The Working Woman’s Dilemma

Re-posted from Charisma Magazine: http://www.charismamag.com/index.php/newsletters/spiritled-woman-emagazine/31993-the-working-womans-dilemma

Wednesday, 12 October 2011 08:00 AM EDT J. Lee Grady

Even today, some church leaders tell Christian women that God wants them to stay at home. But what does the Bible really say?

In the small town of Berryville, in northwest Arkansas, members of the board at First Baptist Church voted in February 1997 to close their church-run day care center. They made the abrupt decision not because the facility was too expensive to operate or because they didn’t have enough children enrolled. The official reason, as stated in a letter that was mailed to parents, was that church leaders felt their day care center was encouraging women to work outside the home.

“God intended for the home to be the center of a mother’s world,” the letter from First Baptist stated, adding that working moms “neglect their children, damage their marriages and set a bad example.” First Baptist’s day care center board, under the direction of the pastor, also noted in their letter that families should learn to get by on the husband’s single income.”

The day care center closed one month later, and parents scrambled to find another place to leave the 27 children who attended. Arkansas state officials eventually found another church in town that was willing to organize a day care program.

Is it any wonder that so many people—and an increasing number of women—have rejected the church?

The leaders of First Baptist of Berryville were totally out of touch with the needs of the women in their community, and thankfully they didn’t trigger a trend of day care center closings when news of their decision made national headlines. But the sad fact is that the mind-set that led the men of this church to act so irrationally is common in the evangelical church today. We may live in the 21st century, but 18th-century ideas about women’s roles are still embedded in our minds—and leaders twist and misinterpret the Bible to defend this view.

WOMEN SHOULDN’T WORK?
The “women shouldn’t work” argument comes in various forms. The mildest variety—and the one that actually makes sense in some situations—states that God intends for a wife to nurture her children while they are young and that she should let her husband provide the bulk of family income during those years. This line of reasoning works for some families in wealthier Western countries, and many women in the United States enjoy playing with their toddlers at home all day while daddy is at the office.

Things get more complicated for families when they cannot survive on one income. There are millions of two-parent families who struggle to pay their bills, especially if the father works at a factory, a convenience store or a construction site. The wife is often forced to find at least a part-time job while she juggles childcare responsibilities.

And then there are many single mothers who must work even if they qualify for partial welfare benefits. Perhaps because of their own wrong choices, abandonment or social disadvantages these women struggle constantly to balance the pressures of home and work.

They should be able to turn to the church for moral support and spiritual resources. But often what we offer them is a slap in the face. We often quote to them Titus 2:4-5: “Encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home” (NASB, emphasis added).

Then we twist this verse to say that God requires all women to fit into the cookie-cutter mold of the full-time Christian housewife. We also tell women in the church that they should model their lives after the “virtuous woman” (KJV) described in Proverbs 31—and then we misread that passage to imply that she too was a stay-at-home mother.

But that is not what the Scripture says. First of all, the Proverbs 31 woman was never meant to be considered normative for every Christian woman. The Hebrew poetry employed in this passage of Proverbs is an acrostic; each verse begins with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet and describes some aspect of a godly woman’s life.

The “woman” described here is actually a composite, not just one woman. Christian women who uphold the Proverbs 31 woman as a virtuous ideal must realize that God does not expect them to emulate her unrealistic schedule because she is actually several “model” women rolled into one.

But even if we view this woman as one individual, we need to recognize that her work was not limited to domestic chores. She was a shrewd businesswoman who was involved in real estate, agriculture and a textile business. She also employed other women to help her (see Prov. 31:13, 16, 19, 24).

Traditionalists who champion this verse as a picture of the happy housewife would probably not endorse the lifestyle of this woman if they met her on the street. In her ancient Middle Eastern society, she was an entrepreneur.

She stayed occupied with her home-based business day and night—and someone else probably watched her children when she was selling linen in the marketplace, dealing with merchants, buying fields or making wine with the fruit of her vineyard. She was most definitely not a stay-at-home mom in the suburban American sense of the word! Those who use this passage to keep women locked into an exclusively domestic role are misusing Scripture to hold women in a crippling form of religious bondage.

DID PAUL TELL WOMEN TO STAY HOME?
Fundamentalist Christians in the United States have long contended that God’s highest plan for women is to function as housewives—content to iron clothes, cook casseroles, diaper babies, bathe toddlers and perhaps master the fine art of sewing or embroidery while the children are napping. That’s because we have viewed the Bible through a warped cultural lens and have imposed on the Scriptures our suburban American values and prejudice.

When this view is questioned, conservative Christians often cite Titus 2:4-5 as well as 1 Timothy 5:14: “Therefore, I want younger widows to get married, bear children, keep house, and give the enemy no occasion for reproach” (1 Tim. 5:14, NASB).

If we examine these two New Testament verses closely, it is obvious that what the apostle Paul was demanding of women was not domesticity but Christian faithfulness. He was not discouraging women from working outside the home.

How do I know this? Because the concept of going to work was not an option for women in the first century. Paul’s concern had nothing to do with women leaving their homes to pursue careers because women in the agrarian society of Crete in the year A.D. 62 didn’t do that!

We must be careful not to read into the Bible something that isn’t there. We can’t use Paul’s instructions to the Christian women of Ephesus and Crete to concoct a doctrine about men’s and women’s roles. Paul was not talking about roles in either of these passages. He was addressing serious issues of character.

When he mentioned the issue of “keeping house” in 1 Timothy 5:14, Paul was encouraging married female converts to view with seriousness their responsibilities as wives and mothers.

In Titus 1:12, Paul mentions that the people of Crete were known for their laziness. Their pagan culture was crumbling because men and women were enslaved to drunkenness, gluttony and debauchery.

It is possible that many of the men in Crete didn’t work at all—perhaps they spent most of their lives drinking in their huts. Perhaps the women were living in this kind of stupor as well. So naturally when they embraced the message of Christ and joined the fledgling churches that Titus was overseeing, one of Paul’s first priorities as an apostle was to disciple them in areas of personal conduct, family life and basic self-control.

Paul told the men of Crete to learn to be temperate (see Titus 2:2). They needed to break ties with their past and leave their alcoholism, promiscuity and slothfulness behind. Likewise, he told the women to learn to “keep house.”

Most likely the women were horrible at managing their domestic affairs—and they were neglecting their children in the process. In order to please God and be credible witnesses in their culture, these women would have to change the way they lived. They would have to discipline their unruly children. They would have to love them rather than neglect them. They would have to bring order where there had been domestic chaos.

When we examine 1 Timothy 5:14, we see that Paul expressed concerns about laziness among the women of Ephesus. He says in verse 13 that they are idle and that many of them had become “gossips and busybodies.” So naturally his remedy for their problem was to urge them to become women of virtue and integrity.

He instructed them to stay home (rather than wasting time spreading rumors and silly talk) and to maintain order in their homes. In fact, the word used in this passage for “keep house” is the same word used for a ruler or master.

Yet translators, perhaps because they were uncomfortable giving women a sense of authority, translated this phrase “keep house” rather than “rule their homes.” The one exception is the Revised Standard Version, which translates 1 Timothy 5:14: “So I would have younger widows marry, bear children, rule their households.”

Disorder and unfaithfulness in the homes of the Ephesian converts were serious issues for Paul. When he listed the qualifications of an overseer in 1 Timothy 3:1-7, he wrote: “If a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?” (v. 5).

In essence he says, “The Christian life must start at home. Get your own life in order. Get your marriage in order. Get your children in order. After you’ve done that, then you will have something of value to take to the world.”

This is a hard-core truth from the Bible that has universal application to us today. When we come to Christ, His transforming power should change our behavior at home.

It should change alcoholics into sober, hardworking individuals. It should change cavalier women-chasers into faithful husbands who treat their wives with respect. And it should change self-absorbed, undisciplined women into diligent disciples of Jesus Christ.

But we cannot use these verses to imply that Paul’s command to “keep house” or to be “workers at home” requires that all Christian women in the 21st century stay in their kitchens all day or shun their God-ordained career paths. Those who teach this view impose a cruel and legalistic burden on women that isn’t supported by Scripture. We need to stop teaching it and release Christian women to follow the Holy Spirit’s leading with regard to their callings and careers.

There is a world to win for Christ, and too often the church has told half our volunteers that they can’t enlist. Let’s break the molds and tear down the barriers. We need women on the front lines!

J. Lee Grady is contributing editor of Charisma magazine. He is also an ordained minister and the author of Ten Lies the Church Tells Women (Creation House), from which this article is adapted.

Women’s Speaking

As I’m making it through the last few wks of my History of Christianity class, I’ve been reading about how the Reformation made a way for women once again to assert their spiritual gifts. The Quakers were one of the first small communities to come out of the Reformation that allowed public speaking for women. These people were tired of being told what to do by the centralized churches. They wanted to experience true community as a ‘priesthood of believers.’ As I’ve been preaching on Gender Justice at my church this Fall, this sermon and apology on women being able to preach is just what I needed to read and pass on to my congregation. The woman who’s sermon you are about to read would say the same thing to the Southern Baptist Convention about their stance on women as Jimmy Carter did. And she’d say the same to fundamentalist churches, seminaries and others like them today who limit women’s gifting on the basis of gender.

Margaret Fell (1614-1702), “Women’s Speaking Justified, Proved, and Allowed of by the Scriptures, All such as speak by the Spirit and Power of the Lord Jesus” (ca. 1666 or 1667)

Women’s Speaking

Justified, Proved, and Allowed of by the Scriptures, All such as speak by the Spirit and Power of the Lord Jesus. And how Women were the first that Preached the Tidings of the Resurrection of Jesus, and were sent by Christ’s own Command, before he Ascended to the Father, John 20. 17.

Whereas it hath been an Objection in the Minds of many, and several times hath been objected by the Clergy, or Ministers and others, against Women’s speaking in the Church; and so consequently may be taken, that they are condemned for medling in the things of God: The ground of which Objection is taken from the Apostle’s Words, which he writ in his first Epistle to the Corinthians, Chap. 14. Vers. 34, 35. And also what he writ to Timothy in the first Epistle, Chap. 2. Vers. 11, 12. But how far they wrong the Apostle’s Intentions in these Scriptures, we shall shew clearly when we come to them in their course and order. But first let me lay down how God himself hath manifested his Will and Mind concerning Women, and unto women.

And first, when God created Man in his own Image, in the Image of God created he them, Male and Female; and God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful and multiply: And God said, Behold, I have given you of every Herb, &c. Gen. 1. Here God joyns them together in his own Image, and makes no such Distinctions and Differences as Men do; for though they be weak, he is strong; and as he said to the Apostle, His Grace is sufficient, and his Strength is made manifest in Weakness, 2 Cor. 12. 9. And such hath the Lord chosen, even the weak things of the World, to confound the things which are mighty; and things which are despised, hath God chosen, to bring to nought things that are, 1 Cor. 1. And God hath put no such difference between the Male and Female, as Men would make.

It is true, The Serpent, that was more subtle than any other Beast of the Field, came unto the Woman with his Temptations, and with a Lye; his Subtlety discerning her to be the weaker Vessel, or more inclinable to hearken to him, when he said, If ye eat, your Eyes shall be opened; and the Woman saw, that the Fruit was good to make one wise: There the Temptation got into her, and she did eat, and gave to her Husband, and he did eat also; and so they were both tempted into the Transgression and Disobedience; and therefore God said unto Adam, (who hid himself when he heard his Voice) Hast thou eaten of the Tree, which I commanded thee that thou should’st not eat? And Adam said, The Woman which thou gavest me, she gave me of the Tree, and I did eat. And the Lord said unto the Woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the Woman said, The Serpent beguiled me, and I did eat. Here the Woman spoke the Truth unto the Lord. See what the Lord saith, ver. 15. after he had pronounced Sentence on the Serpent, I will put Enmity between thee and the Woman, and between thy Seed and her Seed; it shall bruise thy Head, and thou shalt bruise his Heel, Gen. 3.

Let this Word of the Lord, which was from the beginning, stop the Mouths of all that oppose Women’s Speaking in the Power of the Lord; for he hath put Enmity between the Woman and the Serpent; and if the Seed of the Woman speak not, the Seed of the Serpent speaks; for God hath put Enmity between the two Seeds; and it is manifest, that those that speak against the Woman and her Seed’s Speaking, speak out of the Envy of the old Serpent’s Seed. And God hath fulfilled his Word and his Promise, When the fulness of time was come, he sent forth his Son, made of a Woman, made under the Law, that we might receive the Adoption of Sons, Gal. 4. 4, 5.

Moreover, the Lord is pleased, when he mentions his Church, to call her by the Name of Woman, by his Prophets, saying, I have called thee as a Woman forsaken, and grieved in Spirit, and as a Wife of Youth, Isai. 54. Again, How long wilt thou go about, thou back-sliding Daughter? For the Lord hath created a new thing in the Earth, a Woman shall compass a Man, Jer. 31. 22. And David, when he was speaking of Christ and his Church, he saith, The King’s Daughter is all glorious within, her Cloathing is of wrought Gold, she shall be brought unto the King; with gladness and rejoycing shall they be brought; they shall enter into the King’s Pallace, Psal. 45. And also King Solomon in his Song, where he speaks of Christ and his Church, where she is complaining and calling for Christ, he saith, If thou knowest not, O thou fairest among Women, go thy way by the Footsteps of the Flock, Cant. 1. 8. c. 5. 9. And John, when he saw the Wonder that was in Heaven, he saw a Woman cloathed with the Sun, and the Moon under her feet, and upon her Head a Crown of twelve Stars; and there appeared another Wonder in Heaven, a great red Dragon stood ready to devour her Child. Here appears the Envy of the Dragon, Rev. 12.

Thus much may prove, that the Church of Christ is represented as a Woman; and those that speak against this Woman’s speaking, speak against the Church of Christ, and the Seed of the Woman, which Seed is Christ; that is to say, Those that speak against the Power of the Lord, and the Spirit of the Lord speaking in a Woman, simply by reason of her Sex, or because she is a Woman, not regarding the Seed, and Spirit, and Power that speaks in her; such speak against Christ and his Church, and are of the Seed of the Serpent, wherein lodgeth Enmity. And as God the Father made no such difference in the first Creation, nor ever since between the Male and the Female, but always out of his Mercy and Loving-kindness, had regard unto the Weak. So also his Son, Christ Jesus, confirms the same thing; when the Pharisees came to him, and asked him, if it were lawful for a Man to put away his Wife? He answered and said unto them, Have you not read, That he that made them in the beginning, made them Male and Female; and said, For this Cause shall a Man leave Father and Mother, and shall cleave unto his Wife, and they twain shall be one Flesh; wherefore they are no more twain, but one Flesh? What therefore God hath joyned together, let no Man put asunder, Mat. 19.

Again, Christ Jesus, when he came to the City of Samaria, where Jacob’s Well was, where the Woman of Samaria was, you may read in John 4. how he was pleased to preach the Everlasting Gospel to her; and when the Woman said unto him, I know that when the Messiah cometh, (which is called Christ) when he cometh, he will tell us all things. Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he. Also he said unto Martha, when she said, she knew that her Brother should rise again in the last day. Jesus said unto her, I am the Resurrection and the Life; he that believeth on me, though he were dead, yet should he live; and whosoever liveth and believeth, shall never die. Believest thou this? She answered, Yea, Lord, I believe thou art the Christ, the Son of God. Here she manifested her true and saving Faith, which few at that day believed so on him, John 11. 25, 26.

Also that Woman, that came unto Jesus with an Alabaster Box of very precious Ointment, and poured it on his Head as he sat at meat; it is manifest that this Woman knew more of the secret Power and Wisdom of God, than his Disciples did, who were filled with Indignation against her; and therefore Jesus saith, Why do ye trouble the Woman, for she hath wrought a good Work upon me? Verily, I say unto you, Wheresoever this Gospel shall be preached in the whole World, there shall also this that this Woman hath done, be told for a Memorial of her, Mat. 26. Mark 14. 3. Luke saith farther, She was a Sinner, and that she stood at his Feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his Feet with her Tears, and did wipe them with the Hair of her Head, and kissed his Feet, and annointed them with Ointment. And when Jesus saw the Heart of the Pharisee that had bidden him to his House, he took occasion to speak unto Simon, as you may read in Luke 7. and he turned to the Woman, and said, Simon, seest thou this Woman? Thou gavest me no Water to my Feet; but she hath washed my Feet with Tears, and wiped them with the Hair of her Head: Thou gavest me no Kiss; but this Woman, since I came in, hath not ceased to kiss my Feet: My Head with Oil thou didst not annoint; but this Woman hath annointed my Feet with Ointment: Wherefore I say unto thee, her Sins, which are many, are forgiven her; for she hath loved much, Luke 7. 37. to the End.

Also, there was many Women which followed Jesus from Galilee, ministring unto him, and stood afar off when he was Crucified, Mat. 28. 55. Mark 15. Yea even the Women of Jerusalem wept for him, insomuch that he said unto them, Weep not for me. ye Daughters of Jerusalem; but weep for your selves, and for your Children, Luke 23. 28.

And certain Women which had been healed of Evil Spirits and Infirmities, Mary Magdalen, and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s Steward’s Wife; and many others which ministred unto him of their Substance, Luke 8. 2, 3.

Thus we see that Jesus owned the Love and Grace that appeared in Women, and did not despise it: and by what is recorded in the Scriptures, he received as much Love, Kindness, Compassion, and tender Dealing towards him from Women, as he did from any others, both in his Life time, and also after they had exercised their Cruelty upon him; for Mary Magdalene, and Mary the Mother of James, beheld where he was laid; And when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the Mother of James, and Salom, had brought sweet Spices, that they might annoint him: And very early in the Morning, the first Day of the Week, they came unto the Sepulchre at the rising of the Sun; and they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the Stone from the Door of the Sepulchre? And when they looked the Stone was rolled away, for it was very great, Mark 16. 1, 2, 3, 4. Luke 24. 1, 2. and they went down into the Sepulchre, and as Matthew saith, The Angel rolled away the Stone, and he said unto the Women, Fear not, I know whom ye seek, Jesus which was Crucified: He is not here, he is risen, Mat. 28. Now Luke saith thus, That there stood two Men by them in shining Apparel, and as they were perplexed and afraid, the Men said unto them, He is not here, remember how he said unto you when he was in Galilee, That the Son of Man must be delivered into the Hands of sinful Men, and be Crucified, and the third Day rise again; and they remembred his Words, and return’d from the Sepulchre, and told all these things to the Eleven, and to all the rest.

It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the Mother of James, and the other Women that were with them, which told these things to the Apostles, and their Words seemed unto them as Idle Tales, and they believed them not. Mark this, ye despisers of the Weakness of Women, and look upon your selves to be so wise: But Christ Jesus doth not so; for he makes use of the weak: For when he met the Women after he was risen, he said unto them, All Hail! And they came and held him by the Feet, and worshipped him; then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid, go tell my Brethren that they go into Galilee, and there they shall see me, Mat. 28. 10. Mark 16. 9. And John saith, when Mary was weeping at the Sepulchre, that Jesus said unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? what seekest thou? And when she supposed him to be the Gardner, Jesus said unto her, Mary; she turned her self, and said unto him, Rabboni, which is to say, Master; Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not, for I am not yet ascended to my Father; but go to my Brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father, and to my God, and your God, John 20. 16, 17.

Mark this, you that despise and oppose the Message of the Lord God that he sends by Women; What had become of the Redemption of the whole Body of Mankind, if they had not cause to believe the Message that the Lord Jesus sent by these Women, of and concerning his Resurrection? And if these Women had not thus, out of their Tenderness, and Bowels of Love, who had received Mercy, and Grace, and Forgiveness of Sins, and Vertue, and Healing from him; which many Men also had received the like, if their Hearts had not been so united and knit unto him in Love, that they could not depart as the Men did; but sat watching, and waiting, and weeping about the Sepulchre until the time of his Resurrection, and so were ready to carry his Message, as is manifested, else how should his Disciples have known, who were not there?

Oh! Blessed and Glorified be the Glorious Lord; for this may all the whole Body of Mankind say, though the Wisdom of Man that never knew God, is always ready to except against the Weak; but the Weakness of God is stronger than Men, and the Foolishness of God is wiser than Men, 1 Cor. 1 25.

And in Acts 18. you may read how Aquilla, and Priscilla, took unto them Apollos, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly, who was an Eloquent Man, and mighty in the Scriptures; yet we do not read that he despised what Priscilla said, because she was a Woman, as many now do.

And now to the Apostle’s Words, which is the Ground of the great Objection against Womens Speaking. And first, 1 Cor. 14. Let the Reader seriously peruse that Chapter, and see the end and drift of the Apostle in speaking these Words: For the Apostle is there exhorting the Corinthians unto Charity, and to desire Spiritual Gifts, and not to speak in an unknown Tongue; and not to be Children in Understanding, nor to be Children in Malice; but in Understanding to be Men. And that the Spirits of the Prophets, should be subject to the Prophets; for God is not the Author of Confusion, but of Peace: And then he saith, Let your Women keep Silence in the Church, &c.

Where it doth plainly appear, that the Women, as well as some others that were among them, were in Confusion: For he saith, How is it Brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a Psalm, hath a Doctrine, hath a Tongue, hath a Revelation, hath an Interpretation? Let all Things be done to Edifying. Here is no Edifying, but Confusion speaking together: Therefore he saith, If any Man speak in an unknown Tongue, let it be by two, or at most by three, and that by course, and let one Interpret: But if there be no Interpreter, let him keep Silence in the Church. Here the Man is Commanded to keep Silence, as well as the Woman, when in Confusion and out of order.

But the Apostle saith farther, They are commanded to be in Obedience, as also saith the Law; and if they will learn any thing, let them ask their Husbands at home; for it is a shame for a Woman, to speak in the Church.

Here the Apostle clearly manifests his intent; for he speaks of Women that were under the Law, and in that Transgression as Eve was, and such as were to learn, and not to speak publickly, but they must first ask their Husbands at home; and it was a shame for such to speak in the Church: And it appears clearly, that such Women were speaking among the Corinthians, by the Apostles exhorting them from malice and strife, and confusion, and he preacheth the Law unto them, and he saith, in the Law it is written, With Men of other tongues, and other Lips, will I speak unto this People, Vers. 2.

And what is all this to Women’s Speaking? that have the everlasting Gospel to preach, and upon whom the Promise of the Lord is fulfilled, and his Spirit poured upon them according to his Word, Acts 2. 16, 17, 18. And if the Apostle would have stopped such as had the Spirit of the Lord poured upon them, why did he say just before, If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace, and you may all Prophesie one by one? Here he did not say, that such Women should not Prophesie as had the Revelation and Spirit of God poured upon them: But their Women that were under the Law, and in the Transgression, and were in Strife, Confusion and Malice; for if he had stop’d Womens Praying or Prophesying, why doth he say, Every Man Praying or Prophesying, having his Head covered, dishonoureth his Head; but every Woman that Prayeth or Prophesieth with her Head uncovered dishonoureth her Head? Judge in your selves, Is it comely that a Woman pray or prophesie uncovered? For the Woman is not without the Man, neither is the Man without the Woman in the Lord, 1 Cor. 11. 3, 4, 13.

Also that other Scripture, in 1 Tim. 2. where he is exhorting that Prayer and Supplication be made every where, lifting up Holy Hands without Wrath and Doubting; he saith in the like manner also, That Women must adorn themselves in modest Apparel, with Shamefacedness and Sobriety, not with broidered Hair, or Gold, or Pearl, or costly Array. He saith, Let Women learn in Silence with all Subjection; but I suffer not a Woman to Teach, nor to usurp Authority over the Man, but to be in Silence; for Adam was first formed, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived; but the Woman being deceived was in the Transgression.

Here the Apostle speaks particularly to a Woman in relation to her Husband, to be in subjection to him, and not to Teach, nor usurp Authority over him, and therefore he mentions Adam and Eve: But let it be strained to the utmost, as the opposers of Womens Speaking would have it, that is, That they should not Preach nor Speak in the Church, of which there is nothing here: Yet the Apostle is speaking to such as he is teaching to wear their Apparel, what to wear, and what not to wear; such as were not come to wear modest Apparel, and such as were not come to Shamefacedness and Sobriety; but he was exhorting them from broidered Hair, Gold, and Pearls, and costly Array; and such are not to usurp Authority over the Man, but to learn in Silence with all Subjection, as it becometh Women professing Godliness with good Works.

And what is all this to such as have the Power and Spirit of the Lord Jesus poured upon them, and have the Message of the Lord Jesus given unto them? Must not they speak the Word of the Lord, because of these undecent and unreverent Women, that the Apostle speaks of, and to, in these two Scriptures? And how are the Men of this Generation blinded, that bring these Scriptures, and pervert the Apostles Words, and corrupt his Intent in speaking of them? And by these Scriptures, endeavour to stop the Message and Word of the Lord God in Women, by contemning and despising of them. If the Apostle would have had Womens speaking stop’d, and did not allow of them; Why did he intreat his true Yoak-Fellow to help those Women who laboured with him in the Gospel? Phil. 4. 3. And why did the Apostles join together in Prayer and Supplication with the Women, and Mary the Mother of Jesus, and with his Brethren, Acts 1. 14. if they had not allowed, and had Union and Fellowship with the Spirit of God, where-ever it was revealed, in Women as well as others? But all this opposing, and gainsaying of Womens Speaking, hath risen out of the Bottomless Pit, and Spirit of Darkness, that hath spoken for these many Hundred Years together in this Night of Apostacy, since the Revelations have ceased and been hid. And so that Spirit hath limited and bound all up within its Bond and Compass; and so would suffer none to Speak; but such as that Spirit of Darkness approved of, Man or Woman.

And so here hath been the Misery of these last Ages past, in the time of the Reign of the Beast, that John saw when he stood upon the Sand of the Sea, rising out of the Sea, and out of the Earth, having seven Heads and ten Horns, Rev. 13. In this great City of Babylon, which is the Woman that hath sitten so long upon the Scarlet colour’d Beast, full of Names of Blasphemy, having seven Heads and ten Horns. And this Woman hath been arrayed and decked with Gold, and Pearls, and precious Stones; and she hath had a Golden Cup in her Hand, full of Abominations; and hath made all Nations drunk with the Cup of her Fornication; and all the World hath wondred after the Beast, and hath worshipped the Dragon that gave Power to the Beast; and this Woman hath been drunk with the Blood of the Saints, and with the Blood of the Martyrs of Jesus. And this hath been the Woman, that hath been Speaking, and usurping Authority for many Hundred Years together: And let the Times and Ages past testifie how many have been murthered and slain, in Ages and Generations past; every Religion and Profession, (as it hath been called) killing and murthering one another, that would not join one with another: And thus the Spirit of Truth, and the Power of the Lord Jesus Christ, hath been quite lost among them that have done this. And this Mother of Harlots hath sitten as a Queen, and said, She should see no Sorrow: But though her Days have been long, even many Hundred of Years; for there was Power given unto the Beast to continue forty and two Months, and to make War with the Saints, and to overcome them: And all that have dwelt upon the Earth have worshipped him, whose Names are not written in the Book of the Life of the Lamb, slain from the Foundation of the World.

But blessed be the Lord, his time is over, which was above Twelve hundred Years, and the Darkness is past, and the Night of Apostacy draws to an end, and the true Light now shines, the Morning Light, the bright Morning Star, the Root and Offspring of David, he is risen, he is risen, Glory to the Highest for evermore; and the Joy of the Morning is come, and the Bride, the Lamb’s Wife, is making her self ready, as a Bride that is adorning for her Husband; and to her is granted, that she shall be arrayed in fine Linen, clean and white; and the fine Linen is the Righteousness of the Saints; the holy Jerusalem is descending out of Heaven from God, having the Glory of God; and her Light is like a Jasper Stone, clear as Chrystal.

And this is that free Woman, that all the Children of the Promise are born of; not the Children of the Bond-woman, which is Hagar, which genders to Strife and to Bondage, and which answers to Jerusalem, which is in Bondage with her Children; but this is the Jerusalem which is free, Which is the Mother of us all. And so this Bond-woman and her Children, that are born after the Flesh, have persecuted them that are born after the Spirit, even until now: But now the Bond-woman and her Seed is to be cast out, that hath kept so long in Bondage and in Slavery, and under Limits; this Bond-woman and her Brood is to be cast out, and our holy City, the new Jerusalem, is coming down from Heaven, and her Light will shine throughout the whole Earth, even as a Jasper-Stone, clear as Chrystal, which brings Freedom and Liberty, and perfect Redemption to her whole Seed; and this is that Woman and Image of the Eternal God, that God hath owned, and doth own, and will own for evermore.

More might be added to this purpose, both out of the Old Testament and New, where it is evident that God made no difference, but gave his good Spirit, as it pleased him, both to Man and Woman, as Deborah, Huldah, and Sarah. The Lord calls by his Prophet Isaiah, Hearken unto me, ye that follow after Righteousness, ye that seek the Lord; look unto the Rock from whence ye were hewn, and to the hole of the Pit from whence ye were digged; look unto Abraham your Father, and to Sarah that bare you; for the Lord will comfort Sion, &c. Isa. 5. And Anna the Prophetess, who was a Widow of Fourscore and Four Years of Age, which departed not from the Temple, but served God with Fastings and Prayers night and day; she coming in at that instant, (when old Simeon took the Child Jesus in his Arms) and she gave Thanks unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them who looked for Redemption in Jerusalem, Luke 2. 36, 37, 38. And Philip the Evangelist, into whose House the Apostle Paul entred, who was one of the Seven, Acts 6. 3. he had four Daughters which were Virgins, that did prophesie, Acts 21.

And so let this serve to stop that opposing Spirit that would limit the Power and Spirit of the Lord Jesus, whose Spirit is poured upon all Flesh, both Sons and Daughters, now in his Resurrection; and since that the Lord God in the Creation, when he made Man in his own Image, he made them Male and Female; and since that Christ Jesus, as the Apostle saith, was made of a Woman, and the Power of the Highest overshadowed her, and the Holy Ghost came upon her, and the Holy Thing that was born of her, was called the Son of God; and when he was upon the Earth, he manifested his Love, and his Will, and his Mind, both to the Woman of Samaria, and Martha, and Mary her Sister, and several others, as hath been shewed; and after his Resurrection also, manifested himself unto them first of all, even before he ascended unto his Father: Now when Jesus was risen, the first Day of the Week, he appeared first unto Mary Magdalene, Mark 16. 9. And thus the Lord Jesus hath manifested himself and his Power, without Respect of Persons; and so let all Mouths be stopt that would limit him, whose Power and Spirit is infinite, who is pouring it upon all Flesh.

And thus much in answer to these two Scriptures, which have been made such a Stumbling-block, that the Ministers of Darkness have made such a Mountain of: But the Lord is removing all this, and taking it out of the way.

M. F.

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A further Addition, in Answer to the Objection concerning Women keeping silent in the Church: For it is not permitted for them to speak, but to be under Obedience; as also saith the Law, If they will learn any thing, let them ask their Husbands at home, for it is a shame for a Woman to speak in the Church: Now this as Paul writing in 1 Cor. 14. 34. is one with that of 1 Tim. 2. 11. Let Women learn in silence with all Subjection.

To which I say, If you tie this to all outward Women, then there were many Women that were Widows, which had no Husbands to learn of; and many were Virgins, which had no Husbands; and Philip had four Daughters that were Prophetesses; such would be despised, which the Apostle did not forbid. And if it were to all Women, that no Women might speak, then Paul would have contradicted himself; but they were such Women that the Apostle mentions in Timothy, that grew wanton, and were Busie-bodies, and Tatlers, and kicked against Christ: For Christ in the Male and in the Female is one, and he is the Husband, and his Wife is the Church; and God hath said, that his Daughters should prophesie as well as his Sons: And where he hath poured forth his Spirit upon them, they must prophesie, though blind Priests say to the contrary, and will not permit holy Women to speak.

And whereas it is said, I permit not a Woman to speak, as saith the Law: But where Women are led by the Spirit of God, they are not under the Law; for Christ in the Male and in the Female is one; and where he is made manifest in Male and Female, he may speak; for he is the end of the Law for Righteousness to all them that believe. So here you ought to make a Distinction what sort of Women are forbidden to speak; such as were under the Law, who were not come to Christ, nor to the Spirit of Prophecy: For Huldah, Miriam, and Hannah, were Prophetesses, who were not forbidden in the time of the Law, for they all prophesied in the time of the Law; as you may read in 2 Kings 22. what Huldah said unto the Priest, and to the Ambassadors that were sent to her from the King, Go, saith she, and tell the Man that sent you to me, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and on the Inhabitants thereof, even all the Words of the Book which the King of Judah hath read; because they have forsaken me, and have burnt Incense to other Gods, to anger me with all the Works of their Hands: Therefore my Wrath shall be kindled against this place, and shall not be quenched. But to the King of Judah, that sent you to me to ask Counsel of the Lord, so shall you say to him, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Because thy Heart did melt, and thou humbledst thy self before the Lord, when thou heard’st what I spake against this place, and against the Inhabitants of the same, how they should be destroyed; Behold, I will receive thee to thy Father, and thou shalt be put into thy Grave in peace, and thine Eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place.

Now let us see if any of you, blind Priests, can speak after this manner, and see if it be not a better Sermon than any of you can make, who are against Women’s Speaking. And Isaiah, that went to the Prophetess, did not forbid her Speaking or Prophesying, Isai. 8. And was it not prophesied in Joel 2. that Hand-maids should Prophesie? And are not Hand-maids Women? Consider this, ye that are against Women’s Speaking, how in the Acts the Spirit of the Lord was poured forth upon Daughters as well as Sons. In the time of the Gospel, when Mary came to salute Elizabeth in the Hill-Country in Judea, and when Elizabeth heard the Salutation of Mary, the Babe leaped in her Womb, and she was filled with the Holy Spirit; and Elizabeth spoke with a loud Voice. Blessed art thou amongst Women, blessed is the Fruit of thy Womb. Whence is this to me, that the Mother of my Lord should come to me? For lo, as soon as thy Salutation came to my Ear, the Babe leaped in my Womb for Joy; for blessed is she that believes, for there shall be a Performance of those things which were told her from the Lord. And this was Elizabeth’s Sermon concerning Christ, which at this day stands upon Record. And then Mary said, My Soul doth magnifie the Lord, and my Spirit rejoyceth in God my Saviour, for he hath regarded the low Estate of his Handmaid: For, behold, from henceforth all Generations shall call me blessed; for he that is mighty, hath done to me great things, and holy is his Name; and his Mercy is on them that fear him, from Generation to Generation; he hath shewed Strength with his Arm; he hath scattered the Proud in the Imaginations of their own Hearts; he hath put down the Mighty from their Seats, and exalted them of low degree; he hath filled the Hungry with good things, and the Rich he hath sent empty away: He hath holpen his Servant Israel, in remembrance of his Mercy, as he spake to his Father, to Abraham, and to his Seed for ever. Are you not here beholding to the Woman for her Sermon, to use her Words, to put into your Common Prayer? and yet you forbid Women’s Speaking.

Now here you may see how these two Women prophesied of Christ, and preached better than all the blind Priests did in that Age, and better than this Age also, who are beholding to Women to make use of their Words. And see in the Book of Ruth, how the Women blessed her in the Gate of the City, of whose Stock came Christ: The Lord make the Woman that is come into thy House like Rachel and Leah, which built the House of Israel; and that thou may’st do worthily in Ephrata, and be famous in Bethlehem, let thy House be like the House of Pharez, whom Tamar bare unto Judah, of the Seed which the Lord shall give thee of this young Woman. And blessed be the Lord, who hath not left thee this day without a Kinsman, and his Name shall be continued in Israel. And also see in the first Chapter of Samuel, how Hannah prayed and spake in the Temple of the Lord, O Lord of Hosts, if thou wilt look on the Trouble of thy Hand-maid, and remember me, and not forget thy Hand-maid. And read in the second Chapter of Samuel, how she rejoyced in God, and said, My Heart rejoyceth in the Lord; my Horn is exalted in the Lord, and my Mouth is enlarged over my Enemies, because I rejoyce in thy Salvation; there is none holy as the Lord, yea, there is none besides thee; and there is no God like our God. Speak no more presumptuously; let not Arrogancy come out of your Mouths, for the Lord is a God of Knowledge, and by him Enterprizes are established; the Bow, and the mighty Men are broken, and the Weak hath girded to themselves Strength; they that were full, are hired forth for Bread, and the hungry are no more hired; so that the Barren hath born seven, and she that had many Children is feeble. The Lord killeth, and maketh alive; bringeth down to the Grave, and raiseth up; the Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich; bringeth low, and exalteth; he raiseth up the Poor out of the Dust, and lifteth up the Beggar from the Dunghil, to set them among Princes, to make them inherit the Seat of Glory: For the Pillars of the Earth are the Lord’s, and he hath set the World upon them; he will keep the Feet of his Saints, and the Wicked shall keep silence in Darkness; for in his own Might shall no Man be strong: The Lord’s Adversaries shall be destroyed, and out of Heaven shall he thunder upon them; the Lord shall judge the ends of the World, and shall give Power to his King, and exalt the Horn of his Anointed.

Thus you may see what a Woman hath said, when old Eli the Priest thought she had been drunk; and see if any of you, blind Priests, that speak against Women’s Speaking, can preach after this manner; who cannot make such a Sermon as this Woman did, and yet will make a Trade of this Woman and other Women’s Words.

And did not the Queen of Sheba speak, that came to Solomon, and received the Law of God, and preached it in her own Kingdom, and blessed the Lord God that loved Solomon, and set him on the Throne of Israel; because the Lord loved Israel for ever, and made the King to do Equity and Righteousness? And this was the Language of the Queen of Sheba.

And see what glorious Expressions Queen Hester used to comfort the People of God, which was the Church of God, as you may read in the Book of Hester, which caused Joy and Gladness of Heart among all the Jews, who prayed and worshipped the Lord in all places; who jeoparded her Life contrary to the King’s Command, went and spoke to the King, in the Wisdom and Fear of the Lord, by which means she saved the Lives of the People of God; and righteous Mordecai did not forbid her speaking, but said, If she held her Peace, her and her Father’s House should be destroyed. And herein, you blind Priests, are contrary to righteous Mordecai.

Likewise you may read how Judith spoke, and what noble Acts she did, and how she spoke to the Elders of Israel, and said, Dear Brethren, seeing ye are the Honourable and Elders of the People of God, call to Remembrance how our Fathers in time past were tempted, that they might be proved if they would worship God aright: They ought also to Remember how our Father Abraham, being try’d through manifold Tribulations, was found a Friend of God; so was Isaac, Jacob, and Moses, and all they pleased God, and were steadfast in Faith through manifold Troubles. And read also her Prayer in the Book of Judith, and how the Elders commended her, and said, All that thou speakest is true, and no Man can reprove thy Words; pray therefore for us, for thou art an holy Woman, and fearest God. So these Elders of Israel did not forbid her speaking, as you blind Priests do; yet you will make a Trade of Women’s Words to get Money by, and take Texts, and preach Sermons upon Women’s Words; and still cry out, Women must not speak, Women must be silent: So you are far from the Minds of the Elders of Israel, who praised God for a Woman’s speaking. But the Jezabel, and the Woman, the false Church, the great Whore, and tatling and unlearned Women, and Busie-bodies, which are forbid to preach, which have a long time spoke and tatled, which are forbidden to speak by the true Church, which Christ is the Head of; such Women as were in Transgression under the Law, which are called a Woman in the Revelations.

And see farther how the wise Woman cryed to Joab over the Wall, and saved the City of Abel, as you may read, 2 Sam. 20. how in her Wisdom she spoke to Joab, saying, I am one of them that are peaceable and faithful in Israel, and thou goest about to destroy a City and Mother in Israel: Why wilt thou destroy the Inheritance of the Lord? Then went the Woman to the People in her Wisdom, and smote off the Head of Sheba, that rose up against David, the Lord’s Anointed: Then Joab blew the Trumpet, and all the People departed in Peace. And this Deliverance was by the means of a Woman’s speaking. But Tatlers and Busie-Bodies are forbidden to preach by the true Woman, whom Christ is the Husband, to the Woman as well as the Man, all being comprehended to be the Church. And so in this true Church, Sons and Daughters do prophesie, Women labour in the Gospel: But the Apostle permits not Tatlers, Busie-bodies, and such as usurp Authority over the Man, who would not have Christ to reign, nor speak neither in the Male nor Female; such the Law permits not to speak; such must learn of their Husbands. But what Husbands have Widows to learn of, but Christ? And was not Christ the Husband of Philip‘s four Daughters? And may not they that are learned of their Husbands speak then? But Jezabel, and Tatlers, and the Whore, that deny Revelation and Prophecy, are not permitted, who will not learn of Christ; and they that are out of the Spirit and Power of Christ, that the Prophets were in, who are in the Transgression, are ignorant of the Scriptures; and such are against Women’s Speaking, and Men’s too, who preach that which they have received of the Lord God; but that which they have preached, and do preach, will come over all your Heads, yea, over the Head of the false Church, the Pope; for the Pope is the Head of the false Church, and the false Church is the Pope’s Wife: And so he and they that be of him, and come from him, are against Women’s Speaking in the true Church, when both he and the false Church are called Woman, in Rev. 17. and so are in the Transgression, that would usurp Authority over the Man Christ Jesus, and his Wife too, and would not have him to Reign; but the Judgment of the great Whore is come. But Christ, who is the Head of the Church, the true Woman, which is his Wife, in it do Daughters prophesie, who are above the Pope and his Wife, and a-top of them. And here Christ is the Head of the Male and Female, who may speak; and the Church is called a Royal Priesthood; so the Woman must offer as well as the Man. Rev. 22. 17. The Spirit saith, Come, and the Bride saith, Come; and so is not the Bride the Church? and doth the Church only consist of Men? You that deny Women’s Speaking, answer: Doth it not consist of Women, as well as Men? Is not the Bride compared to the whole Church? And doth not the Bride say, Come? Doth not the Woman speak then, the Husband, Christ Jesus, the Amen? And doth not the false Church go about to stop the Bride’s Mouth? But it is not possible; for the Bridegroom is with his Bride, and he opens her Mouth. Christ Jesus, who goes on Conquering, and to Conquer; who kills and slays with the Sword, which is the Word of his Mouth; the Lamb and the Saints shall have the Victory, the true Speakers of Men and Women over the false Speaker.

http://www.qhpress.org/texts/fell.html

Bulk Posting

I need to be like my friend, Maggie Smith (hey there, Texas! :D) and post anything and everything all day long! Seriously, I’m envious of Maggie. She works hard all day, takes care of her 50 adopted cats at home, makes healthy food from scratch, attends kick-ass parties, and still has time to be an Ajah Head and make multiple entries on multiple blogs, tweet and update her FB status. WTH!?! She’s amazing.

There are several things I should be posting about anyway:

Marriage – First yr! 😀 So far things are great. I married the most amazing man in the world. ❤ Already getting the baby questions, but back off! We’re waiting a few yrs. So now you know. 😉 It’s good for us to just enjoy time together and also I’m super-busy with the other things I should be posting about:

Everyday Chinese for Children

Work/Teaching – I’m working harder than ever before to make my lessons more efficient. Now that I know how to create a good Chinese lesson, it’s easier but more complicated, if that makes any sense. I took a course last Fall at Hunter College on Chinese Teaching Methodology. It was totally a God-thing. My professor turned out to be the author of my textbook!! =O (Didnt notice that til the 2nd day of class. :P) It was also all in Mandarin, which was really good for me. I’m feeling Mandarin-deprived ever since marrying into a Cantonese-speaking family. =/ It’s terrible for my input (how much Mandarin I hear), which I need lots of in order to keep my fluency. Need to watch more soap operas… >_> [But honestly, now that I think about it – why do I put so much pressure on myself to be so fluent in Chinese anyway? I know I love the language and I’m surrounded by the ppl, and I may as well be Chinese… but. Yea, there’s a ‘but’ remaining. Sometimes I put too much of a burden on myself and it isnt fun anymore. :(]

So back to the lessons thing. Yea. It’s great to have the basic structure, and to know how my textbook was set up so I can get the most out of it. But, it does complicate things because I need to think through every single aspect of the lesson and map out how to get from one point to the next. This is called Backward Design in education lingo. I love it; it’s just not a cake-walk. I am putting all my lessons on powerpoint so that I can have my materials already set when I walk in the classroom. I am also using flashcards to reinforce the lessons. Most of them I have from the curriculum, but some I have to make. The powerpoints are the hard part b/c they have to contain the content in an engaging way. I think powerpoints are already engaging, but sometimes kids need to see fun stuff, too. For one of my reviews at the end of a lesson, I have pictures of cartoon characters like Harry Potter and Bart Simpson, as well as celebrities like Michael Jackson, and superheroes like Superman for them to identify using the new verb structure. My husband thinks one day when I have them all done, I’ll be able to sell them. Interesting thought. I’ll connect with my prof on that and see what she thinks. 😉 Anyway, I have an avg of 32 kids per class now and 8 classes total trying to fit in a half-sized classroom… Yea. It’s tight… and smelly. 😛

Seminary – Need a separate post on this one actually so I can really talk about how it’s been. (And it’s been GREAT!) Only attending part-time is still a lot of work, esp in light of what I said before about how I’m working extra hard on my lessons this yr. I’m keeping up with my work, though, and that’s all that matters. Weekends are my friend. 😀

Pastoring – I’ve had a self-imposed break since May due to wedding planning, actually having my wedding and then going off on Honeymoon. So, now with the new school yr starting, I also re-start preaching. I’ve been wanting to do a series on Gender Justice, with special emphasis on developing a theology of gender, and particularly of womanhood. This yr, the church’s themes sort of lend themselves to my new series, so it works out well. I’ll be blogging about this on the church site I set up: CLLEnglish.wordpress.com. Sometimes, I may re-post here, or link over. Dont really feel like repeating. 😛 In case you’re interested, my messages are being podcasted. So if you go to the site, you can check the SERMONS page for the links.

Cooking – ah, yes! Finally, learning to cook. And not just cook, but cook healthily. The great thing is that my husband already knows how to cook a lot of stuff, so he’s been taking care of that for us! (Love you, hunny!!) I feel I’ve really been gypped in this dept. Aside from not learning to cook at home as a kid, growing up in America really lends itself to lazy eating. I’ve been amazed to discover more and more how much I’ve been duped by the system. (So, that explains my obesity! >_<) Today, I made my own meatballs (first time and slightly tasteless, but I MADE THEM!), and my own pasta sauce (yay, diced tomatoes!! This one I liked. 🙂 ), and penne from a box. Ok, not so healthy there, but when I learn to bake my own bread (gonna go there soon!) then I’ll learn to make my own noodles. Seriously, the more I see stuff in the supermarket, the more I’m like, “dude, I can totally make this!! Why am I wasting my money?! o_O” That’s how I feel now. I’m gonna make it my business to learn the art that is cooking. In the process I’m hoping to get healthier and unload this extra baggage called WEIGHT that I’ve carried for so long. And how can I not mention BENTOS??! I’ve posted on my attempts before. They’ve been pretty lame of late – just leftovers and nothing fancy. But, soon and very soon. Dont worry. You’ll see. 😉 I’m actually thinking of teaching my 6th graders (Asian Studies SHOP class) about them. Maybe we can make them! Should be uber-fun!

The Gathering Storm

Books – Havent showcased anything I’m rdg in a while. I’ve actually been trying to capture time to read for leisure, but it’s tough with all I have going on. 😦 Still, I have snatches of time. I’ve been re-reading Harry Potter & the Order of the Pheonix when I have a few mins to wind down before bed. Actually, it’s really important I wind down before bed b/c usually my mind is racing with what needs getting done the next day and it’s hard to fall asleep. My doctor had to give me a ‘calming vitamin’ to take before bed so I wouldnt be so anxious. I think it’s a personality-slash-occupational hazard thing. =T Still, it’s always good to re-visit old friends and that’s how I feel when I pick up a book I love. I’m hoping to re-read HP5, HP6 and HP7. Then I’ll move on to some smaller books. I was in the middle of The Good Fairies of New York and then got sidetracked. 😛 I need to hurry and get thru the HP books so I’ll have the luxury of re-reading the whole Wheel of Time series before I tackle the last book (#12) in the series. They are actually releasing it in 3 parts, I believe, so I have time before they all come out. Still, it’s a lot of ground to cover!! I may need to re-read them while still staying on top of my seminary reading and readings for my sermons as well as just reading the other new books on my shelf. I swear, I need to sell all my books. They are seriously growing stale on my shelf! 😦 Ok, I’ll keep some – like my HP’s – I would never part with those!!! But, the others have to go! >_<

Did I say this was a bulk post?

That’s all I have time for right now. Longest post I’ve written in a while, I think. Shows how long I’ve deprived myself. Need to blog more. If anything, this blog entry proves it!! 😛

Women = Men (Gen. 2:18)

Another brilliant post by Pastor Wade Burleson, even though he’s quoting from Walter Kaiser. 🙂 You’ll love this if you’re a geek like me!

Monday, July 06, 2009

God Made For Man One Equal in Power, Strength and Authority: An Exegesis of Gen. 2:18

The article below is from the brilliant Biblical scholar Dr. Walter C. Kaiser. It was forwarded to me by Pastor Chuck Andrews and reproduced below in its entirety. The article is an exegesis of Genesis 2:18 and proves, definitively in my opinion, that God designed and created women with full equality to men. It should also answer several questions from the previous comment stream.

“Are women inferior to men, merely designed to be their helpers? Is it consistent with the biblical text to view men as the initiators and women as their assistants? Is this what makes women suitable matches for men?

The Creator regarded Adam’s situation as incomplete and deficient while he was living without community or a proper counterpart. The Creator judged Adam’s situation quite negatively: “It is not good.”

Ecclesiastes 4:9–12 expresses this same opinion about aloneness. The wise writer Solomon advised: Two are better than one. … If one falls down, his friend can help him up. … Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.

True, in Jeremiah 16:1–9 the prophet Jeremiah is commanded by God to remain alone, but this is meant to be a sign that God’s judgment on the people is so near that it will not be worthwhile to get married. Nevertheless, the full life is a life that finds its fulfillment in community with another person or group of persons.

In the Genesis story we find that God created a woman after he had created the man. This would end Adam’s loneliness and the state that God judged to be “not good.” She was to be his “helper”—at least that is how most of the translations have interpreted this word. A sample of the translations reads as follows: “I shall make a helper fit for him” (RSV); “I will make a fitting helper for him” (New Jewish Publication Society); “I will make an aid fit for him” (AB); “I will make him a helpmate” (JB); “I will make a suitable partner for him” (NAB); “I will make him a helper comparable to him” (NKJV).

However, the customary translation of the two words ˓ēzer keneḡdô as “helper fitting him” is almost certainly wrong. Recently R. David Freedman has pointed out that the Hebrew word ˓ēzer is a combination of two roots: ˓-z-r, meaning “to rescue, to save,” and ǵ-z-r, meaning “to be strong.” The difference between the two is the first letter in Hebrew. Today that letter is silent in Hebrew, but in ancient times it was a guttural sound formed in the back of the throat. The ǵ was a ghayyin, and it came to use the same Hebrew symbol as the other sound, ˓ayin. But the fact that they were pronounced differently is clear from such place names which preserve the g sound, such as Gaza or Gomorrah. Some Semitic languages distinguished between these two signs and others did not; for example, Ugaritic did make a distinction between the ˓ayin and the ghayyin; Hebrew did not (R. David Freedman, “Woman, a Power Equal to a Man,” Biblical Archaeology Review 9 [1983]: 56–58).

It would appear that sometime around 1500 B.C. these two signs began to be represented by one sign in Phoenician. Consequently the two phonemes merged into one grapheme and what had been two different roots merged into one, much as in English the one word fast can refer to a person’s speed, abstinence from food, his or her slyness in a “fast deal” or the adamant way in which someone holds “fast” to positions. The noun ˓ēzer occurs twenty-one times in the Old Testament. In many of the passages it is used in parallelism to words that clearly denote strength or power. Some examples are:

There is none like the God of Jeshurun, The Rider of the Heavens in your strength (˓-z-r), and on the clouds in his majesty. (Deut 33:26, my translation)

Blessed are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord? He is the shield of your strength (˓-z-r) and the sword of your majesty. (Deut 33:29, my translation)

The case that begins to build is that we can be sure that ˓ezer means “strength” or “power” whenever it is used in parallelism with words for majesty or other words for power such as ˓oz or ˓uzzo. In fact, the presence of two names for one king, Azariah and Uzziah (both referring to God’s strength), makes it abundantly clear that the root ˓ēzer meaning “strength” was known in Hebrew.

Therefore I suggest that we translate Genesis 2:18 as “I will make a power [or strength] corresponding to man.” Freedman even suggests on the basis of later Hebrew that the second word in the Hebrew expression found in this verse should be rendered equal to him. If this is so, then God makes for the man a woman fully his equal and fully his match. In this way, the man’s loneliness will be assuaged.

The same line of reasoning occurs in the apostle Paul. He urged in 1 Corinthians 11:10, “For this reason, a woman must have power [or authority] on her head [that is to say, invested in her].”

This line of reasoning which stresses full equality is continued in Genesis 2:23, where Adam says of Eve, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.” The idiomatic sense of this phrase “bone of my bones” is a “very close relative,” “one of us” or in effect “our equal.”

The woman was never meant to be an assistant or “helpmate” to the man. The word mate slipped into English since it was so close to Old English meet, which means “fit to” or “corresponding to” the man. That all comes from the phrase that I have suggested likely means “equal to.”

What God had intended then was to make a “power” or “strength” for the man who would in every way correspond to him or even be his equal.”

Kaiser, W. C. (1997, c1996). Hard sayings of the Bible (92). Downers Grove, Il: InterVarsity.

Patriarchal Headship = Sinful

Love this post by Pastor Wade Burleson – a Southern Baptist pastor in Enid, OK. I’m always impressed by him – coming from a highly patriarchal (or seemingly) denomination – yet always espousing impressive egalitarian views. You really have to read his latest, so I’ve re-printed it here. [Without permission, I’m sorry. Pastor Wade, I hope you dont mind if I take your words to NYC.]

Thursday, July 02, 2009

God Calls Patriarchal Headship A Sinful Desire

We live in a day when the basic family unit is disintegrating. Divorces are rampant. Live-in relationships are the norm, and homosexual unions are being recognized by governments. It is right and necessary for the Christian church to both teach and model the Biblical concept of “family” in this age when the Biblical concept of family is seldom understood. However, one of the problems we face as Christians is misinterpreting what God calls the ideal home. There is a growing patriarchal movement among conservative Christian churches, a movement where men are taught that they should have complete “authority” in the home, and that they should “rule” over their wives and children. Many of these conservative Bible-believing Christians who advocate patriarchy honestly believe they are teaching Biblical truth. It is my intention in this post to show that patriarchy is not God’s ideal, but rather, patriarchy is the result of God’s curse on Adam and Eve. When God’s grace appears in the home, patriarchy is expelled.

When Adam and Eve rebelled against God, God pronounced judgment on them in Genesis 3:16-19. God first began with Eve:

“I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you” (Genesis 3:16).

Some conservative Bible scholars take the last phrase of v.16 to mean (1). The wife shall have a “sexual desire” for her husband (i.e. “your desire shall be for your husband”), and (2). The husband is to be the head, authority and ruler of the home (i.e. “and he shall rule over you”). These conservative scholars declare that God’s statement in v. 16 is how the husband and wife “should” relate to each other in the home, and how the home ought to be in terms of headship and governance. The man, they say, is to rule over his home; there should be no equality of authority since God established this patriarchal system from the very beginning.

However, other conservative Bible scholars rightly point out that the woman’s “desire” for her husband in Genesis 3:16 is not, at least linguistically and contextually, a sexual desire. One only needs to turn one chapter over to find the same word teshuqah, in Genesis 4:7, where it is also translated “desire.” In the context of Genesis 4:7, teshuqah is used to refer to sin’s “desire” to control Cain. Thus, letting the Bible interpret itself, the word “desire” in both both Genesis 3:16 and Genesis 4:7 means “a desire to control.”

Likewise, the same Hebrew verb mashal, which means “to rule,” is also used in Genesis 4:7, just as it was in Genesis 3:16. Mashal is used in Genesis 4:7 to describe Cain’s efforts to rule over or dominate the sin that is “crouching at his door.” Again, when you let the Bible interpret itself, mashal is used in both Genesis 3:16 and Genesis 4:7 to describe someone who is having to fend off an attack; it carries the idea of warring for control or domination; a battle to see who will be ultimate “ruler.”

Using basic principles of interpretation, one comes up with a very simple explanation of the consequence of God’s curse on Adam and Eve – a consequence that has infiltrated every home since the beginning of time. Simply put, the woman will desire to dominate or control the man, but the man, perhaps even with superior strength, will fight hard to rule over and dominate the woman. Where the curse is present there is a constant battle for control. This is how things are because of sin, not how things in the home ought to be. The patriarchal societies of the world express the reality of male domination, and in certain western Christian cultures, patriarchy is often said to be ordered by God – as if God designed the home to be this way.

Likewise, in some cultures, such as the Kanu of South America, the women “rule” the home, and the men are the “servants.” These women explain their domination of men in the home with the simple phrase – “the gods have made it this way.” What both matriarchal and patriachal proponents need to understand, regardless of the culture from which they come, is that any system designed for “domination” or “control” of the other spouse is the result of sin and the curse on sin.

When the God of all grace gets a hold of a man and a woman in a marriage relationship, no longer will there be a fight to see who dominates and controls the other. Rather, there will be mutual submission between husband and wife (i.e. Ephesians 5:21 – “submitting to one another in reverence to Christ”). Mutual submission, with no thought of “control,” is God’s design for the home. It should be the effort of every Bible-believing church, pastor and teacher to instruct husbands and wives on the sinful nature of any husband or wife seeking to dominate the other spouse.

In fact, I like what Dr. Richard Hess, Professor of Old Testament and Semitic Languages at Denver Theological Seminary says in his comments on Genesis 3:16. Dr. Hess said all Christians should attempt to pull down any patriarchal (or matriarchal) system of domination and control in the Christian home, and then responds to those who object to any attempt to end patriarchy:

It is no more a sin to end this consequence of the fall than it is to use weed killer to end the promised weeds and thorns in the following verses. No, the emphasis (in Genesis 3:16) is on the terrible effects of sin, and the destruction of a harmonious relationship that once existed. In its place comes a harmful struggle of wills.

I trust that conservative, evangelical churches will continue to proclaim and model God’s design for the home. I just pray that we do a good job of understanding the subject ourselves first. Patriarchy is the result of man’s sinful desire to control and dominate and should be, by God’s grace, avoided at all costs.

In His Grace,

Wade

http://kerussocharis.blogspot.com/2009/07/god-calls-patriarchal-headship-sinful.html

Smelling the Roses

Happy 14th month ‘anniversary’ to my love, Tom! 

Seeing as how I’ve been so busy with

• wedding planning 
• winding down the last 7 wks of school
• applying for seminary at ATS
• ministry at CLL (taking a break from preaching, tho)
• gearing up for TECBC (thanks Manni for co-leading the workshop with me!)
• helping train new staff for Herald Gospel Camp this summer
• day-to-day activities

I’ve been neglecting my blog writing. Prob not a good thing, since I really need to both TALK and WRITE about what I’m feeling in order to fully process. In any case, my heart still burns for certain issues, and if you look at my last few posts, you’ll see I’m still singing the same old songs – gender equality and openness toall spiritual gifts in the church. I’ll prob keep singing these songs for a long time – til I see change come about. But, since I’ve no time to actually write about what I’m thinking, I decided to re-post a message that came in the most recent email from Christians for Biblical Equality. 

“But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him? And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!‘” (Rom. 10:14-15, NRSV). I enjoy addressing the contributions of women in history at Christian colleges or universities. When invited to speak, I often make an effort to learn something about the school, particularly their founders and graduates. In doing so, I have discovered an impressive number of women graduates who were trained by these former Bible institutes (today’s Christian colleges and seminaries), and, having the full support of the school’s founders, went on to become leaders on mission fields all over the world. I usually do not have to work very hard to recover these histories.Typically these schools have archives that are filled with letters and journals written by their female graduates. Women were great letter writers, and they loved to report on their gospel-work around the world. These audacious women were not interested in becoming “Miss Captivating” in order to attract “Mr. Wild at Heart” because, well, they had their own wild hearts, hearts that were wild about Jesus. Their passion for Christ was itself riveting and captivated the special attention of secular journalists eager to record women’s unprecedented leadership all over the world. What is more, the Bible institutes that trained these women were proud of the wild-hearted way in which their female graduates served Christ in dire circumstances and without much support! Their efforts were enormously successful and God blessed their work! Because of this, these Bible institutes celebrate their female graduates without reservation! Missiologists, like Dana Robert in her book American Women in Mission: A Social History of Their Thought and Practice, argue that By the final years of the twentieth century, more than half of all Christians were to be found outside the region that had been the historical heartland of Christianity for nearly 1500 years. New centers of Christian strength and vitality were now to be found where missionary initiatives were focused in widely scattered places in the Americas, Africa, and Asia. This was the direct result of the emphasis evangelicals placed on evangelism and conversion, and women were the driving force behind it, outnumbering men on the mission field two to one. These women not only founded mission organizations, they also funded these organizations and occupied all levels of service and leadership. Even so, as I retold the gospel-work of these women, the Bible faculty in one school refused to attend my lectures. Why? Their reason was that, as evangelicals with a high view of Scripture, they do not believe that women should preach or teach men, even though entire communities learned about Christ because of their female graduates! These women helped contribute to one of the greatest expansions of Christian faith in history, and they were compelled to do so by Scripture—to preach the good news. The question becomes, will the real evangelicals please stand up? Does Scripture, anywhere, rebuke women for preaching the good news? While Paul asked chattering women to ask questions of their husbands at home (1 Cor. 14:34), or tells women they may not exercise abusive authority over men in the church (1 Tim. 2:11-12), Scripture celebrates the women who publish the glad tidings of Christ’s completed work on Calvary. We can support the gospel work of women with confidence, just as Paul did when he celebrated their service as prophets, evangelists, teachers, and even one who was prominent among the apostles. Can we not give women the freedom Paul gave Junia the apostle (Rom. 16:7), Priscilla who taught Apollos the way of the Lord more perfectly (Acts 18:24-26), the women prophets at Corinth (1 Cor. 11:5), Phoebe the deacon (Rom. 16:1-2), and those who labored beside him as missionaries (Rom. 16:12, Phil. 4:2-3)? Friends, if we hold Scripture as authoritative, let us include women to the extent Paul did. Will you join us? Mimi Haddad President (CBE)

A Kingdom in Crisis

This issue’s column is written by Martine Extermann, CBE board member and associate professor of oncology at the University of South Florida.

A kingdom in crisisThe king was desperate. He was a God-fearing man and from his youngest age he had sought God. Now, trying to rid God’s people of idols, he had undertaken major repairs in the Lord’s temple but he had just realized that his efforts were insufficient. His secretary had just brought back a book from the temple—a lost book found by the high priest during repairs. After reading the book, the king realized that despite all his religious training, all his faith, all his attempts at doing what he thought was right, he had been wrong. His priests had been wrong. His people had been wrong. This was the book of the law of God which said “You shall have no other God before me” and warned of the curses against Israel if they did not obey the law. The king was now aware of the remaining idols in the temple and all the false gods around the country to whom Judah was making offerings. The Lord’s feasts such as Passover were barely celebrated, and the covenant was forgotten. The king was appalled. This could mean terrible disaster for his nation because, having forgotten God’s law, they were under his wrath. The king convened his highest ranking officials: his secretary, his attendant, the high priest, and a couple of others. He ordered them to inquire of God for himself and the people of Judah to find out what, if anything, could be done.

Now these powerful men are confronted with a crucial question. How should they proceed to ask God? The high priest could go into the temple, make sacrifices of repentance, and hear God’s voice at the altar. Or they could ask a prophet—but which prophet? Should they go to Zephaniah, to Nahum, to Habakkuk maybe, to Jeremiah, or to Huldah? They decide to consult with Huldah and she boldly offeredthem a word from the Lord. Her message was a difficult one, but one that would generate the most complete revival in the Old Testament: “Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to the Lord as he did—with all his heart, and with all his soul and with all his strength, in accordance with all the Law of Moses” (2 Kings 23:25, TNIV). Her words led to a whole recommitment to God’s covenant, and to a cleaning of the souls, temple and houses of Israel (2 Kings 23:3).

What an affirmation this passage is for the role of women prophets. God entrusted Huldah with his message at a crucial time in the kingdom of Judah. There were other well–known prophets in Judah, but this is the person who spoke for God at such a crucial point in Israel’s history. Nothing in the text indicates that the high officials had any qualms in consulting Huldah. This was no curbside consultation on a secondary matter. They did not send an underling to consult her just in case, nor did they consult her only because she was living close and was the wife of a temple employee. Huldah was a recognized prophet whom they could consult when something as essential as the book of the law of God had been rediscovered. What can be more central than the law in the Old Testament? God did use women as well as men to carry his message to the people, to speak in his name—in both the Old and New Testaments. And it moved God’s people.

Martine Extermann

Is Jesus Eternally Subordinate?

Great concise post by a long-time Southern Baptist pastor in the Bible Belt. Read it – it’s worth it! And remember to keep celebrating Women’s History Month and supporting the women in your life!

http://vtmbottomline.blogspot.com/2009/03/is-jesus-eternally-subordinately-to.html

The Truth About First Century Women

The Truth About First Century Women – International Women’s Day Synchroblog

Today is International Women’s Day, a day dedicated to the celebration of women’s social, economic and political achievements worldwide, and I’m celebrating by participating in the IWD Syncroblog my wife is organizing. She specifically asked us to write about women in the Bible, and I couldn’t help but think of some of the things I’ve been learning in the “Early Church and Roman Society” class I’m currently taking at Austin Presbyterian Seminary. It’s a fascinating class all around, and, fortuitously enough, we’ve actually just started discussing the roles of women in first-century cultures. Understanding this context is essential, I think, to understanding how the New Testament addresses the role of women in society and especially the early church. We have to know what it stands in contrast to in order to understand how revolutionary the Bible was for its day in regards to women.

First off, it’s important to recognize that when talk about the cultures of the New Testament, we’re not just talking about one monolithic thing. In our class we actually distinguished four different sets of cultural expectations that could have provided the setting for the New Testament writings about women: Jewish, Roman, Classical Greek/Athenian, and Macedonian/Hellenistic (I was intrigued to discover that Hellenistic – i.e. post-Alexander Macedonian -attitudes towards women were somewhat different than the older, Classical Greek ideals.) We also distinguished between upper and lower class gender norms, as well as cultural ideals versus actual practice.

I can’t get into all of these here, but for this post at least, I did want to focus specifically on Jewish attitudes towards women in setting of the gospels. While of course we can’t just disregard the Roman, Greek and Hellenistic contexts either since 1) many of the gospels were shaped within those settings, and 2) Roman and especially Hellenistic norms were certainly an influencing factor on Jewish culture in first century Palestine, when we look at the context of Jesus’ teachings the Jewish cultural setting is primary and provides the baseline for everything else. The most intriguing thing I discovered in my class discussion was that there was apparently a pretty sharp divide between theory and practice among the Jews of Jesus day. Textual evidence (mainly from the rabbis) rarely talks about women except in regards to cleanliness laws, and, unlike other ancient Mediterranean cultures, there were no special festivals or days dedicated to women, or any specifically female civic or religious societies in first-century Judaism. When women are mentioned by the rabbis, it is basically just to recommend that they be kept separate from the men both in the synagogue and at home, and that they not be seen in public any more than necessary.

Archaeological evidence (e.g. tablets, inscriptions, architecture, etc.), however, shows that most of these rabbinical restrictions were rarely (if ever) enforced in actuality. For example, while the early rabbis wanted to have a separate “women’s section” of the synagogue, archaeologists have yet to uncover any first century synagogues with such a partition. Likewise, while the rabbinical writings generally restrict theological training to men, ancient inscriptions indicate that in actuality many women did receive instruction in the Torah. Or consider the gospel narratives themselves. While written norms wanted to keep Jewish women indoors and away from the public sphere, in the gospels we see Jesus frequently encountering women out and about in society. The inevitable conclusion, as my professor pointed out, is that the picture of first century Jewish women as cloistered and segregated is not much more than an unrealized “ideal” created by a small handful of influential (male) rabbis. It may have been what the religious leaders thought “ought” to be the case, but the actual lives of real people were far different.

We also pointed out that a lot of this discrepancy probably had to do with socio-economic realities. Whether we’re talking about Roman, Greek, or Jewish culture, the rules that apply to upper-class women are often simply impossible for the working class poor to abide by. When you’re barely making it (as most people in this time period were) everyone, male or female, does whatever is necessary to survive. The rabbi can talk all he wants about how women shouldn’t be out in public, but when your family’s very survival depends on a wife or daughter going and selling your wares in the marketplace, religious ideals are usually going to take second place to economic realities.

Looking at it in this light, I can’t help but draw a comparison with the situation in a lot of conservative churches these days. I can recall sitting in very culturally and theologically conservative churches and listening to the pastor tell his rural, working-class congregation that God’s ideal for the family is for women to be stay-at-home-moms and for the men to be out working in the world as the breadwinners. And I recall looking around at the wives and mothers actually present as he said this and realizing that the vast majority of them didn’t have any choice but to work outside the home. Given the hard realities of a depressed rural economy, most families simply can’t survive on a single income anymore. What this pastor was preaching had no relevance to the actual lives of his people, and did little more than create guilt complexes for those women who were being told that they were disobeying God by doing what was necessary to provide for their families.

In these sorts of contexts then Jesus’ teachings and example in the gospels is truly liberating. Rather than laying heavy burdens on his listeners by agreeing with the unrealistic ideals of the Pharisaical rabbis, Jesus stepped into the reality of women’s lives and affirmed them where they were at. Never do we see Jesus telling a woman to retreat from engagement in society or to simply stay in their place as women. In fact, when Martha rebuked Mary for leaving her feminine role and daring to go receive rabbinical training along with the men, it is Martha, not Mary, that Jesus chastises. Likewise, we see Jesus out in public engaging in theological dialogue with women (e.g. the Woman at the Well, the Canaanite woman, and Martha herself after the death of her brother Lazarus), welcoming their presence as followers and disciples, and enlisting them as the very first witnesses to the resurrection. Jesus countered the dominant ideology of his day by dignifying the roles women were already playing in society and expanding their roles as participants in his mission. Rather than seeing themselves as victims of economic circumstance falling short of God’s ideal, women could see their active, productive roles in public society as valuable assets for the kingdom of God. As my own experience in the aforementioned church bears out, this is a message that still needed for many women today.

Re-printed with permission from Mike Clawson’s blog.
[Thanks, Mike!]

International Women’s Day 3/08/09

I have my own reflections, but I’m going to post someone else‘s instead. If you havent read Kathy Escobar‘s blog, you really must. If you advocate social justice causes of inequality and the marginalized, you MUST read her blog. She’s an amazing pastor and mom of 5 in Colorado. I’ve mentioned her a few times prior.  Here’s her note on yesterday’s International Women’s Day and the implications for the Church. It’s worth reading the whole thing. 

[KATHY – I hope you dont mind! I wanted to get your words out to the Chinese church audience here in NYC.] 

most people around me know that one of the things i am most passionate about is equality for women–across the board, in the church, in our communities, in the world.  the injustice that continues to prevail against women in many shapes and forms is not something that i think we can just stand by and ignore.  because it’s so prevalent, engrained deeply into cultures & systems, i think sometimes it feels overwhelming; and as individuals sitting in our houses on a saturday morning it doesn’t seem like we can do much about it.  after all, it’s been this way for a long, long time.  and even though many men and women know it’s “wrong” we somehow don’t know what we can do about it.   sunday march 8th is international women’s day.   a lot of people around the world are writing, organizing, speaking, mobilizing and doing everything they can to raise awareness of women’s issues across the globe.  julie clawson organized a synchroblog/synchrosermon, and as the posts come in over the next few days, i’ll try to add a list at the end of this post so you can check them out.

this past thursday i went to see the movie a powerful noise followed by a live satellite discussion.  it chronicled what three women–from vietnam, mali, and bosnia–are doing to change the course of history for women in their communities by refusing to stand by while they are discriminated against, abused, starved, ignored, used.  i left stirred.  and of course challenged.  and inspired.  and also really, really sad that so many women–beautiful, powerful, created-in-God’s-image, nurturers of life and peace and hope–are marginalized and voiceless in more ways than one while so many Christians are wasting time haggling over the interpretation of 1 timothy 2 and the size of their new building.      i believe God’s heart is the redemption of all people, and that he uses us–ordinary people with the kingdom of God threaded into the fabric of our hearts–to help set others free & work toward making what is wrong, right. and like all-things-connected-to-Jesus, it will require risk, sacrifice, and an incredible trust that small things can make a big difference.  it’s our responsibility to not stand by while our sisters-in-spirit are being harmed.

today & tomorrow many will be writing about different women in the Bible. i can’t wait to read all of their perspectives. i  decided to focus on a probably-very-overlooked woman in the old testament, one without a name.  one with a story that will make you cringe.  and one that represents the millions of women across the globe with no voice,  no value, no current hope because she’s really nothing more than property.  she is found in judges 19 and 20.  warning: it’s disturbing.  she is the concubine of a levite.  she leaves him, goes back home, and he comes back to get her.  her father keeps stalling, but eventually she leaves with him and they go to the town of gibeah.  there, they are staying at a man’s house & some wicked men come and demand the owner to send the man out so they can have sex with him.  here’s what happens:

The owner of the house went outside and said to them, “No, my friends, don’t be so vile. Since this man is my guest, don’t do this disgraceful thing. Look, here is my virgin daughter, and his concubine. I will bring them out to you now, and you can use them and do to them whatever you wish. But to this man, don’t do such a disgraceful thing.”  But the men would not listen to him. So the man took his concubine and sent her outside to them, and they raped her and abused her throughout the night, and at dawn they let her go. At daybreak the woman went back to the house where her master was staying, fell down at the door and lay there until daylight. When her master got up in the morning and opened the door of the house and stepped out to continue on his way, there lay his concubine, fallen in the doorway of the house, with her hands on the threshold.  He said to her, “Get up; let’s go.” But there was no answer. Then the man put her on his donkey and set out for home. When he reached home, he took a knife and cut up his concubine, limb by limb, into twelve parts and sent them into all the areas of Israel. – judges 19: 23-29

all kinds of crazy things happen afterwards, wars & fighting and a lot of people dying.   but that’s not the part i want to focus on in this moment. she is the one i care about.  this was a human being.  someone’s daughter. sold into slavery.  born to be used by a man.  thrown to the wolves by their host (who threw out his virgin daughter at the same time). raped and destroyed while her owner sat inside, knowing exactly what was happening.  and this isn’t just some weird part of history, way-back-when.  this is happening while we speak:  parents selling their daughters into slavery so they can eat, women systematically raped as strategy of war, girls married off to men who use them for nothing more than slaves.

it is so easy for me in this moment to become overwhelmed, to say “there’s absolutely nothing i can do to make a difference”, to crawl into a cave and scream out to God “how can you stand by while this is happening to your daughters?” but i think in these moments the bigger story for each of us is “what can we do?”…what small, tangible things can we do to make a difference, to fight for the nameless, voiceless, beautiful-daughters-of-God, who need someone to care? here a few thoughts that come to mind:

our freedom affects their freedom.  we have more choice, more possibility than almost any other country in the world.  when we allow ourselves to live in bondage here in church systems that limit and de-value and silence women’s voices, we are stifling their possibility, too.  these voiceless women need us to use our voices on their behalf, to advocate, to believe, to dream. if we are stuck here, how can we ever expect that they would get unstuck?

whoever has a voice needs to use it. in the movie, it was so beautiful to see these women rock the boat on others behalf.  they advocated for women’s education, health, and economic freedom.  the women they were journeying with didn’t have the strength, but they did.  and they felt a responsibility on others behalf to make “a powerful noise” instead of idly standing by.  i have no idea what it would have looked like for the concubine if she had an advocate in that moment, someone who was willing to stand between her and her abusers and say “no.”   yeah, they might have died.  but maybe not?  we’ll never know, but i feel pretty clear that she deserved one. we can all be advocates in some shape or form.

education & economic freedom changes the course of history.  without education & economic freedom, it is impossible for women to ever be set free from the bondage of the injustice systems they live in. this is the case in the US as much as it is in other countries.  single mommies who make $7 an hour cannot feed their families and will never be able to get a leg up.  if they can get their education, they can make $21 an hour and that changes everything. in third world countries, an education or training in a specific skill means food & shelter & hope for their kids instead of starvation.   on the panel in a powerful noise the director of care said that economics also shifts things for men.  men see women as bringing value to their family and they are more likely to respect them for their work.  i know, that makes my stomach turn a bit, too, but it is a reality; i wonder for the concubine if she also had a side business that made some good money if he would be as likely to toss her out to street?  we can help women get an education, here and abroad.  we can buy their products.  there are so many organizations that help make that happen & a little bit goes a long way to changing the course of a woman’s destiny.

brothers, we need you. i know so many amazing men who advocate for women in powerful ways.  but as a whole, we have a long way to go.  the strongest women’s rights advocates continue to be women. if that shifted and we learned how to work together to battle injustice and provide voice to the voiceless, we’d be a much powerful force.   imagine what it would look like if the levite said “no, you can’t have her, it’s wrong. (and now that i think about it, it’s wrong that i own her, too.)”   that’s what should have happened.  needs to happen today.  this is why i am such a loudmouth about equality in the church–if men don’t start refusing to cultivate systems that dishonor their daughters, sisters, wives & mothers–how can we ever offer hope for freedom & equality to these women around the world?  the kingdom starts with us, now, right where we live, and we need each other desperately. Jesus gave tangible examples of advocating for women.  and he says to “be like him.”

as always, this barely scratches the surface or gives the passage and the concubine justice.  but i hope this focus on women around the world, in the Bible, in our neighborhoods and families, will remind us we can do something.  we can:

• listen to what God might be asking us to consider
• step out in faith to what God is stirring us to do & fight off the voices that say we’re stupid to try
  
• use our voice on another woman’s behalf
• send money and love and help to organizations & individuals who directly support self-sufficiency for women here & around the world.
  
• say “no” and step in between a woman about to be harmed
• cultivate & call out another woman’s beauty, dignity, or leadership
• fan into flame another woman’s dream & help her make it happen
  
• do whatever we can—no matter how small or big–to contribute to another woman’s freedom. 

the only thing we can’t do is just stand by.

here’s my prayer:

God, lover of justice & defender of the weak, our hearts break for what was stripped from your daughter.  and for what keeps being stolen from your beautiful creations.  dear girl, we are so sorry you were so senselessly used, that in the moment you needed it most you had no defender.   it was wrong.  it is wrong.   your story has not gone unnoticed.   we hold it tenderly and weep on your behalf and for all the other women who have been and continue to be used & abused & tossed aside.  God, we don’t understand why, but we want to understand what. what you are trying to show us, what you want us to consider, what you want us to do. we need your hope, your help, your guidance, to know how to stand for what you stand for.  to sacrifice our comfort, our safety, on behalf of others.  to use our voice for the voiceless.  to offer dignity and hope where there is none.   to refuse to just stand by.  amen.

* * * * *

other synchroblog posts (more coming as they are posted):

• Julie Clawson on The God Who Sees
• Steve Hayes on St. Theodura the Iconodule
• Sonja Andrews on Aunt Jemima
• Sensuous Wife on A Single Mom in the Bible
• Minnowspeaks on Celebrating Women
• Michelle Van Loon on The Persistent Widow
• Lyn Hallawell on International Women’s Day
  
• Heather on The Strength of Biblical Women
• Shawna Atteberry on The Daughter of Mary Magdalene
• Christine Sine on women who impacted her life
• Susan Barnes on International Women’s Day
• Ellen Haroutunian on Out from Under the Veil
• Liz Dyer on Mary and Martha: A Story about God’s Radical Hospitality
• Bethany Stedman on Shiprah and Puah
  
• Dan Brennan on Mary Magdalene
• Jessica Schafer – Bathsheba
• Eugene Cho – Lydia
• Laura on what she knows about women in the Bible
• Pam Hodgeweide on The Secret Weapon of a Teenaged Girl
• Miz Melly preached on the woman at the well
  
• AJ Schwanz on multitasking
• Teresa on the women that Paul didn’t hate
• Helen Mildenhall on Esther
• Happy on Abigail
• Mark Baker-Wright on Telling Stories 
  
• Robin M. on Eve
• Alan Knox is thankful for the women who serve
  
• Lainie Petersen on the unnamed concubine
  
• Mike Clawson on the truth about first century women
  
• Krista on Serving God 
  
• Bob Carlton on Barbie as Icon
  
• Jan Edmiston preached on the unnamed concubine
  
• Deb on her namesake, Deborah
  
• Makeesha Fisher on empowering women
• Amy Borjas on Hannah