The previous posts have been a surface look at Jesus’ interaction with women, and how those interactions were important milestones for him with regard to his journey toward maturity. Post-resurrection, and as both risen Lord and first-born from the dead, the firstfruits of all creation his interactions transform women. It starts with his realignment for Mary his own mother. No longer is he to be her son, but John is (Jn. 19:26,27). Relationships in this age are important, but cannot define relationships in that age. They are transformed as we will be transformed into his (mature) image. I will be ME, truly me!
He transforms Mary’s relationship, an equality alongside himself ‘My God… your God… My Father… your Father’. Transformation of relationship so with a skip in her step she can follow up the work of the Gardener (second Adam).
In John’s Gospel Jesus is shaped by his interaction with women, the interactions are a catalyst to provoke an expansion of thinking. The women are key as the world was strongly (is strongly) patriarchal. We too can find in the world of marginalisation the catalysts to enable our thinking to expand (there will always be a limit as to what academia can provide as the ‘experts’ are the ones who inform that world. A limit is not something negative, but it remains a limit!) If we are willing to be touched by the marginal within society, we will find that our interactions with the Ascended Messiah will transform us, and will transform us – not by confirming how right we are, but by showing us a wonderful, even if challenging, journey forward.
The pivotal role of women in Jesus life started at his conception by the obedience of his mother as a vessel to bring the messiah into this world and to be entrusted with his upbringing. It was not imposed upon her but she was willing despite her fears and the possible danger to her life of being an unmarried woman who was pregnant. As he restores women on his life journey and honours and humanises them against a backdrop of them being oppressed he is so much more radical than we can even imagine in our western world. To me it is one the biggest proofs that the gospel is real as he would never have honoured them and restored them in the way he did if he was just trying to create a new ‘religion’ which would appeal to the culture and people of the time. It is such an interesting and insightful perspective you have that Jesus himself had to grow and mature and maybe even change his mind. This endorses our humanity and struggles even more than traditional readings of the gospel and so he identifies with us at every possible level through this.
Hey thanks Joanna for the comment. A lot of great material in your comment… Thanks.