Die posisie van die vrou binne die patriargaat en reinheidsisteem van die Bybelse leefwêreld

Abstract

In agrarian Palestine with Jerusalem as the economic, administrative and religious centre, the patriarchal family was the nucleus of an androcentric society with honour and shame as pivotal values. Women were regarded as property; useful for procreation. The religious and social participation of women was limited by patriarchy and purity. According to genealogical purity lines, Israelites were classified as true Israel or of dubious status. This determined marriages and access to the Temple. In literature Ben Sira, Philo and Josephus denigrated women, ascribing to them an inherent evil nature. In fiction Mediterranean women were portrayed negatively and positively. The teaching of Jesus and Paul led to a levelling of social status, gender roles and ethnicity in the early church but this was reversed due to the pressure of the ambient patriarchal society and Paul's own ambivalence. In many cultures disparagement and exploitation of women are still prevalent.

In agrariese Palestine met Jerusalem as die ekonomiese, administratiewe en godsdienstige sentrum, was die patriargale familie die kern van 'n androsentriese samelewing met eer en skande as sentrale waardes. Vroue is as eiendom beskou en noodsaaklik vir voortplanting. Godsdienstige en sosiale aktiwiteite van vroue was beperk as gevolg van die patriargaat en die reinheidsisteem. Genealogiese reinheidsgrense het Israeliete geklassifiseer as ware en nie-ware Israeliete en so toegang tot die Tempel, asook huwelike, gereguleer. Skrywers soos Ben Sira, Philo, Josefus en ander het vroue afgekraak en beskryf as inherent boos. Mediterreense vroue is in fiksie negatief en positief uitgebeeld. Die leer van Jesus en Paulus sou die onderskeid op grond van sosiale status, geslag en etnisiteit in die vroee kerk ophef, maar dis later omgekeer weens die druk van die patriargale samelewing en Paulus se eie toedoen. Die geringskatting en uitbuiting van vroue vind steeds plaas in baie kulture.