Comments on: Deborah http://blog.cbeinternational.org/2006/04/deborah/ Blog voices from Christians for Biblical Equality Tue, 6 Jan 2009 18:32:09 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Jerry Guidicy http://blog.cbeinternational.org/2006/04/deborah/comment-page-1/#comment-6247 Jerry Guidicy Fri, 18 Aug 2006 17:15:19 +0000 http://blog.cbeinternational.org/?p=30#comment-6247 Lappidoth, was a Godly man, Deborah would not have married an ungodly man. God chose her because He wanted her to save the Jewish nation. You could ask why he chose a woman for everything. Why did he chose a woman to be a companion for Adam, why not a man? Why did He chose Rahab to save the Jewish nation? Why did He chose a man to tend the garden? Why not a monkey? Lappidoth, was a Godly man, Deborah would not have married an ungodly man. God chose her because He wanted her to save the Jewish nation. You could ask why he chose a woman for everything. Why did he chose a woman to be a companion for Adam, why not a man?
Why did He chose Rahab to save the Jewish nation? Why did He chose a man to tend the garden? Why not a monkey?

]]> By: Kathryn Vance http://blog.cbeinternational.org/2006/04/deborah/comment-page-1/#comment-1445 Kathryn Vance Tue, 13 Jun 2006 22:17:26 +0000 http://blog.cbeinternational.org/?p=30#comment-1445 I am thankful for all the responses here. Thankfully there are godly men like Lappidoth who are secure enough to encourage a wife like Deborah to fulfill her calling in the Lord. We cannot commend such men enough, as often they take as much heat as their wives do. There were indeed men God could have chosen (Huldah the prophetess lived in the time of Jeremiah and Zephaniah, yet God chose her not them to give prophecy to King Josiah); indeed I suggest that Barak was willing to usurp Deborah's authority at first by attempting to call the shots when we first see him, and lost the honor of capturing Sisera the enemy general because of it, as Deborah warned him he would. Of course, he was properly rebuked by this incident, and showed his change of heart by celebrating the victory with Deborah. They were both mentioned in the Hebrews 11 Hall of Faith. I wonder if there weren't two Judges of Israel named Deborah. Her husband's name was given as a way of identifying which Deborah was being discussed at that time, so was that a Scriptural subtle nuance indicating the existence of another Deborah as Judge? I have often wondered about that lately. Sometimes the original language can contain certain nuances not readily seen in the English Bible. I am thankful for all the responses here. Thankfully there are godly men like Lappidoth who are secure enough to encourage a wife like Deborah to fulfill her calling in the Lord. We cannot commend such men enough, as often they take as much heat as their wives do. There were indeed men God could have chosen (Huldah the prophetess lived in the time of Jeremiah and Zephaniah, yet God chose her not them to give prophecy to King Josiah); indeed I suggest that Barak was willing to usurp Deborah’s authority at first by attempting to call the shots when we first see him, and lost the honor of capturing Sisera the enemy general because of it, as Deborah warned him he would. Of course, he was properly rebuked by this incident, and showed his change of heart by celebrating the victory with Deborah. They were both mentioned in the Hebrews 11 Hall of Faith. I wonder if there weren’t two Judges of Israel named Deborah. Her husband’s name was given as a way of identifying which Deborah was being discussed at that time, so was that a Scriptural subtle nuance indicating the existence of another Deborah as Judge? I have often wondered about that lately. Sometimes the original language can contain certain nuances not readily seen in the English Bible.

]]> By: Cecily Paterson http://blog.cbeinternational.org/2006/04/deborah/comment-page-1/#comment-859 Cecily Paterson Fri, 26 May 2006 02:39:22 +0000 http://blog.cbeinternational.org/?p=30#comment-859 We just looked at Deborah in Bible study. My dear friend, who is not of the same views as me, said, "But why was she a judge? Because women aren't allowed to lead men! Why did God choose her?" My response: "Why wouldn't God choose her?" It was a challenging study for my friends who are complementarians. I had trouble not grinning all the way through. We just looked at Deborah in Bible study. My dear friend, who is not of the same views as me, said, “But why was she a judge? Because women aren’t allowed to lead men! Why did God choose her?”
My response: “Why wouldn’t God choose her?”

It was a challenging study for my friends who are complementarians. I had trouble not grinning all the way through.

]]> By: LJR http://blog.cbeinternational.org/2006/04/deborah/comment-page-1/#comment-183 LJR Fri, 28 Apr 2006 22:52:33 +0000 http://blog.cbeinternational.org/?p=30#comment-183 Can Dance: I'd like to ask the next anti-equality person who uses in my presence the "no man available" argument about Deborah if Lappidoth and Barak were just chopped liver. IMHO, Lappidoth would have had to be very secure in himself, his marriage, and his relationship with God for Deborah to be able to do all she did. A lesser person would have tried to restrict her and "be the man", so to speak. Barak wanted God's prophet at his side, no matter who that prophet happened to be -- not exactly the behavior of a man who wasn't trying to live for God. That makes two men God could easily have chosen, but didn't. He wanted Deborah instead. Why? Because He can use anyone he chooses. Can Dance:

I’d like to ask the next anti-equality person who uses in my presence the “no man available” argument about Deborah if Lappidoth and Barak were just chopped liver.

IMHO, Lappidoth would have had to be very secure in himself, his marriage, and his relationship with God for Deborah to be able to do all she did. A lesser person would have tried to restrict her and “be the man”, so to speak. Barak wanted God’s prophet at his side, no matter who that prophet happened to be — not exactly the behavior of a man who wasn’t trying to live for God. That makes two men God could easily have chosen, but didn’t. He wanted Deborah instead. Why? Because He can use anyone he chooses.

]]> By: Can Dance http://blog.cbeinternational.org/2006/04/deborah/comment-page-1/#comment-171 Can Dance Wed, 26 Apr 2006 20:23:34 +0000 http://blog.cbeinternational.org/?p=30#comment-171 oh no, Phoebe was a deacon. there is no denying that one. can't get around it, unless you want to say Timothy wasn't a deacon. and "deaconess" didn't exist either, it wasn't feminized, just deacon. not gender distinction there :) I have heard the explain away Deborah because of her femaleness because there was no man to do the job. again, puh lease, there is NOT A WORD of scripture to support this degrading view of Deborah and her ministry. other than preconcieved notions of how much women are allowed to be people. oh no, Phoebe was a deacon. there is no denying that one. can’t get around it, unless you want to say Timothy wasn’t a deacon. and “deaconess” didn’t exist either, it wasn’t feminized, just deacon. not gender distinction there :)

I have heard the explain away Deborah because of her femaleness because there was no man to do the job. again, puh lease, there is NOT A WORD of scripture to support this degrading view of Deborah and her ministry. other than preconcieved notions of how much women are allowed to be people.

]]> By: Lori http://blog.cbeinternational.org/2006/04/deborah/comment-page-1/#comment-168 Lori Wed, 26 Apr 2006 16:16:34 +0000 http://blog.cbeinternational.org/?p=30#comment-168 Actually, there is a way to explain her away. She was just doing the job because God couldn't find any mean to do it (insert smiley rolling its eyes here). Which is a pretty sad comment on the nation of Israel at the time, since they had all those men and God couldn't find a single one to be a leader. As for patron saints, I'd rather nominate either Priscilla or Phoebe. Phoebe was probably a deaconess in the early church, and Priscilla ministered right alongside her husband and Paul. In fact, Priscilla is my favorite woman in the Bible. Actually, there is a way to explain her away. She was just doing the job because God couldn’t find any mean to do it (insert smiley rolling its eyes here). Which is a pretty sad comment on the nation of Israel at the time, since they had all those men and God couldn’t find a single one to be a leader.

As for patron saints, I’d rather nominate either Priscilla or Phoebe. Phoebe was probably a deaconess in the early church, and Priscilla ministered right alongside her husband and Paul. In fact, Priscilla is my favorite woman in the Bible.

]]> By: DP http://blog.cbeinternational.org/2006/04/deborah/comment-page-1/#comment-166 DP Wed, 26 Apr 2006 15:47:16 +0000 http://blog.cbeinternational.org/?p=30#comment-166 Sitting under a tree makes you less of a leader? I have <em>never</em> heard that one before! Seems to me if you live it a hot, arid climate, sitting under a tree while you conduct your business would make you, well, fairly intelligent :-) Sitting under a tree makes you less of a leader? I have never heard that one before! Seems to me if you live it a hot, arid climate, sitting under a tree while you conduct your business would make you, well, fairly intelligent :-)

]]> By: Can Dance http://blog.cbeinternational.org/2006/04/deborah/comment-page-1/#comment-164 Can Dance Wed, 26 Apr 2006 04:34:26 +0000 http://blog.cbeinternational.org/?p=30#comment-164 I love Deborah. Until I became an egal, I hadn't heard much about her. Then I realised why -- she is darn hard to "explain away" in terms of her leadership ability. And the things they say are absurd! She is less of a leader because she rendered her judgements under a tree and she was ultimately submissive to Barak? Puh-lease. It is so unscripturally supported, it's almost funny except that people are desperate to erase her or something, so they do believe it. Now that is just sad. I love Deborah. Until I became an egal, I hadn’t heard much about her. Then I realised why — she is darn hard to “explain away” in terms of her leadership ability. And the things they say are absurd! She is less of a leader because she rendered her judgements under a tree and she was ultimately submissive to Barak? Puh-lease. It is so unscripturally supported, it’s almost funny except that people are desperate to erase her or something, so they do believe it. Now that is just sad.

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