Untitled Sermon (3)

Intro: My story.

Points: Easy task of working through the entire bible (Three periods)

1. The Old Testament

2. Jesus’ life & ministry

3. The formation of the church

Preamble: Yesterday, I missed the conversation about interpretation. But, wanted to add my own take on it relative to how we

approach this or any subject from a cultural perspective.

Charles Taylor in Secular Age “In sum, the social imaginary is the way people think about the world, how they imagine it

to be, how they act intuitively in relation to it — though that is emphatically not to make the social imaginary simple into

a set of identifiable ideas. It is the totality of the way we look at our world, to make sense of it and make sense of our

behavior within it. This is a very helpful concept precisely because it takes account of the fact that the way we think

about many things is not grounded in a self-conscious belief in a particular theory of the world to which we have

committed ourselves. We live our lives in a more intuitive fashion than that.”

> All that to say, as we approach any subject about almost anything, I think it’s important for us to be aware of what we bring into

the conversation.

> Which, again, is why a place like this is so great and unique. To discuss a topic such as this with humility, respect, and honesty

I. Life in the Old Testament as it relates to gender roles

a. Complementarian: OT shows that male headship is biblical and is the design. Which we see from male priests, men as

leaders of the households, etc.

b. Egalitarians: Gender relationships in the OT are generally speaking not God’s ideal. Behavior in the OT shouldn’t

always been seen as illustrative of God’s desire but as a consequence of the fall.

Robert Alter in his book the Art of Bilabial Narrative says this “There are two institutions that you see in the book of

Genesis that are universal. Polygamy [e.g. multiple wives] and primogeniture [e.g. the oldest son gets everything, and

lords it over the rest]. When you read the text you see that in every generation polygamy causes destruction and

problems. Secondly when it comes to primogeniture, you always see God favoring the young not the oldest [e.g. Abel

not Cain, Isaac not Ishmael]. Genesis is subverting not supporting those ancient patriarchal institutions.”

Polygamy was expected during the OT period. It was a recognized legal fact. Never prescribed, or endorsed.

Woman were treated more like something to be owned then someone to be cherished. We see that throughout the OT.

Therefore as we survey this material we have to think about what the writers are doing. What are they trying to convey. I

am a big believer in the literary art of the Bible. The writers are trying to show us something.

1. Does the Mosaic Law prescribe patriarchy? (Prescriptive literature)

> As we know the Law goes into painstaking detail to prescribe how the Israelites ought to live. What they should do, what they

shouldn’t do, and how they should live practically.

> When looking through the law we do not see a prescription for patriarchy or a requirement of it. We do see that it

reflects it.

Again, one of the points that I want to make here. Potentially provocative.

> Just because the OT records it, doesn’t mean that we should obey it. To continue Robert Alter’s thought, so much of

the OT is a pattern of poor behavior that we shouldn’t emulate. [cf. David, Bathsheba, Uriah, “Man after God’s heart”]

> I think we’d all agree that having hundreds of wives and hundreds of concubines is not ideal.

Cf. 1 Corinthians 10:1-11 “For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were

under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. 2. They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the

sea. 3. They all ate the same spiritual food 4. And drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock

that accompanied them, and that rock was christ. 5. Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies

were scattered in the wilderness. 6. Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil

things as they did. 7. Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: ‘the people sat down to eat and drink

and got up to indulge in revelry.’ 8. We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did — and in one day

twenty-three thousand of them died. 9. We should not test christ, as some of them did—and were killed by snakes. 10.

And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel. 11. These things happened to them

as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come.”

> God’s ideal was a one flesh relationship. Where the married couple are naked and unashamed with each other.

> This might be an example for us re how pervasive the consequence of the fall actually was.

2. Should the OT priesthood be used to restrict women from full ministry?

Note: The priesthood from a biblical perspective was not the highest role in ministry. Arguably the prophet was.

> The priest represented the people to God — The prophet represented God to the people.

> Prophets spoke the Word of God to the people. Prophets were the one’s who often held Priests accountable.

> And only prophets could say “Thus sayeth the Lord”

We know that there were at least 7 female prophets in the OT: Sarah, Miriam, Deborah, Hannah, Abigail, Huldah, Esther“The Fall to The Church”

Question: Why does God restrict women from the priesthood & specifically the high priest? God doesn’t say. One

speculative reason could have to do with ceremonial uncleanness.

HOWEVER, God doesn’t restrict solely on gender. There are at least 4 restrictions that we see.

1. Must be Jewish = Ethnic restriction

2. Be in the line of Aaron = Family restriction

3. Without defect = No handicap

4. Firstborn son

Therefore, one argument that can potentially be made, is that if we are going to stay logically consistent today, then we

should consider keeping all four requirements or restrictions for ministry today.

Cf. 1 Peter 2:4-5,9-10 “As you come to him, the living stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him

—5. You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices

acceptable to God through Jesus Christ… 9. But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s

special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10.

Once you were not a people but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have

received mercy.”

> We don’t believe that we need to hold specifically to the Priesthood restriction in part because we are a new covenant

people. Then perhaps we need to consider that for both genders?

In The OT, women function as both prophets and leading judges (A role that involved both spiritual and governmental

leadership for Israel). Deborah stands out particularly as one who carried both roles (cf. judges 4:4-7). In the era of the

judges, a bridge between Israel’s enslavement and established monarchy, Deborah is the most esteemed of the Israelite

judges given extensive biblical narration. She functions very similar to the role of Joshua, leading Israel nationally as a

governor while also leading Israel spiritually as a prophet (judges 4-5). In any discussion on women’s leadership,

Deborah is an extremely important biblical figure. “Can a woman?” Or “Is a woman allowed to?” Deborah could.

Deborah was. And most importantly, God was behind it all.

One commentator “One of the arguments against this is that women served as leaders in the OT during tragic periods

when Israel lacked male leadership, as if God was making a reluctant concession. However, Deborah, Huldah, and

Miriam all led alongside renowned male leaders (e.g. Moses, Barak, Josiah, and Jeremiah). Which serves to demonstrate

the opposite, pointing more to male-female partnership we seen in the genesis creation narrative than to a divine

concession.”

> Huldah 2 kings 22, 2 Chonricles 24 = Huldah was a prophet during the time period of Jeremiah. Calls the people of

Israel to repentance and see revival.

Ninjay Gupta in his book Tell her Story says this “But she (Deborah) certainly had an impact on the great story that the

Bible tells us. In her own time, her wise leadership and responsiveness to God’s gifting and calling led to forty years of

peace in the land (cf. Judges 5:31). Beyond that, Deborah’s warrior song of victory and praise for God may have inspired

Mary’s own song of praise (cf. Luke 1:46-55). And surely Deborah deserves a special spot in the book of Hebrews ‘Hall of

Faith Heroes’ (cf. Hebrews 11:4-32), where many patriarchs and leaders are presented as models of perseverance in

suffering. Some are named, but hebrews gives tribute to many more heroes who ‘conquered kingdoms, administered

justice, and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies.’ Judges celebrates as just such a hero of faith, so

Hebrews surely has leaders like her in mind too.”

Women leaders & prophets in the OT were never condemned by God.

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Questions:

1. Thoughts about woman being restricted from the priesthood?

2. Your interpretation re the significance of God using women as prophets?

II. The ministry & life of Jesus

> Our considerations: How did Jesus treat women? Both sides would agree that Jesus elevated women like no other

religion or ideology did of the day.

This becomes a critical piece in understanding our views re comp v. Egal.

Creation = God’s ideal for humanity; Fall = destruction; OT became normative experience; the law helped but couldn’t be

completely fulfilled. Jesus then enters into human history.

Hebrews 1:3-4 “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by

his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the majesty in heaven. 4.

So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.”

Therefore we would agree that whatever Jesus says on an issue is extremely important and informative to our lives.

Let’s look at 4 ways Jesus treated women“The Fall to The Church”

1. He talked to them in public (John 4): A Rabbi would never do that. Extensive theological conversation with her. First

time He told anyone that he was the Messiah.

2. Jesus took time to help women in need: The gospel record more about women positively than any other work of

antiquity. Remember Mark 5, Jesus heals a women with a terminal disease and brings back to life a dead girl. Matthew 8,

Jesus heals Peter’s mother-in-law. Luke 7 Jesus raises a woman who is a widow in Nain. Luke 13 Jesus heals a

paralyzed woman on the sabbath. The Pharisees are furious.

3. Jesus used woman as positive examples in His Teachings: (Generally Rabbi’s used women as negative examples)

Again, think about Robert Alter and what Jesus is doing. He is subverting the culture with the Kingdom of God.

a. He taught sacrifice through the women in Luke 21: The woman gave two small coins. Jesus used that moment as a

teaching opportunity.

b. He taught about persistent prayer through the woman in Luke 18: Jesus tells us to pray like the widow. Be consistent

and be persistent with your prayers.

c. Jesus taught about the heart of God through the woman in Luke 15: The woman lost a coin. She searched until she

found that coin and celebrated. <— Jesus used that example to teach the religious men.

4. Jesus used subjects that were near and dear to the hearts of women: Jesus was restoring God’s ideal. John 8.

Context: This is a well known passage of Scripture. John gives us the account of a woman caught in the act of adultery. She is

thrown down presumably naked in front of a large group of men and woman. She’s humiliate, ashamed, and the men looking to

trap Jesus ask Him what is He going to do with her? Adultery during the days of Jesus could be a capital offense. Meaning it

was so serious that if caught in the act you could be killed. [cf. Deut. 22:22] The religious leaders who are trying to trap Jesus,

seemingly put Him in an impossible scenario:

Scenario 1: Jesus agrees with the Law of Moses that she should be killed: He would seem like a harsh man and He would also

be breaking Roman law. Rome said that the Jews were not allowed to kill people based off of religious rulings

Scenario 2: Jesus doesn’t say that she deserves to die. Then the religious leaders would point to Jesus’ lack of understanding of

the Law and ability to uphold it.

Matthew 18 re marriage. Let no man separate.

Everything that we are saying about how Jesus treated women is remarkable and unique. However, it doesn’t necessarily

answer the question re why Jesus picked twelve men to be His disciples.

> The bible doesn’t give us a specific answer to that question

Speculation: Jesus came with a clear mission. To bring the gospel first to the Jew and then to the Gentile. The Jews

wouldn’t ‘have listened to females explaining the gospel to them. Picked men strategically to communicate to Jews.

William G. Witt in his book Concerning Woman’s Ordination: The Argument for Symbolism says “immediately, it is worth

point out that not only did Jesus call twelve male disciples but twelve Jewish male disciples, then later in Acts, twelve

Jewish male apostles. One way of reading this is the symbolic significance of the twelve tribes of Israel, which grew from

the womb of Abraham and Sarah, whose offspring grew through three generations to twelve sons, the see of Israel’s

twelve tribes, a biblical theme for the blessing of the world that carries all the way to the closing pages of Revelation.

Jesus chose male apostles for the same reason he chose twelve apostles and jewish apostles. In so far as Jesus’

followers represent the new Israel, and, specifically, the twelve patriarchs from whom the nation of Israel was

descended. The twelve had to be free jewish males, and not slaves, women, or gentiles in order to fulfill the symbolic

function of their typological role.”

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Questions:

1. 2. How do you feel about the way Jesus treated women?

How does that fit into what you think about the way we do leadership in the church today?“The Fall to The Church”

Context: Over the past several weeks we discussed the role of genders in the OT. Making the connection that after the fall we do

see patriochary & hierarchy. However, we do not see it prescribed. We also saw beautiful examples of men & woman leading

together and woman in particular leading. We then looked at Jesus. As we came to Jesus, we’re agreeing that whatever Jesus

says or does is incredibly important to our formation. Jesus’ elevation of woman, having woman disciples during his time would

be incredibly scandalous. But, again, Jesus’ agenda is often different than ours. And the whole narrative arc of the Scripture post

Genesis 3 is to reconcile & redeem and move towards the kingdom of Heaven on Earth. Now, we come to the formation of the

early church. The question here is: What do we see in the early church from it’s very beginning.

III. The formation of the early church

> Israel and judaism was highly patriarchal — The appearance of the formation of the church, something seems to have

changed. — Acts 2. Jesus appeared to his disciples behind closed doors. Jesus said He was going to give them the Holy Spirit.

> Both men and women were about of the 120. They all received the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues, etc. both men and

women were included. Everyone there experienced the same move of the spirit. Including both men and woman. It was

an equal opportunity event.

In the new family of Jesus, we are looking at the gifts and character people have, not based on gender.

> What they just witnessed was a fulfillment of an ancient prophecy.

Quote back from Joel Acts 2 “for these people are not drunk, as you suppose…” Acts 2:15-21

Last days = 4 spiritual changes: 1. God will pour out His Spirit on all flesh; 2. Both your sons and daughters will

prophesy (without regard for gender); 3. Young men will see visions and old men will dream dreams (Generation gap will

be closed); 4. Both male and female servants will receive the Spirit and will prophecy (The promise extended to slaves,

freedom in the church, that they wouldn’t be able to do in regular life.)

> Those at the bottom of the ladder are adopted as sons and daughters in Jesus Christ.

Cf. Romans 16:7 - Husband and wife missionary team

Cf. Priscilla & Aquilla: Church planters listed together. 4 out of 6 citations Priscilla was listed first — They instructed Paul

Robert Alter (The Art of Biblical Narrative) “The monotheistic revolution of biblical Israel was a continuing and

disquieting one. It left little margin for neat and confident views about God, the created world, history, and man as

political or moral agent, for it repeatedly had to make sense of the intersection of incompatibilities — the relative and the

absolute, human imperfection and divine perfection, the brawling chaos of historical experience and God’s promise to

fulfill a design in history. The biblical outlook is informed, I think, by a sense of stubborn contradiction, of a profound

and ineradicable untidiness in the nature of things, and it is toward the compression of such a sense of moral and

historical reality that the composite artistry of the Bible is directed.”

What lessons about humility and respect can we learn from the sermon when discussing gender roles?