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The Hurtful Tongue

All of us were born with purpose and have some special moment that defines our existence. All of us hope to be acknowledged for our contributions to society, but this is not necessarily the case--many reputations have been destroyed by "innocent" gossip proving what a dangerous force the tongue can be. Just as heartrending as the maligned are the unnoticed or ignored. The contributions of Biblical women have not been fully considered in recent times but this does not exclude them from having been a major force in both the Old and New Testament.

Look at Rahab in the Old Testament. She gave shelter to the enemy thereby saving her own family when the Israelites invaded and placing herself, a Gentile, in the direct line of Jesus' ancestry.

And then there is Mary Magdalene whose name has been muddied by current literature. Consider the discoveries of Karen L. King, Professor of New Testament Studies and the History of Ancient Christianity at Harvard University in the Divinity School.

"In the last twenty years, the history of women in ancient Christianity has been almost completely revised. As women historians entered the field in record numbers, they brought with them new questions, developed new methods, and sought for evidence of women's presence in neglected texts and exciting new findings. For example, only a few names of women were widely known: Mary, the mother of Jesus; Mary Magdalene, his disciple and the first witness to the resurrection; Mary and Martha, the sisters who offered him hospitality in Bethany. Now we are learning more of the many women who contributed to the formation of Christianity in its earliest years.

Perhaps most surprising, however, is that the stories of women we thought we knew well are changing in dramatic ways. Chief among these is Mary Magdalene, a woman infamous in Western Christianity as an adulteress and repentant whore. Discoveries of new texts from the dry sands of Egypt, along with sharpened critical insight, have now proven that this portrait of Mary is entirely inaccurate. She was indeed an influential figure, but as a prominent disciple and leader of one wing of the early Christian movement that promoted women's leadership." -- Karen L. King, PBS.

Jane Mullikin
Spirit - Finding Hope in a World of Uncertainty