The Bible Says Women Should be PROMINENT in God's Church

The Bible calls daughters "cornerstones" and not "pillars. The difference between the two is functional equality.

 

The Church of Jesus Christ has many cornerstones, and in Psalm 144:12, daughters are identified as cornerstones.[1] The Hebrew word translated cornerstone in Psalm 144:12, zaviyth, is derived from another Hebrew word, ziv, meaning bright or prominent. 

Prominent persons among God’s people are generally considered leaders, and the Hebrew text that underlies the King James Version identifies women as being included among prominent leaders (cornerstones) who contribute to the adding to, nourishing, edifying, and unifying of the living stones which comprise God’s building.[2]  

In critical and eclectic text Bible translations, a different Hebrew text from that which under-girds the Authorized Version is often used that obliterates the meaning of Psalm 144:12 by changing the word cornerstone to “pillar,” a word which aligns nicely with gender-biased-English-translation-help meet-theology and regulates women to strictly support positions within the home and church. But if Jesus’ position of kephale of the corner has to do with the building, nourishing, edifying, and unifying of His Church—which it does—then every cornerstone in the building has the same function. But like the pyramid [which has many cornerstones but only one chief cornerstone (the capstone)], God’s building also has only one primary angle [cornerstone], only one kephale of the corner, and that is Jesus Christ Himself, the Chief Corner Stone.  

This post is an excerpt from Woman this is WAR! Gender, Slavery, and the Evangelical Caste System

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[1] Psalm 144:12, “That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth that our daughters may be as corner stones polished after the similitude of a palace….”

[2] The CBMW teaches that the one of the criteria for disqualifying women from leadership is prominence, yet the Bible says women will be prominent and gives many examples of prominent Biblical women. http://www.cbmw.org/Journal/Vol-1-No-2/But-What-Should-Women-Do-In-The-Church [4/15/2010]

This post is an excerpt from Woman this is WAR! Gender, Slavery, and the Evangelical Caste System

Jesus and Science Confirm Goldilocks Planet Earth is "Home-World" of the Universe

And this Good News of The Kingdom shall be preached in all the home-[world][1] for a witness to all nations and after that the finish shall come 

Matthew 24:14

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[1] Jesus referenced the uniqueness of earth [and its human inhabitants] when he referred to our special planet as the “home-world.” 

   This is significant, because a popular theory among evolutionists is the teaching that there are other planets like earth (other habitable zones in the universe) and that humans are simply highly evolved primates, no more special than the animals.

   But Jesus set our planet apart by referring to it as oikoumene. The first part of the Greek word used in Matthew 24:14, is “oikou” meaning “home.” Yet scholars consistently ignore this part of the word, leaving it untranslated, as if it is insignificant. But as we shall see, it is not. 

   The word translated as "world" in Matthew 24:14 actually means “home-world.” And this appears to befuddle biblical scholars. Nevertheless, James Strong took an educated [though misguided] guess concerning the biblical usage of oikoumene. And in doing so, ignored the "home" part altogether. 

   Translating the word "home" [which is actually present in the Greek text], we see a more accurate translation for oikoumene is “home”-world, and not simply "world." 

   This is significant as humans really are  special [created in the image of God] and so is our [Goldilocks] planet, which was created to support life and most especially human life.

    Many scientists admit to confusion as they theorize [using other models besides creation by a loving Creator] as to why planet earth appears to be fine-tuned for life.

   In Matthew 24:14, Jesus differentiates earth from all other planets by calling it the “home”-world.    

   

In all the vast universe, there is only one home-world, and that is planet earth.

Hypotasso: Aligned/Arrayed WITH: not always UNDER (sometimes OVER!)

Sometimes, I am guilty of reading along on the "wrong side" of an interlinear for my morning Bible reading. I will read the Hebrew or Greek interlinear column instead of the English translation column. 

When I do this, I invariably stumble across something interesting and enlightening that is not usually evident on the English translation side. This happened with 2 Corinthians 2:11 and Ephesians 3:1-2.

 Lest over ^{[hypo G5259]} [1] [us] Satan should gain advantage for we are not ignorant of his devices  --2 Corinthians 2:11

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[1] The primary preposition, hypo (G5259), is both untranslated and mistranslated in this verse (depending on which translation one reads). The reason for this is that the context of verse 11, demands it be translated as “over,” and this contradicts religious tradition that teaches the Greek word hypo must always mean some form of “beneath/under,” as is claimed in  the case of Ephesians 5:21-22, where a better rendering is for wives and husbands be arrayed/aligned with one another as the Ekklesia is aligned with Christ.

When the word hypo doesn't align with tradition, some other, innocuous, word is used in its place to deflect from the obvious. Words such as:  such, as, by, of, with, for, etc., are used to hide the fact that hypo does not always mean under.

Defining this word honestly, demands that centuries-old traditions regarding gender roles be re-considered in light of even one verse obviously using the word, hypo, as meaning “over” instead of under, inferior, or beneath, and 2 Corinthians 2:11, is that one verse.

Moving on to Ephesians 3:1-2

For this cause I Paul the prisoner of Jesus Christ *over you of the nations ^{[*hyper (hypo word) [1] Ephesians 1:22, Hebrews 13:7]} 

If you have heard of the home-distribution[2] of the grace of God which is given to me for you ^{Matthew 15:36 [example of home-distribution]}

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[1] Historical, traditionally male dominated, scholarship finds itself full of contradictions when the hypo words will not “come-to-heel” in biblical usage [by consistently defining themselves (contextually) as “to be arrayed under].” This causes a kerfuffle when it is pointed out that verses like 2 Corinthians 2:11 encourage Christians to be on the alert and not allow Satan to gain an advantage over  [hypo] them. 

Linguistically, the Greek word, hypo (pronounced hupo), is a primary preposition. Prepositions denote  direction, movement: (forward, backward), time, position (with, over, under), etc.. The problem for traditional-role-religionist-scholars, is that the word hypo is used in 2 Corinthians 2:11 concerning Satan’s possible advantage over believers. 

Translators do some hermeneutical bungee-jumping  in order to avoid using the word “over” in this verse (2 Corinthians 2:11)—not because the word is used in reference to Satan gaining advantage over Christians but rather because it contradicts the hard and fast definition that has been historically assigned to the word in order to permanently position women under men, as it is traditionally but incorrectly defined in Ephesians 5:22. Paul’s usage of the word in 2 Corinthians 2:11, produces a gender-role crisis, for the complementarian (male-headship) paradigm, that cannot be overcome or reasoned away. It is time to assign the biblical definition to the primary preposition, hypo.

These examples prove that even respected scholars must be carefully fact-checked, as bias does creep in to lexicons and concordances through preconceived notions of the experts. 2 Corinthians 2:11 is a perfect example this, in that the Greek word “hypo,” in biblical usage, does not necessarily carry a connotation of being “arrayed under.” Most of the time it has the gentler, more Christlike slant of aligning with, preferring one another before ourselves, and doing unto others. Other times, it can mean a destructive advantage has been gained over….

[2] Paul was dispensing/parceling out Grace, not administrating it. Huge difference. The word usually translated as dispensation or administration in this verse, is not a verb (action word) but rather a noun (person, place, or thing). In this case it is a person. **Oikonomia, is a compound word meaning home-distributor. Oiko means “home,” and nomia means to parcel out and the one who “parcels out or distributes, is female.” 

Paul was male, so why was the feminine oikonomia, used instead of the masculine, as would be expected?  Note that in this instance, it is the Gospel of Grace that is being parcelled out. It is significant that the Holy Spirit led the apostle to choose the feminine form of the compound word, oikonomia, when a man, writing of himself, would have naturally chosen to use the masculine form of the word (oikonomos), especially when writing of something so important and that had traditionally (with some exception) belonged to the masculine domain—that of handling and dispensing the Word of God. 

The apostle Paul was dispensing the Grace of God through inspired and authoritative preaching and teaching. And because of the word oikonomia, we know that not only men but women, as well, are chosen to distribute the Grace of God through inspired and authoritative preaching and teaching.

**When researching this verse, I found yet another instance of James Strong allowing his male-headship prejudice to influence his scholarship. Disciples should understand that all scholarship—though it should be objective—has its bent or bias. Strong incorrectly claims the word oikonomia (feminine noun) is derived from the word oikonomos (male noun), which it is not.  Oikonomos is simply the equal and opposite masculine form of oikonomia. Both compound words are derived separately and independently in their own right from the words oikos, which means home, and nomos, which means to parcel out. 

This verse highlights something else, and that is the fact that the Gospel is not supposed to be institutionalized but is rather organic and home-based (oikos means home), with leadership (those who parcel-out/dispense the Grace) based on love, respect, and example—not gender or hierarchy. 

When Paul uses the term “over you,” it is always in the sense of leadership example—not military-like hierarchy. 

In reading along the "wrong side" of my interlinear, I started out studying the "Dispensation of Grace," then was Divinely side-tracked when I stumbled into an entirely new insight on a subject that was not on today's agenda--at least not on my agenda. But I believe the Spirit of the Living God had other plans. 

Reading on the "wrong side" of an interlinear is an amazing way to gain new and fresh perspectives on what the scriptures teach. I encourage everyone to try it.

Woman this is WAR! Gender Slavery and the Evangelical Caste System, refutes complementarianism [also called complementarity], which teaches that all men and women are born into a caste system that follows them from the moment they exit the womb throughout all eternity. Men are alleged to be born into the leadership caste and women into the “follower” caste.

    

Complementarian doctrine suppresses the autonomy of adult Christian women and has been embraced, with few exceptions, by virtually every Christian denomination...despite unmistakable parallels between complementarian dogma [and the adverse effects of the paradigm on men, women, and children] and that of institutionalized slavery in previous centuries [caveat: lots of Black History, in this book, up through the Civil Rights Movement].

   Woman this is War! quotes well-known evangelical pastors who compare Christian marriage to a war of dominance between wives and husbands, a war they claim that husbands must win.

   Gender-biased-English-translation-theology, along with male-centered Bible commentary and translation practices, are used in forbidding women to preach, pastor, or serve as elders and deacons in most churches. This hinders the work of the gospel. In most churches where women are not forbidden to preach, they are told to submit to their husbands at home. Gender-biased-English-translation-theology has interfered with understanding the scriptures, pitted men and women against each other, and eroded the happiness of women and men.

   The book provides rare insights into Christian initiatives in the movements for women’s autonomy that have been excluded from Christian literature. They bring a new perspective, along with freedom and hope for both men and women. The doctrine of female submission to male headship in the church and home, is refuted by the scriptures which support equality between women and men. Woman this is WAR! is a treasure-trove of information on gender equality from biblical and historical perspectives. 

Buy the book HERE

Woman this is WAR! Gender Slavery and the Evangelical Caste System