Note: I originally wrote this commentary back in 2008. I was motivated to re-post it after someone sent me an e-mail about it last week saying I was "twisting" the Bible. One of my critics in local politics loves to mock my experience with testicular cancer by repeatedly bringing up Deuteronomy 23:1 to claim that I will not be in Heaven. The childishness of this claim aside, it does represent an opportunity to demonstrate that, while the text of Scripture as literally written is important, it is also important to understand the context of the text and what the words actually mean. First, let's start with the verse:
Deuteronomy 23:1, more deeply examined
Deuteronomy 23:1, more deeply examined
Deuteronomy 23:1, more deeply examined
Note: I originally wrote this commentary back in 2008. I was motivated to re-post it after someone sent me an e-mail about it last week saying I was "twisting" the Bible. One of my critics in local politics loves to mock my experience with testicular cancer by repeatedly bringing up Deuteronomy 23:1 to claim that I will not be in Heaven. The childishness of this claim aside, it does represent an opportunity to demonstrate that, while the text of Scripture as literally written is important, it is also important to understand the context of the text and what the words actually mean. First, let's start with the verse: