medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Jon,
In favour of angels as sexual beings Samuel A. Meier in the Oxford Companion
to the Bible refers to
Gn 6.4: Now giants were upon the earth in those days. For after the sons of
God went in to the daughters of men, and they brought forth children, these
are the mighty men of old, men of renown. (Gen6.4 gigantes autem erant super
terram in diebus illis | postquam enim ingressi sunt filii Dei ad filias
hominum illaeque | genuerunt | isti sunt potentes a saeculo viri famosi)
and
Za 5.9: And I lifted up my eyes and looked: and behold there came out two
women, and wind was in their wings, and they had wings like the wings of a
kite: and they lifted up the vessel between the earth and the heaven. Za
5.10: And I said to the angel that spoke in me: Whither do these carry the
vessel?
(Zach 5:9 et levavi oculos meos et vidi et ecce duae mulieres egredientes |
et spiritus in alis earum et habebant alas quasi alas milvi | et levaverunt
amphoram inter terram et caelum
Zach 5.10 et dixi ad angelum qui loquebatur in me | quo istae deferunt
amphoram)
However, Meier also mentions Mt 22.30 to show the possible absence of sex in
angels:
Mt 22.30: For in the resurrection they shall neither marry nor be married,
but shall be as the angels of God in heaven.
(Mt 22.30 in resurrectione enim neque nubent neque nubentur | sed sunt sicut
angeli Dei in caelo)
I think the question is 'is there something like a third sex which empowers
the individual to perform significant spiritual tasks?'
The question of the status of priests when it comes to sex is often
discussed with reference to this quote from the gospel of Matthew:
Mt 19.12: For there are eunuchs, who were born so from their mothers womb:
and there are eunuchs, who were made so by men: and there are eunuchs, who
have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven. He that can take,
let him take it.
See also 1 Cor. 7. 37, 38.
If I recall correctly, this passage has often been used in the past in
favour of celibacy.
Hope that helps.
best wishes,
Sandra Lowerre
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