 16:1-34 V.!! 17:1-26:46 VI.! Laws on Tithes and Offerings 27: Leviticus has two distinct, but related, views of holiness.([קד ש] (various forms of the root qdsh The Priestly view is more limited than that of the Holiness Code. In Priestly source, the primary focus of holiness is the tabernacle, understood as the dwelling place of Yahweh (in the holy of holies). Moses anointed the tabernacle and altar with the holy anointing oil in order to consecrate them (i. e., to make them holy; Lev 8: 10-12; see also v. 30). The holiness of the tabernacle must be maintained and, when disrupted, restored. P recognizes three degrees of holiness in the tabernacle complex, a reflection of the levels of holiness on Mount Sinai (Exod 24: 4-14). The holy of holies (the most holy space) contains the ark of the covenant and is the innermost room of the tabernacle. The outer room contains the lamp stand, the table, and the incense altar and is holy. In P, the outer altar is the final boundary of the holy realm. The most holy place is only entered once a year, on the Day of Atonement, by the high priest (Lev 16). Only priests have access to the outer room and the altar. 5 6

2 The extends the notion of holiness. The extension is immediately apparent in the repeated call for the Israelites to be holy as Yahweh is holy (e. g., 19: 2; 20: 7-8, 26; 21: 8, 23; 22: 9, 16, 33). As understood in the, the people achieve holiness through ritual and social practices, in obedience to the rulings and directives of Yahweh (20: 7-8; compare 18: 4, 24-30; 19: 36 b- 37; 20: 26; 22: 31-33). These traditions also recognize the holiness of the priests, the sacrifices, the sacred occasions (Lev 23), the name of God (see the narrative in Lev 24: 10-23; 22: 32), and the land itself. 7 V. Laws on Holy Living 17: 1-26: 46 A. Laws about Sacrificing Domestic Animals and regarding Blood 17: 1-16 B. Laws Governing the Extended Family 18: 1-30 C. Laws and Exhortations to Holy Living 19: 1-37 D. Laws with Penalties for Sacrifice to Molek, Sorcery, and Sexual Offenses 20: 1-27 E. Specific Regulations for the Priests 21: 1-24 F. Regulations regarding the Priests Eating Sacred Food 22: 1-16 G. Regulations about Animals Acceptable for Sacrifices 22: H. The Calendar of Festivals 23: 1-44 I. Regulations regarding Oil for the Lampstand and Bread for the Table of the Presence 24: 1-9 J. A Case of Blasphemy and Laws on Personal Injury 24: K. The Calendar for Seven-Year Cycles and Blessings and Curses 25: 1-26: 46 8 The full text (handout) Structure Comment I. Introduction (v.1) II. Speech (vv. 2-30) A. Commission to speak (v. 2a) B. Speech (2b-30) 9 10 Speech (2b-30) 1. First exhortation (vv. 2b-5) 2. Laws re. sexual unions (vv.6-23) a. General law (v.6) b. Against incest (7-17a) c. Against certain marriages (17b-18) d. Against certain sexual practices (19-23) 3. Second exhortation (vv.24-30a) NB the frames against the practices of neighbouring peoples No further explanation is given Aimed at the head of the house Hence no punishments specified NB: vv

3 Lev 18:22 You must not have sexual intercourse with a male as one has sexual intercourse with a woman; it is a detestable act. Lev 18:19 You must not approach a woman in her menstrual impurity to have sexual intercourse with her. 20 You must not have sexual intercourse with the wife of your fellow citizen to become unclean with her. 21 You must not give any of your children as an offering to Molech, so that you do not profane the name of your God. I am the LORD! 22 You must not have sexual intercourse with a male as one has sexual intercourse with a woman; it is a detestable act. 23 You must not have sexual intercourse with any animal to become defiled with it, and a woman must not stand before an animal to have sexual intercourse with it; it is a perversion. Detestable: hbf('wot II. abomination, abhorrence: 1. it is iwot for an Egyptian to eat with a Hebrew Gn 43:32, N)co h('ro Gn 46:34, hwhyla xbazf Ex 8: iwot in Israel: a) tbo('wotha twoqxu the abhorrent customs of the Canaanites Lv 18:30, by which is meant in particular sexual perversity; see further Lv 18:26, 27, 29; and in special cases sodomy Lv 18:22; 20: Distortion of the normal During menses With a neighbour s wife Utter condemnation of child sacrifice Prohibited sexual activities Men with men Humans with animals Genesis 1: Order / barriers No mixing of divine and human No mixing of species No mixing of roles Confusion of species and roles Remember Dr Schlessinger Cross-breeding animal Sowing two kinds of seed in one field Garments of two different materials Rounding the hair on one s temples Trimming one s beard Wearing a tattoo The full text (handout) Structure Comment 17 18

4 I. Introduction (v. 1) II. Speech (vv. 2-27) A. Commission to speak (v. 2a) B. Speech (2b-27) Speech (2b-27) 1. Commission to speak (v. 2a) 2. Speech a. First set of laws (vv. 2b-6) b. First Exhortation (vv. 7-8) c. Second set of laws (vv. 9-21) d. Second exhortation (vv ) e. Law against sorcery (v. 27) a. Various sexual relationships (vv ) (1) Death penalty (10-16) i. Adultery (v. 10) ii. Incest (vv ) iii. Male homosexuality (v. 13) iv. Marriage to a woman and her mother (v. 14) v. Bestiality (15-16) a. Various sexual relationships (vv ) (1) Laws carrying cut off penalty i) Marriage to a sister (v. 17) ii. Sexual relationships during menses (v. 18) (2) Laws carrying accountability i. With an aunt, paternal or maternal (v. 19) (3) Laws carrying penalty of childlessness i. With an uncle s wife (v. 20) ii. With a sister-in-law (v. 21) Pattern I (case) II (penalty) III (reason) IV (declaratory formula) This order varies according to each verse. V. 13: I, III, II, IV 10 If a man commits adultery with his neighbour s wife, both the adulterer and the adulteress must be put to death. 11 If a man has sexual intercourse with his father s wife, he has exposed his father s nakedness. Both of them must be put to death; their blood guilt is on themselves. 12 If a man has sexual intercourse with his daughter-in-law, both of them must be put to death. They have committed perversion; their blood guilt is on themselves. 13 If a man has sexual intercourse with a male as one has sexual intercourse with a woman, the two of them have committed an abomination. They must be put to death; their blood guilt is on themselves. 14 If a man has sexual intercourse with both a woman and her mother, it is lewdness. Both he and they must be burned to death, so there is no lewdness in your midst. 15 If a man has sexual intercourse with any animal, he must be put to death, and you must kill the animal. 16 If a woman approaches any animal to have sexual intercourse with it, you must kill the woman, and the animal must be put to death; their blood guilt is on themselves

5 Lev 20:13 If a man has sexual intercourse with a male as one has sexual intercourse with a woman, the two of them have committed an abomination. They must be put to death; their blood guilt is on themselves. and 20 Detestable: hbf('wot I (case - why is done) III (reason - abomination) II (penalty - death) IV (declaratory formula - guilt) The frame: clean / unclean The frame: against what foreigners do Is there an adequate basis here for an anthropology or a morality? What s missing? and 20 Cultural practices prohibited: no longer makes sense to us No rationale for the prohibition No rationale for the extreme punishment The biblical context diminishes the significance of these passages for contemporary reflection 27