(Part 1)

JBTM Book Reviews
191
The word “love” used in 1 Sam 1:26 to describe David’s love for Jonathan in also used in 1 Kgs
10:9 to describe God’s love for Israel. The emphasis in not on latent sexual desires, but on
covenant loyalty. Sprinkle borrows ideas from pro-homosexual deconstructions of the text
in arguing that “same-sex attraction” as used in our culture is not analogous in any way to
David’s friendship with Jonathan or Jesus and John. Sprinkle gives away too much and makes
an analogy that does violence to the meaning of Scripture.
Perhaps Sprinkle’s sloppy handling of Scripture in Gen 2:24–25, Ezek 16:49–50, and 1 Sam
1:26 are all indicative of what I perceive to be the deepest hermeneutical problem in his
work—namely, that he appears to be influenced by the postmodern idea that we can never
arrive at a certain meaning for any given text. It is quite concerning to read this remark by
Sprinkle about his current work: it “doesn’t represent my codified, unchangeable, etchedin-stone
declaration of what I have and always will believe about homosexuality” (PTBL,
11). While it is certainly true that we can always improve the way we apply biblical truth,
Sprinkle seems to indicate that we cannot assert concretely the truth in the text. Perhaps this
is merely poor wording. But it seems as if Sprinkle at least gives some credence to the idea
that objective inquiry is not possible.
People who experience same-sex attraction are certainly people to be loved, and it is
painfully evident that men and women with such temptations have sometimes encountered
unhelpful attitudes among Christians. But it is also painfully evident that revisionist
interpretations of Scripture often abuse the intent of the original text in order to circumvent
the clear Scriptural teaching. Sprinkle is to be applauded for the texts he handles with
care (Rom 1:18–32; 1 Cor 6:9–11), but the degree to which revisionist interpretations have
influenced his handling of other texts is cause for concern.
- J. Alan Branch, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Kansas City, Missouri