Zuzana Valovská

WOMEN

OF THE WILD GARDEN

they were part of a grander plan

and have a right place in the Genealogy of Jesus

Excerpt from electronic book

FOREWORD

Women from Jesus‘ genealogy

What a beautiful and yet simple theme. It is hard to believe that nobody has ever taken complex interest in this issue. It is a pity that it never occurred to me. Before you start reading the book I feel obliged to issue an official warning:

Do not read if you are prudish, do not read if you are sensitive to transgressions and sins. Do not read if you consider the Bible a guide for correct exemplary behaviour. Do not read if you are easily resentful of human behaviour.

Do not read if you have idealized your ideas of the Bible and its contents. Do not read if you perceive the Bible as only a book of love.

Do not read if you have fancy illusions about marriage and human coexistence. Do not read if you think that people in ancient times created partnerships (what we now call marriages) out of love. Seriously do not.

If you are ready for anything, then keep reading.

When one reads the Bible superficially one can get the feeling that the Bible is a book about men. Yes, most of the Old Testament stories actually revolve around men. Men in ancient times had a privileged position in society - no doubt about that.

One might get an idea that the position of women in society was inferior during biblical times. You could think that women were oppressed and that they were treated as slaves. However, the opposite is true.

In fact, nothing has changed since ancient times. Nothing has changed and everything in the world is as it has always been - the world is run by women. They manage it through men, in different ways and using a variety of means and weapons. Women will often stop at nothing. And let us not flatter ourselves – these are not always only noble ways and methods.

After all, the end justifies the means, right?

mind of a woman

I guess there is no more colourful, richer or patulous phenomenon than the mind of a woman. The woman‘s inner world incorporates countless thoughts, motives, themes and analyses that will eventually translate into female behaviour.

Especially for men this environment is often so misunderstandable and incomprehensible. We women however know exactly what we are doing and why.

Reading the mind of a woman is a double Dutch for a man. No wonder. Indeed, sometimes even we do not exactly know what we want. But as the saying goes: we do not stop until we get it.

Seriously now. We exactly know what we want. This is proved by the biblical stories of the women in Jesus‘ genealogy. Has anything changed in the female methods of ancient times? Not a bit. We still use the same reliable and effective weapons as before: intrigue, manipulation, sex, lies and wit.

When a woman sets her mind on something, she will get it.

Women of the Bible are fascinating. This subject is very vast as the mind of the woman itself. Women of the Jesus‘ genealogy are so different ... but have some things in common. They hold their lives in firm grip, they have strong personalities and they usually exactly know what they want and know exactly how to achieve it.

When reading this book I sometimes had a feeling that women of the Bible followed the motto “good girls get to heaven ... but the bad will get anywhere.”

a woman Zuzana

I am not at all surprised that this book was written by Zuzana. It is actually exactly what I expected from her.

Because I see Zuzana as a courageous woman who decided to step out of her comfort zone. She decided  to live alone, away from her family and perform a service to people. One day some time ago she simply decided to become a Lutheran pastor. Many things happened in her life in the meantime, many things occurred and many things have changed.

Certainly, worse things happen in life than a divorce. Sometimes the divorce can be the best thing that can happen to someone. In this case, the end of one life-stage and beginning of a new brought a creation of a work of art. Success in sport, a birth - a lot of things in this world, which are created and have a value – are preceded by pain. In other words, we can say that Zuzana, being in hard place, needed to surround herself with other strong women. And when a person is looking for herself, she can reach the most beautiful from within.

book

Writing of this book was preceded by separate blogs about some of the women in the genealogy of Jesus, which were later added to reach the final count. A book concerning women was created - about Eve, woman who succumbed and seduced the man to a slippery slope, about Sarah, for me a story about hope and God‘s love, about Rebecca, a woman who had loved one son more than the other, about Rachel, who managed what every woman desires - to give birth to children most loved by her husband, about Leah, who perhaps had the strongest sense of all the biblical women, what it means to be second, about Tamar and Rahab, who were anything but today‘s model of decency and morality, about Ruth, a woman who knew what she wanted and had no problem going for it, about Bathsheba, a woman for which one man would stop at nothing and would act as crazy. And to conclude, about Mary, a woman purity of which no one doubted although everybody could have.

Women whose fates do not represent isolated islands but are part of a wonderful story. A story that transcends time and lasts forever. The story that we are becoming a part too.

A story in which we can observe the force majeure, which touches us and so confirms its wisdom exceeding our capabilities and falls.

to conclude the introduction

The idea of creating a book from blogs took longer to shape and became real only after it has been supported by environment. Particularly by classmates, pastors and friends.

Who is Zuzana for me? We met as young women when our common journey began at the Evangelical Theological Faculty of Comenius University. I think this is true for both of us that these were the most beautiful five years of our lives. It was a period when we were immersed in Bible study. Somewhere there a love to biblical figures was born, during the lessons of history and philosophy, in discussions of stories from Old and New Testaments, in the endless discussions and analysis, during Greek and Hebrew lessons.

Zuzana is above all a person of extraordinary esteem in all respects - as a woman, as a pastor and as a friend. She lags in nothing compared to women of Jesus‘ genealogy. She is strong, purposeful and admirable. And sometimes she can strongly head for what she wants!

Strong women are somehow attracted toward one another. Just as Susan is attracted to women in Jesus‘ genealogy.

Mgr. Petra Demková

to Eva, my mom and to Mária, my mother's mom

English translation dedicated to Philomena McMahon, who showed me what is the beauty of the English

I must say that the stories of women in a book full of men make me very happy. Not all women were good heroines or I wasn't able to identify myself with all those good ones. I like their stories mainly because they are not all the same. Each of them was different, each had its own faults and reasons for these faults. But they were not the same!

I don't know, maybe someone was trying to put them into a box, but clearly the effort was not successful. Finally, each of them wrote their own story. Thank God!

I begin with the one which is connected to all of our stories.

In order to be relevant, we do not need to be first. On the contrary.

Often, the best comes at the end. Thanks to her story, we know that we are women and without us - literally and to the letter - life is not life.

I begin with the first, exactly where the Bible begins.

EVE

When I write about Eve, lectures at university come to my mind.

First couple of chapters of the Bible we discussed in Hebrew and with the understanding of many things we really went far beyond expectations. Therefore I need to note - if there are any errors in my text, it is certainly not the fault of the teacher!

These were very pleasant and good moments and I enjoyed them a lot. Frankly, I adopted many of the ideas so profoundly that I sometimes forget that I am quoting someone. Many of these truths are so much “mine” that I do not remember where they came from. But in the end, is this not the real objective of learning the truths of the Bible? That I will not only recite paragraphs by heart, but when I speak of faith, I will talk about what comes from me, from my heart?

This Word is shaping me. Over and over it shapes me. It isn't part of me, but I and my life we are part of the Word.

EVE - FIRST - about her, even without her

Genesis 2, 1 - 17

beautiful wild world

If we want to talk about Eve we need to start at the moment when Eve had not existed yet. Because where there was no Eve, there was only emptiness. And this is very, very significant information.

God created the world and he did quite a lot then. Heaven and Earth were created, the Man was formed from the dust of the Earth and then the Garden of Eden appeared.

And tell me; is there anybody who doesn't love gardens? I am willing to spend weeks and weeks in the desert and even to enjoy it, but I need gardens to really live. And I think that I am not the only one, each of us longs for some garden. I am not talking solely about a piece of land where we take care of plants, but about a place where life evolves, matures, surprises us and where we can enjoy it. I am talking about a profession, about a task , a mission, or about a place where we can take pleasure in all those things we have achieved or we have been part of. I am talking about something where life is not only an empty word, but it is about real life.

We usually image a garden to be a piece of land where everything is neat, carefully handled and nurtured with love.

But I think that the Garden of Eden was wilder, it was something that was not limited, that was wonderfully scenting and colourful, it was a luxuriously varied wilderness. Nothing that would be too clear and too ordered; or if I would like to use biblical terminology: not life within the law.

It is very closely related to the puzzle placed in the middle of the Garden. But do not image a maze or a three-dimensional logic toy; this was a different kind of puzzle. God named it the tree of knowledge of good and evil - and the only guidance that He had given was: if you eat from it, you will die. By the way, it is not written anywhere that it was an apple tree. This idea originates from the similarity of the words apple and evil in Latin. But it has been so common that if you drew the serpent with a banana or a pear, it would be really strange.

So God created a wonderful garden for the Man and a Tree in the middle of it which presented a risk. The options that should not have been tried had been tempting. God placed danger into the Garden! Why? Because this is also part of the wild life - a possibility to choose, a possibility to try what I have decided for.  Also with the risk that I will end up with scratches, with deep wounds, or much worse.

in fact, nobody wants to be bored and to do nothing at all

In the Garden of Eden, the Man had a task: to cultivate and to guard it. Eden is not about doing nothing; just to be a good-for-nothing and do not have to do anything is not a blessing. This is related to cultivating, and the second one - guarding - I am thinking, why guarding? It was the Eden indeed! I think there was no outer enemy, this guarding was rather like prevention. We have a good term for this, keep something as the apple of your eye. To be aware of what we have and take care of it. Writing this, I myself have swollen eyes. Painful, red, tired from allergies... and I cannot keep my eyelids open. Those things that had been natural before, these are precious suddenly.

Keep the Garden as the apple of your eyes! I think that Adam had to learn this also for the sake of Eve who had not appeared yet and he hadn't have a clue. But Someone else plans the things really thoughtfully. Can you see it? I am not writing about her, but so many things are related to her! It is often similar to waiting in our life. God leaves us to be waiting but this does not only mean that He delays the good things; waiting is a kind of preparation. To be able to live with those good things that will come. To learn to be grateful for those things that we have - like the Garden in Adam’s case - and to protect it. (Yes, this is a wise explanation. No, this does not mean that I have learned to love waiting; frankly, I am constantly annoyed because of it.)

If we are grateful for those things that we have we prepare place for other good things. No, this is not only another cliché and yes, good things come also to those people who do not appreciate anything at all, but do you think that they feel the same pleasure than those who are grateful? No? The Eastern Slovaks have a nice word for this - lachvatosť. It means that I always want more and more, really more and more. And even if I get it, I cannot enjoy it and I still want more and more.

What is really important is not only to take care of the Garden, because the Garden is not everything. There will be a real gift - and it will be much nicer that the Garden of Eden. And this is already something to say! And in this connection: Are you a woman? Yes? So this is also true for you. Each of us is more beautiful than the Garden of Eden. And I am writing this on behalf of all of us, in modesty!

is the lack of the good an opportunity for evil?

Adam has his life, his responsibilities and his garden. Everything is beautiful, but at one point, God looks around, thinks and realizes that there is still an unfilled empty space. There is still something missing! There is emptiness, which He himself thinks is not good. Of course, God knows this from the beginning, and we also know who is missing. But I like to make it a bit more dramatic. Still it is perfectly fine that there is still something missing. Timing is an art and Up There is that Someone who is a real Master. In a moment something really dramatic happens. In my mind I can already hear strings and rhythm which accelerates the flow of my blood. In a moment it will start.

God says: I WILL CREATE HELP FOR HIM, WHICH WILL BE EQUAL. I wonder: Why help? What help? After all, nothing happened, nothing was wrong. At least for now. Help, so that life is not aimless? For example. And more?

I think it was Hemingway who said that the more I get to know people, the more I like my dog. And I really like to quote him sometimes. But still I have a sneaking suspicion that he has missed something significant.

blood is there to flow!

Is the woman really a help? Clearly, women are generally willing, patient and careful. Usually too much so. Here‘s to all the exceptions! But the main thing, why and how God created woman, can be found elsewhere. The presence of women encourages men to do something, and thus causes more problems. Yes! Exactly, this is the help the man needs! Rip him from everyday convenience. For nothing amazing can happen in the life of a man who prefers to lie on his couch! His belly can grow, but that‘s not it, because I also hope that you have a better idea of awesomeness! And yes, some men end this way when they get married. What do you say? God did not really create them this way.

The fact that the woman pulls the man out of his convenience and brings him a few challenges and problems, this is exactly the support the man needs!

To be clear, convenience is not just lying on the couch, but any lifestyle, where everything in the man‘s life revolves only around his own sake. The time when the man does not strive for more because of someone else, but only for himself, he is not a man. He is still just a boy.

Why do I talk so much about Adam and how he needs problems in his life? So that all the Eves realize, when they cause complications to their husbands, it is not their fault or major mistake, but the way it should be. You are not there to make his life simple, fill his belly and take care of his scratched knees. You are not his mother. You can still take care of him, but the basis of the relationship is somewhere opposite. With you, he should have plenty of opportunities, where his knees get properly scraped! For starters, when being on his knees… before God. And then, in front of you. Literally.

EVE  - SECOND - arrival in style

Genesis 2, 18 - 22

It seems that everything is already prepared. The water in Paradise is crystal clear, the air smells nicely and all the apples have been beautifully polished. So, do we finally get the one we want to talk about?

It seems that we still have to wait a while.

the right things at the wrong time are not the right things

The time sequence of things is very interesting. God says: IT IS NOT GOOD FOR THE MAN TO BE ALONE. I WILL MAKE A HELPER SUITABLE FOR HIM. But right after that creation of God does not come with a woman but animals. Why? In connection with some of the species I have an urge to remark something really indecent, but that would have nothing to do with the Bible.

So why? Why was God so coy about the creation of a woman, why wait for so long? Clearly, there is no single answer to this question and I am no Glossary to list all the reasons here. I want to write about an answer that pops out from this text for me. Experience! Man needed the experience that he could later recall, that lighter solutions were not quite it. It is easier to establish a relationship with a dog compared to a relationship with a woman. But such a relationship does not encourage, does not motivate and the man remains a man only by nature, but not by behaviour.

the most beautiful of God comes at the end

So we have it at last? It is finally happening? Again, I hear strings and rhythm accelerating and somehow my heart beats louder.

Yes, IT IS NOT GOOD FOR THE MAN TO BE ALONE, so take a deep breath and get ready for miracles.

He is coming, the one I would like to call the Artist, if that was not too little. If it wasn't He who created the art. God is coming and as he has a lot of reasons, He makes Adam sleep deeply. What is now going to happen is a miracle, and these are eventually perceived not only by our senses. God gets one of Adam‘s ribs, fills the missing place with flesh and continues His work. One rib. And how much beauty comes of it! Look, Eve is born.

Creation of Eve is not a technical description of how exactly it happened. This is not what the Bible is about. This is about beauty. About moments when we hold our breath, so we don't miss anything. About moments when we open your eyes wide and we are overwhelmed by what is happening. About all the things for which our senses are not enough.

Creation of Eve is not scientific information and the more we know about the human body, the more we forget that in each of us there is something hidden which we cannot describe in words.

This is precisely the point when it is absolutely perfect to quote someone who does not exist. As once said by Bill Compton: ... You think that it’s not magic that keeps you alive? Just because you understand the mechanics of how something works, doesn’t make it any less of a miracle. This is just another word for magic. We’re all kept alive by magic.

hidden in translation

Creation of the first woman is a story in style that suits her. Secrets that will never be fully revealed. A foreign sentence which you will never be able to completely and accurately translate into your language. Eve, like a book, which you can read a thousand times, and yet it will bring surprises for a thousand and first time. Eve as the Bible, as a story which the God tells through her to men. As a fight and a struggle. For the good, for the beauty, for the God‘s idea of perfection. The Bible and Eve have these things in common. Neither Eve nor the Bible are a supplement, they are the main program in their category.

Eve is created in mystery. Although she comes from Adam‘s rib, meaning he was present, he doesn't know anything about it. How many examples where men were physically present, but still were not there just came to your mind? He was unconscious, he was out. Literally. Because what we translate as deep sleep in Hebrew means unconsciousness.

What happened there is only between Eve and God. It was mainly their moment. And I think that all Eves still need such moments. One thing is when you experience your faith in community with others and the other when you are with God only by yourself. This may include anything from a morning observation of the sleeping world, through replanting of flowers, sitting in an empty church or singing psalm for yourself. Perhaps your thing is something similar or maybe something entirely different. As you can see, I have never been quite good at providing this kind of advice. But I know very well what works for me. This is not a guide, but a challenge. Because if there was a guide for such moments, they would not be so magical anymore.

The important thing is: have a moment with God. So that your faith is not something ossified, which you hold on to with your teeth. It should bring a profound joy to your face and in no way any kind of cramps.

Faith? Bring a bit of life into it, please!

Just you and Him. Recreation. Time to recover, return to the beginning, return to time when I also personally was pulled from Adam‘s rib.

EVE  - THIRD - chemical reaction

Genesis 2, 22 - 23

you took something from me, my God, and I feel empty. I cannot define what I am missing, but I know that something is not as it should be

Adam wakes up from the most bizarre sleep of his life. He rises back to life from unconsciousness. I think he slowly realizes that he is missing something. It will be the same with men for eternity. Without women, they will never be complete again.

On the other hand, this is not a story just about Adam and Eve. If it was a story just of the two, it could then end up in many practical misunderstandings as to the status of the woman. Or, wait, yes, a lot of misunderstandings already happened! Men often seek reassurance in women, they want to get encouragement from them, but no woman can give you what is only given by God. And then, when Adam doesn't get what he expects, his adoring view becomes a sight which pushes Eve to the ground. If he cannot adore her, he decides that it should be she who adores him.

I am getting a bit ahead of myself, I know, but some things need to be clear from the beginning. This is not just the story of Adam and Eve. The main character is God. Ups! When we let ourselves be carried away, He is often the first one we tend to forget. And yet it is He whom we should adore. Not out of obligation! Vanity, which would not turn out good! But simply because there is no one better to adore.

time for presents

Although Eve is from Adam‘s body, it does not mean that she is his property. The Bible says that clearly. Please notice exactly what it says. God indeed creates Eve, highlight and jewel of His creation, from Adam‘s rib, but when Adam awakens, Eve is there no more. She isn't there at that moment, not at all. God brings her. Every woman is a gift for someone who is expecting such a gift. And every man, if he is wise (that is, if it is not, hmmm, if it is not the other way around), will appreciate such gift and love it. Love to the Donor is linked to love to the present. That is - to see a human part on the surface in what is Godly deep inside.

Adam wakes and Eve isn't next to him just like that. Women are not something granted which appears just like this anywhere. Good women fall from heaven. I do not mean literally, but I think as a source. Women are a gift from God, it is He who brings them to the men. He is the one who decides to present Eve to Adam.

And Adam to Eve.

Perfect matchmaker.

Eve is a gift as are all the other women. And by the way, the value of the gift doesn't diminish if the person presented with the gift cannot appreciate it. If you give someone a gold mine as a gift, its value is not reduced when someone flouts it nose and says: I don't like dark holes in the ground. Or otherwise, human idiocy and bluntness cannot reach the perfection of God.

Eve is a gift to Adam and every human being is a gift for someone else. In a world where often a human life means nothing, this needs to be reminded over and over, until we pass out. And not just because of those other people, but also for ourselves. Lest we forget what is our value. Or so that we don't figure out how much a particular person means to us only when sitting at his or her funeral. Seriously. And I shall tell it hard and as it is: if someone is in their graveyard, your flowers, your attention or anything else can no longer be appreciated. And sweeter now: do not forget that many living people love fresh flowers, including me. Lilies, tulips and freesia. Buttercups and saffron.

I need to breathe

Adam sees Eve and says: THIS IS NOW BONE OF MY BONES AND FLESH OF MY FLESH. This verse is an example of how easy something can get lost in translation. Because, in Slovak language, I don't feel any great poetry in this verse. How exactly can we translate Adam‘s enthusiasm and wonder? Can we say: wow, this is a dish!? When you are translating admiring words of a stunned man from Hebrew and want to keep to the original, this earthy enthusiasm may be lost in translation.

I will try some different words. When I think about what I would like to hear being in place of Eve, this would be my choice. Celtic traditional wedding vow:

You are Blood of my Blood, and Bone of my Bone.

I give you my Body, that we Two might be One.

I give you my Spirit, `til our Life shall be Done.

You cannon possess me for I belong to myself

But while we both wish it, I give you that which is mine to give

You cannon command me, for I am a free person

But I shall serve you in those ways you require

and the honeycomb will taste sweeter coming from my hand.

I vow you the first cut of my meat, the first sip of my wine,

from this day it shall only your name I cry out in the night

and into your eyes that I smile each morning;

I shall be a shield for you back as you are for mine,

no shall a grievous word be spoken about us, for our marriage is sacred between us and no stranger shall hear my grievance.

Above and beyond this, I will cherish and honor you through this life

and into the next.

stop struggling

This was the beginning. Beautiful, powerful and touching. As spring in its purest essence. A new start, beginning with capital B.

Now I should add a few words on how important it is to return to the beginning again and again. Renew partnerships just like the nature renews itself annually in course of spring. It is important! But would I know anything about it? I rather have a list of what is not working and I am not the only one. I would love to write rather about easiness than about cramps from strong effort. But again, I would just get back to what is unnecessary. The only significant thing I know is that the effort does not work. The more you try, the worse it comes. The single thing I know works is desire. But not towards the other person you are sharing your life with. No. The desire towards God. It is the only thing I know for sure.

End of excerpt

Table of Contents

Title page

FOREWORD

EVE

EVE - FIRST - about her, even without her

EVE - SECOND - arrival in style

EVE - THIRD - chemical reaction

SARAH

REBEKAH

RACHEL

LEAH

TAMAR

RAHAB

RUTH

NAOMI

URIAH‘S WIFE

MARY. WIFE OF JOSEPH