This sermon comes from a more adult passage of scripture than usual. Listener direction advised. Tamar posed as a prostitute in order to trick her father in law to sleep with her. The scriptures, strangely, praise Tamar in multiple places. Tamar is proved just in how she conducts herself in her world. She stands up, and tries to save her family’s name. The story of Tamar calls us to care for those who are denied opportunities, access, and resources in our world. From the series, Jesus’ Family Tree, at Church of the Apostles
Genesis 38:11-29; 24-26
Mark 7:31-35
How She Proved Just
The past is a strange and foreign country, and people do things strangely there.
Tamar lived in patriarchal society.
There are three features of a patriarchal society:
Tamar, though no fault or choice of her own, suffered two marriages to two evil men.
Judah chose to mistreat Tamar, while saving face in the society.
Tamar knows Judah, and uses his immorality against him.
The staff, seal and cord were the ancient equivalent of a drivers license, and credit cards.
When Judah sees his staff and cord, he realizes how far he has fallen. And he calls Tamar’s actions just.
Tamar is proved just in her great faithfulness to God’s commands and blessing. Judah is proved guilty in his lack of obedience to the commands and blessings of God.
Psalm 68:5 and Isaiah 1:17 show us God’s heart for widows and calls us to care for them.
Tamar was standing up, and trying to save her family’s name.
This story makes us ask who the people are in our society who are denied opportunities, access and resources. And we call called to stand beside them.
How She Bore the Image:
Genesis 1, tell us that men and women are created in the Image of God. Genesis 2, tell us that women is a “ezer” to man. A helper.
In the majority of the Bible “ezer” is used to describe God rescuing God’s people.
Tamar lives into the calling of the “ezer”, the Hebrew ally and rescuer.
Men and women bare the Image of God with perfect equality, and in beautiful diversity.