The lesson of hospitality at Sodom can side-tracked by a detail. There is an old argument about whether the story of Sodom is a lesson about the evil of “sodomy” or about the evil of inhospitality.
The link between Sodom and homosexual acts is not far-fetched. The people of Sodom had a reputation for sin, and when two angels went to investigate, the townsmen – all of them – planned a homosexual gang-rape. Further, two passages in the New Testament, 1 Peter and Jude, denounce homosexual sins, with unmistakable reference to Sodom.
There are two other passages in the New Testament that some people use erroneously to make a link between same-sex acts and Sodom. 1 Corinthians and 1 Timothy refer to homosexuality, and in some versions, the English translation is “sodomy.” The original Greek does not refer to Sodom in any way. The oldest known use of the word “sodomy” is from Josephus, in the first century after Christ.
There are 39 references to Sodom in the Old Testament, and ten in the New Testament. Most of them (40 of the 49) use Sodom as short-hand for a terrible awful horrible punishment, without any reference whatsoever to the reason Sodom was punished. Nine refer to reasons. There are the two letters, 1 Peter and Jude, that link Sodom to homosexuality. But three prophets and two Gospels link Sodom to inhospitality or similar evils.
Isaiah cries out to the people of Sodom and Gomorrah, with no reference to homosexuality. He denounces empty rituals, then tells them to repent: “Make justice your aim: redress the wronged, hear the orphan’s plea, defend the widow.” (1:9-17)
Elsewhere, Isaiah denounces people who boast of their sins like the people of Sodom. The passage is about complacent luxury in the midst of need. (3:9)
Jeremiah denounces false prophets: “To me they are all like Sodom, its inhabitants like Gomorrah.” What’s he upset about? Adultery, deception, taking the side of the wicked, and their failure to urge repentance. (23:14)
Ezekiel also links Sodom to injustice and inhospitality: “Now look at the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters were proud, sated with food, complacent in prosperity. They did not give any help to the poor and needy.” (16:49)
Two Gospels link Sodom and hospitality. Jesus gave instructions to disciples who were setting out to preach. He says that if they are received inhospitably, they should shake off the dust and leave. Then Jesus adds that on the day of judgment, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town. (Mt 10:14-15, Lk 10:10-12)
Homosexuality does not look good in Scripture, but the story of Sodom is not about same-sex acts. Following Genesis 18 which describes hospitality at Mamre, Genesis 19 describes the opposite at Sodom. The opposite of hospitality is homosexual gang-rape of a guest.
Understanding Sodom correctly matters, because the story fits into a significant pattern (Sodom, Red Sea, Gibea, Babylon) in Scripture. The most severe punishments described in Scripture follow a conglomeration of evils, including sins against hospitality.
