What Detestable Means for Believers Today

What is a Detestable?

In biblical teaching, the term 'detestable' expands beyond mere moral failure to describe practices that actively violate God’s covenant with His people.

The Hebrew Bible explicitly labels certain behaviors as 'detestable' when they corrupt communal holiness or exploit others. Leviticus 18:27 states, 'For the people of the land have done what is detestable and abominable in the sight of the Lord,' illustrating how such actions sever relational and spiritual alignment with divine will. This term often applies to practices like idolatry, sexual immorality, or injustice that distort God’s intended order for humanity.

Understanding 'detestable' in context invites reflection on how biblical standards address both individual ethics and societal well-being, preparing us to explore related concepts in God’s moral framework.

Old Testament Usage of Detestable

In the Old Testament, the term 'detestable' (Hebrew: *to’evah*) functions as a covenantal boundary marker, particularly in Leviticus and Deuteronomy, where it defines practices that disrupt communal holiness and fidelity to God.

In Leviticus and Deuteronomy, the term often applies to idolatry, sexual immorality, and covenantal unfaithfulness. Deuteronomy 7:25-26 instructs, 'You shall burn the carved idols of their gods in the fire... You must not bring any detestable thing into your house... you must utterly detest them,' linking the prohibition of idolatry to covenantal loyalty. This passage underscores that idolatry corrupts Israel’s distinct identity as God’s people and demands complete rejection of foreign religious influences. Beyond idolatry, Deuteronomy also labels practices like intermarriage with surrounding nations and adoption of their customs as detestable, framing these as threats to covenantal purity.

The designation of detestable practices in the Old Testament emphasizes God’s holiness and the consequences of disobedience. This framework prepares readers to consider how such boundaries shape ethical and spiritual life in biblical covenantal relationships.

New Testament Context of Detestable

In the New Testament, the term 'detestable' takes on heightened theological urgency in Paul’s letters, particularly as a descriptor of moral and spiritual rebellion against God’s order.

Romans 1:28-32 exemplifies this usage, where Paul writes, 'God gave them over to degrading passions... who by exchanging the truth of God for a lie... became futile in their thinking... and although they knew God, they did not honor him as God... and their lives were filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed, and depravity. They are full of hatred, envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless.' Here, the Greek term *anathema* (translated as 'detestable' in some versions) underscores a state of divine abandonment resulting from unrepentant sin.

Paul’s theology describes 'detestable' as a condition of spiritual alienation from God’s transformative grace, rather than moral failure alone. This usage reflects his concern that persistent rejection of divine truth hardens the heart, severing communion with the Creator. Such language invites readers to consider how Paul’s letters balance the gravity of sin with the redemptive hope offered through Christ, setting the stage for exploring the term’s implications in early Christian ethics.

How to Read Detestables Correctly

To interpret biblical references to 'detestable' accurately, readers must engage with the covenantal, cultural, and Christological dimensions outlined in Scripture.

First, contextualize these terms within their covenantal frameworks, as seen in Deuteronomy 7:26, which links detestable practices to covenantal loyalty and communal holiness. Second, distinguish between culturally specific commands and timeless moral principles, recognizing that Leviticus 18:27 addresses ancient Israel’s context while underscoring God’s opposition to practices that corrupt justice and human dignity. Third, cross-reference these passages with Jesus’ teachings on love and justice, which emphasize mercy and the primacy of the Law’s ethical core.

Avoid reducing these terms to mere moral judgment without considering their historical and relational context, as well as the New Testament’s emphasis on grace. These principles help readers navigate the complexity of 'detestable' in ways that honor both Scripture’s integrity and its transformative message.

Going Deeper

To deepen our understanding of 'detestable,' it's helpful to contrast it with related biblical terms like 'abomination' and consider its relevance in modern ethical contexts.

While 'detestable' and 'abomination' (Hebrew *to'evah*) often overlap, the latter term typically carries a stronger connotation of divine revulsion, as seen in Levitical laws against idolatry. Applying this today, believers might consider how practices like idolizing materialism or systemic injustice reflect covenantal unfaithfulness, urging ethical reflection on modern 'detestable' behaviors.