Thursday, June 23, 2011

I Heard It Said Once

I met a fellow on line on an egalitarian board who was there to set all those wayward egals straight concerning what the Bible truly said.

He tried to be patient. He also had a heart for the abused, both male and female. And because of that sincere heart, I really couldn't completely dismiss him.

However, his solution for what ailed the world and Christian marriages was following the 'biblical' example of Patriarchy.

He was so sold on the idea that patriarchy was the biblical solution, the divine healing structure that he couldn't see that it was patriarchy that was causing so much of the trouble to begin with.He said something that I found to be absolutely stunning. It was something that he believed from the bottom of his heart.

He told me, "If you reject Patriarchy, you reject your heavenly Father."

Has anyone else ever heard this one? Does this man's claim hold up when compared to the words of Jesus?

Let's take a look.
Matthew 23:8 But do not be called Rabbi; for One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers. 9 Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. 10 Do not be called leaders; for One is your Leader, that is, Christ.

I don't know about you folks. But it seems pretty clear from the above passage that Jesus was not concerned about maintaining Patriarchy or any hierarchy structure for that matter. So it appears that Jesus Himself is rejecting Patriarchy. And if Jesus rejects Patriarchy, then I believe it is safe to say that rejecting Patriarchy is not equivalent to rejecting our Heavenly Father.

4 comments:

Incongruous Circumspection said...

Spot on.

Hannah said...

Yikes - that's intense!

If you don't believe like I do? You don't believe in God?

I will never understand that type of thinking.

www.wanetadawn.com said...

"I don't know about you folks. But it seems pretty clear from the above passage that Jesus was not concerned about maintaining Patriarchy or any hierarchy structure for that matter. So it appears that Jesus Himself is rejecting Patriarchy. And if Jesus rejects Patriarchy, then I believe it is safe to say that rejecting Patriarchy is not equivalent to rejecting our Heavenly Father."

Wow Mara! What a powerful piece! You are right; the fellow is scripturally wrong. Jesus is telling US to reject patriarchy, too. And if we don't, we aren't elevating God and Christ to their rightful place as Master (KJV) or leader. We have ONE Master/Leader only, the triune God.

Mara Reid said...

I've been looking around the internet for information on James I the English king who commisioned the KJV. I heard it said that he was the one the came up with the phrase that every man/husband was the king of his castle. And he did this as a form of rule, as a sort of trickle down way to govern, rule, and keep the peace.

I cannot find that information. I do find his essay on "The divine right of kings" but not the other.

Anyway, this is a stronghold, this Patriarchy and this view that the home is the building block of a nation and of the church and that there is a place for everyone and everyone needs to be in their place in order for governments and churches to run.

I'm sure this concept goes way back further than James I. But I thought I could find a quote from him.

Jesus turned it all on its head and Paul confirmed it (even though comp/patris refuse to understand) that the home is a place of love and nurture, not a place of top down rule.

I have to stop now. I feel another post brewing.