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Monday, August 20, 2018

Jesus’ Value of Women

Jesus’ Value of Women

Tea Talk

I have had conversations with friends in various venues that goes like this.
Doesn’t the Bible degrade women? Isn’t Christianity a male dominated religion where women are insignificant? I am not surprised by these statements because I understand where our culture is. The truth is that Christ is the great liberator of those undervalued in society and women in particular. I'm giving away 10 free bookmarks of my artwork to the left to the first ten responders. Just send my your info to me through this website, or you tube, or my Twobytwo facegroup page, or instagram. To see my You tube video on-

To buy these bookmarks they are $2.00 each or 6 for $10.

TOPICS

God’s Design and Women’s Value
Image Bearer, Title & Name, Mission & Ministry, Identity, Distinct Privilege, Role
Culture’s Distortion of Women’s Value
Greek & Roman Opinions, Rabbinic Opinions, Old Testament Culture
Scripture’s Examples of Women’s Value
Old Testament Stories, Jesus’ Ministry, The Gospel Witness, Paul and Peter’s Teachings

GOD’S DESIGN & WOMEN’S VALUE


Jesus’ value of women is demonstrated in the work of creation in which He was involved. The Scriptures state that both men and women were made in the image of God. “In the image of God He created them, male and female He created them” (Genesis 1:27). They also both were made to rule over creation as co-regents, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth” (Genesis 1:28). Jesus took part in creation as Colossians 1:15 reveals, “For by Him all things were
created both in the heavens, and the earth, visible or invisible, whether thrones, dominions, rulers, and authorities. All things have been created by Him and for Him.”

Womankind’s equal design is demonstrated in her title. Adam gave a title for his wife using an equivalent title to his, asserting that she was an equal counterpart. The word for “woman” (ish-sha) is the feminine counterpart of “man” (ish). While Adam’s giving her a title displayed his authority, he crafted a title showing her equal value in a tender way. He spoke a beautiful poem showing his need and love for her (Genesis 2:23).

Women’s equality is evident in God’s design for their mission and ministry. Early in Genesis, the woman is given her name, “Eve” a name which revealed that she had a special role. Her name “Eve” (chavvah) is related to the word for “living” (chay) for what was the “mother of all the living.” She is designed to nurture life. Her mission and ministry expands from her home to the world. (In later sections I will write about how women’s mission and ministry can flesh out.) Both women and men are charged with the mission and ministry of serving the church and the world proclaiming the good news of the Gospel (Phil 4:2-3).

Women are given the amazing and unique task of being life bearers and nurturers. They alone possess the bodies to hold and develop life and sustain it. Their design is an amazing wonder and this is a great privilege and worthy of honor. She is given a unique role. This unique role is meant to be a beautiful dance where two partners seamlessly move in concert with one another. Her role as helper is in no way showing a difference of worth. 

Her role is to follow her husband’s lead and submit herself. Likewise, his role is to sacrifice and die for his wife both in his desires and his body. Both roles are vital.  Both man and women are equal in worth. Men are instructed that their duty is to be like “Christ” who “gave himself up for her” (Eph. 5:25). The Trinity exhibits the balance of equal value with differing roles. Each member of the Trinity is equal in essence yet distinct in function.

Women’s equal value is also demonstrated in their design as God-worshippers. In Scripture, women are repeatedly used as great examples of faith. Jesus invites the woman at the well to become the type of worshipper that the Father seeks.
“Believe me woman, an hour is coming, and now is when the true worshippers will worship the father in spirit and truth, for such people the Father seeks to be His worshippers” (John 4:23). 

The ability to bear children is a unique womanly gifting, but it is not central to a woman’s identity before God. Women’s faith in God is central to their identity.  In the Bible some women demonstrated themselves to be full of faith despite their inability to have children. As we will see later, this is in stark contrast to the opinions of many ancient cultures.

Women’s value is shown in her power to influence those around her. From the beginning, we see women having a powerful influence over the course of history. We will see both examples of highest spiritual influence and examples of extreme evil influence.

CULTURE’S DISTORTION OF WOMEN’S VALUE


In the ancient cultures of the Old Testament world, the primary worth attributed to women was their ability to bear children. Hebrew women, on the other hand, had greater value than those in surrounding cultures. They could have various employments and important social standing. They were generally more respected and could be more assertive. But a high regard for women was not universal in Jewish thought. Around the time of the New Testament, some Rabbis regarded women as no more important than a slave or livestock. A famous prayer they coined was, “Thank you, God, that I am not a Gentile, a dog, or a woman.” Jewish culture came to show a deep distrust and dislike of women. They were not able to serve as witnesses in Jewish court and not able to divorce their husbands if they were unfaithful. However, men could divorce for any reason including a burnt meal. Women were not formally taught. They were not talked about much in Rabbinic teaching—almost as if they were so unimportant as to be non-existent. The Greek and Roman culture was not any better. Husbands might frequent temple prostitutes, and wives were expected to accept this adultery. Husbands regarded their own body as theirs, but their wives’ as their own, too.

SCRIPTURE’S EXAMPLES OF WOMEN’S VALUE


We have already demonstrated from the Old Testament the design and origin of women. Now we will show that throughout the Old Testament women were to be valued. Women were to be given honor in the family. In Exodus 20:12, the fifth commandment states, “You shall honor your father and your mother.” Both parents were to be honored by their children.

In marriage both women and men had rights and were to please one another. The newly married man was to abstain from war or any other duty so as to “bring joy to his wife” (Duet. 21:10). 

Women were part of the singers in the worship practices in the second temple (2 Ch. 35:25, Neh. 7:67). 

Women sometimes were lifted up in Scripture as more spiritually minded than their male counterparts. Hannah, Jochabed, Ruth, and Abigail were examples in the Old Testament of high spiritual influence. In Proverbs Wisdom is repeatedly personified as a woman. In the New Testament, Mary, Elizabeth, the widow of Zarepeth, and Priscilla are esteemed for their godliness. 

Women are also demonstrated as using their powerful influence for evil. Eve used her influence by sharing the forbidden fruit with her husband who was with her. Time will not allow to tell the stories of Jezebel, and the fallout from Solomon’s foreign wives. Some of these were known for lying, scheming, and their paganizing influence. In the Proverbs there is also the personification of Evil as an adulteress. 

Jesus’s ministry to women revealed his care and value of women. This was shown in how he treated his mother, the woman at the well, the woman bent over for eighteen years, the Syrophoenician woman, his interactions with Mary and Martha, and the ones entrusted as the first witnesses of His resurrection. Unlike the Rabbis of the day, Jesus used women as spiritual illustrations of truth in His teaching. He described the woman who loses her coin, the two women grinding at the stone mill, and many others. Jesus valued the unvalued in society, he treated women differently, and he was the great liberator of women. 

Jesus ministered with women. Women were important financiers of Jesus’ ministry. They followed and served him. They also were the first to witness the risen Jesus. After the resurrection, women were key members of the one-hundred and twenty believers gathered together (Acts 1:14). The mother of John Mark, Mary, was the hostess of a church that met in her home in Jerusalem. The church in Philippi owed its beginning to Lydia’s conversion (Acts 12:11-16). While some have asserted that Paul and Peter were biased against women, the opposite is clearly true. Paul upilifted women as examples of godliness. Romans 16 mentions at least eight different Christian women as highly regarded by Paul. Priscilla was involved in private teaching and is often mentioned before her husband, indicating her importance (Acts 18:2, 18). Paul describes the church as a glorious woman, the very bride of Christ (Eph. 4:21-32). In the early church key ministry responsibilities were managed by godly women: caring for the sick (I Tim. 3:8-13, Rom. 4:2-3), prayer, fasting, instruction of women, and other activities. 

The New Testament’s teaching on marriage and divorce, a dramatically different treatment than common in the culture of the day, protected the rights of women (I Cor. 7:1-11). Men and women were supposed to stay committed to each other. The rights of the wife details that the “husband’s body does not belong to Him alone, but also his wife.”

CONCLUSION



In conclusion, God’s valuing of women is radically affirmed in his design and taught in Scripture. Throughout the Scripture, this equality has been demonstrated through design, vivid illustrations of godliness, powerful influence, and unique purpose and roles. It is beautifully illustrated in Jesus’s superb interactions and treatment of women.

Wednesday, July 1, 2015

Proverbs 31 Bracelet Memory Tool. Adorn Your Mind

Proverbs 31 Memory Collection--Art for your Mind

Memory Bracelet . Make your own or order one.


" Ruth"Original Artwork by Heidi Bashoor in the style of Alphonse Mucha  

 Proverbs 31:10-31  This famous "impossible" woman passage shows us that "Motivated by her primary relationship with the LORD, the rare excellent woman diligently works to bless & care for others resulting in unfading beauty and praise. You can create this bracelet yourself, or purchase it in my store. Each element is made to be a memory trigger to make memorization more simple. You can purchase the "Ruth" charm separately to add to yours.

Proverbs 31 Bracelet options
"Ruth"charm alone: $6.99 plus shipping. (see store page)
 assembled including my charm :  $24.99 plus shipping (see store page)
make it yourself kit with my charm:  $16.50 plus shipping.(see store page)

                                                                  Proverbs 31 Set
Bracelet  $ 24.99
Adjustable ring  $9.99
Pendant Necklace with chain. $ 19.99
Earing Set $14.99
Bracelet

Total Set  including bracelet at %30 discount f=  $44.99
                                                    Proverbs 31 Collection

 Includes all of the above plus HairPiece $12.99
                                  Total  Collection % 40 discount     49.00

To see my Memorization Recitation of Proverbs 31;10-31 click here

 Some scholars believe that the excellent wife of Proverbs 31 was Ruth. She is described with the same word for "excellent" or "noble".  Ruth was a woman who poured out herself for the care of others and was diligent and hard working.

  A few months ago, I had the privilege of sharing at an 11 year old's birthday about true inner beauty. It was such a joy, since she requested the topic and there is so much that God has to say about women and beauty that goes much deeper than what media portrays. 
 We talked about how when we work on developing these heart qualities that God values, then our inner radiance will permeate to the exterior of our lives.  We discussed 3 great passages that are all have  3 in them which talk about the beauty we want to apply. If you want to read this article press here


Monday, December 2, 2013

Cyber Monday-Tuesday Special. Giving Scripture

Art with a purpose
Give the gift of Scripture. What is more encouraging and powerful than the Word of God? What can give our hearts joy in the midst of the busyness and rush of the "Happy Holidays?"

 Two by Two Art's products are designed to take Scripture off the shelf and put it on our walls and home where we can see it and eventually into our hearts. 

As always, each art product comes with a drawing lesson, bible lesson, and a coloring page. Now there are two video lessons as well.
Also, check out my top picks for the best Art Supplies for artists, you can get all you need through my site.
Give yourself and those around you, peace from the Prince of Peace. Jesus said, "Peace I give to you, not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled."(John 14:27)

Saturday, October 26, 2013

Just say no to crayons.

Essential Art Tools for Budding Artists

Below is my list of essential art supplies for my drawing class. You can order directly from my picks.
Are Crayons really harmless?

It is my firm belief that crayons do more to hinder children from growing in art skill and confidence than help. Sure, they are still fun for preschoolers to use, but will do little to help them learn about color blending, pressure, line, and shading. It is an altogether unforgiving medium. You can not change it. You can not sketch with it. 

   My anti-crayon dogma's mold began to set way back in pre-kindergarten age. I loved drawing as a child, and we didn't have art tools or even crayons at home until I was in Highschool.

   I instead drew on our chalkboard, day after day with chalk. Every time I went to church and colored in Sunday School it was with the dreaded crayons. There, i felt like I could not draw, and I couldn't understand why. I remember crying, because I had felt like I really could draw at home. Little did I know that chalk was a great medium to learn how to draw. The texture, feel, and shading one could achieve (though limited) was much closer to Charcoals or Pastels.  I had to hold the chalk with the fingers loosely (otherwise it would break). I could not make detailed, tight, or small scale pieces, but instead had to draw larger and therefore use my whole arm. I had no idea, what kind of advantage I had been given in my crayon-less home. I would often section off my favorite sketches on the family chalkboard and try to keep them from erasing away. But even the temporariness of the product, allowed me to enjoy the process of drawing and not get caught up in the pressure of completing a permanent work.  The angle of the surface I was drawing on was ideal, since my eyes were able to be parallel with the drawing. Typical drawing while sitting at a desk on a flat surface forces distortion because whatever is closest to your eyes will appear larger than what is farther from you. Standing and drawing is great since it allows more freedom to move your arms. If need be you can even fix large paper on your wall and sketch from that. For sketching on paper, I recommend using a sketching board and angling it against a table or something while it is on your lap at a 45% angle.

I have to admit, I do have the forbidden wax substance in our home. I have two kids under 4 after all, but I do make sure they have access to more flexible mediums. When they turn 5, I will be forced confiscate them and make candles or something for the sake of their future.
Subsribe below and like me on facebook , and Pinterest to get be informed about my free upcoming on line drawing lessons.
Below is my art Supply list for the upcoming Drawing Lessons as well as 

Crayon Alternatives..for when you want color without crayons :)

Thursday, August 29, 2013

Memory Mural Kit Giveaway with Homeschool Giveaways Starting September 2

Two By Two ART studio will be giving away one 
 Large precut Memory Mural Kit. Ends Sept.6th. 

Memory Mural KIT Giveaway

Includes: MURAL, Marker, Coloring Page, BIBLE LESSONS on "memorizing with Kids" and "Treasuring Scripture" (for adults) as well as an ART LESSON on how to draw the birds from the mural, and an on line recorded VIDEO LESSON. 
Two By Two Art Studio's mission is to provide inspirational art decor products which develops faith and art skill.