Level 4
STATEMENT AGAINST SAME-SEX MARRIAGES
Statement: Epithumia Did Not Mean “Excessive”
Dr. Brownson’s interpretation of Romans 1, and then his entire position on same-sex marriage, rests to a large extent on four Greek words. Epithumia in verse 24 is the first of these four. Epithumia has never before been defined as excessive or self-destructive. Neither Kittel’s Theological Dictionary of the New Testament nor Bauer, Arndt, Gingrich and Danker’s A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature define it that way. There is a significant difference between an intense desire and excessive. When Paul had an intense desire to be with believers in Thessalonica, he did not have an excessive desire to be with them. If Dr. Brownson does in fact have a new insight into the meaning of this word, one that differs with the accepted authorities, then he needs to make a good case which verifies that position. He doesn’t do that.
This is a serious error. A word which means intense desire is claimed to mean excessive but it is not proven. Dr. Brownson then uses an unacceptable definition, that has never been used before, as evidence to support same-sex marriage as acceptable to God, when it was understood for centuries to be an abomination before God.
Response
A response to the above is needed.