With mothers’ day coming up it seems a good time to reissue an old post, with a new format and somewhat cleaned up audio. I briefly remind you of some of the passages that picture God as a midwife. The Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) regularly pictures Yahweh as intimately associated with forming in the womb and with birthing. In view of “his” role as midwife “he” can hardly have been thought of as a male god.

Remembering this stuff and celebrating motherly God (who is no god) is particularly appropriate as we approach mother’s day! Better for us than extra chocolate too And it’s not un-topical here in NZ where the TV is showing a drama about Midwives just now, either.

An ironically blond European Moses discovered (Paul Delaroche 1797–1859 Moïse exposé sur le Nil)

In this post we’ll discover some humour from below. The humour of the oppressed often pokes fun at the oppressor. Those who subjugate others fear them, and this fear generates feelings of inferiority that in Exodus some oppressed women manipulate delightfully.

Please open your Bibles at Exodus 1-2.

So, here’s the link to the audio:
Humour in the Bible: Book 2 Exodus

Giotto di Bondone (1267-1337), Cappella Scrovegni a Padova, Life of Christ, Nativity, Birth of Jesus - detail with midwife Salome. (Image from Wikipedia)

In this podcast I’ll briefly argue that since the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) regularly pictures Yahweh as intimately associated with both forming in the womb and birthing, and particularly since “his” role is often as midwife “he” cannot be thought of as a male god. Rather “he” is God and as later (though very early since several key Patristic fathers say it) in God there is no gender, God is not part of any group (gender).

The primary passage I’ll discuss is Psalm 22:9-10 (MT 10-11). This is discussed more fully in the section Yahweh and the womb of my online discussable book Not Only a Father.

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I love you note (photo by jtbrennan)

In this podcast I’ll suggest that noticing the importance of why we read Scripture can help clarify at least the theological question about the genocide of the Canaanites. Listen to my previous two posts for more on how knowing why we read matters:

• Why do you read? Or: Was God married?
• Are you an idolater? (Not – Was God married? Part Two)

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Image from a pot found at Kuntillet Ajrud above the inscription mentioning "Yahweh of Samaria and his Asherah" (from Wikipedia)

I know I promised two sequels to yesterday’s podcast. But I think I need first to explore the theme of the gender of God (Yahweh) in the Old Testament, and the evidence for Yahweh’s wife, a bit more first. Bear with me and we will get to “Why do you read? Part two: The genocide of the Canaanites” and “Was God married? Part two: the death of the goddess” just be patient

PS: In the Mail article Stavrokopoulou says that the Kuntillet Ajrud pithos is lost, yesterday Hershel Shanks published a piece in the Jerusalem Post saying it has been recovered. (HT Claude Mariottini)

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In some Bible passages as atheists and others who want to avoid the claims of God are quick to point out God sounds like a Dalek.

Deut 7:2 is a typical case.

When the LORD your God hands these nations over to you and you conquer them, you must completely destroy them. Make no treaties with them and show them no mercy. (NLT)

Here God demands that Israel exterminate all the Canaanites. What’s going on? Is the God of the Bible (or at least the Old Testament agenocidal maniac?

This is part one of a series, so it will only deal with part of the answer. You will have to watch out for the other parts for a fuller treatment. The really difficult takes more than five minutes

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Paul’s summarises the Old Testament story from a Jewish-Christian perspective as a world looking for a saviour. Then John showed that still “today” not just in ancient times people are looking for a saviour. Jesus not only died, but rose, and this is the keeping of God’s ancient promises. In Jesus God fills out, fully, the hopes and promises of the past. In Jesus, we are set free from sin - sin is not a trendy term today, but we still suffer from living in a world that is wrong. The advert reminds us that while we sream of how things would be “in a perfect world” we don’t live in a perfect world! That’s what sin is, our share in the brokenness of the world, and Jesus begins to put it right starting with us!

Why was the message not popular? Because salvation becomes something we can not earn. Because God does not only choose good people (like us) to heal. Because it reduces the chance to make money out of human need.

Despite reminding us of the signs and clues to God’s power and love in the everyday gifts of food and sunshine Paul’s gospel is not all sunshine. He was no more a prosperity gospel televangelist than Jesus was!

Strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith, they said: “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.”

This is encouragement!

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OK this story must be one of the best-known that Jesus ever told, everyone has heard it! And if not (at least if they speak English or French or just about any other European language) they know the main character’s name – The Good Samaritan. Except that, what we know if we know this, is all wrong!

Jesus was a prophet so to understand what he’s doing here we need to remind ourselves how Prophets work. So after a quick recap on prophets we think about what Jesus the prophet is doing when he tells this story.

For more on prophets try these:

• E100-36: 2 Samuel 11:1 – 12:25: David and Bathsheba?
• E100 Week 10: Prophets: three principles to unlock the code
• E100-46: Isaiah 51:1 – 53:12: Reading prophets for pleasure and profit
• E100-47: Jeremiah 1:1 – 3:5: Getting started as a prophet
• E100-50: Malachi 1:1 – 4:6: The book that makes the bridge

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This chapter is a big sack of parables, and we’ve already seen that a parable is in essence a comparison, where light is thrown on something by talking about something else, better known or more clear or vivid. The parable of the the sower is particularly complicated and developed, with lots of details but still turns on a comparison. Though Jesus does not (at first) tell his audience what it is, he wants them to think: “if you have ears then hear!”

There is an English proverb that’s pretty close to Jesus puzzling saying about why he spoke in parables (Matthew 13:10-15). It helps us to understand what is going on and shows us how the Sower is all about grace (not being a more efficient evangelist) but that grace can only work when the soil is ready – you have to want to be saved!

We’ll also notice how Matthew like Luke (maybe they both copied the same Master?) puts parables together so that they help explain each other. I’ll also suggest that talk of a fire that will burn up the dud fish and the tares makes better sense if we are willing to give over the right to judge to God, and not to think we can know the rules God MUST apply. (See Jonah on that

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Right-click here to save the podcast for this audio

There are some technical details to explain: what a “hymn” is (not a long old-fashioned worship song), what it means to “bless God” and the meaning of hesed. But mainly this podcast aims to encourage you to  hear the celebration of the creator God who is gracious, even to those who do not deserve it, merciful and above all faithful. It’s a beautiful psalm, that expresses how God is not “a god” clearly and sharply, and it just begs us to join in blessing Yahweh!

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Right-click here to save the podcast for this audio

Well, Judges was thoroughly censored for E100, as it is for most church use, the bits we got were the rare good bits, cf. my Twisted tales: or should the book of Judges be censored? (which got me into trouble with a fundamentalist who could not be bothered to actually listen to what I was saying before condemning me to hell – so it may be worth listening to

Ruth is about “redemption”, the need for husband for Ruth and so a baby to continue the “house of Elimelek” and to provide for the two widows, and so it’s about the primary virtue of the OT (and of redeemers) “hesed” faithfulness/love/kindness in covenant relationships.

So Ruth (in the Christian Bible placed between Judges and Samuel) redeems:

• it echoes and redeems the ancestral stories of failure: Judah and Tamar
• it announces and prefigures David (remember David & foreign woman, Bathsheba?) and redeems him
• it stands between the terror and chaos of Judges and presents a world where God’s virtue is revealed in his creatures lives!

An everyday tale of country folk – but crammed with theology and incidentally a crackingly well-told tale with no violence, death or hatred, but which keeps our interest all through

I have a few other podcasts on this lovely book.

]]> http://5minutebible.com/e100-30-ruth-11-%e2%80%93-422-at-last-a-nice-story/feed/ 0 0:04:40 Well, Judges was thoroughly censored for E100, as it is for most church use, the bits we got were the rare good bits, cf. my Twisted tales: or should the book of Judges be censored? (which got me into trouble with a fundamentalist who could not be b[...] Well, Judges was thoroughly censored for E100, as it is for most church use, the bits we got were the rare good bits, cf. my Twisted tales: or should the book of Judges be censored? (which got me into trouble with a fundamentalist who could not be bothered to actually listen to what I was saying before condemning me to hell – so it may be worth listening to Ruth is about “redemption”, the need for husband for Ruth and so a baby to continue the “house of Elimelek” and to provide for the two widows, and so it’s about the primary virtue of the OT (and of redeemers) “hesed” faithfulness/love/kindness in covenant relationships. So Ruth (in the Christian Bible placed between Judges and Samuel) redeems: it echoes and redeems the ancestral stories of failure: Judah and Tamar it announces and prefigures David (remember David & foreign woman, Bathsheba?) and redeems him it stands between the terror and chaos of Judges and presents a world where God’s virtue is revealed in his creatures lives! An everyday tale of country folk – but crammed with theology and incidentally a crackingly well-told tale with no violence, death or hatred, but which keeps our interest all through I have a few other podcasts on this lovely book. E100, Ruth, Theology Dr Tim Bulkeley clean no http://5minutebible.com/e100-22-exodus-321-%e2%80%93-3435-the-golden-calf/ http://5minutebible.com/e100-22-exodus-321-%e2%80%93-3435-the-golden-calf/#comments Mon, 17 May 2010 15:55:01 +0000 tim http://5minutebible.com/?p=372

Basalt Stele of the god Hadad on a bull with a thunderbolt in hand from Arslan Tash (Tiglath-Pileser III, c.744-727BC

This passage was probably chosen because it contains two famous “Bible stories”, the Golden Calf (in which a priest does what the people want, and becomes so successful that drunkenness, idolatry and other stupidity reigns) and the time Moses got to see God’s backside. But more troublingly it is another passage where God commands and demands killing. I can’t offer easy answers, indeed in one 5 minute podcast what did you expect but I will return to these passages and examine the issue in podcasts outside this E100 series.

]]> http://5minutebible.com/e100-22-exodus-321-%e2%80%93-3435-the-golden-calf/feed/ 2 0:05:04 Basalt Stele of the god Hadad on a bull with a thunderbolt in hand from Arslan Tash (Tiglath-Pileser III, c.744-727BC This passage was probably chosen because it contains two famous “Bible stories”, the Golden Calf (in which a priest doe[...] Basalt Stele of the god Hadad on a bull with a thunderbolt in hand from Arslan Tash (Tiglath-Pileser III, c.744-727BC This passage was probably chosen because it contains two famous “Bible stories”, the Golden Calf (in which a priest does what the people want, and becomes so successful that drunkenness, idolatry and other stupidity reigns) and the time Moses got to see God’s backside. But more troublingly it is another passage where God commands and demands killing. I can’t offer easy answers, indeed in one 5 minute podcast what did you expect but I will return to these passages and examine the issue in podcasts outside this E100 series. E100, Exodus, Genocide Dr Tim Bulkeley clean no http://5minutebible.com/e100-19-exodus-12-a-great-festival-but-a-huge-theological-problem/ http://5minutebible.com/e100-19-exodus-12-a-great-festival-but-a-huge-theological-problem/#comments Wed, 12 May 2010 16:24:22 +0000 tim http://5minutebible.com/?p=361

I’m torn two ways on how to respond to this reading:

• on one side, a great opportunity to explain Passover, the great festival that celebrates God as liberator, saviour and enimy of powerful oppressors
• on the other, when I read (the Bible or the News…) I tend to sympathise with those who suffer, and while in earlier chapters that’s the Israelites, here I feel the pain of bereaved Egyptian parents – how can the God who we have discovered so far in Genesis commit such a barbarous act?

There is a fascinating discussion between ardent Christians and a pained unbeliever at The Paraclete Forum. I can “see” both sides of this debate, and won’t have time in this podcast to begin to deal properly with the topic

PS: See also an interesting response on ?????: The 10th Plague and the Problem of Evil (Jonathan’s posts are alomost always worth mulling over

This is another story of a dysfunctional family, Kuniholm in the E100 notes picks up on some of the causes of this mess, and we can certainly learn some things to avoid from Jacob’s family life. But let’s notice what came between the dreams (37:1-11) and the nightmare (37:18-36).

In Gen 37:12-17 we have a neat example of the way the tellers of the Bible’s stories, putting lots of weight, and in this case not a little theology into few words. This is what makes biblical narratives great story-telling, and also superb theology!

poisonous toys with dysfunctional families by azrainman

Don’t look for happy families in the tales of the ancestors, matriarchs and patriarchs, of God’s chosen people.  Genesis 27-28 carry the story into the next two generations but present a thoroughly dysfunctional family. Yet Genesis 28 tells also of one of the most dramatic revelations of God and renewal of God’s promises to this chosen people. These chapters present a powerful reminder that humans are full of and ruled by sin, but that God’s grace is not thwarted so easily.

Rollercoaster, Gröna Lund, Stockholm by m.prinke

These two chapters, as well as some (now several millennia later) boring stuff about wells, contain some of the heights and depths of human experience. A birth to a childless couple, well well after normal childbearing years, and nasty vindictive selfishness. But also an outrageous demand from God, blind obedience and a few hints of something greater to come…

]]> http://5minutebible.com/e100-8-genesis-211-2219-life-on-a-rollercoaster/feed/ 0 0:05:32 Rollercoaster, Gröna Lund, Stockholm by m.prinke These two chapters, as well as some (now several millennia later) boring stuff about wells, contain some of the heights and depths of human experience. A birth to a childless couple, well well after [...] Rollercoaster, Gröna Lund, Stockholm by m.prinke These two chapters, as well as some (now several millennia later) boring stuff about wells, contain some of the heights and depths of human experience. A birth to a childless couple, well well after normal childbearing years, and nasty vindictive selfishness. But also an outrageous demand from God, blind obedience and a few hints of something greater to come… E100, Genesis, Jesus, Sin Dr Tim Bulkeley clean no http://5minutebible.com/e100-6-genesis-12-how-odd-of-god/ http://5minutebible.com/e100-6-genesis-12-how-odd-of-god/#comments Sun, 25 Apr 2010 15:27:47 +0000 tim http://5minutebible.com/?p=211

Genesis 12 marks the beginning of the real story of the Bible. Chapters 1-11 are a prologue both to Genesis and to the Bible as a whole. They introduced us to “characters” (not least God – singular and with a capital G) and to the central issue that the Bible addresses. In chapter 12 we are introduced to Abraham, the first of the ancestors of the people God chose. Their story will fill the rest of the Old Testament. But also in Gen 12 we have to recognise what an odd choice God made. The people later on known as the Jews were neither more numerous, powerful, beautiful, clever… than any other people around them, yet God chose Sarah, Abraham and their descendants….

Photo by FirstBaptistNashville

The first week’s readings covered the prologue to Genesis, the second week covers the Ancestors of Faith, the Matriarchs and Patriarchs of Israel. Here we begin to see the first outlines of God’s plan to restore a world warped and twisted by human sin. We also begin to discover what it means to be “people of faith”.

Here’s the audio.

The picture caption included this:

ABRAHAM – PROMISE
The first vertical window from the entrance on the north side represents Abraham and promise. Abraham believed God. The winding path of light blue that leads upward is symbolic of the faith of Abraham as he heard the call of God in Ur of Chaldees and went out not knowing where he was going. The green is symbolic of hope. The sword in hand at the bottom of the window tells of the spirit and faith of Abraham when he was willing to offer up his son, Isaac. The touches of red and orange suggest sacrificial fire.

If this was a merely human story you’d expect God’s bold attempt at drastic punishment to have an equally bold result. Either humanity reformed, or the rebellion gets deeper But of course neither is possible. humanity is unreformable, just try making a few worthwhile New Year’s resolutions to prove that nor is rebellion any deeper possible. So what we get instead is a second old-fashioned word, to add to the collection of outmoded terms we began with “sin” earlier.

Here’s the story Genesis 8:1-9:17.

]]> http://5minutebible.com/e100-4-genesis-81-917-sin-and-grace-after-the-flood/feed/ 0 0:04:34 If this was a merely human story you’d expect God’s bold attempt at drastic punishment to have an equally bold result. Either humanity reformed, or the rebellion gets deeper But of course neither is possible. humanity is unreformable, [...] If this was a merely human story you’d expect God’s bold attempt at drastic punishment to have an equally bold result. Either humanity reformed, or the rebellion gets deeper But of course neither is possible. humanity is unreformable, just try making a few worthwhile New Year’s resolutions to prove that nor is rebellion any deeper possible. So what we get instead is a second old-fashioned word, to add to the collection of outmoded terms we began with “sin” earlier. Here’s the story Genesis 8:1-9:17. E100, Genesis, Grace, Sin Dr Tim Bulkeley clean no http://5minutebible.com/e100-3-genesis-65-724-sin-and-righteousness/ http://5minutebible.com/e100-3-genesis-65-724-sin-and-righteousness/#comments Tue, 20 Apr 2010 15:48:53 +0000 tim http://5minutebible.com/?p=193

I think I’ve avoided really looking at this passage, and I notice that my teaching has focused too much on the signs of two source texts being edited together, and noticed too little how the story works, because like the genocide texts it offends my sense of right. The story looks different when one hears it as an exploration of the theme of sin and righteousness, as I’ll try to here.

The reading is here Genesis 6:5-7:24.

]]> http://5minutebible.com/e100-3-genesis-65-724-sin-and-righteousness/feed/ 0 0:05:27 I think I’ve avoided really looking at this passage, and I notice that my teaching has focused too much on the signs of two source texts being edited together, and noticed too little how the story works, because like the genocide texts it offe[...] I think I’ve avoided really looking at this passage, and I notice that my teaching has focused too much on the signs of two source texts being edited together, and noticed too little how the story works, because like the genocide texts it offends my sense of right. The story looks different when one hears it as an exploration of the theme of sin and righteousness, as I’ll try to here. The reading is here Genesis 6:5-7:24. E100, Genesis, Righteousness, Sin Dr Tim Bulkeley clean no http://5minutebible.com/e100-week-1-genesis-1-11-the-bibles-prologue/ http://5minutebible.com/e100-week-1-genesis-1-11-the-bibles-prologue/#comments Sun, 18 Apr 2010 02:11:23 +0000 tim http://5minutebible.com/?p=238

All, speech requires prior knowledge to be understood. Usually this is largely shared within a culture. So if I say “the cat” I do not usually have to tell you first what a cat is. (Even if in the context of a novel about old-time sailors it might be a whip.) Some courses of study have organised “prerequisites” courses you must take before them. Many books have a preface or prologue that cointains material the author thinks you need to know before tackling the body of the work.

Genesis 1-11 is the prologue to the Bible, The “characters” and themes it introduces will help us understand the whole of the rest.

]]> http://5minutebible.com/e100-week-1-genesis-1-11-the-bibles-prologue/feed/ 0 0:04:57 All, speech requires prior knowledge to be understood. Usually this is largely shared within a culture. So if I say “the cat” I do not usually have to tell you first what a cat is. (Even if in the context of a novel about old-time sailor[...] All, speech requires prior knowledge to be understood. Usually this is largely shared within a culture. So if I say “the cat” I do not usually have to tell you first what a cat is. (Even if in the context of a novel about old-time sailors it might be a whip.) Some courses of study have organised “prerequisites” courses you must take before them. Many books have a preface or prologue that cointains material the author thinks you need to know before tackling the body of the work. Genesis 1-11 is the prologue to the Bible, The “characters” and themes it introduces will help us understand the whole of the rest. E100, Genesis, Grace, Sin, Theology Dr Tim Bulkeley clean no http://5minutebible.com/bonhoeffer-on-gen-3-conscience/ http://5minutebible.com/bonhoeffer-on-gen-3-conscience/#comments Mon, 22 Sep 2008 17:44:00 +0000 tim http://5minutebible.com/?p=19

Sometimes a good old-fashioned cliché is the best way to achieve your desired effect, and communicate your theological message. I’ll illustrate this using Joshua 11:1-9. The story of how Jabin of Hazor and all his allied kings were defeated by Joshua and Israel. (With some help from their friend!)

]]> http://5minutebible.com/cliche-theology-joshua-111-9/feed/ 1 0:04:27 Sometimes a good old-fashioned cliché is the best way to achieve your desired effect, and communicate your theological message. I’ll illustrate this using Joshua 11:1-9. The story of how Jabin of Hazor and all his allied kings were defeated by[...] Sometimes a good old-fashioned cliché is the best way to achieve your desired effect, and communicate your theological message. I’ll illustrate this using Joshua 11:1-9. The story of how Jabin of Hazor and all his allied kings were defeated by Joshua and Israel. (With some help from their friend!) Cliché, Joshua, Theology Dr Tim Bulkeley clean no