Essay 5
Women have been portrayed in numerous different
fashions in the different passages of the Bible that we've read. Some of the
women have been compared and were more similar than others, and some different.
Men could be compared in the different passages as well, there is a difference
in how men saw women from the Acts of Paul and Thecla compared to 1 Tim 2:1-15.
Women
are portrayed as quiet, they're supposed to dress modestly, to not dress up.
Women have no authority towards men and are supposed to fully submit because of
the fact that Eve was created after Adam was. Women were to be subservient to
men. (1 Tim 2:9-13.) In the Acts of Paul and Thecla (p.268) women didn't have
this problem, Paul told Thecla to "Go and teach the words of God!" As
stated in the McGinn reading the closing statement shows that a Christian woman
could be an Apostle. (p.820)
Thecla was able to negate marriage, but in doing so
she had to become more "manly" through their hairstyles and their dress
wear. (McGinn p.820) In the Acts of Paul and Thecla, her society they didn't
accept her beliefs of not going through with her marriage. They punished her
for this, but through her beliefs in Jesus and the Lord she was saved numerous
times, some by the lioness.
It seems that the Acts of Paul and Thecla had a
belief more towards newer generations of beliefs, and women were given a chance
to teach, while 1 Tim was more of older generations of the belief, they felt
that women could only be saved through marriage and childbearing.
Opening paragraph was a little redundant, and the first few sentences didn't really have much to do with the last one (describing the essay topic). First paragraph started out describing how 1 Tim said women should act, but you didn't actually say that. It is only said in the citation. 'Masculine' would have been a better word than 'manly'. Third paragraph doesn't quite make sense to me...what do you mean "she was saved numerous times, some by the lioness"?
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that Thecla's outward appearance becomes more male-like, and her actions signify her desire to work outside the traditional female roles. I believe Thecla probably saw herself in a first century Christian context where Paul worked with women and women had roles in the church. First Timothy prescribes women in traditional roles, and your use of the term "older generations" reflects this.
ReplyDeleteI agree that men can also be compared and have different views of how women should act. I think you do a great job of showing these differences between Tim and Paul. I think you make a good point that the Acts of Paul and Thecla are more newer generation beliefs while Tim seems to be an older generation belief. I never thought of it like that but I agree with it. I think you had a very strong essay.
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