The Gospels are Raining Men (Mark 5*, John 3, John 4)

It's no secret that the Gospels feature powerful male characters like Jairus, Nicodemus, and the unnamed lawyer. This season we explore the role of male characters in the stories of the bleeding woman, the woman at the well, and Mary and Martha. Through our exploration, we'll see how Mark and John shed light on Jesus’ view of power, privilege, and marginalization.

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The Bible and the English Major: All Episodes & Articles
The Gospels are Raining Men, Part 3: So What?
The Gospels are Raining Men, Part 3: So What?

Of the privileged men in the Gospels, Jairus is one we can learn from. We're circling back to Mark's sandwich story of Jairus and the hemorrhaging woman because the theological meat in this story is not only faith but privilege. Who knew the Bible talked about such scandalous stuff?

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The Gospels are Raining Men, Part 2: But Why?
The Gospels are Raining Men, Part 2: But Why?

Jairus, Nicodemus, and an unnamed lawyer all take their places in the Gospels to show us how blinding privilege can be. Wanna see Jesus? Look where he's looking: at the pain of the marginalized ones. For their own reasons, Mark, Luke, and John use the men to help us focus on the fringes.

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The Gospels are Raining Men, Part 1: But One is Missing
The Gospels are Raining Men, Part 1: But One is Missing

The Samaritan Woman at the Well reports that her privileged male counterpart has gone missing. Could it be the Pharisee, Nicodemus? Investigate John's use of juxtaposition through characterization, plot, and mood to find her foil.

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* This passage is also found in Matthew 9:20-22 and Luke 8:43-48 but with a bit less artistry.