During the weeks of Advent, we’re looking at some of the stories of Jesus’ ancestors — those names that are usually glossed over in the “begats.” Today:Tamar.
Today’s scripture: Matthew 1:1-3, Genesis 38:11-30 (ESV-text and audio) (KJV) (The Message)
As you read, consider: What might God be saying to me? Summarize your thoughts in a sentence or two.
My thoughts (Melody Merida):
I have a love/hate relationship with the story of Tamar. I hate the way Tamar was treated in the patriarchal society in which she lived; but I love the resourcefulness she shows in making a way for her own survival.
Tamar lived outside the acceptable norm for women. She was neither an unmarried virgin in her father’s home nor a married, child-bearing woman in her husband’s family. She was forced to go back to her father’s home as a widow, which itself could be seen as a disgrace. According to Levirate law at the time, the brothers of her first husband had a responsibility to provide her with a son who would continue the lineage and become the heir. Tamar’s father-in-law, Judah, denied her this right by refusing to offer his youngest son to her.
That is the part of the story that irks me. But as we continue reading the story, it starts to get really good! Since the ruling elders sat at the city gates each day dispensing justice, one theory is that Tamar was on her way to appear before them to seek that which under law should have been afforded her when Judah entered the city. But surprisingly, Judah mistakes Tamar for a prostitute. Long story short, Tamar outwits Judah and manages to get exactly what she needed to be reestablished in society.
It’s always been interesting to me that when spoken about, Tamar is usually seen in a negative light; but according to Scripture, Tamar acts more righteously than Judah.
Even more interesting, in the Matthew 1 genealogy of Jesus, there are only four women listed there among dozens of men. One of those four women is Tamar. Some of the ones you’d expect, like Abraham’s wife Sarah, are missing from this list. Of the four women listed, one was a prostitute (Rahab), two used their bodies to secure a future and an heir (Tamar and Ruth), and one is best known for an extra-marital affair (Bathsheba).
Isn’t it great that these unconventional women played such significant roles in the ancestry of the Messiah? If God can make a way for women seen as outcasts in a society with an already low opinion of women, then God surely can make a way for us. Let Tamar be an example to all of us that God is more powerful than our circumstances. With God’s guidance, we can be an agent of change in our own lives.
Thought for the day: If God can use Tamar, God can use me, too. God, show me in what way I can be my own change agent, so that I may be your change agent in the world. Amen
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.