The CBE Scroll

Comment by Liz

January 7, 2010 @ 8:28 pm

I have often wondered about the two on the road to Emmaus. Maybe it was a couple – husband and wife.

Comment by Hubert Edgar

January 8, 2010 @ 1:39 pm

No reason for it not to have been, as far as I know. I think we assume male when gender is not specified and we don’t have a sound hermeneutical basis to do so.

Comment by leigh

January 9, 2010 @ 8:35 pm

This gives me such hope. Thank you.

No matter the ways that people misunderstand and the numerous ways Paul is taken out of context, Jesus himself told his apostles to listen to women whom he had sent. Pretty clear, and not often talked about.

Comment by Deborah

January 10, 2010 @ 10:26 pm

I’ve written before about how Jesus seems to have tested the apostles in sending them women to listen to, but this version of scripture makes the connection to disbelieving these specific individuals (not just the message) so much clearer: “stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him.” Thank you for this!

Comment by Wayne P.

January 10, 2010 @ 11:10 pm

An even stronger case can be made from John 20:11-18, where Jesus waits (intentionally, we can assume) until after two of his top apostles, Peter and John, have left the empty tomb, and then appears to Mary, both to comfort her and to give her a message to take to Peter, John and the other disciples.

This shows his prerogative, as the risen Lord, to empower women as his messengers – to even the male leaders! It also shows his expectation that the men be willing to listen.

Comment by Hubert Hix

January 11, 2010 @ 11:52 am

Wayne, thanks for your good referral. That is a better proof.

Comment by jlp

January 12, 2010 @ 5:40 pm

I wonder if Jesus knew ahead of time how much the church would belittle women, so he appeared to women first to let them know that he loves them just as he loves men.

Comment by Wayne P.

January 14, 2010 @ 12:41 am

This is why I think the story of Mary Magdalene in John 20 (see my post above # 90616) is so significant. CBMW seems to discount the example of strong women leaders in Scripture. For example, in Recovering Biblical M & W, pg. 72 (2006 edition), Deborah was only “a living indictment of the weakness of Barak and other men in Israel who should have been more courageous leaders.” In other words, if a qualified man had been available, God would have certainly chosen the man rather than the woman. The woman is never God’s preferred choice, according to this view. In John 20, however, the Risen Lord bypasses his two top apostles to appear to Mary Magdalene, and then sends her with a message to the apostles. It would seem that the Lord wanted the apostles – and wants us – to look beyond a woman’s gender to see her strengths and listen to her message.

Comment by Nancy Poling

February 4, 2010 @ 6:22 pm

At the Black Mountain Presbyterian Church (NC) six of us have formed a domestic violence task force. We have many ideas but are trying to start off modestly. First we’ll select a small group of leaders to train–not to deal with crises, but to see that domestic violence exists in Christian homes and that the church must do what it can to prevent and stop it. Our new pastor, a woman who strongly shares our concerns, is committed to countering the misinterpretations of scripture that keep women (and sometimes men) in abusive situations. She told us that in her previous parish women often came to her off the street (when they saw her name in front of the church), told her about being abused, and described having gone to clergymen who counseled them on how a “true Christian woman” should deal with the abuse.

What are other congregations doing about the issue of domestic violence?

Comment by Claire R.

April 15, 2010 @ 7:18 pm

Jesus appereared to the women instead of men because, He wanted to show that women and men are seen as equals. This act goes along with His gospel message of equality. In the Bible, women and men do not have different levels of authority. We are all children of God and He loves us in the same way. I am thankful that there is no division in the kingdom of God, because I would be one of the receivers of inequality.