Was Jesus a homosexual?

[Jagella]

I'd like to make clear from the outset that I have nothing against gays, lesbians, bisexuals, or transsexuals. So please don't construe anything I argue as hateful in any way against people of alternate sexuality.

I'm also going to assume for the purposes of this discussion that Jesus existed.

Question for Debate: Was Jesus a homosexual?

I think this question is important because if we read the gospel tale, there is no mention of Jesus ever marrying or showing romantic or sexual interest in any woman. He spent almost all his time with men including "the apostle that Jesus loved." When he was arrested a naked man fled the scene. These odd details might be clues that Jesus had sexual interest in other men and may have had no such interest in women.

[bjs]

[Replying to Jagella]

According to the dictionary definition of "homosexual" (a person who is sexually attracted to people of their own sex), there is no way to know. We are give no insight into Jesus' inner thoughts or attractions.

If you mean this as more of an active term, then there there is no evidence that Jesus acted on any specific sexual desire with anyone, male or female.

"The disciple that Jesus loved," was almost certainly not a reference to sexual attraction, to the point that I think you are being a little silly even bringing it up in that context.

[otseng]

The reference to "the disciple whom Jesus loved" is not a sexual reference. The reference is covered in detail in Who wrote the Gospel we call "John's"?.

In John 11:5, it says, "Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus." This is the only place in the Bible where it states by name who Jesus loved. Using your logic, he'd then be considered a bisexual (trisexual?). But, this is not what the passage means. Love in this passage is "agapao", which is not sexual love, but charity love. Romantic, sexual love would be "eros", which is not what is used.

The "odd detail" about the naked man fleeing is also not about a sexual reference, but also relates back to who wrote the gospel of John.

[1213]

Question for Debate: Was Jesus a homosexual?

I have no reason to believe so. But I think it is interesting how nowadays it seems that some people want to claim that most, if not all historically significant people were actually homosexuals. I think it is really disturbing to make such claims about people that one doesn’t really know.

I think this question is important because if we read the gospel tale, there is no mention of Jesus ever marrying or showing romantic or sexual interest in any woman. He spent almost all his time with men including "the apostle that Jesus loved." When he was arrested a naked man fled the scene. These odd details might be clues that Jesus had sexual interest in other men and may have had no such interest in women.

Jesus loved all his disciples. And Biblical love is not sexual thing.

According as the Father did love me, I also loved you, remain in my love; if my commandments ye may keep, ye shall remain in my love, according as I the commands of my Father have kept, and do remain in His love; these things I have spoken to you, that my joy in you may remain, and your joy may be full. `This is my command, that ye love one another, according as I did love you; greater love than this hath no one, that any one his life may lay down for his friends;
John 15:9-13

It can be that he loves even you.

[Tcg]

[Replying to post 1 by Jagella]


We have so little information about Jesus that it's tough to make a determination. From what little we have, I think it's safer to conclude that he is presented as asexual.



Tcg

[Elijah John]

[Replying to post 1 by Jagella]

If anything, Jesus seems to have had a close relationship with Mary Magdalene. The theories are based on something. Evidence? Clues? Movies and books have been created with that premise.

Some scholars think Jesus was married to Mary M. They cite cultural context that it would have been very unusual for a Jewish man of that age, and in that era to have been unmarried.

Also, his single status could have been a vow of celibacy of some kind. Like the Essenes of yore, or priests and monks of today.

Celibacy is not homosexuality.

I put the notion of Jesus as homosexual in the trash can, along with the charge that Mary (the mother of Jesus) had an adulterous relationship with a Roman soldier.

Either a slander, or PC revisionism.

[Jagella]

According to the dictionary definition of "homosexual" (a person who is sexually attracted to people of their own sex), there is no way to know.

If we follow your logic, then we could not know anybody's sexuality. A person might be obviously gay or lesbian based on that person's actions.

We are give no insight into Jesus' inner thoughts or attractions.

Sorry, but that's simply not true. John 17, for example, is a private prayer prayed by Jesus. So we have a lot of insights into what he supposedly thought. He made a lot of comments about sexuality, almost all of them negative. He insulted his enemies calling them "adulterous." So we have good reason to believe he did not have a love for sex at least the heterosexual kind.

If you mean this as more of an active term, then there there is no evidence that Jesus acted on any specific sexual desire with anyone, male or female.

I disagree. Consider John 13:23:

One of his disciples—the one whom Jesus loved—was reclining next to him...

Another translation says this disciple was "reclining...in the bosom" of Jesus, ἀνακείμενος �ν τῷ κόλπῳ. The Greek word ἀνακείμενος can be translated "laid up," and κόλπῳ can be translated "lap." So we are being told that this disciple whom Jesus had a special love for was lying on Jesus' lap!

"The disciple that Jesus loved," was almost certainly not a reference to sexual attraction, to the point that I think you are being a little silly even bringing it up in that context.

Well, bjs, if we look at the evidence closely a possibility arises that faith may blind us to.

In any case, if Christians face the possibility of a gay Jesus, then maybe they won't hate gays so much.

[marco]

. He spent almost all his time with men including "the apostle that Jesus loved." When he was arrested a naked man fled the scene. These odd details might be clues that Jesus had sexual interest in other men and may have had no such interest in women.

If Jesus was sexually indifferent it could be argued that he was not fulfilling a role as a man. However, the admission that he loved a male disciple does of course make one lean in the direction of Christ's homosexuality, given the absence of other signs. Solomon is praised for his amorous capacity and his ability to service no fewer than 1000 wives and concubines. Jesus has no reports of such sexual athleticism. His rival, Muhammad, enjoyed many wives and slave concubines. It does seem odd that Jesus remains prim and proper, yet was still capable of showing amorous favouritism to one man.

[Jagella]

The reference to "the disciple whom Jesus loved" is not a sexual reference. The reference is covered in detail in Who wrote the Gospel we call "John's"?.

In John 11:5, it says, "Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus." This is the only place in the Bible where it states by name who Jesus loved. Using your logic, he'd then be considered a bisexual (trisexual?). But, this is not what the passage means. Love in this passage is "agapao", which is not sexual love, but charity love. Romantic, sexual love would be "eros", which is not what is used.

The "odd detail" about the naked man fleeing is also not about a sexual reference, but also relates back to who wrote the gospel of John.

I'd like to see more evidence for what you're claiming. Why do you insist that the naked man fleeing in Mark 14:51–52 "relates back to who wrote the gospel of John"? I don't see the relevance.

You are correct that the Greek word for erotic love, ἔ�ως, does not appear in the New Testament as far as I know. But it's important to understand that just like the English word for love can mean sexual attraction, so can the Greek word, ἀγάπη. There's a lot of ambiguity in any language, New-Testament Greek as well as English.

I understand that the bulk of Christian theology has deemed Jesus as being asexual, a glorified eunuch, if you will. But where is the evidence for his being asexual? Jesus did have a lot of negative things to say about heterosexual sex, but he never uttered a word about homosexuality. Such silence seems unexpected considering how Moses strictly forbade homosexuality, and Jesus often forbade what Moses did.

[Elijah John]

I understand that the bulk of Christian theology has deemed Jesus as being asexual, a glorified eunuch, if you will. But where is the evidence for his being asexual? Jesus did have a lot of negative things to say about heterosexual sex, but he never uttered a word about homosexuality. Such silence seems unexpected considering how Moses strictly forbade homosexuality, and Jesus often forbade what Moses did.

You're not mistaking silence for tacit approval, are you? If Jesus was a man of his times, it is extremely doubtful that he would have approved of homosexuality.

Also, perhaps it was not a big issue for his audience at the time. "Goes without saying" kind of thing that homosexuality is wrong according to Mosaic law.