Back to Wordpress

I am going to switch back to wordpress, sorry; but this should be expected by now!

I just tried to post my latest comment to Gav (on the last post), and it wouldn't let me! Apparently blogger has a limit on how many characters you can have in the body of a comment (4096); if you exceed this you cannot post your comment, that's just plain old cheeze! Wordpress does not have these kinds of limitations, and so they will be privileged ;-), to once again, host my blog. Come visit me at:

Bruised Reed

Sorry for the inconvenience!

An 'Archive' of my Old Posts

Here's a link to all my old posts, I transferred them over to this wordpress blog for anyone who cares:

Bobby's Old Stuff

P. S. I hope I've used An properly, in the title of my post here ;-). I do realize that I misuse that article at points (i.e. 'an' vs. 'a'), but then again I've noticed places where many writers use 'a' when it should be 'an'. I think my misusage stems from some professor in bible college (I don't remember who) who corrected me in my writing. And you guessed it, apparently I used to overuse 'a' when I should've been using 'an'; now it appears I have the opposite problem (I'm quite the extremist ;-). I think Ecclesiastes says that those who fear the LORD will avoid all extremes; maybe I'll try that ;-). (Btw, this is in response to the anonymous commenter on the post right below this one [Women Pastors], I guess I've been bugging them :-). Something that bugs me is when folks comment anonymously (I have an idea of who this might be, but just be up front and let me know who you are, or email me --- you linguist gestapo, you ;-).

Women as Pastors in I Timothy 2:11-13

Here's a bit of an cop-out on responding to the question of what I Tim. 2:11-13 has to say about women functioning in the "role" or "office" of Pastor. I am going to quote a rather "to-the-point" (e.g. not an in depth critical commentary) commentary on this passage, and then give some of my reflections on what it is communicating; here we go:

2:11-12. In emphasizing godly conduct for women, Paul stressed, with Peter, "the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight" (I Peter 3:4). The females in the congregation should receive instruction from the male leadership with quietness and full submission. They should not attempt to turn the tables by clamoring for the office of congregational teacher or by grasping for authority over men. Rather they should, literally, "be in quietness." The word, hesychia, translated "quietness" in 1 Timothy 2:11 and silent in verse 12, does not mean complete silence or no talking. It is clearly used elsewhere (Acts 22:2; 2 Thess. 3:12) to mean "settled down, undisturbed, not unruly." A different word (sigao) means "to be silent, to say nothing" (cf. Luke 18:39; 1 Cor. 14:34).

2:13. Why is such a quiet and submissive spirit "of great worth in God's sight"? (1 Peter 3:4) Because it manifests an understanding and acceptance of His design for the human race. As elsewhere (cf. 1 Cor. 11:8-10), Paul here based his view of male/female relationships in the church on the account of Creation recorded in Genesis 2. He made no reference whatever to the so-called "curse" of Genesis 3:16. Rather, the roles Paul spelled out here are a product of God's fundamental design wherein Adam was formed first, then Eve (cf. Gen. 2:7-25). More is involved here than mere chronological priority. Paul saw the priority in time as indicative of the leadership given to the male, to which the woman, the "helper suitable for him" (Gen. 2:18), should respond. (A. Duane Liftin. John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck, eds., "The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty, New Testament," 735-36)

And Craig S. Keener says on 2:13:

. . . Paul argues for women's subordination in pastoral roles on the basis of the order of creation, the same way he argued for women wearing head coverings (I Cor 11:7-12). (Craig S. Keener, "The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament," 611)

My short response, then, is that it seems clear (as both commentators above elucidate) that Paul believes that the idea of women pastors is negated by the Creation order itself. Paul's appeal to the Genesis narrative elides (or stamps out) the possibility that this argument is just an "cultural" appeal; as some folks want to assert about this passage. In other words, since Paul's argument here clearly undercuts the notion of women pastors; then those in favor of women pastors (today) must find a way around Paul's straightforward pronouncement and argument here. The way that this is done, by these folks, is to marginalize Paul's argument by locating it within the first century context; or in other words, by particularizing it to the Ephesian (whom this letter is originally written to, viz. the congregation where Timothy is serving) congregation --- so that any relevance that Paul's argument has is only in force per this first century audience, and thus is not applicable for us today (so goes the argument).

I am not convinced, especially since Paul appeals to the creation order; and as the commentator notes, that this appeal is made prior to the Fall. Which would imply that God has universally prescribed this "order" so that Paul's point transcends just the first century; but it is in force for all and every century, rooted within the "natural order" that God intended.

Thus, I think that women should not fulfill the role of "Pastor;" since this is what Paul (by the Holy Spirit) communicated, and that this fits the way God created things to be. It's not a matter of the pastoral role being superior to other roles in the body of Christ; it appears, to me, that egalitarian feminism has made in-roads here, and that this is the reason that the church has succumbed to allowing women pastors. According to scripture, it's not a matter of man being superior to women (in fact Paul also says male/female are ONE in Christ, see Gal.); this whole issue is simply one of operating within our created "roles." This is akin to a man being the husband, and the woman being the wife; these are not reversible roles (well not w/o surgery ;-), this is just how God designed it!

Well, there's how I see I Timothy, in an nutshell. I do believe women have the gifting of teacher, and giftings that overlap with those that are required for Pastors; I just do not think the "office" of Pastor/Elder/Bishop is for the female gender, you may disagree, but then I don't think you're disagreeing with me, but scripture :-).

The "Struggling Christian"

Do you ever grow weary? I do! Do you ever get tired of fighting that nasty thing called the "flesh?" I do!! In fact I am sick and tired of it right now!!! Being a Christian is such a stinkin' battle --- no wonder some guy in Church history called us (this side of glory) the 'Church militant' (he got it right) --- have you ever thought about the fact (and I'm sure some of you have, if not all) that non-Christians don't have any battle with sin? In fact the world gets to indulge the "flesh," there's no struggle with not sinning for them; instead, if anything it's just a matter of which sin might cause the least damage, etc.

Now, do I wish that I had no struggle with sin? No! I am so grateful that I haven't been left as an orphan, we have the Holy Spirit getting us through the whole enchilada of sin. We have the resurrection power of Jesus Christ at work in our members every minute; so we can say NO to sin! In other words, the fact that there is an struggle demonstrates a different kind of life at work in our lives; a super-natural life. And this is, obviously, what the 'world' does not have; and thus the reason why they don't have to struggle with "sin."

I say all this, because I'm tired of the struggle with sin; and yet, at the same time I am thankful for the struggle. Why? Because it constantly points me to the One who actually is struggling in my body, and that of course is Jesus Christ! The struggle becomes the occasion for me to look away from myself, and to look at the One who has already redeemed me --- who has set me free, amen!

Just know that if you "stand," it is because He makes you stand (I preach to self); rejoice in your weakness (in your struggles), because it is there where His strength, His life is made most complete!

Women As Pastors?

I intend on doing a post on women pastors, and my understanding of I Timothy 2:9ff. But for an brief intro. let me just give you a quick insight on how I'll be framing my discussion --- and this might be a bit backwards, contextually --- but let me just make an inference from I Tim. 3:1, 2a, which says:

"It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do. 2. An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, . . .

You'll notice the point then that I am going to argue, relative to the gender specificity per the "office" of "overseer" (or an pastor/elder). For me, not to be too flippant, this issue does not require much argument --- relative to scripture's discourse.

You'll also notice I put "office" in quotes, and that is because it seems clear from other New Testament passages that there is a "gifting" of teacher/pastor that is separate from what Paul in Timothy is talking about (cf. Aquila/Priscilla, or Phoebe, etc.).

There is more to come on this, but I wanted you all to know, the ones who requested an little word from me on this, that I'm still thinking about it (I was sick over the weekend, which is when I was intending to put together a post).

"Inseparability of the word and deed and presence of Jesus"

Because the content of the kerygma (that the kingdom of God breaks in) is identical with the act of proclamation (as itself the operative reality of the kingdom) and with the advent of the person of Christ (the king of the kingdom), the self-presentation or self-proclamation of Jesus can only be made in a movement in which the word and deed and presence of Jesus are all intertwined. In this movement, the self-revelation of Jesus is given as much through the unfolding drama of his life in obedience to the divine compulsion embodied in Israel, as by word --- indeed he deliberately holds back revelation by word so that it may keep pace with revelation through the dynamic movement of his advance to the hour of eschatological completion on the cross. He refuses to proclaim himself in word apart from the historical drama of his ministry, and makes both dependent upon the direct confrontation of his person. (T. F. Torrance, "Incarnation," 21)

Remember when the people, in the Gospel accounts, were going to take Jesus and make Him king by force, or how He told His disciples not to speak about the resurrection (coming off of the Mt. of Transfiguration) until it was time; well this is what Torrance is getting at, Jesus' Word and Person are actually synonymous with His Action.

I wonder, as we are participants in God's life through Christ by the Spirit, how this should affect our Christian lifestyles and witness. In other words, if we are living because Christ lives in and through us; then shouldn't our actions, our person, and our words be all inter-related realities? Certainly the answer to this, is YES! But obviously we fail. So we bear witness to the WORD, as we in our brokeness depend upon Him by the Spirit. One day, in glory, our words and actions will finally be synonymous with "our" person; as we see Him who truly is our life (cf. I Jn 3:1-3).

We All Follow "Theologians"

It is an interesting phenomenon, we all have our favorite theologians (pastors/bible-teachers, etc.); and I am sure this is for various sundry reasons. My guess is why most of us gravitate towards one theologian versus another (or group of), is because we believe that this particular theologian has something to say that is interesting and best captures the implications of what the scriptures communicate about who Jesus and thus God is --- at least that's what our various predispositions and convictions tell us.

I would say at the moment that my favorite theologian[s] are the Apostle Paul, and T. F. Torrance. How about you, who do you "follow?"