Scholars debate whether Jesus taught literal castration

Biblical scholars discuss the meaning of Jesus's teaching in Matthew 19:11–12 about eunuchs made for the kingdom of heaven. The passage arises in the context of Jesus's instruction on marriage and divorce, after his disciples suggest it may be better not to marry given his strict teaching on adultery. Stephen J. Patterson, the George H. Atkinson Chair of Religious and Ethical Studies at Willamette University, argues the passage should be interpreted literally—that Jesus advocated castration as a radical rejection of masculine power and dominance in the Roman world. Patterson contends that if Matthew had meant celibacy, he would have used the word for celibates and that interpreting "eunuch" as merely metaphorical would have confused his audience. However, Birger A. Pearson proposes the passage employs deliberate hyperbole, similar to Jesus's other extreme injunctions such as plucking out an eye that causes sin. Pearson argues Jesus was calling followers to live celibate lives embodying the kingdom of heaven, not commanding literal castration. Both scholars agree the teaching challenged Roman cultural values centered on masculine power, though they diverge on whether Jesus meant the instruction literally or metaphorically.

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Source: Biblical Archaeology Society — https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/biblical-topics/bible-interpretation/eunuchs-in-the-bible/