Jesus And Family Values -- By: Gretchen Gaebelein Hull

Journal: Priscilla Papers
Volume: PP 15:2 (Spring 2001)
Article: Jesus And Family Values
Author: Gretchen Gaebelein Hull


Jesus And Family Values

It Would Have Been Easier For Us If Jesus Had Set Down A Nice, Definitive Family-Values List.

Gretchen Gaebelein Hull

Gretchen Gaebelein Hull is editor emerita of Priscilla Papers, having served for eleven years as the journal’s first editor. This article is reprinted from Perspectives (December 1996), with the author’s permission. This article was also reprinted in PRISM magazine, and in The Lydian Network, Winter 2001.

We who seek to be Jesus’ faithful disciples must be very careful not to put words in Jesus’ mouth that he did not speak. We cannot promote what we wish Jesus might have said, but, to the best of our ability, we must accurately reflect what he did say. Nowhere is this caveat so needed as in the area of “family values”—an area fast becoming the hottest battlefront in the American culture wars.

Religious groups, PAC s, and political candidates not only promote a return to “traditional family values” as the antidote for most ills afflicting American society, but—if “Bible-believing”—can claim to have Jesus’ endorsement of their social agendas. Yet, when we turn to the Bible itself, it is disconcerting to be unable to find chapter and verse backing up all these claims. It can be equally disconcerting to read what Jesus actually said about families. For example, what do we make of passages in Matthew 10 and Luke 12 where Jesus declared he has not come to bring peace but a sword, then gives concrete examples of families torn apart by his teachings? We are comfortable with worshiping Jesus as Prince of Peace—but what about Jesus as Divider of Families?

Jesus seemed strangely insensitive to blood relationships (Mark 3:31-35) and to family rituals (Luke 9:59-62). And in contrast to our emphasis on making the most careful monetary provision for our families, Jesus put no emphasis on financial security but a great deal of emphasis on financial risk-taking (Luke 12:22-34).

In addition, although many today would offer social-welfare programs only to people conforming to traditional family models, Jesus overturned such conventional wisdom by reaching out to help all in need, regardless of family standing or whether a person was a so-called productive member of society.

Jesus also called men and women to leave their families and to follow him for extended periods of time. It is too easy to say that none of these had spouses or dependents to think about. Of the Twelve, we know Peter was married (Mark 1:30; see also Luke 18:28...

You must have a subscription and be logged in to read the entire article.
Click here to subscribe
visitor : : uid: ()