In Genesis 2 God said that it was not good for man to be alone and then created the very first woman. If all people, men and women, would listen to God and make every effort to live out his plan for their lives, that would solve most of our problems. I’m talking about big things – war, food scarcity, sex trafficking – but also the little things – couples that argue over household budgets and whether or not the toilet seat should be left up or put down. If each Christian, regardless of what the rest of the world is doing, would read the Bible and pray, seek God’s will and let the Holy Spirit lead – put pride and ego aside and work together as the Spirit leads – then we could still know peace on a personal level. If only, right?

That intro almost turned into its own sermon. Let’s look at this passage from Matthew 23:

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! Matthew 23:37

There are many symbols, illustrations and metaphors used throughout the Bible. Jesus often used examples from real life that his first century working class audience could understand, from sowing seeds to sweeping the floor. In Matthew 23, and we find almost identical wording in Luke 13, Jesus laments over Jerusalem. But I want us to notice the particular imagery he uses here. Jesus is the Son of God. He often describes God as his Father. The relationship between the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is eternal. Oxthodox Christian believers reject the notion that God is non-binary, trans or other such vocabulary that did not exist just half a century ago. Does that mean that Bible is anti or against women? Eve was the very first woman; there had never been one before because there was never a need for one before. But when Adam, the first man, needed a suitable companion God created the first female human being, both genders made in his image. God cannot be transgender because he does not have gender as we understand it in the human condition. The only angel’s names we are given are masculine but we are told they do not marry nor are given in marriage. In short their number is finite; they do not reproduce. That began in the Garden of Eden. Adam was the first man, Eve was the first woman, they were both made in God’s image. Men and women have different roles to play in the family but go back to my introduction – if we all lived each day according to God’s will, if Christians were filled with and led by the Spirit, being conformed to the image of Christ, we would achieve the highest level of peace and happiness possible in this present age. But look at Matthew 23 and do not miss this fact:

Jesus used motherhood to describe his love for the people of Jerusalem. He had just finished describing all the ways the scribes and Pharisees were hypocrites. There is apocalyptic language in there. But the condition of the people weigh heavy on his heart and he wishes they would just yield to God. His desire is to wrap his arms around them in a big giant hug, like a mother hen gathers her brood of chicks under her wings! But they are unwilling and he knows they will stand in judgement instead. But as we say in the South, if he had his ‘druthers…

Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman; for as woman was made from man, so man is now born of woman. And all things are from God. 1 Corinthians 11-12

During his incarnation, Jesus had a mother that he took care of. Here is a list compiled by Bible Hub that links to many verses to illustrate what that means about his humanity and divinity. If we read the scripture with a desire for understanding, if we approach the Bible as the message he wants to share with us, perhaps we would not use its verses as weapons we throw at each other. Men and women are made in his image with a purpose – and that is to serve him. Let me know what you think.