How Jesus Rejected the Worship of Women

...and directed worship back to God

“While Jesus was saying these things, one of the women in the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, “Blessed is the womb that bore You and the breasts at which You nursed.” But He said, “On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.”” Luke 27-28 (NASB 1995)

This encounter between Jesus and a woman in the crowd during His ministry raises some interesting questions. Prior to answering them, though, it’s worthwhile to approach this with some basics in mind. One, we are aware as Christians of the inerrancy of scripture. We can interpret what is said literally and regard it as factual, without conjuring up other possible meanings. What Luke wrote happened, exactly as written. And while biblical authors sometimes used metaphor to visually illustrate bigger or more complex ideas, there’s no indication of that in this passage.

We also know that Jesus never wasted a single word on anything. Everything He said was precise, intentional and with clear purpose. He never spoke idly or in error. This interaction is no exception.

Therefore, with this in mind, let us first examine the statement of the woman. “Blessed is the womb that bore You and the breasts at which You nursed.” At the time, and as is the case today, her words reflected the common, socially driven exaltation of mothers. Yes, even 2,000 years ago, fully 1,000 years before the advent of the romantic chivalry we see observed today, motherhood came with elevated social standing that bordered on and crossed into reverence; a status not conferred on the average person. Given the critically important role of women in gestation, especially with the physical risks involved at the time, such a lifting up of mothers is understandable, even if misguided.

This 2,000-year-old voice implied that the woman who bore Him was somehow responsible for His ministry and the message of salvation He brought the world. Somehow, Mary was to be credited for Jesus’ work. The woman didn’t confer her blessings on Him or the Father, but on His earthly mother, no less a sinner than you or I.

And what was Jesus’ response? Well, the first words out of his mouth expressed a thorough rejection of what she said. "On the contrary" is a phrase used to introduce a statement or idea that contrasts with or opposes the preceding statement. It indicates a contradiction or an opposite viewpoint. Note: The scriptural quote is taken from the New American Standard Bible (1995), which is the most literal, word for word translation available from the original Greek of the New Testament.

Though we have no need, there are other ways that we can interpret what Jesus meant by “On the contrary.” Things like, “no, not that” and much more succinctly, “you’re wrong.” Out of the mouth of Jesus came the godly rebuke of ancient gynocentric thinking. Jesus not only rejected the woman’s exaltation of motherhood, but He also redirected her misguided worship of women back to God where it belonged. He chastised her practice of idolatry. Idolatry involves giving reverence, devotion, or worship to something or someone other than God. Jesus was challenging hers, and society’s, idolatry of women and mothers. He called us all back to the Father for worship.

This is especially relevant today as we live in a society that elevates single motherhood, a complete trainwreck in its own right, to the same overly exalted status that Jesus encountered on the streets, and which he flatly and unambiguously rejected. The exalted status belongs with Him, with the Father and with the Holy Spirit, not with common sinners.  

This is just one more example of how red pill life fits both philosophically and literally with Christian life. More and more recently, we’re hearing terms like “Red Pill Christianity,” and “the Christ Pill.” Personally, I don’t like either term. Christianity doesn’t bend to conform to red pill sensibilities. On the contrary, the bending is the other way around, lest the red pill just lead to hedonism and other forms of false worship.

It seems rather fundamental, doesn’t it? We are to worship God, not women. But alas, we live in times much crazier than that.  

I wonder what the woman quoted by Luke felt about Jesus’ rejection of her idolatry. We’ll never know for sure, but one thing is certain. We don’t hear from her again.