Justice for Men; Injustice for Women--Aug. 11, 2016

For me, the boundary lines have fallen in pleasant places;

I am a man; I have a goodly heritage.

For my sisters in the faith, the places are not as pleasant.

Jesus' disciples were astonished that he

spoke to a woman.

Stephen addressed his defense to brothers and fathers;

women were not allowed.

Samson liked the looks of a Philistine woman

and asked his father to get her for him,

as a child might ask for a toy.

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 97; 147:12-20; 16; 62

Judg. 14:1-19

Acts 6:15-7:16

John 4:27-42

           

Selected Verses

Ps. 16:6

The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
          I have a goodly heritage.

Judg. 14:3

But [Samson's] father and mother said to him, "Is there not a woman among your kin, or among all our people, that you must go to take a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?"  But Samson said to his father, "Get her for me, because she pleases me." 

Acts 7:1-2a

Then the high priest asked [Stephen], "Are these things so?"  And Stephen replied:

"Brothers and fathers, listen to me.  …"

John 4:27

Just then his disciples came. They were astonished that he was speaking with a woman, but no one said, "What do you want?" or, "Why are you speaking with her?"