What if getting tattooed is also part of the problem?
Much has been said about whether tattoos are
permitted or prohibited according to the Bible. Leviticus 19:28 is the most
frequently cited verse: “You shall not make any cutting for the dead in your
flesh, nor shall you put any tattooed writing on you. I am YHWH.” But what if
the true message of the text wasn’t simply “don’t get tattoos,” but also “don’t
let others mark you as property or a sign of obedience”?
The Hebrew verb that changes
everything: נָתַן (nathan)
In the original Hebrew text, the verb used twice
is “tittenu,” from the root נָתַן (nathan) meaning to give,
to place, to allow, to impose. This is not necessarily an action done by
oneself, but can also be understood as allowing something to be done to
oneself.
This changes a lot. The
text could be read like this: > “You shall not give [or allow] any cutting
by a person [néfesh] in your flesh, nor shall you give [allow] any inscription
of a mark on you.”
An alternative
literal rewording would be: > “And you will not allow a scratch from a
person to be made on your flesh, and you will not allow a tattoo to be made on
you. I, the Eternal.”
Thus, not only is
the act of getting a tattoo condemned, but also the act of allowing someone
else to do it, especially if it has a symbolic value of loyalty, pain, or
ritual belonging.
The problem of symbolic consent
In almost all cases, a person doesn't do the
tattoo themselves. It requires tools, precision, and pain resistance. It
requires another human being, a tattoo artist. Therefore, the act of getting a
tattoo implies consent and collaboration: someone else imprints
something on your body with your approval.
Whether the mark
represents a name, a symbol, or a sign of obedience to someone, we are
accepting a permanent form of identification on our skin that goes
beyond aesthetics. Just as a wedding ring can be removed, a tattoo cannot.
This aligns with
ancient practices: - Slaves were branded to indicate ownership. - Criminals
were tattooed as public punishment (especially in Rome). - Soldiers could
be branded with the symbols of the empire. - Some devotees tattooed the
names of their gods.
Leviticus 19:28,
then, would be warning: do not be an instrument of rituals, nor allow your
body to become a tablet for others.
The body as a sign of covenant
The Bible speaks much about the body as a temple (1
Corinthians 6:19-20), as a spiritual seal (Ephesians 1:13), and as an
instrument of righteousness (Romans 6:13).
There are also
warnings against being marked by other entities: - Revelation 13:16-17 speaks
of the “mark of the beast” placed on the hand or forehead as a sign of
obedience to a corrupt system. - Revelation 7:3 contrasts this with
God’s servants, who receive a seal on their foreheads.
The problem isn't
just the outward symbol, but the pact it represents. To whom do you
belong? To whom do you give access to mark your identity?
Tattoos, pop culture, and historical
distortion
Today, tattoos are promoted as acts of freedom
and self-expression. They are presented as normal, universal, and aesthetic. But
this view is heavily influenced by modern culture and often relies on
myths.
A clear example is
the popular belief that Vikings were tattooed. Series, video games and
art have been made around this idea. But the truth is: - There is no direct
archaeological evidence of tattoos on Viking remains. - The only testimony (Ibn
Fadlan, 10th century) speaks of the Rus, not directly of Scandinavians,
and could refer to ritual body painting. - Modern Viking designs are contemporary
graphic inventions, not historical reconstructions.
Thus, the argument
"the ancients also tattooed" is weak. Ancient tattoos were more
closely associated with slavery, war, rituals, or punishment than with free
art.
So why
does it matter?
Because your body is more than skin: it is
language, it is a temple, it is a testimony. Letting someone else mark you
is not neutral. It is an act laden with consent, covenant, and identity. And if
that symbol points to a human being, an ideology, a fashion, or a passing
emotion, you are constructing a narrative of who you are that may not align
with your true dignity before God.
Leviticus 19:28 is not an outdated cultural law.
It's a spiritual warning for today: "Do not mark yourself, and do not let
anyone mark you. Your body already has an owner. I am YHWH."
Final reflection: What are you allowing others to write on you?
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