Tag: interpreting Scripture

When Jesus spoke about divorce and remarriage, he was pushing back against male-privileged interpretations of Deuteronomy 24

Barbara Roberts1 Comment

In Matthew 19, when Jesus was speaking about divorce and remarriage, he was addressing only the ways that the Jewish religious leaders in his day were misinterpreting Deuteronomy 24:1. He was only pushing back against male-privileged rabbinic interpretations of Deuteronomy 24:1. The Jews who heard Jesus talking to the Pharisees would have known that Jesus… Continue reading When Jesus spoke about divorce and remarriage, he was pushing back against male-privileged interpretations of Deuteronomy 24

Bitter Roots and Bitter Herbs  — by Ruth Barron

Barbara Roberts7 Comments

Ruth Barron explains that the 'bitter root' is the evil actions of the abuser. The victims' emotional responses to the abuse are the leaves (the bitter herbs) that grow from the bitter root. Churches typically try to weed out the bitterness by attacking and shaming the leaves — the emotional responses of the victims. But… Continue reading Bitter Roots and Bitter Herbs  — by Ruth Barron