Religion 221a
F
2009
Genesis 1:26-27.
26
Then God said, ÒLet us make humankind (H: ha-Õadham; G: ton anthropon
[anthropos]) in our image (Greek: eikon) according to our likeness; and
let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air,
and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every
creeping
thing that creeps upon the earth.Ó 27 So God created humankind in
[GodÕs] image, in the image (eikon) of God [God] created them;
male and female [God] created them.
Genesis 2:7; 18;
21-23. Then the Lord God formed
a human being (H: ha-Õadham; G: ton anthropon) from the dust of
the ground, and breathed into [his] nostrils the breath of life; and the human
being became a living being. . . 18 Then the Lord God said, ÒIt is
not good that the human being should be alone; I will make him a helper. . . 21 So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to
fall upon the human/Adam, and he slept; then he took one of his ribs and closed
up its place with flesh. 22 And the rib that the Lord God had taken
from the human/Adam he made into a woman and brought her to the human. 23 Then the man said, ÒThis at last
is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; this one shall be called woman (ishsha; Greek: gyne),
for out of man (ish; Greek: ek tou andros [aner]) this one was taken.Ó [This is the first verse in which the
gender specific nouns: ish (man) and ishsha (woman) are used.
Genesis 3:16-21: 16 To the woman
[God] said, ÒI will greatly increase your pangs in childbearing; in pain you
shall bring forth children, yet your desire shall be for your
husband and he shall rule over you.Ó 17 To the human/Adam [God] said, ÒBecause you have
listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten of the tree about which I
commanded you, ÔYou shall not eat of it,Õ cursed is the ground because of you;
in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life; 18 thorns and
thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the
field. 19 By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread until you
return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; you are dust, and to dust
you shall return.Ó 20 The human/Adam named his wife Eve because she was the
mother of all living.
21 And the Lord God made garments of skins for the human and his
wife and clothed them.
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I. EARLY CHRISTIAN REPRESENTATIONS OF ADAM
AND EVE AND MALE AND FEMALE
1 Corinthians 11:3; 7-12. 3 But I
want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man (aner), and the man is the head of a woman (gyne), and God is the head
of Christ. . . . 7 For a man [a husband; aner] ought not to have his
head veiled, since he is the image (eikon) and reflection (doxa; altern: glory) of God;
but a woman
[a wifel gyne]
is the reflection [glory] of [a] man [a husband; aner]. 8 Indeed, man (aner) was not made from woman (gyne), but woman from man. 9 Neither
was man
created for the sake of woman. 10 For this reason a woman ought to have a symbol
of authority on her head, because
of the angels. 11 Nevertheless, in the Lord [there is] neither woman without man, nor man without woman. 12 For just
as woman
came from man,
so man
comes through woman; but all things come from God.
2 Corinthians 11:2-3. I feel a divine jealousy for you, for I
promised you in marriage to one husband, to present you as a chaste virgin to
Christ. But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by its cunning, your
thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.
1 Timothy 2:11-15. Let a woman (gyne) learn in silence with
full submission. I permit no woman (gyne) to teach or to have authority over a
man (aner);
she is to keep silent. For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not
deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a
transgressor. Yet she will be saved through childbearing, provided they
continue in faith and love and holiness, with modesty.
Irenaeus of Lyons, Against Heresies
III.22.4 (ca. 180 CE) ON EVE AND MARY. It follows that Mary the Virgin is found to be
obedient. She says, "Behold your handmaid, Lord; let it be done with me
according to your word" (Luke 1:38). Eve was disobedient, to be
sure, since she did not obey when she was still a virgin . . . Eve, having become
disobedient, was made the cause of death both for herself and for all the human
race. Thus also Mary had a husband selected for her and nonetheless was a
virgin, yet by her obedience she was made the cause of salvation both for
herself and for all the human race. . . The knot of Eve's disobedience was
loosened through the obedience of Mary. For what the virgin Eve bound through unbelief,
the Virgin Mary looses through faith.
The Hypostasis of the Archons: The
Spiritual Eve and the Fleshly Eve (ca. 180-220 CE) The rulers took counsel
with one another and said, ÒCome, let us bring sleep upon Adam.Ó And he slept.
--But the sleep that they Òbrought upon him and he sleptÓ is ignorance. They
opened his side like a living woman. And they built up his side with some flesh
in her place, and Adam came to be entirely of soul. And the Spiritual Woman
came to him and spoke with him, saying, ÒArise, Adam.Ó And when he saw her, he
said, ÒIt is you who have given me life; you will be called ÔMother of the
Living.Õ
--For it is she who is my Mother. It is She who is the Physician and the Woman
and She who has given birth.Ó . . .And the fleshly woman took from the tree and
ate; and she gave to her husband and herself; and the ones of soul ate. And
their deficiency showed forth in their ignorance; and they recognized that they
were naked of the Spiritual, and they took fig leaves and bound them upon their
loins.
Tertullian, On the Dress of
Women (ca. 205 CE). If such strong faith remained on earth,
not one of you, dearest sisters, from the time she acknowledged the condition
of women, would have desired a more charming dress, not to speak of a more
exquisite one. She would rather go about in cheap clothes and strive for an
appearance characterized by neglect. She would carry herself around like Eve, mourning and penitent,
that she might more fully expiate by each garment of penitence that which she
acquired from Eve
- I mean the degradation of the first sin and the hatefulness of human
perdition. ÒIn pains and anxieties you bring forth children, woman, and your
inclination is for your husband, and he rules over youÓ (Gen 3:16). You give
birth, woman, in suffering and anguish. You are under your husbandÕs spell, and
he is your master. And do you not know that you are also an Eve? She still lives in this world, as GodÕs
judgment on your sex. Live then, as you must, as an accused. You are the
DevilÕs gateway;
you are the unsealer of that tree; you are the first forsaker of the divine
law; you are the one who deceived man, whom the Devil knew not
how to vanquish. It was you who so easily overcame him who was made in the
image of God, the man Adam; because of your punishment, that is, death, even the Son of
God had to die. And you think to adorn yourself beyond your Ôtunics of skinsÕ?
II. MARY MAGDALENE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
AND CHRISTIAN TRADITION
Mary
Magdalene in the NT: GMk 15:40-16:1, [16:19]; Mt 27:55-61, 28:1; Lk. 8:1-3; 24:9-11; Jn
19:25-20:18. Gospel of Mary.
1. Mark 15:40-47 (parallel in Matthew
27:55-61 and Luke 23:48-56) on the Crucifixion and Burial. 40 There were also women
looking on
from a distance; among them were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of
James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. 41 These used to follow him and
provided for him
when he was in Galilee; and there were many other women who had come up with him to
Jerusalem.É.43 Joseph of ArimatheaÉwent boldly to Pilate and asked for the body
of Jesus.É46 Then Joseph bought a linen cloth, and taking down the body,
wrapped it in the linen cloth, and laid it in a tomb that had been hewn out of
the rock. He then rolled a stone against the door of the tomb. 47 Mary
Magdalene
and Mary the mother of Joses saw where the body was laid.
2. Mark 16:1-8 on the Empty Tomb. 1 When the sabbath was
over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so
that they might go and anoint him. 2And very early on the first day of the
week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tombÉ.4 When they looked up,
they saw
that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled back. 5 As they
entered the tomb, they saw a young man, dressed in a white robe, sitting
on the right side; and they were alarmed. 6 But he said to them, ÔDo not be
alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been
raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples
and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told
you.Õ 8 So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had
seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.
3. Luke 24:1-11 on the Empty Tomb. 1 On the first day of
the week, at early dawn, they [the women from Galilee, 23:55] came to the tomb,
taking the spices that they had prepared. 2 They found the stone rolled away
from the tomb, 3 but when they went in, they did not find the bodyÉ 5 The women
were terrified and bowed their faces to the groundÉ 8 Then they remembered his
words, 9 and returning from the tomb, they told all this to the eleven and to
all the rest. 10 Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and
the other women with them who told this to the apostles. 11 But these words seemed
to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them.
4. Matthew 28:1, 28:5-10 on the Empty Tomb
and First Resurrection Appearance. 1 After the sabbath, as the first day of the
week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tombÉ.5 The angel
said to the women, ÔDo not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was
crucified. 6 He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.
7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ÒHe has been raised from
the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.Ó This is my
message for you.Õ 8 So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and
ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them and said, ÔGreetings!Õ And they came to
him, took hold of his feet, and worshipped him. 10 Then Jesus said to
them, ÔDo not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.Õ
Mary Magdalene in the Gospel of John
19-20: At the Crucifixion and the First Resurrection Appearance
6. John 19:25-27 at the Crucifixion. 25 Meanwhile, standing
near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his motherÕs sister, Mary the wife
of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple
whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother, ÔWoman, here is your
son.Õ 27 Then he said to the disciple, ÔHere is your mother.Õ And from that
hour the disciple took her into his own home.
7. John 20:1-18 on the Resurrection. 1 Early on the first day
of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and
saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. 2 So she ran and went to
Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them,
ÔThey have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have
laid him.Õ 3 Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went towards the
tombÉ.9 as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from
the dead. 10 Then the disciples returned to their homes. 11 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As
she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; 12 and she saw two angels in
white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the
other at the feet. 13 They said to her, ÔWoman, why are you weeping?Õ She said
to them, ÔThey have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid
him.Õ 14 When she had said this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing there,
but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, ÔWoman, why are
you weeping? For whom are you looking?Õ Supposing him to be the gardener, she
said to him, ÔSir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid
him, and I will take him away.Õ 16
Jesus said to her, ÔMary!Õ She turned and said to him in Hebrew,
ÔRabbouni!Õ (which means Teacher). 17 Jesus said to her, ÔDo not hold on to me
(noli me tangere, Latin trans.), because I have not yet ascended to the Father.
But go to my brothers and say to them, ÒI am ascending to my Father and your
Father, to my God and your God.Ó Õ 18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, ÔI
have seen the LordÕ;
and she told
them that he had said these things to her.
5. Luke 8:1-3 on Mary Magdalene and other
Women Disciples in Galilee. Soon afterwards he went on through cities and
villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. The
twelve were with him, 2 as well as some women who had been cured of
evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons
had gone out, 3 and Joanna, the wife of HerodÕs steward Chuza, and Susanna, and
many others, who provided for them out of their resources.
591
C.E.: Gregory the Great, Homily 33
"We believe that
this woman [Mary Magdalen] is Luke's female sinner, the woman John calls
Mary, and that Mary from whom Mark says seven demons were cast out. And what
did these seven devils signify, if not all the vices? ...It is clear, brothers,
that the woman previously used the unguent to perfume her flesh in forbidden
acts. What she therefore displayed more scandalously, she was not offering to
God in a more praiseworthy manner. She had coveted with earthly eyes, but now
through penitence these are consumed with tears. She displayed her hair to set
off her face, but now her hair dries her tears. She had spoken proud things
with her mouth, but in kissing the Lord's feet, she now planted her mouth on
the Redeemer's feet. For every delight, therefore, she had had in herself, she
now immolated herself. She turned the mass of crimes to virtues, in order to
serve God entirely in penance, for as much as she had wrongly held God in
contempt."
B. 1260 C.E.: The
Golden Legend, Jacobus de Voragine, Vol. 5
Mary Magdalene was of noble birth, in
fact of royaltyÉ.She was extremely wealthy and bodily pleasure is always
an associate of wealth. As she saw
her beauty and her wealth she fulfilled herself in nothing but bodily
pleasures. As a result, she lost her good name and was simply referred to as
the sinner.ÉThis is the Mary Magdalene upon whom God bestowed such great grace
and to whom he made evident so many signs of love. He expelled seven evil
spirits from her and inspired in
her the love for HimÉ.Magdalene was the woman who washed the Lord's feet with her tears, dried them with her
hair and anointed them with
ointment. In the time of grace she did her first penitence. She elected the
best part, she sat at the feet of the Lord to hear His word, she anointed His
head, she stood near the cross when He died, she prepared the ointment for His corpse, she did not
leave the grave when the disciples did
leave the grave. She was the one to whom the Lord appeared first when He
was resurrected and she was the woman whom the Lord made the Apostle of
the Apostles
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III. A Fourth Century Christian Bishop's View of Wives and Marriage
John Chrysostom (ca. 347-407 C.E.), The
Kind of Women
Who Ought to be Taken as Wives (in
Miller, p. 271).
Our life is customarily organized into two
spheres: public affairs and private matters, both of which were determined by
God. To woman
is assigned the role of presiding over the household; to man, all the business of
state, the marketplace, the administration of justice, government, the
military, and all other such enterprises. A woman is not able to hurl a spear or shoot an arrow, but she can
grasp the distaff, weave at the loom; she correctly disposes of all such tasks
that pertain to the household. She cannot express her opinion in a legislative
assembly, but she can express it at home, and often she is more shrewd about
household matters than her husband. She cannot handle state business well, but
she can raise children correctly, and children are our principal wealth. She
provides complete security for her husband and frees him from all such
household concerns, concerns about money, wool-working, the preparation of good
and decent clothing. She takes care of all other matters of this sort, that are
neither fitting for her husbandÕs concern nor would they be satisfactorily
accomplished should he every lay his hand to them - even if he struggled
valiantly. Indeed, this is a work of GodÕs love and wisdom, that he who is
skilled at the greater things is downright inept and useless in the performance
of the less important ones, so that the womanÕs service is necessary. For if
the man
were adapted to undertake both sorts of activities, the female sex could easily be
despised. Conversely, if the more important, most beneficial concerns were
turned over to the woman, she would go quite mad. Therefore God did not
apportion both duties to one sex, lest the other be displaced and be considered
superfluous. Nor did God assign both to be equal in every way, lest from
equality a kind of struggle and rivalry should again arise, for women in their
contentiousness would deem themselves deserving of the front-row seats rather
than the man! But taking precautions at one and the same time for peace and
decency, God maintained the order of each sex by dividing the business of human
life into two parts and assigned the more necessary and beneficial aspects to
the man
and the less important, inferior matters to the woman.