Women and the Gender of God-- The Dialogue Part Seven<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Q. There is a difference in the Bible between naming and activities.\u00a0 Yes indeed there are various activities in which God is said to be like a mother,\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Women and the Gender of God-- The Dialogue Part Seven\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Q. 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{"id":55788,"date":"2023-03-27T01:11:54","date_gmt":"2023-03-27T05:11:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/bibleandculture\/?p=55788"},"modified":"2023-02-13T09:21:09","modified_gmt":"2023-02-13T14:21:09","slug":"women-and-the-gender-of-god-the-dialogue-part-six","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/bibleandculture\/2023\/03\/27\/women-and-the-gender-of-god-the-dialogue-part-six\/","title":{"rendered":"Women and the Gender of God– The Dialogue Part Seven"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

Q. Mary is presented as in some respects a model of discipleship, particularly in Luke 1-2, and perhaps again in John 19. But she is also depicted as one who misunderstands Jesus and with her children tries to take him home when she thinks he is \u2018exstasis\u2019 not in normal condition from spending too much time performing exorcisms (Mark 3.21-35). This serious misunderstanding and attempt to intervene in Jesus\u2019 ministry can only be called misguided, if not sin. \u00a0Mary is not presented in just<\/em> a positive light in the Gospels.\u00a0 And I would not read Lk. 8 about \u2018this is my mother, brothers, and sisters, whoever does God\u2019s will\u2019 as referring directly or specifically to Jesus\u2019 physical family (note that John 7.5 the brothers didn\u2019t yet believe in him).\u00a0 Luke\u2019s way of putting this leaves room for Mary and Jesus\u2019 siblings being included in the family of faith but Mark. 3.31-35 makes a contrast between the disciples as Jesus\u2019 proper family, and his physical family. \u00a0The physical family was not part of the disciple group during Jesus\u2019 ministry. Would you disagree at least in regard to Mary?<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

A. I agree that his brothers were not part of his followers during his ministry, but I don\u2019t think that is a necessary conclusion with regard to Mary. I read Mark 3:21-35 in a more positive light. If she is part of the group mentioned in vv. 20-21, which is not the only way to translate the Greek phrase, then it is not necessarily the case that she is disagreeing with his ministry. You could check out my argument in the chapter on Mary in this book: <\/em>https:\/\/global.oup.com\/academic\/product\/voices-from-the-edge-9780198848844?cc=us&lang=en&<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

I prefer to read this text in light of all the others in the NT about her, namely that she continually affirms, even as she grows in her understanding of, the ministry of her Son.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"