Nov 05 | Resistance Lectionary Part 19: Her Fair Share

Today’s citation: Numbers 27:1-8

Despite what so many folks believe (or are led to believe), Christianity has always had a complicated relationship with women, and this is specifically due to the odd relationship the Bible has with women. While self-proclaimed guardians of culture love to argue that “the Bible is very clear,” this is rarely the case, and never more so than with this “issue” (as if concerns relevant to half the human population are “issues”).

The Hebrew Bible itself has plenty of examples of wise, crafty women who are rewarded for their craftiness, some of whom we’ve learned about in this lectionary. It also, in some places, has some pretty problematic portrayals and stories about women, many of which, it should be noted, do not feature God at all, for what it’s worth. Surprisingly enough, however, the Gospels in our canon have a far less complicated view of women, either seeming unconcerned with them or featuring them as beloved, healed and saved, or even first Apostles in their own right, like the women at the tomb. It is only when we get into the epistles that behaviour codes are imposed upon women, and that’s a whole other entry.

Source: Wikipedia

Here, we are given a gloriously unequivocal moment of support from God. After a census of those survivors from Egypt, Moses is able to decide on inheritance procedures for the next generation. As he is beginning this work, the brave daughters of Zelophehad come before the entire assembly, surely no easy feat, and demand their rights. Moses, rather than laughing them off, takes them seriously – so seriously, in fact, that he takes the case before God rather than a court or group of elders. God easily affirms their petition, and instructs Moses to enshrine this into law.

This will be the new law of the land for the People of God, freed from slavery and living into their new identity.

Our prayer is that all of us should take the petitions of the oppressed as seriously as Moses, and should respond as quickly and wholeheartedly as God.

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