I've been studying/writing on Matthew 19, Jesus' teaching on what Bible editors title "Divorce."

So, so often this passage is used to force women to stay in abusive marriages. But what blows my mind is how Jesus does the opposite: advocates *for women* and their protection. 🧵 First, context. Jesus spent the past chapter teaching God's special priority for those on the margins: children, but also those without legal or social power and status. Jesus does NOT mince words. He's deadly serious about caring for & not oppressing vulnerable people God loves.

Today in Greek Exegesis, we looked at the word translated "authority" as in "women cannot hold authority over men. This 1 Timothy passage is the ONLY place it appears in the NT and we had only guesses what it meant until scholars discovered it elsewhere. Ready for the meaning? It seems to mean something like "to kill with your bare hands." So, probably (?) using this idiomatically, it might mean that a woman who was being VERY aggressive to the point of violence should not be allowed to teach (my prof pointed out that would be true of either gender).

Studying the New Testament recently (particularly Acts and the Epistles) I'm struck, as I often am, by the following:

1. The early followers of Jesus were imprisoned and persecuted

2. **because of their radical kindness, compassion, and generosity**

(Thread) 3. which threatened the social/power establishments.

Yet

4. the Jesus-followers were so full of joy and hope and boldness that their rejoicing and freedom were contagious.

Therefore

5. it was hard to imprison/persecute them because...