Recently, a new, insidious effort has sought to undermine the biblical worldview that men are born men and women are born women.
People now state that eunuchs are a part of the transgender community, that Christian and Jewish churches accepted them, and, therefore, there is nothing wrong with transgender individuals. This results in the demand for the Seventh-day Adventist Church to receive them into its fellowship. This argument is rife with inconsistencies.
First, we must examine what a eunuch was historically. Eunuchs historically were almost always individuals castrated as slaves or servants—not something voluntary.[1] A eunuch in charge of the king’s wives would be much more trustworthy than a man who was not a eunuch. Furthermore, a eunuch would be more focused on their work because of the general absence of sexual activity.
This class of Eunuchs is the class mentioned in Scripture. The Ethiopian eunuch was in the service of the Queen, Daniel was in the service of Nebuchadnezzar, and the eunuch who saved Jeremiah was serving the King of Judah. None of these men appeared effeminate or interested at all in changing genders.
We can conclude that the historical definition of a eunuch does not fit into what transgenderism is in the least. First, transgenderism is changing to what you feel your gender should be. The gap between castration and war is gapping; many transgender individuals have multiple hormone therapies and surgeries. In addition, they start dressing/acting like the opposite gender. Historically, eunuchs did not have hormone therapy, any surgery outside of castration, or dress/act like the opposite gender. In fact, the Eunuchs in Scripture never desired to change genders or act like the opposite gender.
The Bible discusses the issue of eunuchs in Matthew 19:
“The disciples said to him, “If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry.” But he said to them, “Not everyone can receive this saying, but only those to whom it is given. For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let the one who is able to receive this receive it.”
The Bible clearly states in these verses three reasons why someone is a eunuch: rare birth defects, involuntary castration, and those desiring to focus on the kingdom of heaven. The Bible is clearly linking the status of eunuchs to sexual desire, not to a desire for gender change; the preceding verses deal with sexuality. Also, the type of “Eunuch” described as for the sake of the kingdom of heaven may not involve castration but instead a mental and emotional laying aside of sexual desires; this would be true to the context of the verse and Scripture as a whole.
Even though God welcomes those who have been made Eunuchs into His fold, castration was never His plan. Scripture clearly states in Deuteronomy 23:1 “No one whose testicles are crushed or whose male organ is cut off shall enter the assembly of the Lord.” This concept does not mean that eunuchs cannot be saved but shows that God never designed such harm to the human body.
Beyond the fact that many eunuchs did not become so voluntarily, we also must consider that even voluntary castration—which is not God’s will but is not necessarily associated with gender change—is a yawning difference than transgenderism. We cannot really reverse physical castration. Therefore, we would accept them into the church once they repented of the harm done to themselves if they did so willingly.
However, a transgender person can start dressing/acting like the sex they were born with, and they can go through hormone therapy to get them back to their birth gender. If they will not repent, we must question their commitment to God. He is the God who commanded,
“A woman shall not wear a man’s garment, nor shall a man put on a woman’s cloak, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD your God” (Deuteronomy 22:5).
This biblical study clearly shows that biblical eunuchs are not part of the transgender community and that God never intended anyone to be a eunuch (physically)—putting to rest the lies perpetuated on this subject. The status of a eunuch biblically has to do with celibacy not gender transition. The status of a eunuch biblically has to do with celibacy not gender transition. Let us remember the warning of Isaiah 5:20:
"Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!"
Above all, let us not forget:
“None have fallen so low, none are so vile, but that they may find deliverance in Christ... No cry from a soul in need, though it fail of utterance in words, will be unheeded. Those who consent to enter into covenant with God are not left to the power of Satan or to the infirmity of their own nature.” Ministry of Healing, Pages 92 and 93
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David Mann obtained a Master of Divinity and a Master of Business Administration from Andrews University. He loves learning new truth about God through Scripture and the Spirit of Prophecy.
[1] https://www.britannica.com/topic/eunuch