When I searched for "my beloved among young men" (Song 2:3) this photo by Steve Punter turned up.
Gender is not (only) a Feminist issue!
I ended my double post Proverbs as a gendered text and Proverbs as a gendered text: Proverbs 31:10ff. with the question of where reading such (strongly) male texts left women readers. Sadly it has had little response, (though thank you Judy 🙂
So I’ll end this podcast with a reverse of the question with which I ended the one on Pr 31, and suggest there are parts of the Bible that heterosexual men can only read with the help of a little creative gender bending.
Let’s see what you make of my (literal) reading of Song 2:1ff.?!
More on gendered texts: Turning the tables
My notes are here for Song 2 – they are far from complete since I made no comment on being a lily – When lily occurs in the inscriptions of the psalms, Rashi often reminds us that the lily stands for the student of Torah. The student is married to Torah in a very positive sense and the male is encouraged to read the Song identifying with the bride.
When the groom makes himself known, there is no doubt in the student’s response in the love of Torah, such adoration being expressed in psalms like 119 and 139 (following the Songs of Ascent and the celebration in the courts (135++). And the psalms which have lily in the inscription (45, 60, 69, 80) need to be read recognizing the relation to the Song and the joy and cost of such love. I think you give me an idea of why 57 and 60 are repeated in 108 – again working out the internal structure of the Psalter… Some of these things are noted in the posts at my Poetry of Christ blog, a series of notes that I will some day wind into several books…
Today too much emphasis has been put on womens equality which is a false hood. In the times of old, a woman was here mans strength, not in competition with him. The bible says two would become one. Using terms such as “gender bending” are so far removed from what YHWH wants. Even if you are trying to inject humor, this phrase is distasteful. The European culture never started wit the customs of the Hebrews, so it is always going to be hard for them to understand women always had active roles. Levi, killed for when their sister was raped. We need to get back to a place where men and women are not competing. Peace
Hi, “all about the bible”, it’s no surprise that there is much we agree about, for it comes from Scripture:
In marriage a man and a woman become “one flesh” to help and support each other (Gen 2:24)
Men and women should not be competing, but cooperating (Gen 2:18 cf. 3:16 where God declares gender wars are part of the fallen human state).
I wonde though if you actually listened to the podcast, and if so what you disagreed with!?
Another interesting way of approaching these “gendered” text is through the lens of a gay man such as myself. A good place to begin is St. john of the cross’ “On a dark night….” from his Dark night of the Soul. Let me know what you think of it 🙂