After him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel. He had thirty sons. He gave his thirty daughters in marriage outside his clan and brought in thirty young women from outside for his sons. He judged Israel seven years. Then Ibzan died, and was buried at Bethlehem. Judge 12: 8-10 NRSV
After Jephthah, there is a series of three different judges that we are only told a few details about.
The detail for Ibzan is on his children. At first, it sounded like he was marrying them to non-Israelites which could have been possible. But at the same time, if he even just married all his sons and daughters outside his clan, that raises several questions:
What happened to the inheritance if outside clans are brought in through marriage?
What was wrong with his own clan?
Why marry all of them outside his clan?
Why the detail about both his sons AND his daughters?
Is the fact that he was from Bethlehem (later the birth place of King David as well as Jesus) also significant?
And the most intriguing question: Why was the detail about his children and birthplace the most significant thing about Ibzan?
I think the answer to that question is that he really didn't do anything historically or spiritually significant during his time as a judge. This sounds like a funeral sermon in which the deceased really is not remembered for their Christian action or witness, so only a few details about their family life are lifted up. All I know is that I don't want to be one of those!
God, direct our steps so that what we do in your name is the most memorable detail about our lives. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Question of the day: What will people remember about you?
Copyright Amelia G. Sims
Showing posts with label marriage. Show all posts
Showing posts with label marriage. Show all posts
Monday, September 14, 2009
Friday, August 7, 2009
Marital Advice Part II
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, in order to make her holy by cleansing her with the washing of water by the word, so as to present the church to himself in splendor, that she may be holy and without blemish. In the same way, husbands should love their wives as they do their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one every hates his own body, but he nourishes and tenderly cares for it, just as Christ does for the church, because we are members of this body. "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. " This is a great mystery, and I am applying it to Christ and the church. Each of you, however, should love his wife as himself, and a wife should respect her husband. Ephesians 5:25-33 NRSV
As I said yesterday, the understanding of these verses must include Christ's love for the church, which becomes a husbands' love for his wife. We talk about being Christ's body when we speak of being the church. Therefore the husband should treat his wife as he does his own body, caring for her with consistent tenderness. Christ loves the church as a husband loves his wife.
What I find really interesting is that Paul never mentions the love a wife should have for the husband. Paul says the wife should be subject to her husband and respect the husband but only the husband is instructed to love his wife. And he spends a lot more time instructing husbands than he does wives!!!
As a wife, I understand that sometimes respecting your spouse is harder than loving your spouse. Any married people out their agree with me on this? My understanding is that contempt for one's spouse can be the decisive emotion on the road to divorce. Paul seems to have a good grasp of that making me wonder about his parent's own marriage....
Paul asks husbands to love their wives as they do their own bodies. Paul asks wives to subject themselves to and respect their husbands. But Paul does this within the understanding of what it means to be the Church, the Body of Christ. Self-sacrifice is involved for both marriage partners. This is not an imarriage or a me-marriage. This is about being one.
God, you ask a lot of us in our marriages and in the church. We really are struggling with these things, Lord. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Question for today (and for yesterday, which I forgot): After thinking of what Paul is trying to say about marriage, do you agree? Does your own marriage or your parents' marriage fit the model of Christ and his Church?
Copyright 2009 Amelia G. Sims
As I said yesterday, the understanding of these verses must include Christ's love for the church, which becomes a husbands' love for his wife. We talk about being Christ's body when we speak of being the church. Therefore the husband should treat his wife as he does his own body, caring for her with consistent tenderness. Christ loves the church as a husband loves his wife.
What I find really interesting is that Paul never mentions the love a wife should have for the husband. Paul says the wife should be subject to her husband and respect the husband but only the husband is instructed to love his wife. And he spends a lot more time instructing husbands than he does wives!!!
As a wife, I understand that sometimes respecting your spouse is harder than loving your spouse. Any married people out their agree with me on this? My understanding is that contempt for one's spouse can be the decisive emotion on the road to divorce. Paul seems to have a good grasp of that making me wonder about his parent's own marriage....
Paul asks husbands to love their wives as they do their own bodies. Paul asks wives to subject themselves to and respect their husbands. But Paul does this within the understanding of what it means to be the Church, the Body of Christ. Self-sacrifice is involved for both marriage partners. This is not an imarriage or a me-marriage. This is about being one.
God, you ask a lot of us in our marriages and in the church. We really are struggling with these things, Lord. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Question for today (and for yesterday, which I forgot): After thinking of what Paul is trying to say about marriage, do you agree? Does your own marriage or your parents' marriage fit the model of Christ and his Church?
Copyright 2009 Amelia G. Sims
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Marital Advice Part I
Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, be subject to your husbands as you are to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife just as Christ is the head of the church, the body of which he is the Savior. Just as the church is subject to Christ, so also wives ought to be, in everything, to their husbands. Ephesians 5:21-24 NRSV
As far as we know, Paul was never married. He did understand what it was to be a member of the church. So, he takes church metaphors and applies it to marriage. He begins with a general direction: everyone should be subject to everyone else. That is, we are to be servants to one another.
He goes on to give specific advice to wives. Now, this scripture has been used for a great deal of abuse for many years and will probably continue to be used as excuse for abuse. We must tread carefully here while hearing what Paul was trying to get across.
Paul asks wives to be servants to their husbands as they are to be to Jesus. In fact, they are asked to be subject to their husbands in every regard (in other words not just at church). Usually folks stop there when they hear this verse. It makes it sound like Paul tells women to be slaves to their husbands. True, Paul is telling them to completely surrender themselves to their husbands just as we are to surrender ourselves to Christ. The deeper understanding is that Paul says the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the SAVIOR of the church.
As the savior of the church, Christ has died for the sake of the church! Christ's purpose was for the church to begin and thrive. Christ wants the best for the church. Christ is not a heavy-handed task-master although he does sometimes ask much of us. Christ loves us. Christ upholds us. Christ hears our prayers and intercedes for us.
That is not abuse but love.
God, help us not to take scripture and twist so that it seems to uphold injustice, cruelty and abuse. Let us have clearer understanding so that we may truly be the church you call us to be.
In Christ's name. Amen.
Copyright 2009 Amelia G. Sims
As far as we know, Paul was never married. He did understand what it was to be a member of the church. So, he takes church metaphors and applies it to marriage. He begins with a general direction: everyone should be subject to everyone else. That is, we are to be servants to one another.
He goes on to give specific advice to wives. Now, this scripture has been used for a great deal of abuse for many years and will probably continue to be used as excuse for abuse. We must tread carefully here while hearing what Paul was trying to get across.
Paul asks wives to be servants to their husbands as they are to be to Jesus. In fact, they are asked to be subject to their husbands in every regard (in other words not just at church). Usually folks stop there when they hear this verse. It makes it sound like Paul tells women to be slaves to their husbands. True, Paul is telling them to completely surrender themselves to their husbands just as we are to surrender ourselves to Christ. The deeper understanding is that Paul says the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the SAVIOR of the church.
As the savior of the church, Christ has died for the sake of the church! Christ's purpose was for the church to begin and thrive. Christ wants the best for the church. Christ is not a heavy-handed task-master although he does sometimes ask much of us. Christ loves us. Christ upholds us. Christ hears our prayers and intercedes for us.
That is not abuse but love.
God, help us not to take scripture and twist so that it seems to uphold injustice, cruelty and abuse. Let us have clearer understanding so that we may truly be the church you call us to be.
In Christ's name. Amen.
Copyright 2009 Amelia G. Sims
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