Summary of the Articles
Article 1
Ackerman, Susan. “Why is Miriam also Among the Prophets? (And Zipporah Among the Priests?)”. Journal of Biblical Literature 121.1 (2002): 47-80. Print.
This article examines the position of women in the Old Testament. The author begins by analyzing how the Feminist Revolution has reconsidered the role of women in the ancient Jewish culture. Religious analysts and scholars have described some of the roles played by women in the Old Testament. Many women, such as Deborah, Noadiah, Hulda, and Miriam, played many religious roles in the ancient Jewish society (Ackerman 50).
Some women, such as Isaiah’s wife, did not undertake various religious roles. Isaiah’s wife completed specific chores such as bearing children and supporting the family. The Holy Bible does not indicate the name of Isaiah’s wife. This is the case because she did not play a major role in the Jewish religion. Many Jewish texts have ignored the role of women in the community. However, the agreeable fact is that many women contributed a lot to the religious history of the Jews (Ackerman 50).
Miriam and other women were accepted in the Israelite religion. They became powerful prophets in a field that was dominated by men. According to different studies, many women managed to achieve high status in their respective communities. They completed several exercises and activities. This fact explains why “majority of these women were accorded prestige by many individuals in the society” (Ackerman 51). According to the Old Testament, some women, such as Zipporah, “took priest-like activities and functions” (Ackerman 80). Some texts show that women were required to meet certain conditions in order to participate in different religious activities. However, such issues have been debatable today. That being the case, women should be allowed to undertake various activities and roles in the Church. Women should preach and empower their fellow believers. Every believer should embrace these ideas in order to promote God’s work on earth.
Article 2
Parker, Julie. “Blaming Eve Alone: Translation, Omission, and Implications of עמה in Genesis 3:6b.” Journal of Biblical Literature 132.4 (2013): 729-747. Print.
The article “Blaming Eve Alone: Translation, Omission, and Implications of עמה in Genesis 3:6b” focuses on the story of Adam and Eve. According to the author, the interpretation and translation “of the book of Genesis have contributed a lot to the misconception regarding the role played by Eve in the garden” (Parker 729). To begin with, Adam was present in the garden when the devil lied to Eve. The author goes further to explain why Adam was part of this first sin. Many English translations of Genesis 3:6b tend to victimize women for this first sin. The Hebrew word “עמה” has been interpreted differently by many Bible translators. This fact explains why many translations fail to indicate that Adam was with Eve in the garden. The insignificance attached to the word “עמה” has transformed the intended meaning of this Biblical book (Parker 729).
Many Holy Bibles “that fail to indicate that Adam was with Eve makes it impossible for many individuals to interpret these verses effectively” (Parker 729). That being the case, many scholars of the Holy Bible use such interpretations to excuse men from the first sin. Such scholars condemn women for being tricked by the serpent. This weakness encourages more people to support the position of women in their respective communities.
This article clearly shows that women have been treated differently in many religious settings. The author argues that many Biblical texts have been misinterpreted in order to crucify women. The practice also excuses men from different sins. However, the article goes further to propose the need for accurate analyses and interpretations of the Holy Bible. This approach clearly shows that women might not be weak. This knowledge also goes further to support the role of women in society (Parker, 729). Women can be guided and empowered in order to achieve their religious goals. The translation of Genesis 3:6b should, therefore, be done correctly in order to blame both Adam and Eve.
Analyzing the Articles: Strengths and Weaknesses
Ackerman’s article presents numerous ideas and arguments to the reader. To begin with, the author draws a line between the role of prophets and women in the Old Testament. The article identifies the works and achievements of different women in the Holy Bible. The author uses the Old Testament to present useful insights that can guide modern scholars and women in the community. The article uses powerful verses and testimonies from different verses in the Old Testament. This discussion explains why women should be empowered in order to achieve their spiritual goals. Religious groups and families should also borrow numerous ideas from the above women. This practice will empower this discriminated gender. The article also highlights the role of women, such as Isaiah’s wife in the Church. Such women should focus o the needs of their families. This discussion goes further to confront the stereotypes and masculine views that affect many individuals in the society (Ackerman 67).
The author of the article uses meaningful examples in order to support the role of women in the modern Church. Christians should embrace most of these ideas in an attempt to support the religious needs of women. Such women can become great preachers and eventually bring more people to Christ. The Church should, therefore, empower, guide, and support women in order to promote God’s teachings on earth. The arguments are similar to those echoed in other works and articles. Men should not be opposed to women’s empowerment. The community “has a major role to play towards empowering more women” (Ackerman 79). The above strengths make this article admirable and relevant to many readers.
Ackerman’s article has several weaknesses. To begin with, the author uses a complex structure to deliver a simple message to the reader. The author also supports gender discrimination by portraying the stereotypic roles of certain women in the Holy Bible (Ackerman 67). The author should have offered more examples in order to support targeted themes and messages. The reader should, therefore, be aware of these issues in order to get the best message from this article.
Readers should interpret Parker’s article in a positive manner. This article has several strengths. The author begins by highlighting the position of women in different cultures. According to this article, societies should not treat or blame women for everything. This article also highlights the unique challenges facing women in different historical periods. The Old Testament presents numerous verses whereby women have been victimized and treated as second class citizens.
Men always try to excuse themselves using various stratagems. A good example occurs when different Bible translators excuse men from various sins and wrongdoings. The author offers powerful arguments that can encourage more readers to interpret the Holy Bible correctly. This approach will support more people in order to achieve their religious goals (Parker 730).
The decision to highlight this gap in different translations makes the article meaningful to many readers. It is agreeable that the above two articles are different. However, the agreeable fact is that they support the role and position of women in the modern Church. Believers should empower women in order to accomplish God’s work on earth. The author has placed the targeted ideas in their proper contexts. The emphasis of the article is that men should be ready to support the goals of women. They should also guide them because they are delicate and weak. The important goal is to promote God’s words and teachings on earth. This practice has the potential to support the religious needs of many people in the world (Parker, 736).
Some weaknesses are evident in the above article. For example, the author fails to offer more evidence to support the main message of the article. The topic is also shallow, thus making it impossible for different scholars to interpret the article effectively (Parker 729). In conclusion, these two articles present similar themes to the reader. In conclusion, these articles support the position of women in different churches. The important observation is that the authors have approached their themes from different perspectives. This approach makes it easier for every reader to get the best ideas and interpretations.
Works Cited
Ackerman, Susan. “Why is Miriam also Among the Prophets? (And Zipporah Among the Priests?).” Journal of Biblical Literature 121.1 (2002): 47-80. Print.
Parker, Julie. “Blaming Eve Alone: Translation, Omission, and Implications of עמה in Genesis 3:6b.” Journal of Biblical Literature 132.4 (2013): 729-747. Print.