Gender in the Scriptures

neither is the man without the woman nor the woman without the man(70 slides)

creatively compiled by dr. michael farnworth

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Women of Faithby Mary Jane Woodger

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“Behold, the virgin whom thou seest is the mother of the Son of God, after the manner of the flesh.”

1 Nephi 11:18

(any thoughts)

• “Violence does not consist so much in injuring and annihilating persons as in interrupting their continuity, making them play roles in which they no longer recognize themselves”

Emmanuel Levinas

When I first met him, he said...

“I like independent women”... So I played it cool!Then he said...“I like romantic women”... So I played it hot!Then he said...“I like passive women” So I played it weak!Then he said...“I like strong women” So I crushed his head!

The gospel of domesticity

• The paradigms of our culture’s gender roles are powerful and pervasive.

• My attempts at inviting you to enlarge your own interpretations of the man and woman divine experience here, will focus upon the scriptures.

The family proclamation

• “By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families.

• Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children.

• In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners.”

What is your interpretation of equal partners?

Doesn’t equal suggest like, same, fair, equable, just...

Moses 5:1

• “... Then Adam began to till the earth, and to have dominion over all the beasts of the field, and to eat his bread by the sweat of his brow, as I the lord had commanded him. And Eve, also, his wife, did labor with him.”

Moses 5:12

• “And Adam and Eve blessed the name of God, and they made all things known unto their sons and their daughters.”

How about the scripture 1 Corinthians 11:12-12

• “Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman neither the woman without the man in the Lord. For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; But all things of God.”

Moses 6:9

• “In the image of his own body, male and female, created he them, and blessed them, and called their name Adam...”

Doctrine and covenants 132:20

• “Then shall they be Gods, because they have no end; Therefore shall they be from everlasting to everlasting, because they continue; Then shall they be above all, because all things are subject unto them. Then shall they be Gods, because they have all power, and the angels are subject unto them.”

Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith , page 372

• “The head one of the Gods said, let us make a man in our own image. I once asked a learned Jew, “If the Hebrew language compels us to render all words ending in ‘heim’ in the plural, why not render the first Eloheim plural?” The word Eloheim ought to be in the plural all the way through--Gods.”

The meaning of Eloheim

• The meaning of Eloheim is Gods, in the plural and is non-generic, which includes both males and females, having no distinction made between them.

Moses 2:27

• “And I, God, created man in mine own image, in the image of mine only begotten created I him; male and female created I them.”

The image of God is male and female, simply and eternally.

To miss this paradigm is to miss a significant part of our theology.

Moses 3:23-24

• “And Adam said: this I know now is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; She shall be called woman, because she was taken out of man.

• Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife; And they shall be one flesh.”

Being in bondage to our culture

• Being in bondage to our culture is not being able to see past the apostate and fallen notions of male superiority and female inferiority.

• Both are perverse and some what distorted paradigms of this world.

A look at the Jewish culture (at the time of Christ)

• Women were second class citizens (grouped with slaves and children): you were not to address them in public, they were not to speak in worship, they were forbidden to study the Torah, they were viewed as sex objects for child bearing or women of ill repute.

Jewish sayings

• “Praised be God that he has not created me a gentile; Praised be God that he has not created me a woman; Praised be God that he has not created me an ignorant man.”

• It is well for those whose children are male, but ill for those whose children are female.

Sayings continued

• “At the birth of a boy all are joyful, but at the birth of a girl all are sad”

• When a boy comes into the world, peace comes into the world; When a girl comes, nothing comes”

• “Women are greedy at their food, eager to gossip, lazy and jealous”

How did Jesus treat women?

• Jesus violated many of the Jewish cultural norms in his interactions and dealings with the feminine gender.

• He was not in bondage to the cultural paradigms.

• He knew better. Do we?

Scriptural accounts:

• Female disciples: Luke 8:1-3 • Female witness to resurrection: Mark 16:9• Female washing his feet: Luke 7:36-38• Female being healed: Mark 5:25-30• Female adulteress: John 8:3-11• Female at the well: John 4:5-9• Female scripture study: Luke10:38-42• Female as God: Luke 15:8-10

Was Jesus a feminist?

• The definition of a feminist is, one who is aware of the historical-cultural inequalities regarding the feminine and wants to make it better.

• Jesus promoted the dignity and equality of women even though it violated the cultural paradigms of the time!

Are the gifts of the spirit gender biased?

• D&C 46:7-33; Moroni 10:7-23; Corinthians 12:1-31.

• The gifts of: healing, faith to be healed, working of miracles, discerning of spirits, speaking with tongues, word of knowledge, word of wisdom, interpretation of tongues, administrations, to know, to believe, discern, diversities of operations, prophesy, beholding of angles , hope, charity...

Females Prophesy

• Mary Prophesies of her son’s ministry: Luke 1: 46-55

In the Last days young females will prophesy: Acts 2:17 and Joel 2:28

Anna, a prophetess, spoke of Christ’s redemption : Luke 2:36-38

Four daughters prophesy: Acts 21:9

There is neither male or female

• Galatians 3:28 “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond

nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.”

• 2 Nephi 26:33 “...And he denieth none that come unto him, black and

white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and gentile.”

A woman (Deborah), is a Judge in Israel

• Judges 4:4-5

• “And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time. And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.”

Three Big Interesting Ones

• Christ announces his mortal ministry as Messiah to a gentile Samaritan woman living in sin. John 4:4-43

• Christ is anointed King of Israel by Mary of Bethany, a woman. Matthew 26:6-7; Mark 14:3; John 12:3,13

• Christ announces his resurrection to Mary, a woman. John 20:11-18; Luke 24:10-11

1. Christ announces his mortal ministry as Messiah and Savior to a gentile woman…

• Here is the woman at the well (who, according to Jewish custom,

was not to be spoken too) and a Samaritan, hated of the Jews.

• Jesus uses this woman, living in historical Adultery, to announce to the world for the first time his coming as the Messiah and Christ. John 4: 25-26

2. A woman anoints Christ

• “So Mary of Bethany, in the home of Simon the leper, as guided by the spirit, poured costly spikenard from her alabaster box upon the head of Jesus, and also anointed his feet, so that, the next day, the ten thousands of Israel might acclaim him king and shout hosanna to his name.”

Bruce R. McConkie, The Mortal Messiah Page 327

In other words

• A woman anoints Christ as King, for the royal reign.

• It was a sacred ordinance.

• Where did she get the authority and power to do so.

3. Christ announces his resurrection to a woman

• Mary Magdalene was at the sepulcher (along with other women) when she was approached by Christ and was instructed to go and tell the brethren about his resurrection.

• And they in true Jewish custom, considered their words as idle tales and they believed them not. Luke 24:11

Think about the implications, the first to see resurrected life were women!

Or maybe it does make sense

• The females were the only ones who didn’t desert Christ at his crucifixion the males first fell asleep (abandoning him to suffer his agonies alone Matthew 26:43-44) and then ran off when the Jewish leaders came to arrest him. (the exception being John) Matthew 26:56-57.

Maybe, just maybe, we don’t understand it all yet

• If we can change paradigms just for a moment...

• One in which, we do not yet, know all the answers...

• Then maybe we could see past some of the cultural blinders about the mans and woman's roles...

• Since these roles serve the dominant culture and since the culture is Babylon, then...

The cultures division of labor

• This culture has divided up the work load, in true capitalistic spirit, and has delegated the man his work and the woman her work.

• If both do their job, everyone is suppose to be happy but some major questions are left unanswered.

• Did God set up this arrangement or was it mans doing?• • My assumption is, that growing up in this society, we

probably see it as a sacred arrangement.

But what about the industrial revolution?

• Before the industrial revolution, the survival of the family was a family affair!

• Men worked, women worked and the children worked.

• It is only after the machines came along that we sent the children home, and then the women to take care of them; while keeping the men at work.

To get gain

• This arraignment served the capitalistic endeavors of the culture in power.

• Men who gave their lives to work and women who took care of workers, while producing more workers to keep the economic system going.

Take a close look at the values we (the culture) hold most dear...

• Competition, hard work, technology, rational thought, strength, money, power, influence, advantage, money, materialism and maleness.

How do they compare with

• Patience, long-suffering, gentleness, meekness, and love unfeigned, virtue, kindness, faith, humility, knowledge, charity, hope, and diligence.

David O. McKay said:

• “ No success in the world can compensate for failure in the home.”

Harold B. Lee said:

• “ The most important of the Lord’s work you will ever do, will be the work you do within the walls of your own home.”

Spencer W. Kimball said:

• “ The teaching of the children by the fathers is basic from the beginning, the Lord ordained it so.”

Ensign Jan. 1975, Page 4

Ezra Taft Bensen said:

• “In the eternal family, God established that fathers are to preside in the home.

• Fathers are to provide, to love to teach and to direct

• The sacred title of “father” is shared with the Almighty.

Priesthood Session April 4, 1981

Gordon B. Hinckley said:

• “By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families.”

What if the current gender roles reflected the capitalistic endeavors of the free enterprise system?

• We need to be careful in interpreting the culture as sacred, when we know that it is in the fulfillment of scripture, that it is Babylon.

• The role of man and woman is being played out beyond the scope of the abundant life that Christ came to give.

The solution

• Maybe the solution to the family’s problems would, paradoxically, be just the opposite of what is currently going on.

• The man needs to return home and assume his godly responsibilities.

• That may be the real solution.

• But will it ever happen?

Using our Heavenly Father as an exemplar:

• What would our culture be like if fathers were involved with the nurture and care of their children?

• What benefits would be realized as men assumed their godly-loving position in the hearts of family members?

In this culture

• The mans first and most important role is that of bread winner.

• All else takes a distant second place including home, children, wife and family.

• The gospel of economics has replaced God, as the source from whom all blessings flow.

The two major roles of women:

• 1. Child bearer and nurturer... (Mother)

• 2. Domestic engineer... (Housekeeper)

Christ’s response to the mortal female’s role of child bearer

• Luke 11:27-28

• A certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, “Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked.”

• But he said, “Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.”

Christ's response to the female’s role of housekeeper

Luke 10:40-42

But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, “Lord dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone: bid her therefore that she help me.”

And Jesus answered and said unto her, “Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: but one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

• If our gender roles were the result of sin and transgression (as assigned by the culture), then those roles would have no eternal meaning or significance.

Do we think that a man’s earthly job, be it: lawyer, garbage collector, car mechanic, accountant, etc., has

eternal significance?

Or is our earthly role just something

• We engage in while we learn the more important lessons of the eternities?

• Like love, service, compassion, meekness, etc.

Maybe our eternal destinies as man and woman, in Gods image and likeness, have more to do with our souls and

becoming one; than with external, temporary, mortal role plays.

One last caution, there are many who attempt to recreate the gospel of Christ into their own image of what they think

is most important.

The gospel of domesticity, wonderful as it is, should never replace the Gospel of Christ where we give in loving belief and faith, our broken hearts and contrite spirits over in a

death process that leads to a rebirth and begotten quickening by the Spirit of a loving Father.

There is no substitute for coming unto the Savior and Physician.

the end