A realistic reading as a feminist tool : the Prodigal Son as a case study

The parables of Jesus have historically been attributed with a plethora of interpretations. The first hearers of the parables of Jesus had native (emic) knowledge of the social realities embedded in the parables told by Jesus, that is, cultural scripts present in the parables that might not be apparent to modern readers. Because of this, the modern reader of a parable might not be aware of all the different cultural scripts in a given parable, especially if these scripts are not specifically mentioned or explained by the gospel narrators. Using the parable of the Prodigal Son as an example, this study argues that there are voices in the parable most probably heard by its first hearers that modern hearers might not be aware of. These 'muted' voices not heard by modern readers of the parables often include the voices of women and other minority figures. In this study, a case is made for the possible value that a 'realistic reading' of familial parables could bring to the interpretation of the parables. CONTRIBUTION: It is suggested that this reading can contribute to feminist biblical scholarship's deconstruction and reconstruction of gender paradigms of Christian theology if the voices of women are 'exhumed' from or 'unhidden' within, patriarchal and androcentric texts.http://www.hts.org.zaNew Testament Studie

The friend at midnight : a ‘realistic’ reading as a feminist tool

The voices of women have historically been muted in biblical texts from their ancient to more modern interpretations. This article will attempt to 'unhide' the voices of women in the Parable of the Friend at Midnight by using a combination of social-scientific criticism and a 'realistic' reading as a methodology to inform an understanding of how 1st-century Mediterranean audiences would have understood women to be present in the parable where modern audiences might not. In the 1st-century Mediterranean world, women were key figures in facilitating group hospitality values, the baking and supply of bread, and caring for children. These women, however, are not directly mentioned in the parable and often excluded in modern commentaries. This contribution aims to pave a way forward for modern New Testament commentaries to not only include but also focus on the roles and importance of women in the parable of the Friend at Midnight. INTRADISCIPLINARY AND/OR INTERDISCIPLINARY IMPLICATIONS : The interdisciplinary nature of this article contributes to the debate on the roles and importance of women in the church by investigating the value that women had in the parables of Jesus. By reading women as present in the text, emphasis is given to the voices of women in the Bible and the importance of their representation today.http://www.ve.org.zaam2023New Testament Studie