Dr. Oliver Ottley, District Superintendent Emeritus
Church of the Nazarene
What does the cross have to do with gender? This is an unusual kind of Easter message, but a timely one I believe. For a springboard text, consider Ephesians 5:25; Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; (Scripture passages in this message are quoted from the KJV and are in italics). Can you see an important allusion to gender roles related to the cross in this Scripture?
When the Titanic was sinking, the captain ordered that the women be placed in the limited number of lifeboats with a man to man each lifeboat to safety; the rest of the men went down with the ship, including the captain. That was not chauvinism – that was chivalry!
The cross stands at the sacrificial centre of redemption and reconciliation, and the apostle Paul, inspired by God, cites the sacrifice of the Saviour as signifying His relationship with the Church and also as exemplifying that sacrificial love a husband should demonstrate towards his wife if and when necessary.
The cross speaks of salvation and a call to be like Christ. With reference to His own sacrifice Jesus said, If any man will come after me, Let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me. The gender order, giving honour unto the wife as unto the weaker vessel, necessitates that commitment. She is not the cross; she is the loved one.
Regarding the husband/wife relationship, that passage in Ephesians speaks first to the wife: Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands as unto the Lord … This speaks to the maternal component of God’s own image in which He created generic man. The paternal and maternal components are meant to mutually complement the whole image of God. …they two shall be one flesh. By the same token, men and women in the church in their respective roles are meant to represent the complementarity of God’s own image.
Jesus taught His disciples, and us by extension, to say when we pray, Our Father who art in heaven… But God has at various times revealed His maternal nature. For a couple of examples: As the eagle stirreth up her nest . . . and as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings…
God created man (generic) in his own image, in the image of God created he him, both male and female created he them. A while ago in a meeting someone asked, “What is the image of God?” The answer from the leader was “No one knows.” Let me share what I found to be the inspiration, implication, and revelation in both the Old and New Testaments. When God created Adam He said, It is not good for the man to be alone, I will make him a helper suitable for him. But God did not form another man from the dust of the ground; He took out that part of Adam’s side (not a rib) which was after the maternal aspect of His own image and He made the woman. Therefore shall a man leave his father and mother and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh (representing the whole image of God) The passage in Ephesians further says, for the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church… Hence we address God as Our Father which art in heaven…
Christ died and rose again, thus becoming the Head of the Church. If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. There is a resurrection of the spirit of man before the resurrection of the body. It is that resurrected spirit (and you hath he quickened (made alive) who were dead in trespasses and sins, that must now grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
For a fitting conclusion, contemplate these motivating lyrics from William Pierson Merrill:
Rise up, O men of God! Have done with lesser things;
Give heart and mind and soul and strength
To serve the King of Kings.
Rise up, O men of God! The Church for you doth wait,
Her strength unequal to her task;
Rise up, and make her great!
Lift high the cross of Christ! Tread where His feet have trod.
As brothers of the Son of Man
Rise up, O men of God!
Happy Easter! Happy Resurrection! God bless you!
