August 6, 2014
To Shepherd’s Voice:
Just a quick note to let you know that I admire and appreciate the quality of your printed articles and the elegance of the fine paper on which they are printed—nothing cheap looking or cost-saving economy about it as many periodicals have done.
God gives the best. Also, I am grateful to my friends Kathy and David for introducing me to Shepherd’s Voice. Do the “wicked men” in Psalm 141:1-4 and Proverb 2:12 refer to homosexuals?
Dear LSg,
Thank you for your encouragement. SVM is the best quality we can produce for a modest cost. now that the internet has replaced many printed publications, it does not make sense to print a newsletter of the same quality that most people could print from the internet on a home printer. There is still a place for an attractive publication that people just pick up and read away from a computer.
The Hebrew word for “wicked” in Psalm 141:4 is awven, which is generally translated “wicked” or “wickedness”. It does not have any particular association with homosexuality. The word translated “froward” or “perverse” in Proverbs 2:12 is tahpukah. The Theological Wordbook of the New Testament says: “Of its nine uses eight are in Proverbs (Deut. 32:20). This substantive is always translated by the KJV as “froward” or “frowardness” except Prov. 23:33 and in the RSV by “perverse, perverted, perverseness.” It is a sin connected mostly with the mouth (Prov. 2:12; 16:30) and also with the heart (Prov. 6:14); and the mind (Prov. 23:33).” Again, there is no specific mention of homosexuality, though it does not exclude it.
The Hebrew qadesh clearly refers to homosexuals and is found in Deuteronomy 23:17, 1 Kings 14:24; 15:12; 22:46; 2 Kings 23:7 and Job 36:14. The Greek arsenokoites clearly has that meaning (1 Timothy 1:10) The Greek malakos is often translated that way in 1 Corinthians 6:9 The Greek kuon, which means “dog”, is apparently used figuratively for homosexuals in Philippians 3:2 and Revelation 22:15. There are other places where there is no specific word used, but the action is described: “If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination”. (Leviticus 20:13)
The Bible clearly teaches that homosexual acts are sin. However, it does not teach that it is somehow greater than all other evils. The Old Testament gave it the same penalty as cursing God, adultery or striking one’s parents. all of these things occur far too often in our society. Many people who practice these sins have had horrible upbringings. They need to be shown the love of God (1 John 4:19), they need to repent, and they need God’s power to change their lives.
We Christians have plenty of work to do (Luke 10:2).