YOU MISSED THE POINT
If I can read Hebrew and Greek but do not have love, I am a loud, blustering noise maker.
If I can preach and know lots of stuff about lots of stuff and I have faith enough to sound really sure of myself but do not have love I am nothing.
If I spend my life building a church and a seminary and running conferences and writing commentaries, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
1 Corinthian’s 13:1-3 TSPV (Todd’s Slightly Paraphrased Version)
John MacArthur missed the point
It’s amazing how someone could study the Bible their whole life and miss the point entirely. John MacArthur mocking Beth Moore as he recently did at his conference is a case in point. The things he said were demeaning of her and of women in general. Even if he was right (and I believe firmly that he is NOT*) about his view of scripture and who should teach it, the arrogant, chauvinistic attitude he displayed and was applauded for does not represent Jesus Christ.
The disciples often missed the point
But this is nothing new. Jesus’ disciples missed the point when he was with them. Peter got the answer partly right about who he was, ‘You are the Christ!” and Jesus told him to keep quiet about it (Mark 8:29). NOT because he was a woman, mind you., but because his idea of what “Christ” or “Messiah” meant was triumphalistic. Jesus clarified for him (and for his other male disciples repeatedly) that his kind of leadership would mean suffering, unjust treatment and even execution. His kind of kingship was not about domination. Jesus clarified to his disciples repeatedly that his kind of leadership was about service and being least and last for the sake of others.
Sadly, many of us have missed the point for 2000 years.
Though Jesus told many people to keep quiet about him throughout the Gospel according to Mark, the people who were told to speak about Jesus’ resurrection were women. They said nothing. In the original ending of Mark (Mark 16:8) they did what John MacArthur told Beth Moore to do and went home saying nothing to anyone.
Thank God, that’s not how the story ended. Thank you ladies from then until now for continuing to tell the truth.
- Todd Rodarmel