Celibacy and the Bible

    

     In the article, Sex and the Bible, we saw that biblical sexuality in not considered to be inherently sinful. Sex in marriage is praised, being held in high regard in both the Old and New Testaments. While sexual immorality and perversion are condemned.

     It was not until 1123 AD, at the First Council of Lateran that the doctrine of mandatory celibacy for clergy came to the forefront of Christian history. Before this time, church leaders had been allowed to marry without much thought. However, in the years following the legalization of Christianity in the 300's AD, multiple church councils had petitioned for the church to require its ministers to be celibate. These petitions had been met with mixed opposition at first, but as time went on the thought that sexuality was, by its very nature, impure began to take hold. This line of reasoning goes all the way back to the late First Century when Gnostic teachings first began to infiltrate the early church.

     The Gnostic cults held to a dualistic worldview in which all things in the material world, including sexuality, were inherently evil and only the spiritual world was pure and good. Because of this, those ascribing to the Gnostic view taught that Jesus was never physically born, but rather existed as a pure spirit who appeared to be a man. 
     Even though Gnostic teachings would ultimately be condemned as heresy, their belief in the inherent wickedness of sexuality would persist, and in 1123 AD, Canon 21 requiring mandatory clerical celibacy was officially adopted by the Roman Catholic Church. However, many church leaders remained married and continued to marry for many centuries to come.  
   
     That being said, there is no evidence in the scriptures of celibacy being a mandatory ordnance for church leaders — or anyone else for that matter. 

     In 1 Corinthians 7:1-5 the Apostle Paul instructs those who are married not to deprive each other of sexual relations, except in the event that both spouses agree to abstain for a limited time in order to devote themselves to prayer. They are then instructed to come together again so as not to be tempted by lust.
     The Apostle Paul also states that church leaders and deacons must be faithful to their wives and be self-controlled in regards to their sexuality, while raising god-fearing children and living their lives in such a way as to be above reproach. (1 Timothy 3:1-13, Titus 1:6-9) And we know from 1 Corinthians 9:5 that the Apostle Peter, who is regarded by many to be the First Pope, was married as were many of Jesus' other disciples and the early church fathers.
 
     Given these examples, it is clear that the Bible makes no attempt to promote the idea of mandatory celibacy for ordained ministers. Nor does it imply that the answer to lust is to reject sexuality. Instead, the Bible teaches that we should seek sexual fulfillment in marriage so as not to be overcome with passion and sexual immorality. (1 Corinthians 7:2-3, 9, 36)

     In light of this, the Apostle Paul commended those to whom God has given the gift of celibacy in 1 Corinthians 7:7. Paul then goes on to say repeatedly that marriage is not a sin, clarifying that he is not putting restrictions on people in regards to marriage, but rather trying to spare them from unnecessary hardship due to the widespread persecution of Christians under Emperor Nero in 64 AD. (1 Corinthians 7:25-40)

     Likewise, Jesus also commended those who choose to be single in order to please God. (Matthew 19:12) However, the context of the passage makes it clear that celibacy was not the issue being addressed, but rather marriage and adultery. (Matthew 19:1-12) The entire exchange between Jesus, his disciples and the Pharisees found in this passage was in regard to the First Century Jewish interpretation of the Law of Moses which stated that a man could divorce his wife as long as he gave her a written notice of divorce. (Deuteronomy 24:1-4) By the time of Christ, however, the rabbinical interpretation of this passage was being used to justify multiple divorces and remarriages, thus allowing men to marry as many times as they liked by divorcing their wives whenever another woman caught their eye.
     Jesus' response condemned this practice as adultery, which is why his disciples said that it would be better not to marry at all. Jesus was not teaching that celibacy was in some way superior to marriage, but rather that marrying someone and then divorcing them in order to marry someone else made a person guilty of adultery! (Leviticus 20:10)
    

In conclusion, while the Bible does commend those who are celibate by choice, it in no way implies that celibacy is meant to be mandatory, or even permanent, among God's people. After all, it is Jesus—our High Priest in Heaven—and not our virginity, who cleanses us from sin and makes us pure before God. (1 Corinthians 1:30, Hebrews 8-10)