David And Jonathan

Why does the Bible focus on their intimate
loving same sex partnership?

King David, a man after God's own heart

Did God bless David and Jonathan, a same sex couple in romantic committed sexual partnership? Scripture devotes more chapters to their incredible love story than any other human love story in the Bible. What does God intend us to learn from that dramatic emphasis?

The traditional interpretation of the Jonathan and David story has them forming a political covenant and a close, non-sexual friendship. Our fascinating 378 page eBook, Gay Christian 101 - Spiritual Self-Defense For Gay Christians, takes a fresh look at the textual evidence and offers an honest understanding of Jonathan and David, which is faithful to the scriptures. Portions of this page are excerpted from the book Gay Christian 101.

The story of Jonathan and David has long been a favorite of gay people, who easily identify with the challenges these intimate friends faced.

David, in bronze by Donatello de Bardi, 1396-1466

"Donatello was one of the greatest artists who ever lived and was in some ways the central figure of the Renaissance.

Before him, artists were aware of definite limits to what could or ought to be done in art.

Donatello was so consistently and shockingly original that after him, all the limits seemed to have disappeared, so that an artist was constrained only by his powers." - Paul Johnson, The Renaissance

Were they lovers?

Many gays believe that Jonathan and David were romantically in love with each other and were accepted by almost everyone in Israel as a married couple, based on the way God presents their story in scripture, 1 Samuel 17-31, and based on the Hebrew words used to describe their relationship.

Some gays and many non-gays disagree, insisting that florid language and men kissing men is typical Middle Eastern behavior and in no way indicates a homosexual relationship. Non-gays allege that the Bible strictly forbids all homosexual activity therefore Jonathan and David could not be gay. Their reasoning is that if J & D were gay lovers, God would not laud their partnership in the Bible in such a positive way.

Did Jonathan and David do anything
that might indicate they were gay?

Young David, preparing to fight Goliath

Scripture speaks in glowing terms of Jonathan and David’s loving intimacy, making a covenant of the LORD, exchanging clothing, embracing, weeping together, hugging and kissing each other.

Gays point out that the same Hebrew words used to describe Jonathan and David’s relationship also describe intimate opposite sex relationships.

Jonathan loved David and so they consistently make time alone together and when alone, affirm their love for each other. Each time they reaffirm their covenant, love for each other is the justification given in scripture. Jonathan goes against his father, his family, his opportunity to be Israel’s King, in favor of supporting David.

Yet, because it is believed that scripture does not directly state that Jonathan and David enjoyed a romantic sexual relationship, the argument from the presumed silence of scripture is used to "prove" a sexual relationship between them did not exist.

Our task is to examine scripture to see if the Bible is as silent about David and Jonathan’s romantic sexual relationship as some allege. There are many textual clues in the David and Jonathan story which allow us to draw a principled conclusion about their relationship based on the weight of the evidence.

David and Jonathan - their intimate
friendship is clear in the Bible

If Jonathan and David did enjoy a romantic sexual relationship, the Old Testament book of 1 Samuel presents interesting challenges and immense opportunities for twenty-first century Christians.

Is it possible that God so carefully preserved the David and Jonathan story in scripture to encourage the church to welcome saved gays and lesbians as equal members in the body of Christ? I believe this was precisely God's purpose.

Three Possible Interpretations
of David and Jonathan

David with his sling and five smooth stones, 1 Samuel 17:49

Jonathan and David formed only a political covenant and a close, loving, nonsexual friendship. This is the view of most non-gay commentators and most Christians, including gay Christians.

The Secular Gay Viewpoint - Jonathan and David were sexually intimate but were not a partnered couple since both were bisexual and eventually married women. This is the view of many secular gays.

The Minority Gay Christian Viewpoint - David and Jonathan, King Saul and all Israel viewed Jonathan and David as a married couple who formed a lifelong emotional romantic sexual bond lasting some fifteen years until Jonathan's untimely death in battle with the Philistines, 1 Samuel 31:2. This is the view of some gay Christians although not the majority view among gay Christians.

Direct Evidence About
David And Jonathan’s Relationship

Direct evidence is clear evidence of a fact or event which requires no additional thought to prove its existence. Direct evidence is eyewitness testimony, such as King Saul in 1 Samuel 20:30, what a witness said, saw or heard that relates directly to the issue in dispute.

Direct evidence is to be accepted at face value. In general, direct evidence is regarded as more forceful than circumstantial evidence because direct evidence requires no inferences to reach a conclusion.

Five Lines of Direct Evidence

Bust of King David

1. The testimony of the Holy Spirit, Who moved the writers of scripture to record what they wrote. 2 Peter 1:21.

2. The testimony of David about his relationship with Jonathan.

3. The testimony of Saul about Jonathan and David’s relationship.

4. The testimony of Jonathan about his relationship with David.

5. The Hebrew words used by the Holy Spirit to describe Jonathan and David’s relationship.

Circumstantial Evidence About
David And Jonathan’s Relationship

Circumstantial evidence suggests facts by inference. A reasonable person might reach a conclusion based on appearance or testimony that suggests a connection or physical evidence that suggests a conclusion.

This requires weighing the evidence since, with circumstantial evidence, there is an inferential gap between the evidence and the matter to be established.

The question to be answered when dealing with circumstantial evidence is whether the evidence, if believed, could reasonably support an inference of guilt.

Five Lines Of Circumstantial Evidence

1. The actions of Jonathan toward David.

2. The actions of David toward Jonathan.

3. The actions of Saul toward David and Jonathan.

4. The actions of people who facilitated David and Jonathan’s relationship.

5. Statements in scripture commending David’s character.

Discover Dramatic Evidence

We carefully examine direct and circumstantial evidence in our powerful 378 page eBook, Gay Christian 101: Spiritual Self-Defense For Gay Christians.

From David and Jonathan, Return To Gay Christian 101 Home Page

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