And not just any woman, but one of the most famous in scripture, the primary example given to most women on what all women should be like. The writer of this chapter, is non other than Bathsheba, the Proverbs 31 Woman.
The mother of a king.
The Ben Chayyim Masoretic text, that underlies the Old Testament portion of the King James Bible, paints a very different picture of who this woman was than does patriarchy (complementarianism).
Proverbs 31:1 The
words of king Lemuel the burden wherewith his mother corrected him [1] 2:
My son, son of my womb son of my vows 3: Give not your strength to [immoral] women
nor your ways to that which destroys kings 4: It is not for kings O
Lemuel it is not for kings to drink wine nor for princes strong drink 5:
Lest they drink and forget the law and pervert the judgment of any of the
afflicted
[1] Most authorities believe the name
“Lemuel” was a pseudonym for King Solomon. That makes perfect sense as
in the time of Solomon, the status of women was decidedly inferior—as it still
is in all Islamic countries and among complementarian Christians. it would have
been improper for a woman in biblical times to chastise a man—even more so if
that man happened to be her King [even if he was her son].
If Lemuel was Solomon, then the mother who corrected the wayward King would have been none other than the infamous **Bathsheba.
Her words correlate perfectly with Solomon’s story, as we know that for an unspecified length of time after he ascended the throne, he plumbed the depths of depravity. Scripture reveals that he eventually concluded that his riotous manner of living was all “vanity,” at which time he turned his life around to become the greatest King in the history of Israel and the world of his time.
If Lemuel was Solomon, then the mother who corrected the wayward King would have been none other than the infamous **Bathsheba.
Her words correlate perfectly with Solomon’s story, as we know that for an unspecified length of time after he ascended the throne, he plumbed the depths of depravity. Scripture reveals that he eventually concluded that his riotous manner of living was all “vanity,” at which time he turned his life around to become the greatest King in the history of Israel and the world of his time.
** We know that Bathsheba had great influence with her son.
Adonijah went to Bathsheba, first, before he made a request of his
brother, the King. Solomon also honored his mother by having a chair placed
next to his throne for her.
Solomon published the words of King “Lemuel’s” mother. That
indicates they must have carried great import for him. Could his turn-around be
at least partly due to the timely correction of a god-fearing mother who dared
to speak the inspired/authoritative Word of God to a son who was King?
Aside from the above comments, there are two other things
of note in this passage:
- Whether King Lemuel was Solomon or not, in Proverbs chapter 31, we have an entire chapter of scripture written by a woman. Verse one states the passage was written to the King by the King’s mother. The fact that this passage has been included in the Hebrew Bible along with the writings of Solomon is extraordinary—a powerful testimony to its authenticity and authority.
- This is an irrefutable example of a woman not only teaching a man—a very powerful man—but chastising him with the inspired, prophetic, authoritative Word of the LORD as well.
The opening words of
Proverbs chapter 31, refute complementarian positions that our Creator intended
only men to be the oracles of God, and that women cannot teach men or speak the
Word of God authoritatively to both
men and women.
King “Lemuel’s” mother
did so, and continues to do so through an inspired and authoritative prophecy
to a powerful male monarch, and by extension to all men and women .
... .. Woman this is WAR! Gender Slavery
and the Evangelical Caste System, examines Bible commentary and translation
practices which have historically been androcentric (male centered) and even
misogynistic (anti-woman). These have adversely effected understanding of the
scriptures, relations between women and men, the happiness of men and women,
and, in general, has hindered the work of the gospel, by forbidding women to
preach, pastor, or serve as elders or deacons. The book also chronicles the early
history of the women's rights movements, as well as the role of church
leadership in aggressively suppressing both women's rights and the historical
record of Christian initiatives within the movements. Through the
complementarian movement, many of the same arguments used to support the
institution of slavery, are still used today in suppressing the rights of
Christian women. This book documents identical arguments used by Christian
leaders against both movements and is an unparalleled resource for all who
desire an in-depth study of gender equality from a Christian perspective. The
history of women’s rights is traced back [much further than usual] to the very
first feminists…who were Christians—godly women, who brought the issue
of women's rights to the forefront as they struggled to alleviate the suffering
of others, and found they were hindered in doing so for no other reason than
the fact of their sex. This work, provides valuable historical insight into
Christian initiatives in the movements for women’s rights, that are rarely
included in Christian literature.
No comments:
Post a Comment