I am a Christian Too � Is God Male?

It seems appropriate to link to I am a Christian Too � Is God Male? after writing 42: The ESV Bible.

Please see Deuteronomy 32:18, Psalm 22:9, Psalm 131:2, Isaiah 42:14 and Isaiah 66:13 and then tell me that God is male.

References from "Wonder Love and Praise" by Neil Dixon p18

Comments

[Glenn Piper]

Is God male - no
Is God female - no
Has God chosen to use masculine language to refer to himself - yes
Does that upset some people - yes
Should they be upset - no

[DaveW]

> Is God male - no
> Is God female - no

Agreed

> Has God chosen to use masculine language to refer to himself - yes

Well it is not so simple. In the Greek the experts tell us that in many places no God has not chosen to use masculine language. In English useage has changed so that words that once could be understood as non gender specific oin some contexts eg "man" are now widely understood to be gender specific.

When it is convenient we are told to understand "man" as meaning all human beings, at other times when convenient we are told it means male human beings. All we ask is that you respect the best scholarship available and stop trying to change God into a male and his message so that it only speaks to males.

> Does that upset some people - yes

Yes, it upsets me because the original text is not being justly translated and as a result women are not treated as God intends.

> Should they be upset - no

Because a patriachial systems tells them not to be?

[Glenn Piper]

Dave, in the Bible God uses masculine language to fefer to Himself. As in, He calls Himself Father. That is what I was refering to above.
I have NEVER inferred that His message is only for men so kindly stick to facts.
That leadership is male is a small part of the overall message of God so please don't speak as if it is the entire message.
You accused me of responding out of emotion in another comment of yours, yet it strikes me that the one who is letting emotion get in the way is your goodself.
So please calm down and read what I am actually saying and refer that and not try and spread things outside of what I have actually said.

[DaveW]

Glen,

God also uses feminine language to refer to himself as mother. eg Deuteronomy 32:18, Psalm 22:9, Psalm 131:2, Isaiah 42:14 and Isaiah 66:13.

Given the patriachial nature of the societies from which scripture came it is extremely significant that some feminine images of God survive.

[Glenn Piper]

Dave, I have looked at the references you supplyed and Deut. 32:18 has no reference to God as mother - Psalm 22:9 the reference is to Davids mother, not God as mother - Psalm 131:2 David is comparing his sense of contentment to that of a weaned child with its mother. It is like a mother but not an actual mother.
The last two from Isaiah are again making a comparison. None of this is any where near the same as when God refers to Himself as Father, for instance Matt 6:9 'Our Father in heaven.... or Luke 23:34 'And Jesus said, "Father, forgive them... or John 3:35 'The Father loves the Son... or John 14:6-7 'No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.' and of course there are many more.
Jesus only refered to God as Father, never as mother.