Eureka wrote:Hello Everyone,
I recently saw the video of Matthew Vines' presentation arguing against the traditional interpretation of the Bible with regard to same-sex relationships, and I thought he provided a well-prepared, respectful and thought-provoking series of arguments.
In one part of his presentation, he briefly mentions our translation and understanding of the word "abomination" as it is used in Levitical law to describe several different behaviors, and he argues that the word "abomination" describes something that is "culturally-abnormal" and does not necessarily convey intrinsic immorality.
Does anyone know the Hebrew word that was translated to "abomination"? Is this Hebrew word colloquially associated with evil or bad behavior, like the word abomination?
Here is how
Vines Expository Dictionary of OT Words defines these word types:
Vines Expository Dictionary of OT Words
Abomination
A. Noun.
to`ebah (Strongs - 8441), "abomination; loathsome, detestable thing." Cognates of this word appear only in Phoenician and Targumic Aramaic. The word appears 117 times and in all periods.
First, to`ebah defines something or someone as essentially unique in the sense of being "dangerous," "sinister," and "repulsive" to another individual. This meaning appears in Gen 43:32 (the first occurrence): "...The Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination unto the Egyptians." To the Egyptians, eating bread with foreigners was repulsive because of their cultural or social differences (cf. Gen 46:34; Psalms 88:8). Another clear illustration of this essential clash of disposition appears in Proverbs 29:27 : "An unjust man is an abomination to the just: and he that is upright in the way is abomination to the wicked."
When used with reference to God, this nuance of the word describes people, things, acts, relationships, and characteristics that are "detestable" to Him because they are contrary to His nature. Things related to death and idolatry are loathsome to God: "Thou shalt not eat any abominable thing" (Deut 14:3). People with habits loathsome to God are themselves detestable to Him: "The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the Lord thy God" (Deut 22:5). Directly opposed to to`ebah are such reactions as "delight" and "loveth" (Proverbs 15:8-9).
Second, to`ebah is used in some contexts to describe pagan practices and objects: "The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire; thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therein: for it is an abomination to the Lord thy God. Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house..." (Deut 7:25-26). In other contexts, to`ebah describes the repeated failures to observe divine regulations: "Because ye multiplied more than the nations that are round about you, and have not walked in my statutes, neither have kept my judgments, neither have done according to the judgments of the nations that are round about you;... because of all thine abominations" (Eze 5:7, Eze 5:9). To`ebah may represent the pagan cultic practices themselves, as in Deut 12:31, or the people who perpetrate such practices: "For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord: and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee" (Deut 18:12). If Israelites are guilty of such idolatry, however, their fate will be worse than exile: death by stoning (Deut 17:2-5).
Third, to`ebah is used in the sphere of jurisprudence and of family or tribal relationships. Certain acts or characteristics are destructive of societal and familial harmony; both such things and the people who do them are described by to`ebah: "These six things doth the Lord hate; yea, seven are an abomination unto him:...a proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that deviseth wicked imaginations,...and he that soweth discord among brethren" (Proverbs 6:16-19). God says, "The scorner is an abomination to men" (Pro 24:9) because he spreads his bitterness among God's people, disrupting unity and harmony.
B. Verb.
ta`ab (Strongs 8581), "to abhor, treat as abhorrent, cause to be an abomination, act abominably." This verb occurs 21 times, and the first occurrence is in Deut 7:26 : "Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house...."
These word types are defined in several ways according to context and there is no one size fits all meaning to this word. Sp please be cautious with a teacher who only uses a One Size Fits all definition to a word found in the bible.
The idea of homosexuality being an abomination is that it is destructive, manipulative, and mocks God because it seeks to tempt God’s nature of love he has and desired human beings to have by pitting God’s nature and character traits against each other in an attempt to overthrow God. That is why such things are an abomination (a loathsome insult) to him.
Homosexuality is an insult to what true godly love really is and reduces love to a forceful attempt to manipulate the character of love in order to attain more proselytes so that any attempt to discredit these practitioners proselytizing is deemed, unfair and unloving. This attitude if left unchecked and allowed into heaven would destroy heaven as it pollutes the mind with the knowledge of how to tempt, game, and test God. God will not allow this pollution in his heavenly domain nor in the one to come.
Rev 22:15 NKJV,
But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.
Remember, those practicing Homosexuality do not answer to us but will have to answer God alone. It is then that this truth I wrote about will be explained more fully to them as the practitioners will be cast away from his presence forever understanding fully why.
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