Patriarchy In The Bible

Patriarchy, by definition, is the idea in which men hold a status of power among all and this power is continually passed down through paternal lineage. However, the term “patriarchy” is very loose and often changes regarding the situation at hand. This broad idea of patriarchy is portrayed in the Bible through language such as “he,” “him,” and most importantly, “man” or, “men.” The male powered society can also be viewed in referring to the position of power men played in the culture of Israel during the time in which the Bible was set. These inferences and beliefs regarding the patriarchal views of the Bible lead to debate and implications around what the correct interpretation of the Bible is, if there is one, and what there is to do about …show more content…
Projection of male headed social power is yet another reason which the Bible is considered a patriarchal text. In most stories and passages, women are rarely mentioned, discussed, or even named. Wives, sisters, and daughters are seen as possession of the men of the families. The Torah had dictated the laws which, although blatantly male centered, were abided by both the men and the women. Eryl Davis discussed the cultural boundaries these laws placed on women and continually notes how women “were generally regarded as inferior participants in the worshipping community” (2). As the social status of women can be viewed as subordinate to males, they can too be regarded as items of trade, used to barter for goods and money. Although the authority of women is present in the homes and domestic responsibilities, the men were noted to have more social power and social …show more content…
Current scholars cannot just look at the time period in which the Bible was written and research whether or not male powered societal standings and beliefs were the norm. This situation is discussed thoroughly by Carol Meyers in which she expands on the idea of “cross cultural variation is too great to allow for such a simple explanation” (Meyers 31). The implication of the patriarchal text causes current scholars to compare the culture and societal and gendered “norms” of the Bible and the language it uses to both historical normality and present day society and culture. Only considering the text and one region of Israel, only partly explains the patriarchal description the Bible is given. Here it is realized that power and authority work in conjunction with one another, and holding a position in one aspect does not automatically ensure the position in the