What did Paul mean when he said “husband of one wife”? What was Priscilla’s role in Ephesus and Rome? What is Paul’s overall theology of ministry and women?
Here is more from a talk I gave on February 11. In part 2, I look at 1 Timothy 2:12 within its immediate context and within the context of First Timothy.
This is part 1 of a talk I gave recently which looks at Paul’s overall theology on ministry and the verses often used to limit women.
Did the author of John’s Gospel break grammar rules and use masculine pronouns in John 14–16 to masculinise and personalise the Holy Spirit?
I look at how the word ezer is used in the Hebrew Bible, including how it is used in people’s names in the Bible. And I show that being an ezer is not an especially feminine role or obligation.
In part 2, I look at the two texts Troy Martin uses to support his “testicle” idea, at ancient Jewish texts that mention the Watchers, and at what Paul meant by “nature teaches” (1 Cor. 11:14).
With some trepidation, I critique Troy Martin’s idea that peribolaion means testicle in 1 Cor. 11:15 and his idea that Paul thought hair is a conduit of semen.
I look at how Paul uses the phrase “in everything” in his letters and at what it means in, “wives submit to your husbands in everything.”
Here are five of my all-time favourite blog posts (not written by me), plus a fantastic series. They all critique, in some way, attitudes held by many Christians about the supposed roles of women and men.
In this short blog post (less than 400 words), I address persistent and common misconceptions about Christian egalitarianism or mutualism.
What did the Samaritan woman mean when she told the folk of Sychar, “Come, see a man who told me ‘everything I ever did'”?
Here’s a 500-word biblical defence for Christian egalitarianism/ mutualism. Plus a link to a podcast I did with James Pruch on “Mutuality in the Garden.”
Was Martha initially missing in Papyrus 66, the oldest text of John’s Gospel? Is Mary of Bethany in John 11-12 really Mary Magdalene?
In this article, I provide an overview of how Paul uses the word kephalē (“head”) in his letters, and I give a brief note on each verse that contains the word.
Here are some first-century Greek texts that use the word kephalē (“head”). They show how the word was used in Paul’s day.
In this post, I discuss Paul’s instructions to husbands in Colossians 3:19. I look at this verse within the broader context of Colossians and I explore what “bitter” means.
Paul’s words to wives in Colossians 3:18 contains a phrase that doesn’t occur elsewhere in the New Testament. What does it mean to submit “as is fitting in the Lord”?
Some are disturbed by the female figure in Revelation 17. What does she suggest about John’s attitude to women, or about women in general? Who or what is Babylon the Great?
In this somewhat technical post, I quote the 5 verses in John’s Gospel that mention “the disciple whom Jesus loved.” Is the beloved disciple a woman?
Here’s a call and response prayer that thanks God for Bible women who served God and his people with bravery and grace.
Each of the four Gospels contains an account where a woman anoints Jesus with perfume. In this article, I compare these stories. How many times was Jesus anointed?
In this blog post, I give a brief overview of the Greek and Hebrew words used in the Bible for divorce.
The Greek word adelphoi is used over 100 times in Paul’s letters. Is “brothers and sisters” or “siblings” an acceptable translation?
In Luke 13:10-17, Jesus sets free a woman who had been disabled for 18 years. Click to see Barbara Schwarz’s painting and to read the story that inspired her artwork.
Here are a few excerpts from a chapter written by Judith Gundry that are helpful in understanding Paul’s arguments and use of creation in 1 Cor. 11:2-16.
Drawing on ancient texts, I give 3 reasons why there should be a consensus on the general sense of “authentein” as bad bossy behaviour.
Rachel Speght responded to a misogynist in the early 1600s by writing a witty piece that encourages respect for women. It still entertains.
Who was Damaris? What was her social status? What does her name mean? What was her role in the church? Evidence from ancient inscriptions help to answer some of these questions.
Paul said in 1 Cor. 11:10 that a woman should have “authority on her head.” Whose authority is it?
Gen 3:16, about Eve, and Gen 4:7, about Cain, both contain the Hebrew words teshuqah (“desire”) and mashal (“rule”). Does 4:7 help us to understand 3:16?
Who are the 144,000 in Revelation 7 and 14? What do they symbolise? Are women really excluded from this group?
What if Malachi 2:16 isn’t a general statement on divorce but about a priest named Manasseh who divorced his first wife in around 350 BCE? It’s likely.
Here’s a complete list of women identified as prophetesses in the Bible, with a note on each. There was a recognised place for such women in Israel.
in 1 Cor. 11:14-15, Paul says that nature is a teacher of hair lengths or hairstyles for men and women. What did he mean by “nature”?
The story of David’s ten concubines, especially when linked with God’s words in 2 Samuel 12:11, is a deeply troubling story. Warning: sexual violence.
In this article, I give a brief overview of how I read 1 Corinthians 11:2-16. This passage includes the phrase, “the head of woman is man.”
Salome was a follower of Jesus, a witness of his crucifixion and empty tomb. She is mentioned twice in the Bible but many more times in other early church documents.
Some Christians claim that submission is always to a person in authority. In this article, I quote early church bishops who spoke positively about mutual submission.
Throughout her book, Dr Barr aims to show that complementarianism isn’t the only option for those who believe the Bible is the authoritative Word of God.
The Reformation is “a story of loss rather than a story of gain, of increased subordination rather than of liberation.”
In her book The Making of Biblical Womanhood, Beth Allison Barr argues that the concept of “biblical womanhood” doesn’t come from the apostle Paul.
Mary Magdalene was the herald of Jesus’s resurrection and also of his impending ascension. Why did Jesus tell her in John 20:17, “Do not cling to me”?
In this article I answer the question, Where in the New Testament does it say women were pastors? There is a biblical case for female pastors.
I’ve seen people express dismay that Paul disparages women in 2 Timothy 3:6-7. Here’s a short note looking at Paul’s words here and at his main concern.
Part 3 looks at what Jael’s story and the accounts of Jesus’ crucifixion have in common, and at why some early and medieval theologians used Jael as a type of Mary the mother of Jesus.
In part 2 I look at the sexual and maternal imagery in Jael’s story, and the deadly determination in her actions. What was motivating her? *This article mentions rape.
Jael is a popular Bible figure, famous for her brutal act of violence against Israel’s enemy. In part 1 (of 3), I look at her story as recorded in Judges 4.
Is Ephesians 5:21-22 one sentence or two? What is the best way to punctuate these verses? How do ancient manuscripts treat them?
Is it significant that there is no “submit” word in Ephesians 5:22 in two of the oldest Greek manuscripts? Did Paul tell wives to submit?
In this article, I look at the Greek participles in Ephesians 5:18-21, especially the “submit” participle in verse 21.
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© 2022 Marg Mowczko