In his Feb. 16 letter, Dr. Vassilios Charmandaris suggests that “homosexual” is an appropriate translation for the Koine word “arsenokoitai.” As one “Greek in origin” with “enough classical studies,” Dr. Charmandaris feels appropriately skilled in New Testament exegesis to make such a suggestion. Dr. Charmandaris uses the following reasoning:

arsenikos = the male;

koitai = lie down, sleep.

Dr. Charmandaris gives “arsenikos” as the root of “arsenokoitai;” however, in many hours of searching Lidell and Scott’s Greek-English Lexicon, I could find no such word. The most likely etiology of “arsenokoitai” is “arseno-” (meaning “male”) + “koitai” (meaning “bedroom” or “sleep” with a sexual connotation). Still, this doesn’t satisfactorily translate “homosexual;” the language isn’t logical in the way Dr. Charmandaris proposes. If “man” + “sleeper” means “homosexual,” how would Dr. Charmandaris explain “ladykiller”: a female assassin? one who murders women? How about “slyboots” or “jackass?”

Dr. Charmandaris also suggests “the soft, the effeminate, the ones having female characteristics” for “malakoi.” When “malakoi” is applied to persons or modes of life, Lidell and Scott give us “soft, mild, gentle, faint-hearted, cowardly, morally weak, lacking in self-control.” Only when the word is applied to music is “effeminate” given as an appropriate translation. It is interesting to note that, prior to the Reformation, “malakoi” was translated as “masturbators,” a rendering the Roman Catholics used until the 20th century.

Further, if we apply “homosexual” the way Dr. Charmandaris suggests, it forces a contemporary understanding of sexuality on a first century writer. This can’t help but wholly distort what St. Paul meant. “Arsenokoitai” appears to be a literal translation of something originally rendered in Hebrew. In the Septuagint translation of Leviticus 18:22, something with which St. Paul was doubtlessly well acquainted, we find the phrase “hos an koimethe meta arsenos koiten gunaikos.” This evidence suggests that St. Paul was not concerned with homosexuality, but with what male-male sex acts signified to him in his time: idolatry, inequality, exploitation, abuse and wantonness. Are these qualities intrinsic to homosexuals, homosexual relationships, or homosexuality itself?

No.

Dr. Charmandaris’ troublesome methods of exegesis may have been acceptable in his student days, but his ends are inappropriate and misleading. Even his result, “arsenokoitai would refer to an individual who sleeps with males,” does little to plead his case; does it refer to men or women? Perhaps if Dr. Charmandaris spent his time on a doctorate of divinity instead of astrophysics, his results would make sense. As matters stand, he simply does not know the material well enough render an opinion.

Karl von Uhl

Ames