SPCK - Newsom, Ringe and Lapsley
The Womens' Bible Commentary - Saul Unmanned
The Womens' Bible Commentary - Saul Unmanned
by SPCK - Newsom, Ringe and Lapsley
Saul Unmanned In Excursus 2, and immediately above, I address preliminary issues of masculinity and “unmanning.” An understanding of ancient masculinity is critical in a “women’s Bible commentary,” because genderedness, particular female genderedness in the ancient world, is ofte…
The Womens' Bible Commentary - Women at the Cross and Empty Tomb
The Womens' Bible Commentary - Women at the Cross and Empty Tomb
by SPCK - Newsom, Ringe and Lapsley
Women at the Cross and Empty Tomb In the final three chapters of this Gospel, women all but disappear. This is so because the reader enters the world of male politics, violence, and bonding, but also because Luke is describing last preparations and authorization of male figures f…
The Womens' Bible Commentary - Mary Magdalene and the Risen Jesus
The Womens' Bible Commentary - Mary Magdalene and the Risen Jesus
by SPCK - Newsom, Ringe and Lapsley
Mary Magdalene and the Risen Jesus All four Gospels agree on one vital detail about Easter morning: in the early morning hours, when it was still dark, women went to Jesus’ tomb. The specifics of that early morning visit vary from Gospel to Gospel (how many women were at the tomb…
The Womens' Bible Commentary - The Anointing of Jesus
The Womens' Bible Commentary - The Anointing of Jesus
by SPCK - Newsom, Ringe and Lapsley
The Anointing of Jesus The family of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus returns to prominence in the story of the anointing in 12:1–8. In the interval between the raising of Lazarus and this story, the chief priests and the Pharisees have determined that Jesus must be killed (11:53)…
The Womens' Bible Commentary - The Becoming of Woman in Genesis
The Womens' Bible Commentary - The Becoming of Woman in Genesis
by SPCK - Newsom, Ringe and Lapsley
The Becoming of Woman in Genesis Written in an earthier style than Genesis 1, the tale of Genesis 2–3, with its less-than- complete outline of God’s creations (2:4b–25), its homespun reflections on marriage (2:23– 24), and its God who walks in the garden (3:8) and fears humans’ p…
The Womens' Bible Commentary - Wives at Wells and Water
The Womens' Bible Commentary - Wives at Wells and Water
by SPCK - Newsom, Ringe and Lapsley
Wives at Wells and Water The associations in literature between fertility and water are ancient intuitive acknowledgments of our watery origins on earth and in our mothers’ wombs, and of the source of life upon which we continue to depend. Four scenes involving water, women, and …
The Womens' Bible Commentary - The Matriarchs
The Womens' Bible Commentary - The Matriarchs
by SPCK - Newsom, Ringe and Lapsley
The Matriarchs Like the tales of Genesis 1–11, with their recurring patterns of world ordering, the tales of the matriarchs have recurring narrative patterns typical of traditional literature. In Genesis 12–36 and 38, certain motifs mark the life history of the women at the turni…
The Womens' Bible Commentary - The Mothers and Fathers of Israel
The Womens' Bible Commentary - The Mothers and Fathers of Israel
by SPCK - Newsom, Ringe and Lapsley
The Mothers and Fathers of Israel Commentaries on Genesis 12–50 generally focus on Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph, ancestral heroes of Israel. Their life stories are built from traditional elements such as the hero’s unusual birth, his stormy relationship with his brothers, yo…
The Womens' Bible Commentary - God’s People Celebrate and Dedicate the House of God
The Womens' Bible Commentary - God’s People Celebrate and Dedicate the House of God
by SPCK - Newsom, Ringe and Lapsley
God’s People Celebrate and Dedicate the House of God Ezra–Nehemiah reaches its climax with the public reading of the book of the Torah, after the walls of Jerusalem are restored. As the celebration begins, all the people gather in the plaza before the Water Gate. Ezra reads from …
The Womens' Bible Commentary - Status and Spiritual Gifts
The Womens' Bible Commentary - Status and Spiritual Gifts
by SPCK - Newsom, Ringe and Lapsley
Status and Spiritual gifts As in the previous section, the issue here is status divisions, but divisions based on possession of spiritual gifts, not (at least, not directly) on wealth. Paul’s response is to promote those gifts (e.g., prophecy) and actions (e.g., love) that enhanc…
The Womens' Bible Commentary - Third Isaiah
The Womens' Bible Commentary - Third Isaiah
by SPCK - Newsom, Ringe and Lapsley
Third Isaiah The last eleven chapters, set in Jerusalem after the return from exile, further Zion’s story while developing a variety of themes from previous chapters. Not only does personified Zion continue, but other themes of interest, such as inclusion and justice, both human …
The Womens' Bible Commentary - Jerusalem’s Fall and Future
The Womens' Bible Commentary - Jerusalem’s Fall and Future
by SPCK - Newsom, Ringe and Lapsley
Jerusalem’s Fall and Future The second round of judgment/promise begins with a specific and detailed oracle against Jerusalem. The imagery here is graphic; it describes the rulers’ oppressive behaviour as tearing off the skin and flesh, consuming the people (3:1–3)…
The Womens' Bible Commentary - The Messenger, Justice, and the Father’s Special Possession
The Womens' Bible Commentary - The Messenger, Justice, and the Father’s Special Possession
by SPCK - Newsom, Ringe and Lapsley
The Messenger, Justice, and the Father’s Special Possession The three dialogues of 2:17–4:3 begin with an accusation: “You have wearied YHWH with your words.” The image of a weary Deity captures the emotional escalation that occurs in these passages…
The Womens' Bible Commentary - Hope