 |
|
     |
|
|
|
Leviticus 18 describes sexual sin as occasions of exposure, as "uncovering nakedness." At times, the nakedness is not only an individual's, but is shared. The reason given for the prohibition of maternal incest in Lev 18:8 is that the mother's nakedness is the "father's nakedness." This makes sense: In the nature of the case, husband and wife share a single covering, and so an exposure of the nakedness of the one is an exposure of the nakedness of another. There's more going on here, but the basis for the notion of shared nakedness is pretty obvious.
What about 18:10, which prohibits incest with a granddaughter on the basis of the fact that "they are your nakedness." The grandfather's nakedness and the granddaughter's are the same. How is this the case? Perhaps John Kleinig's suggestion is right: "Incest violates the nakedness of the family, its ordered intimacy; it exposes the sexuality of its members and confuses its sexual ecology. It shames the family publicly." So if a grandfather uncovers the nakedness of his granddaughter, he brings the shame of public exposure on himself, he himself is stripped before the world. Perhaps, but I suspect there's more going on, and that it is somehow connected with the naked Jesus on the cross, the fact that he bears the shame of our Adamic nakedness in his own exposure.
posted by Peter J. Leithart on Thursday, November 03, 2005 at 11:03 AM
Permission is given to use material on this site, provided the source is cited, blog entries are republished in full, and the author is notified in advance.
1 & 2 Kings
Brazos Theological Commentary
The Promise Of His Appearing: An Exposition Of Second Peter
A Great Mystery: Fourteen Wedding Sermons
Deep Comedy: Trinity, Tragedy, And Hope In Western Literature
Miniatures & Morals: The Christian Novels of Jane Austen
The Priesthood of the Plebs: A Theology of Baptism
A Son To Me: An Exposition of 1 & 2 Samuel
From Silence to Song: The Davidic Liturgical Revolution
Ascent to Love: A Guide to Dante's Divine Comedy
Blessed Are the Hungry: Meditations on the Lord's Supper
A House For My Name: A Survey of the Old Testament
Heroes of the City of Man: A Christian Guide to Select Ancient Literature
Brightest Heaven of Invention: A Christian Guide To Six Shakespeare Plays
Wise Words: Family Stories That Bring the Proverbs to Life
The Kingdom and the Power: Rediscovering the Centrality of the Church
