Is Jesus describing gays in Matthew 19:12?

by Tom S.
(Rancho Mirage CA)

Rick Brentlinger Answers -

Yes, I do believe Matthew 19:12 describes gays.

That is even the view of some very anti-gay Christians like Dr. Robert Gagnon.

Additional Questions from Tom

"A gay former Catholic Priest told me that Jonathan met David because he (Jonathan) was walking past David's room and saw him laying naked on the bed.

Also a scene of David and Jonathan sleeping naked together out in the field with the military. I have searched the Bible and cannot find these passages. Have you ever heard of this? Thank you."

Rick's Answer

No verse of scripture says that Jonathan was walking past David's room and saw him lying naked on the bed.

The gay former Catholic priest you spoke to may have had 1 Samuel 18:1-3 in mind, where Jonathan and David made a covenant of love and exchanged clothing, which at least implies that they were naked during the clothing exchange.

There is not a specific scripture which has Jonathan and David sleeping naked together out in the field with the military. But some folks believe that is a possibility because of the closeness of their intimate partnership.

Several years before Jonathan and David became an item, some folks believe that Jonathan and his younger armour bearer were frolicking naked on purpose, to draw the Philistines out of their camp so they could kill them.

1 Samuel 14:4-13
"Now it came to pass upon a day, that Jonathan the son of Saul said unto the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over to the Philistines' garrison, that is on the other side. But he told not his father...
And between the passages, by which Jonathan sought to go over unto the Philistines' garrison, there was a sharp rock on the one side, and a sharp rock on the other side: and the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh...
And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the LORD will work for us: for there is no restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few.
And his armourbearer said unto him, Do all that is in thine heart: turn thee; behold, I am with thee according to thy heart.
Then said Jonathan, Behold, we will pass over unto these men, and we will discover (Hebrew - galah) ourselves unto them...
And both of them discovered (Hebrew - galah) themselves unto the garrison of the Philistines: and the Philistines said, Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of the holes where they had hid themselves.
And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armourbearer, and said, Come up to us, and we will shew you a thing. And Jonathan said unto his armourbearer, Come up after me: for the LORD hath delivered them into the hand of Israel.
And Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet, and his armourbearer after him: and they fell before Jonathan; and his armourbearer slew after him.
And that first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armourbearer made, was about twenty men, within as it were an half acre of land, which a yoke of oxen might plow."

The Hebrew word for "discover" is galah, and means to uncover, to remove, to show oneself, to uncover nakedness, to reveal something (not necessarily physical nakedness), depending on the context.


Blue Letter Bible definition
of the Hebrew word, galah.

I think its an interesting possibility although not a certainty. The Hebrew word galah, by the way, is the same word used in Genesis 9:21, where Noah drank wine and was naked, uncovered in his tent.

I mention it because this may be what your friend the ex-priest was referring to.

I have about 60 pages in the Jonathan and David chapter of my book. I believe Jonathan and David were a sexually intimate, partnered couple for about 15 years, until Jonathan's untimely death in battle at the hands of the Amalekites, 1 Samuel 31:2-6.

I have a number of pages on this website about Jonathan and David which you may enjoy exploring.

God's grace and blessing to you as you walk the path of His purpose for your life.

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