Consequences of Teachings

Yale Professor J. J. Pelikan writes: “The growth of the ascetic ideal in the church helped to give support to this view of Mary as the model of the lifelong virgin.” This “ascetic ideal” was also apparent in the development of monasticism and celibacy in the centuries following Nicaea. Hundreds of thousands of Catholic priests, monks, and nuns have striven​—some successfully, many unsuccessfully—​to lead continent lives because their church has taught that sex and holiness are incompatible.

Significantly, the leading church authority, “Saint” Augustine, “identified original sin with sexual concupiscence.” True, most modern-day Catholic theologians no longer subscribe to this interpretation. But does not the doctrine of the perpetual virginity of Mary and the law on compulsory celibacy for priests create the impression that sex is unclean? And has not the Vatican’s reiterated policy on divorce and birth control compounded the problem for millions of Catholics?

The Bible and Celibacy

Although, as we have seen earlier, compulsory celibacy is not a Biblical requirement, the Bible does speak of voluntary singleness. Jesus explained: “Some men are incapable of sexual activity from birth; some have been deliberately made so; and some there are who have freely renounced sex for the sake of God’s reign. Let him accept this teaching who can.” (Matthew 19:12, NAB) Thus Jesus did not say that celibacy was obligatory; in fact, as we have also noted earlier, some of his apostles were married men.​—Mark 1:29, 30; 1 Corinthians 9:5.

The apostle Paul also speaks of voluntary celibacy for both Christian men and Christian women, and explains: “I have no desire to place restrictions on you, but I do want to promote what is good, what will help you to devote yourselves entirely to the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 7:8, 35, 38, 40, NAB) It is quite plain that, from the Bible’s viewpoint, singleness is a gift that some Christians, of both sexes, can develop in order to devote themselves more fully and freely to God’s service. No vow need be involved, nor must there be any compulsion.​—1 Corinthians 7:28, 36.

On the contrary, compulsory celibacy would be a sign of apostasy, as we read in 1 Timothy 4:1-3: “The Spirit distinctly says that in later times some will turn away from the faith and will heed deceitful spirits and things taught by demons through plausible liars​—men with seared consciences who forbid marriage.”​—NAB.

Hold to the Bible’s View

Research in Catholic reference works shows that Catholic doctrine and policy in matters involving sex are deeply rooted in pagan mystery religions. The result has been to downgrade marriage, create a guilt complex in sexual matters, and impose hardship on many sincere Catholics.

On the other hand, the Bible shows that marriage is honorable and that sexual intercourse within the marriage arrangement does not prevent a Christian man or a Christian woman from being holy in God’s sight. It also reveals that voluntary singleness can be spiritually rewarding if one’s time and energy are used in God’s service.

The Bible’s View on Matters of Sex

FOR many sincere Catholics, the very thought of Mary’s having sexual intercourse with her husband Joseph is inconceivable and shocking. This is because the entire attitude of their church toward sex has given the average Catholic the impression that a person cannot really be holy if he or she has intercourse, even within wedlock. But are marriage and holiness incompatible? What does the Bible show?

In ancient Israel, God required priests to be holy, and yet marriage was proper for them. (Leviticus 21:6, 7, 13) In the Christian congregation, Peter​—whom the Catholic Church views as the first pope—​was a married man, as were the majority of the apostles. (Matthew 8:14; 1 Corinthians 9:5) Within the Christian congregation, an “overseer” (“bishop,” in the Catholic Douay Version) could be the “husband of one wife.” (1 Timothy 3:2) And “older men” (“priests,” in Douay) could be married. (Titus 1:5-8) In fact, all faithful first-century Christians were “God’s chosen ones, holy and loved,” and many of them were married. (Colossians 3:12, 18-21) It would be pointless to claim that these were sexless marriages, for that would be in direct contradiction to the apostolic counsel given in 1 Corinthians 7:2-5.

Thus, according to the Bible, marriage and holiness are not incompatible. Would God speak of himself as the ‘husband’ of Israel, and would the Bible speak of Christ as the “husband” of the Christian congregation, if there were anything unclean about the marriage relationship?​—Isaiah 54:5; 62:4, 5; Ephesians 5:23-32; Revelation 19:7; 21:2, 9.

We need, therefore, have no compunction about accepting the plain Bible testimony that, after the virgin birth of Jesus, Joseph led a normal married life with Mary, giving her other sons and daughters. These were Jesus’ fleshly half brothers and sisters, Mary giving birth to each one of them. (Matthew 1:24, 25; Mark 3:31) This in no way prevents us from loving and respecting Mary as a holy woman, any more than Sarah’s giving birth to Isaac prevented Peter from citing her among “holy women” of antiquity.​—1 Peter 3:5-7; Hebrews 11:11, 12.