Matthew's Parable of the Eunuchs

Abstract

Mt 19:12 introduces three groups of eunuchs: eunuchs engendered that way from mother’s womb (εὐνοῦχοι οἵτινες ἐκ κοιλίας μητρὸς ἐγεννήθησαν), eunuchs made eunuchs by people (εὐνοῦχοι οἵτινες εὐνουχίσθησαν ὑπὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων), and eunuchs who made themselves eunuchs to gain the kingdom of heaven (εὐνοῦχοι οἵτινες εὐνούχισαν ἑαυτοὺς διὰ τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν). Jesus’ words would have shocked Matthew’s early audiences: not only would they have identified self-made eunuchs as galli, devotees of Mater Magna, infamous for ecstatic worship and self-castration, but also Domitian banned castration, and Hadrian made voluntary castration a capital offense.

Nevertheless, from the second century until today, some Christians interpreted Jesus’ words literally, as an invitation. They risked severe societal opprobrium and legal consequences to make themselves eunuchs. Other ancient and modern exegetes, insisting on metaphorical interpretations, argued that Jesus invited some followers to abstain from sex, marriage, or remarriage.

Jesus’ puzzling words make sense within the First Gospel, where Jesus also encourages self-amputation and self-abnegation of his disciples. In this context, Mt 19:12 functions as a parable about loyalty (πίστις) and the kingdom of heaven. Like other Matthean parables, this verse is enigmatic, imparts hidden knowledge, expects an active response, involves eschatological reversals, relies on repetition and parallelism, presents a disturbing element, and ends with a surprise. All three groups of eunuchs prioritize commitment to the kingdom of heaven at the expense of human households. Eunuchs engendered in mother’s womb discourage child production in favor of spiritual procreation. With the inauguration of the messianic age, making disciples supersedes making babies. Eunuchs castrated for enslavement signal the necessity of loyal service and fit the trope of the “king’s loyal eunuch.” These eunuchs help Matthew promote metaphorical enslavement to God, which Jesus models. Self-made eunuchs demonstrate loyalty to God by acting decisively: some, to prevent sexual impropriety (πορνεία) or adultery (μοιχεία); others, to devote themselves exclusively to the kingdom of heaven. Although the evangelist did not expect male disciples to castrate themselves, not everyone recognized the parable’s metaphorical nature.