I liken you, my darling, to a mare among Pharaoh's chariot horses. – Song of Songs 1:9

 Today's Scripture Reading (November 29, 2022): Song of Songs 1

We are used to the idea that the Bible was written in a patriarchal society. Some of the Bible's instructions simply reflect that culture. Paul seems to be the vessel for a lot of these comments, and one example of this teaching is found in 1 Corinthians;

Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says. If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church (1 Corinthians 14:34-35).

The best explanation for this command would seem to be cultural, although I have friends in conservative churches that take this prohibition quite seriously. Paul realized that the reality of the day was that women leading the Christian Church would make the fledgling church irrelevant in the dominant society. But that didn't mean that a woman couldn't lead. Paul's reality was that women were leading the church. They were the hostesses at the meetings. They were the ones actively planting and inviting people into the community. And one of the most significant women in the first-century church was Priscilla, the wife of Aquila. Aquila was an important leader in his own right of the early church. According to tradition, Aquila was one of the first bishops of Asia Minor.

And yet, in the Bible, the most common way to reference this early Christian power couple was to place Priscilla's name in front of Aquila's. As important as Aquila might have been, Priscilla possessed a place of priority regarding the church. In his teaching, Paul upholds the tradition that placed the male in the prominent position in church Leadership. But the importance of women in the early church should not be underestimated.

But apparently, the prioritizing of the male was not limited to human interactions. From a time that was well before the era of Solomon, a custom was established that the King's chariot could only be pulled by two stallions. No mares were allowed in that prestigious position. But that doesn't mean that a mare in the presence of the King’s stallions would not cause a disturbance. And Solomon probably imagined the reaction of Egypt’s stallions in the presence of Pharaoh's favorite mare as he speaks to his bride. The Pharaoh's favorite mare would have been his pride and joy, but on this day, the most prized female of Solomon's house was his new bride, and she was causing the same disturbance in him as Pharaoh's favorite mare did among Egypt's most prized stallions.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Song of Songs 2