“I would like references to the verses (in context) where Jesus tells women to go out and teach and spread the gospel.”
That was the question asked a few days ago.
What he or she was really saying is “….show me where where Jesus tells women to go out and teach MEN.’ This person didn’t care whether or not a woman can teach another woman. All this person was concerned about was whether or not we can find the red letters “Women, go out and teach men and spread the gospel.”
Apparently this person believes that men have the divine right to be God’s spokesmen.
Kings thought they ruled by divine right. They ruled with iron fists, were murderous, evil, and some were even good. Their common denominator was that they were all male.
Enter Christiandom. Enter the Catholic church. Little kings of their kingdom and all male, ruling by divine right, claiming to have the keys to the Kingdom. Enter the Reformation. Same thing. More little kings, all ruling by what they claimed was divine right. This time they claimed a specific calling from God to them individually – but God was only calling males to be the little kings of the new churches.
Today we have the same thing. This time it has been extended to every male. Only males can teach other males. Only males can be the spiritual leaders of both men and women. Then we are told that every male is a king in his household, with his wife under his authority, because he is told he has divine right to be her leader.
If you believe that both men and women can go out and teach and spread the gospel, and that women can be spiritual leaders in the church and home, join us at the CBE Houston Conference on April 27-28, 2012 at Heights Church of Christ. Then we’ll find out for sure just who can be the spokesman for God.
bWe Baptist Women for Equality's Blog 
Matthew: 28:5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. 6 He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying. 7 Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you.”
Mark 16: 9 Now after He had risen early on the first day of the week, He first appeared to Mary Magdalene, from whom He had cast out seven demons. 10 She went and reported to those who had been with Him, while they were mourning and weeping. 11 When they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they refused to believe it.
14 Afterward He appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at the table; and He reproached them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who had seen Him after He had risen.
Luke 24:10 Now they were Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James; also the other women with them were telling these things to the apostles. 11 But these words appeared to them as nonsense, and they would not believe them.
The very first people that Jesus commissioned the gospel to were women, not men.
The men refused to believe the women and Jesus reproached the men for their unbelief and hardness of heart (Mark 16:14 above).
Now, because of unbelief and hardness of heart, sinful men are trying to uncommission women and take away from women what Jesus Christ HIMSELF gave to women. These men take the words of Paul, misinterpret and twist them, in order to give themselves entitlement and a divine right over women that God did not author.
May those sinful men escape the judgement they heap upon themselves when they follow the leading of the Pharisees (who wanted the best seat for themselves) and refuse the Voice of the Good Shepherd who said, that we should not call ourselves leaders like the gentiles do.
[Sorry, I’m getting cranky listening to the worthless questions from deceived men who have forgotten Jesus and who have Parasitical chips on their shoulders.]
LikeLike
Those are all great scriptures of how Jesus commissioned women. But they won’t listen to that. They have hardened their hearts “…do you not yet see or understand? Do you have a hardened heart? Having eyes, do you not see? and having ears, do you not hear? And do you not remember?” Mark 8:17
LikeLike
These are great examples of Jesus talking specifically to women: thank you.
Let’s not forget what these sexist Christians are forgetting: Scripture was written to all people. To slice it into “pink” verses and “blue” verses does great damage to the meaning of the book. So…women are given the Great Commission, etc., as well.
LikeLike
This may seem a bit irrelevant, but I found an interesting parallel today and it reminded me of the attitudes between some men in complementarian churches.
http://wave.wavemetrix.com/content/lynx-attract-women-first-female-product-risk-alienating-existing-male-fan-base-00883
Apparently the deodorant brand Lynx (Axe in the USA) have released a body spray for women as part of a Him and Her set. It was meant to be a way to expand the brand and increase the customer base. There was a fair amount of positive buzz from women regarding the new product. However, it turns out there has been a backlash amongst most of the men who’d given feedback. The reason? They thought that Lynx should be ‘only’ for men. A few have even said that they would stop buying Lynx products.
Remind you of anything?
LikeLike
Wow.
Shirley is right about wanting manly men.
And these aren’t them:
“They thought that Lynx should be ‘only’ for men. A few have even said that they would stop buying Lynx products.”
What a pack of toddlers.
I have only one thing to say to them and men who what to prevent the commissioning of women that Jesus started:
GROW UP!
LikeLike
[Sorry, I really must be in a John Wayne toilet paper mood… Rough, tough, and won’t take crap off of anybody. Maybe I had just better stop commenting until I can be more gracious.]
LikeLike
Ahh, that wouldn’t be half as much fun if you stop commenting!
LikeLike
Its very obvious the disciples were responding in a typical fashion…women were not to be taken at face value, were to be instructed and not the other way around. I can grasp and understand from a cultural perspective the response from the men. This was the beginning of a cultural shift to have Jesus appoint women as the first messengers, apostles, evangelists…one many cultures still resist today sadly. This cultural shift included embracing women in the realm of “religion” in a manner that had not taken place before. It seems logical there would be some hesitancy and resistance to consider women, new on the spiritual scene as equals. The great debate over women’s roles also causes me to meditate on the spiritual gifts to the church. Romans reference to the gifts doesn’t discuss gender disqualification. Quite the opposite, the gifts are given “differing” according to grace. This indicates to me God bestows gifts specific to the individual to accomplish His purpose and gender is irrelevant.
LikeLike
Absolutely right. Suddenly they are told they can eat anything they want to that they previously thought was unclean. And now they have women learning about God with them. Big changes and it must have been hard for them. I think they have now had 21 centuries to get used to the idea of women in worship. Help me as we put this baby to bed and get on with preaching and teaching as we are called.
LikeLike
Amen!
LikeLike
Dr. Leon Podles, a Catholic scholar of religion: The Church Impotent: The Feminization of Christianity. Which came along with the feminization of the Western world.
LikeLike