September 22, 2024
Indianola Presbyterian Church, Columbus
"Feminist Reading of Proverbs 31"
Sermon by Rev. Trip Porch
September 22, 2024 Based on Proverbs 31:10-33
After reading our scripture for today, I knew immediately what I had to do. It was as though God was speaking to me… "Trip! the people of Indianola Pres, actually no more specifically, the women of Indianola Pres need to hear what you think about this passage!
"The women of the church need to hear your opinion as a man about this word of scripture. They need to hear what men think about this… another man’s poetic attempt to clearly describe what makes a perfect strong woman who is worthy of marriage.
"Because women haven’t heard enough opinions about who they should be, or what they should look like, or how they should behave, especially from men; And, I think they could use your thoughts on how they aren’t doing enough! How they need to be more like this Proverbs 31 woman… Who gets up before dawn, provides food for everyone in her household, sews her own clothes and makes clothes for everyone else, who never stops working, who buys land and farms it herself, who makes enough to afford fine linens and the latest fashions."
So, Women of IPC maybe the lesson is here is, you should all be more like that… Right?
Of course, I’m being facetious. But the sad part is, this is exactly how much of the church has interpreted this scripture. That this unknown seemingly perfect woman in Proverbs 31 is the archetype of who all women should be. That the proverbs 31 woman is the ideal for every woman. And what’s worse is that this misinterpretation has had real consequences in the real world, being used by the conservative Christian church to control, subjugate, and oppress woman to certain roles in life, and certain roles in marriage. Something I was fortunately unaware of, until coming across the book that Christ Care read last year “A year of Biblical womanhood” by the ex-vangelical author and speaker Rachel Held Evans. Subtitled: “How a Liberated Woman Found Herself Sitting on Her Roof, Covering Her Head, and Calling Her Husband ‘Master'"
Here’s how Evans, who decided to dedicate a whole chapter of her book to the proverbs 31 woman, describes this poem:
“Wander into any Christian women’s conference, and you will hear her name whispered around the coffee bar and lauded from the speaker’s podium. Visit a Christian bookstore, and you will find entire women’s sections devoted to books that extol her virtues and make them applicable to modern wives.
"At my Christian college,” She says, “guys described their ideal date as a 'P31 girl,' and young women looking to please them held a 'P31 Bible Study.' She’s like the evangelical’s Mary—venerated, idealized, glorified to the level of demigoddess, and yet expected to show up in every man’s kitchen at dinnertime.”
As a mainline protestant, and as a feminist, this blew me away. The fact that a chapter of the Bible could be used to perpetuate stereotype for women and force them into a mold of what an “ideal wife” should look like, and force all Christians, men and women, to believe that there are quote “traditional marital values,” and quote “traditional gender roles” espoused by the Bible, when in fact the reality could not be further from the truth.
The bible is full of examples of women and men who do not fit into the prescribed box of a conservative Christian worldview. Of single people who get along just fine without marriage, of women who are strong leaders in their community without the aid of men. The sad part is, the highlighting and manipulation of this poem is an example of cherry picking of verses by the conservative church in order to reinforce and affirm their cultural worldview, and try to control people, to try and force the world into a box with rigid sides. We all suffer whenever the Bible is manipulated like this. We all suffer but especially women, who have for far too long been victimized and kept from power, because of intentional misinterpretation of verses like this.
But friends, the good news is, these churches, conferences, books, and bible studies are WAY off about what this passage is about. This truly is a mischaracterization of this text of scripture, and we have all missed the wisdom of what this scripture could offer because of it.
First some scholarship into this scripture:
There is no indication that the Proverbs 31 woman actually existed. She appears in this chapter in proverbs: the book of wisdom, as part attributed to a mysterious King called Lemuel who is only mentioned one time in all of scripture… here. Just before this poem, the scripture tells us that this wisdom was taught to him by his mother as a lesson on how to be a good and just leader, on how to be a righteous king. So right away, this writing and this poem stands out because it represents the queen mother as the source of kingly wisdom and remains the longest, most flattering tribute to women of its time.
And it’s just that… A poem, written as a tribute to the women of a particular culture and time and place. “An Ode to a women of noble character” its titled, or “Ode to a Wife of noble character” the word woman, and wife are ambiguous.
This mythical unnamed noble strong woman is presented here in poetry to tangibly try to personify the book of proverbs celebrated virtue of wisdom, to celebrate what a life guided by wisdom looks like, and to lift up people who are often not lifted up, whose wise ways go unnoticed, un-praised, and unthanked.
It is also important to remember what literary world we are occupying here: poetry.
This poem is packed with hyperbolic imagery as the poet praises the everyday achievements of an upper-class Jewish wife, a woman who keeps her household functioning day and night by buying land, and trading, investing, by planting, sewing, weaving, managing servants, extending charity, providing food for the family, and preparing for each season. This woman is so accomplished, in fact, that translators can’t seem to agree on an adjective to describe her. Depending on who you ask, a lucky man will find (V. 10): “a good wife” (New Century Version) • “an excellent wife” (New American Standard) • “a competent wife” (Common English Bible) • “a capable wife” (Good News Translation) • “a virtuous and capable wife” (New Living Translation) • “a wife of noble character” (New International Version) • “a virtuous woman” (King James Version) • “a worthy woman” (American Standard Version) • “a valiant woman” (Douay-Rheims American Edition) • “a capable, intelligent, and virtuous woman” (Amplified Bible)
However, most scholars seem to think that the Hebrew eshet chayil is best translated “woman of valor,” a description most often reserved for a knight or warrior, and that’s on purpose, because the structure and diction of this poem closely resembles that of a heroic poem that celebrate the exploits of a warrior. So this poem is meant to remind kings to celebrate the work of women in a particular culture, the labor of a community that is most often unnoticed, and not only that, the poem celebrates it as though celebrating a heroic warrior returning home from victory.
According to Biblical scholar Erika Moore, “the valorous wife is a heroic figure used by God to do good for God’s people, just as the ancient judges and kings did good for God’s people by their martial exploits.”
Like any good poem, the purpose of this one is to draw attention to the often-overlooked glory of the everyday.
And it’s important to note too that the only language of instruction in the poem, is directed toward men, with the admonition that a thankful husband should honor his wife “for all that her hands have done” (Proverbs 31:31).
Old Testament scholar Ellen F. Davis notes that the poem was intended “not to honor one particularly praiseworthy woman, but rather to underscore the central significance of women’s skilled work in a culture and economy that at the time was based in and around the household”
She concludes that “it will not do to make facile comparisons between the biblical figure and the suburban housewife, or alternately between her and the modern career woman.” Because this scripture was written in an entirely different context and is intended to inspire men and men in leadership to celebrate and value all of the unnoticed people laboring behind the scenes.
If I were to try to salvage this passage from the baggage that modern Christianity has brought it, if I’d try to find some wisdom in this supposed wisdom literature it would be this. That this is poetry directed at people in power in an attempt open their eyes to all of those without power whose day in and day out work contributes to the success of society and is worthy of our gratitude, our praise, and our celebration.
But I don’t necessarily want to try to salvage this passage, especially in this context where it has been held for far too long as a proof text for conservative Christian gender roles. As a tool to marginalize, oppress, abuse, and subjugate women to the household. And thank God we are a part of a Christian tradition that invites critical thinking and allows us space to decide what scripture is meaningful for us. While we can't decide what scripture is in the bible, we can decide what scripture we engage in worship and what scripture is worth reading to guide our lives.
But even though I'm the pastor here, I don’t think the decision of what to do with this text should be left to a man. You’ve heard far too much from me already in this pulpit. Instead I'd like to turn it over to you, the women of the church, to take back control and decide if this is scripture we should engage at this church.
What should we do with Proverbs 31? What does having this woman as an archetype of a life of wisdom mean for you today? Should this be a passage we remove from our own canons of scripture that is good news? That bring wisdom?
Let’s Take a vote...
Note: The feedback from the women of the church included the importance of keeping scripture like this and being a church that doesn't shy away from hard conversations, but also noted that we need to read challenging scriptures within the context of the greater narrative of the bible that emphasizes God's love, and also takes into account other examples of women who lead and own small business and land, and were the first evangelists sharing the good news.
May we continue to lift up the leadership of women, may we continue to offer gratitude, praise and celebration for all the people who are overlooked, and underappreciated in society, may this be the wisdom of this passage for us... Amen.
WE GATHER IN AWE AND PRAISE
PRELUDE “For All the Faithful Women” arr. P.F. Tillen
INTROIT “Enter God’s Gates with Thanksgiving” Nick Vangeloff
WELCOME Rev. Trip Porch
One: This is the day that the Lord has made
All: Let us rejoice and be glad in it
*CALL TO WORSHIP Written by Dr. Lisa Hancock
One: Beloved, in a world that criticizes women who lead in the workplace and
demeans women who stay home to tend their families, God’s uncommon
wisdom calls to us:
All: Recognize the leadership of women!
One: In a world where churches still deny and repress the gifts, talents, and callings of
women in ministry, God’s uncommon wisdom calls to us:
All: Nurture the leadership of women!
One: In boardrooms, family meetings, town councils, pulpits, and church committees,
women lead us with their voices, their actions, their wisdom, and their strength.
And so, God’s uncommon wisdom calls to us:
All: Respect the leadership of women!
One: For too long, women who lead among us have been unnamed,
underappreciated, and exploited as free labor. May we listen and act, then, as
God’s uncommon wisdom calls to us:
All: Support the leadership of women! Thanks be to God. Amen.
*HYMN INSERT “Who Comes from God as Word and Breath?” SALVE REGINA COELITUM
*PRAYER OF CONFESSION Ann Hitzhusen
O God, we live our lives as best we can—dealing with difficult relationships and situations, putting failures and disappointments behind us, and moving into each new day with as much energy, goodwill, and optimism as we can muster. But here, right now, we seldom have the right answers, we seldom seek your higher wisdom in our lives, we just move ahead. Forgive us for not asking for your insight. Fill us with your wisdom, that we may live lives of goodness and peace. Individual confession offered in the silence
*ASSURANCE OF PARDON
*RESPONSE OF PRAISE 659 “Know That God Is Good” MUNGU NI MWEMA
*PASSING OF THE PEACE
One: The peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all,
All: And also with you.
WE LISTEN FOR GOD’S WORD
ANTHEM “Blessed Assurance” arr. Hal Hopson
Betsy Tullis, soloist
SUNG PRAYR OF ILLUMINATION 174 “Come and Seek the Ways of Wisdom” MADELINE
All are invited to sing.
SCRIPTURE Proverbs 31:10–31 Ode to a Woman of Strength
A woman of strength who can find? She is far more precious than jewels.
The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain.
She does him good and not harm all the days of her life.
She seeks wool and flax and works with willing hands.
She is like the ships of the merchant; she brings her food from far away.
She rises while it is still night and provides food for her household
and tasks for her female servants.
She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
She girds herself with strength and makes her arms strong.
She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp does not go out at night.
She puts her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle.
She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy.
She is not afraid for her household when it snows, for all her household are clothed in crimson.
She makes herself coverings; her clothing is fine linen and purple.
Her husband is known in the city gates, taking his seat among the elders of the land.
She makes linen garments and sells them; she supplies the merchant with sashes.
Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come.
She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children rise up and call her happy; her husband, too, and he praises her:
“Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.”
Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
Give her a share in the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the city gates.
Holy Wisdom, Holy Word
Thanks be to God
CHILDREN’S MESSAGE Marie Boozer
SERMON Rev. Trip Porch
WE RESPOND TO GOD’S WORD
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE followed by the Lord’s Prayer on screen
TIME OF OFFERING online giving is available at www. indianolapres.org/give
OFFERTORY “Forget-me-nots” Op. 19 Dora Pejacevic
*RESPONSE 709 “God We Honor You” ABUNDANT BLESSINGS
*PRAYER OF DEDICATION
God of Love and Mercy, we bring these offerings with grateful hearts, honoring your enduring guidance in our lives. Just as Wisdom works with willing hands and provides for those in need, may these gifts be used to nurture and uplift our community. Inspire us to follow your teachings of kindness and generosity. Transform our contributions into acts of love and justice, spreading your light in the world. May we always give credit to your divine wisdom and grace. In your holy name, we pray. Amen.
*HYMN 324 “For All the Faithful Women” NYLAND
TIME OF COMMUNITY SHARING
CHARGE AND BENEDICTION
CHORAL BENEDICTION “May God Support You All Your Days” Lee Hastings Bristol Jr.
POSTLUDE “Blessed Assurance” arr. Ann Buys
Acknowledgments: Unless otherwise indicated, all texts and music are printed and broadcast under OneLicense.net license #A-702452