Scripture

“Some are born eunuchs, some are made eunuchs by others, and some choose not to marry for the sake of the Kingdom of heaven. Let anyone accept this who can.”

Observation

Some Pharisees come to Jesus, trying to trap Him (again). The question they pose is about divorce. Jesus says that when God joins a man and woman they become one flesh. They must not be separated. The only exception is in the case of adultery.

The disciples ask if it better not to marry. Jesus says that some are born eunuchs, others are castrated, and yet others become like eunuchs for the sake of the Kingdom of God.

Application

Jesus has a high value on marriage- much higher, it seems, than many of His followers.

Even so, Jesus sees that some people may observe a life of celibacy for the sake of God’s kingdom. This has been exemplified in the Catholic Church through the millennia by priests, monks and nuns, and others. In Protestant churches, some people experience a definite call to remain single in order to better serve the Lord.

In that sense, it is neither better nor worse to marry nor to stay single, as long as what we do is for the glory of God.

In our hypersexualised culture where it seems that personal pleasure is the highest god, this is a radical departure.

Christians place sexual activity in the context of marriage, which is defined as one man and one woman voluntarily committed to one another for life. This commitment is the opposite of the “If it feels good do it” narrative of our culture.

Prayer

Lord, I thank you for the gift of sexuality. I give this part of my life over to you to be used for the glory of your kingdom. Amen.