Interview With Dr. Glahn (Part 2)
In Jesus’ radical inclusion of women, was he bucking God’s system, or acting in perfect alignment with the rest of Scripture? In Part 2 of her interview with Know Why, Dr. Sandra Glahn of Dallas Theological Seminary tackles the issue of gender roles and what the church gets wrong. She also sheds helpful light on a few under-preached stories of women in the Old Testament, and what they teach us about God’s heart.
Jesus: Aligned With or Alienated From the Old Testament?
While Jesus’ interactions with women may seem different than the strange stories of the Old Testament, Dr. Glahn told Know Why that when historical and cultural context are considered, it’s clear that God’s laws in the Old Testament represent “a movement toward a high view of women.”
She cites examples of Old Testament stories where women who were falsely accused by their husbands are given legal rights, and stories where fathers give their daughters an inheritance under God’s command and blessing. Jesus’ habit of including women in his inner circle and ministry followed an existing pattern of elevating women’s rights and status in their cultures.
A Biased View
Dr. Glahn says we often miss these nuances in Scripture because we’re unfamiliar with cultural context—which is why partnering with a diverse community is key for better understanding the Bible. But she also notes that “translation committees have tended to be all male.” Just as people from different cultures can lend valuable insight and perspective about the meaning of certain stories, women add valuable perspective that is missing from many Bible translations.
“Jesus sees you, men and women alike.”
Dr. Sandra Glahn
“If you look at Genesis you see this pattern of a need for men and women partnering,” Dr. Glahn said.
Gender Roles?
Jesus invited people to follow him. Should men and women follow Jesus in different ways? Dr. Glahn says that while celebrating the differences between men and women is a wonderful thing, the church has often gotten it wrong by emphasizing gender stereotypes. “We start getting our eyes off of Christlikeness as the goal, and get our eyes on, ‘How do I act like a woman or a man?’” she said. Instead, “We pursue Christ and Christlikeness, and as a byproduct we become the men and women we’re supposed to be.”
“Both men and women have been injured by stereotypes of gender,” she added. Her closing thought: “Jesus sees you, men and women alike.”
Listen to Part 1 of Dr. Glahn’s interview here.
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