Paul

In the Beginning

/ Joan C. Thomson

The Lord is My ShieldHe was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. John 1:2, 3

For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.  Colossians 1:16

Religious leaders of every stripe—usually men, have through the ages made pronouncements about women—usually negative, but none ever spoke with the authority of Jesus.  As creator of “all things” and entities, Jesus’ words and pattern of life profoundly weight the scales; he, above all, knows how women are made—and his intent for them.

Since Jesus was sent to us from heaven by his Father (John 3:16) and did only what his father told him to do and say, so in Jesus, we also know Father’s ideas about women.  To be thorough—The Holy Spirit (also known as “the Spirit of Jesus” Acts 16:7; Philippians 1:19) was sent by Jesus and does what Jesus says to do—so we also know in Jesus, how the Holy Spirit regards women.  Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the three-in-one are demonstrated in the life of Jesus, fully God and perfect man—our example.

Jesus never rebuked a woman harshly.  Martha will undoubtedly spring to mind at this point (Luke 10:38-41) but Jesus simply exhorted her to not worry so much and (in effect) to learn to sit at his feet like her sister Mary.  Apparently Martha heeded, since she later very clearly testified, “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.” John 11:27

Jesus continually broke cultural norms regarding women, teaching Mary of Bethany as a rabbinical student, speaking to a strange woman at the well in Samaria (notice that his disciples wondered why he was talking with a woman but not a Samaritan, though Samaritans were off-limits John 4:27).  He taught and healed women and girls the same as he did men and boys.  Not once did he make disparaging remarks about women or even groups of women.

Jesus defended women against put downs from men such as when the woman anointed him. “Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me.” (Mark 14:6) After his resurrection, He first appeared to women (Matthew 28:8-10) sending them as the first human proclaimers of the Good News that he was(is!) alive!* When Jesus referred to his disciples, he often meant not just “the Twelve,” but also the women who followed him. (Matthew 12:48-50)

Rather than putting women down as the Jewish leaders were in the habit of doing,** Jesus pointed to women as favorable examples (Matthew 15:21-28).  He admired and rewarded the “great faith” of the Canaanite woman who asked for deliverance for her daughter.  Jesus made an extra effort, “calling his disciples to him,” to teach them by the example of the widow who gave her “mite” as an offering (Mark 12:41-43). Jesus peopled his parables with women as well as men but unlike the men, the women were always shown in a positive light.

I’ve not found a single time in the gospels where Jesus limited women or put them down.  Instead, he restored the dignity he created them in, in the beginning.

*It’s been said that the only reason Jesus appeared to the women first was that they were there at the tomb doing “women’s work”.  Well, if putting spices on a body to preserve them was women’s work, then Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea were doing “women’s work” the day they laid Jesus’ body in the tomb! (John 19:38-40)

** “Jewish men of Paul’s day were warned not to sit among women because ‘evil comes from them like a moth emerging from clothes.’  Lorry Lutz   Women as Risk Takers for God. P30

*** I’ve read a number of books about women’s roles written by traditionalists and have rarely found any mention of how Jesus related to women, other than reference to Jesus’ appointing of twelve male disciples, drawing the conclusion that all church leadership should be male only. First of all the Twelve were set apart from all the other disciples, female or male and if they are to be our only example then the vast majority of churches are out of compliance unless their leadership is all Jewish, they’re all circumcised, several are professional fishermen, they’re all uneducated, one is a cheater, another has repeatedly denied the Lord, and another is a betrayer and thief and let’s not forget the two hot-headed-me-firster “Sons of Thunder.” We don’t know why Jesus chose men for The Twelve (he chose “the Three” out of those, leaving the other nine behind on several occasions) the Bible doesn’t say, but he was likely drawing a comparison to the twelve tribes of Israel rather than a male/female dichotomy. (Paul’s teachings are used as the standard for women’s roles in these books though Paul has been sadly so misrepresented that he wouldn’t even recognize himself!)

All the People

/ Joan C. Thomson

The vast majority of the time when Paul or the other apostles wrote “men” or “man” the word was anthropos or “all the people.” Many times, the English translations insert “men” when the Greek says simply “ones.” The word translated, as “brothers” is adelphoi, which literally means, “from the same womb” and according to lexicons, “can be rightly translated as brothers and sisters.” In addition, a word often used for “son” actually means child—male or female.  Paul wrote his letters to the entire church in each place, so everything he said in general, applies to women as well.

 

Paul, the Misunderstood

/ Joan C. Thomson

Paul, unlike some have thought, was very close to Jesus, having had several visitations and visions from him, and he wrote by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.  We ignore him at our peril.  But we have to look at the Greek to see what he really said.  He was not, as many have characterized him, a woman-hater, he continually commended women* and counted on them as fellow workers for the gospel but he never put them down—or us.

*Paul commended:

Phoebe to the Romans as a deacon, sent her to the them (with the letter?) Romans 16:1

Priscilla, Paul’s co-worker (same word he used for men) that he and the churches were grateful to. Romans 16:3

Mary for wearing herself out working for them. Many teach that she was doing “women’s work” of cooking and cleaning but the lexicons give no such meaning to the word Paul used. v16:6

Junia, a fellow Jew and prisoner, as being “outstanding among the apostles.” V 16:7

Tryphena and Tryphosa, who also “worked hard in the Lord.” V 16:12

Persis, his “dear friend…another woman who worked very hard in the Lord.” V 16:12b

Rufus’ mother “who has been a mother to me.” V16:13

 

Women Saved Through Childbearing?

/ Joan C. Thomson

“Will the mother with the most children please stand up and receive a prize!” Many cultures in general and the Church in particular can be hard on women who don’t have children.  Weary of the annual game show atmosphere that crops up at many churches on Mother’s Day, many women opt to be somewhere else.  The pastor calls out, “The youngest mother!”  “The oldest mother!”  Women are met at the door with greeters handing out flowers to all mothers.  Ouch.  Then political correctness—or maybe the looks of pain they received morphed the practice into handing out flowers to all women.  “Today is Mother’s Day and we honor all women.” Huh?  “We honor all mothers—natural and spiritual.”  People can’t miss the awkwardness of such practices and the pain they cause but many churches press on (Though certainly people should honor their own mothers).

Meanwhile a prominent Christian radio commentator has said, “Bearing and raising children is the most feminine thing a woman can do.”  “Being a mother is the most important role for a Christian woman.”  So, women who never married and remained celibate or those who are married but unable to have children aren’t feminine or doing important service for God?” Where does the Bible say that?

Under the Old Covenant, following God’s command to “be fruitful and multiply was (and is in some Jewish circles today), considered a requirement for women to have children.  Women who were unable to bear children were taunted and considered cursed.  No wonder Hannah pined away (1 Samuel 1:1-16 ) in miserable jealousy of her husband’s other wife with all her children. And yes, the Bible does say that God “closed the womb” of Hannah and others whose husbands loved them more than “the other wife,” as a seeming balancing of affections.  We’re even told by the Psalmist that children are a heritage and reward of the Lord (and they are), that when “born in one’s youth are like arrows and blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them” (Psalm 27:3-5).

I once read that some Christian women in Africa (unfortunately, I can’t remember which country) were told that unless a woman has children, she can’t be saved!

But now, the people of God—those who follow Jesus are under a new covenant.  While it is still a good and honorable thing to bear and raise children, God’s emphasis has shifted.  Once aging, barren Elizabeth conceived and bore John the Baptizer and Mary gave birth to the Lord Jesus, of all the women honored in the Bible, few were noted because they were mothers.  Rather, most were acknowledged as teachers, “fellow workers in the gospel,” deacons or ministers (same word in Greek).

Jesus and his apostles didn’t put motherhood on the same pedestal that many cultures do to this day.

On the contrary, when a woman shouted from a crowd, “Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you!” Jesus said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it (Luke 11:27,28).”  Obeying Jesus’ teachings (which must always be done in love or they’re not his teachings) is the most feminine thing a woman can do and the most honorable role for a woman.

In case you are a mother reading this and gasping please know that I’m in no way putting down motherhood—I’m very glad to have been born, but only attempting to bring our understanding of God’s role for women into line with Jesus’ teachings.

When Paul is quoted as saying, “But women will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety” (1 Timothy 2:15), some translations have left out a crucial word that exists in the Greek—“the”! He said, “the childbearing” meaning Jesus, and the woman he referred to was Eve, whose seed would crush the serpent’s head (Genesis 3:15). This is further confirmation that Eve’s “original sin” was also atoned for.  Context is crucial!