“EUNUCHS FOR THE KINGDOM OF HEAVENâ€: CELIBATE CHASTITY AND CHRISTIAN LOVE

Obiorah Mary Jerom

Abstract


The concepts of counsel and gift in the context of the Evangelical Counsels seem to have nothing in common, because as advisory declaration, a counsel in its face value appears a conflicting notion when compared with the intrinsic features of a gift. On the contrary, in Matthew 19:11-12 Jesus teaches that the Evangelical Counsel of Chastity, though advisory in nature, is a divine gift, for it bears in itself the grace to accept it as a means of attaining greater moral perfection. In reality, greater moral perfection is its principal objective. This explains why Jesus inserts this teaching in a context that some readers would least expect, his teaching on divorce (Matt 19:1-9). Furthermore, he employs the image of a eunuch, which is a natural antithesis in this context, to explain perfect continence. In this paper, the writer studies Matt 19:1-12, with special attention on verses 11-12. The paper focuses on the meaning of “eunuchâ€, its function in this text of the Scripture, and how Jesus uses it to convey his teaching on the Evangelical Vow of Chastity. Consecrated persons who have accepted and are living the gift of perfect continence are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs “for the sake of the kingdom of heavenâ€.

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i The citations from the English version of the Bible in this paper are from The New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, Catholic Edition, unless otherwise indicated. ii In this paper, there are three terms that are used interchangeably; these are “the vow of chastityâ€, “perfect continence†and “celibacyâ€. They all refer to the third category of eunuchs mentioned by Jesus in Matt 19,11-12. iii The phrase “the Kingdom of Heaven†found conspicuously in the Gospel according to Matthew is the same as “the Kingdom of God†occurring in the other Synoptic Gospels of Mark and Luke. Matthew prefers to use “the Kingdom of Heaven†because of his tendency to use circumlocution. It is used, among others, when a person or thing is spoken of by some attributes, instead of by its proper simple name (cf. E. W. BULLINGER, Figures of Speech used in the Bible [Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 2003] 419). Matthew meticulously adheres to the Jewish usage of not mentioning the Divine name. Word like “heaven†is used instead. Surely this was not strange to Matthew’s addressees or “real readersâ€. iv B. KEDAR-KOPFSTEIN, “sÄrîsâ€, Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament vol. X (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 1990) 344-350. v Note that the Latin version of the Bible, the Vulgate, adds “eunuch†to the text of Deut 23,1: non intrabit eunuchus, atritis vel amputatis testiculis et absciso veretro, ecclesiam Domini. vi JOHN D.W. WATTS, Isaiah 34-36 (Word Biblical Commentary 25; Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1987) 249 vii EDITORIAL STAFF, “Eunuchâ€, Encyclopaedia Judaica vol. 6 (Jerusalem: Ketter Publishing House 1996) 959. viii J. SCHNEIDER, “Eunuchâ€, Theological Dictionary of the New Testament II (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 1995) 765-766. ix “Ben Azzaiâ€, www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/2859-ben-azzai; accessed on 9 July 2014. x SCHNEIDER, “Eunuchâ€, 767. xi Cf. POPE JOHN PAUL II, “The ‘Superiority’ of Continence does not devalue Marriageâ€, General Audience of April 7,1982, The Theology of the Body: Human Love in the Divine Plan (Boston: Pauline Books and Media, 1997) 274 xii Cf. POPE JOHN PAUL II, “The Value of Continence is found in Loveâ€, General Audience of April 21,1982, The Theology of the Body: Human Love in the Divine Plan (Boston: Pauline Books and Media, 1997) 281. xiii Cf. SCHNEIDER, “Eunuchâ€, 765. xiv POPE JOHN PAUL II, Vita Consecrata: Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation (Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1996) 14 xv JOHN PAUL II, Rosarium Virginis Mariae. Vatican: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2002. xvi BULLINGER, Figures of Speech, 419-422, has some examples of this figure of speech. xvii BULLINGER, Figures of Speech, 419. xviii JOHN PAUL II, Vita Consecrata: Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation (Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1996) 14. xix Cf. “Pastoral Guide for the Use of the Bible in Preachingâ€, The International Bible Commentary: A Catholic and Ecumenical Commentary for the Twenty-First Century (Collegeville, Minnesota: The Liturgical Press, 1998) 1894-1895.

xx Cf. J. FUELLENBACH, The Kingdom of God: The Central Message of Jesus’ Teachings in the Light of the Modern World (Manila: Logos Publications, 1993) 168-188. The author fully analyzes Paul’s definition of the Kingdom of God in Rom 14,17 in the light of the modern world xxi Cf. POPE JOHN PAUL II, “Virginity or Celibacy for the Sake of the Kingdomâ€, General Audience of March 10,1982, The Theology of the Body: Human Love in the Divine Plan (Boston: Pauline Books and Media, 1997) 263. xxii See further examples in Matt 5,4: “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comfortedâ€. Matt 5,6: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filledâ€. More examples can be found in Matt 3,10; 5,5-9; 5,25.29; 6.7.9.10.33; 7.1.2.19; 10,19.30 etc. We find in all these instances another attempt in Matthew to avoid mentioning the divine name. It reminds one of the expression “Kingdom of Heaven†in Matthew, instead of the “Kingdom of God†seen in other Synoptic Gospels. xxiii VATICAN COUNCIL II, Decree on the Up-to Date Renewal of Religious Life, Perfectae Caritatis, 12. xxiv JOHN PAUL II, Vita Consecrata, 14. xxv VATICAN COUNCIL II, Decree on the Up-to Date Renewal of Religious Life, Perfectae Caritatis, 12. xxvi Cf. POPE JOHN PAUL II, “The Vocation to Continence in this Earthly Lifeâ€, General Audience of March 17,1982, The Theology of the Body: Human Love in the Divine Plan (Boston: Pauline Books and Media, 1997) 266-267. xxvii M. J. OBIORAH, “Who may abide in your house? (Psalm 15,1): the vertical and horizontal dimensions of worship in Psalm 15â€, Bigard Theological Studies – A Journal of Bigard Memorial Seminary Enugu vol. 29 no. 2 (2009) 7-25 Enugu: Bigard Memorial Seminary (ISBN: 9782396-00-1). xxviii V. M. OKEKE, The Measure of Love: Lenten Pastoral. Enugu: SNAAP, 2005. xxix OBIORAH, “Who may abide in your house? xxx G. D. FEE, The First Epistle to the Corinthians (The New International Commentary on the New Testament; Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 1987) 625-652. xxxi Cf. J. FUELLENBACH, Proclaiming his Kingdom (Manila: Divine Word Publications, 21992) 168. xxxii VATICAN COUNCIL II, Decree on the Up-to Date Renewal of Religious Life, Perfectae Caritatis, 12. xxxiii BROTHER ROGER, The Rule of Taizé, “Celibacyâ€, London: Society for promoting Christian Knowledge, 2012 (books.google.com.ng/books?isbn=0281068283). xxxiv Cf. POPE JOHN PAUL II, “The Value of Continence is found in Loveâ€, General Audience of April 21,1982, The Theology of the Body: Human Love in the Divine Plan (Boston: Pauline Books and Media, 1997) 280. xxxv FUELLENBACH, Proclaiming his Kingdom, 172. xxxvixxxvixxxvixxxvixxxvixxxvi CONGREGATION FOR THE INSTITUTE OF CONSECRATED LIFE AND SOCIETIES OF APOSTOLIC LIFE: Starting Afresh from Christ: A Renewal Commitment to Consecrated Life in the Third Millennium: Instruction (Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2002) 33.


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