Week 37 Matthew 19
The Lord had a fairly restrictive view on divorce and the disciples wondered if it was better just not to get married. But Jesus pointed out that being single wasn’t the solution since not everyone could live a single (i.e. a non-sexual) life.
The Lord used eunuchs as an example. He said there were three types of eunuchs:
a) eunuchs born with a genital birth defect
b) surgically-altered eunuchs
c) free-choice eunuchs.
For eunuchs a) and eunuchs b) sexual-intercourse was a physical impossibility. Couldn’t be done.
But c) was different. The bible I usually read is a bit vague when it refers to eunuchs who made themselves eunuchs (even if that was the only version I had I’d have serious doubts the Lord was talking about a guy who personally elected to have actual castration surgery). So that’s why another version is clearer when it says that group c) have renounced marriage because of the kingdom of heaven (i.e. they renounced sexual-intercourse). So I take group c) to mean hypothetical-eunuchization where a guy retains functional genitals but doesn’t use them for sexual-intercourse.
The majority view in the modern world is that a life without sexual-intercourse is basically impossible. And the Lord admits that not everyone can accept this teaching. But a minority – those to whom it has been given – have that capacity.
A qualified sub-set of people can live without sexual-intercourse for the sake of the kingdom of heaven.
Note: quotes from Matthew 19:11-12 (NASB & NIV)