Today I finally got started on reading the New Testament. (I've been in a Bible study on the book of Esther, so I've been doing other Bible reading, but now I'm starting to get caught up with the book of Matthew so that I can just read the weekday e-mails I've been getting to stay current.)
I find it interesting that in the genealogy of Jesus, several women are mentioned: Tamar, the mother of Perez and Zerah; Rahab, the mother of Boaz; Ruth, the mother of Obed; Uriah's wife (not mentioned in The Message by name, Bathsheba); and Mary, the mother of Jesus. I wonder why those particular women are the ones who are mentioned. Perhaps because the others aren't discussed in other books of the Bible, but these ones are?
I got to thinking about Boaz. I wonder if having a mother who was a former prostitute meant that he was a man who was raised to be respectful of all people, not to be judgmental, and to be kind due to the kindness that was shown to Rahab and her family by the Israeli spies. Interesting that he would go on to extraordinary lengths to take care of the widowed Ruth and to marry her, continuing the line that would lead to King David and, later, to Jesus. And I find it curious that Bathsheba is only referred to as Uriah's wife - perhaps as a reminder about the sinful beginning of her relationship with David? And maybe that's a reminder to all of us that God can redeem even the tawdriest beginnings, although not without us experiencing the consequences of our bad choices.
No comments:
Post a Comment