Today, we continue reading the story of Hannah. In the reading today, Hannah was portrayed as a woman misunderstood by the authority.
The family of Elkanah was on annual pilgrimage to Shiloh and offered sacrifice to the Lord in the temple there. Hannah was distressed because of her barrenness. After dinner, she went to the temple "to pour out her soul" to the Lord.
After they had eaten and drunk in Shiloh, Hannah rose. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of the temple of the LORD (1 Samuel 1:9).
Eli the priest was sitting. It is a symbol of his authority as the representative of the Lord in Israel.
It was dark and Eli saw a woman and smelt of wine. The woman moved her lips but Eli could not hear anything because Hannah was praying in her heart.
Hannah was speaking in her heart; only her lips moved, and her voice was not heard; therefore Eli took her to be a drunken woman (1 Samuel 1:13).
Eli passed judgment and instructed. He was exercising his moral authority.
And Eli said to her, "How long will you be drunken? Put away your wine from you." (1 Samuel 1:14)
Women were, are and will be misunderstood in a patriarchal society. The society defines their role. In patriarchal society, their role is to get married and bear children for their husbands. The father figures may not understand the difficulties encountered by the women. The males would simply impose their wishes on the females regardless of their situation. Thank God, nowadays, the situation has improved. Women enjoy greater autonomy and shoulder a greater share in running the society.
After they had eaten and drunk in Shiloh, Hannah rose. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of the temple of the LORD (1 Samuel 1:9).
Eli the priest was sitting. It is a symbol of his authority as the representative of the Lord in Israel.
It was dark and Eli saw a woman and smelt of wine. The woman moved her lips but Eli could not hear anything because Hannah was praying in her heart.
Hannah was speaking in her heart; only her lips moved, and her voice was not heard; therefore Eli took her to be a drunken woman (1 Samuel 1:13).
Eli passed judgment and instructed. He was exercising his moral authority.
And Eli said to her, "How long will you be drunken? Put away your wine from you." (1 Samuel 1:14)
Women were, are and will be misunderstood in a patriarchal society. The society defines their role. In patriarchal society, their role is to get married and bear children for their husbands. The father figures may not understand the difficulties encountered by the women. The males would simply impose their wishes on the females regardless of their situation. Thank God, nowadays, the situation has improved. Women enjoy greater autonomy and shoulder a greater share in running the society.
Hannah wanted to fulfill her role as a mother, or did she?
Let's read her petition.
And she vowed a vow and said, "O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thy maidservant, and remember me, and not forget thy maidservant, but wilt give to thy maidservant a son, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head." (1 Samuel 1:11)
She begged God to give her a son. Then she would give the son to God as a Nazirite for life (Numbers 6:2-21).
Why did Hannah do this? Peninnah, another wife of Elkanah, kept provoking her for her barrenness. Hannah wanted God to help her stop Peninnah's provocation. Fair enough. But did she want to be a fulfilled woman, a mother? Not quite. As events unfolded, God remembered Hannah. She conceived and gave birth to Samuel. After weaning, Hannah brought Samuel to the house of the Lord, to Eli (1 Samuel 1:24). She sang a prayer similar to the Magnificat to God (1 Samuel 2:1-10). Each year, she made a new robe for Samuel. In the end, she bore three more sons and 2 more daughters for Elkanah (1 Samuel 2:21). Then Hannah was heard of no more in the Bible.
Probably, I too misunderstand Hannah.
Let's read her petition.
And she vowed a vow and said, "O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thy maidservant, and remember me, and not forget thy maidservant, but wilt give to thy maidservant a son, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head." (1 Samuel 1:11)
She begged God to give her a son. Then she would give the son to God as a Nazirite for life (Numbers 6:2-21).
Why did Hannah do this? Peninnah, another wife of Elkanah, kept provoking her for her barrenness. Hannah wanted God to help her stop Peninnah's provocation. Fair enough. But did she want to be a fulfilled woman, a mother? Not quite. As events unfolded, God remembered Hannah. She conceived and gave birth to Samuel. After weaning, Hannah brought Samuel to the house of the Lord, to Eli (1 Samuel 1:24). She sang a prayer similar to the Magnificat to God (1 Samuel 2:1-10). Each year, she made a new robe for Samuel. In the end, she bore three more sons and 2 more daughters for Elkanah (1 Samuel 2:21). Then Hannah was heard of no more in the Bible.
Probably, I too misunderstand Hannah.
As an authority figure, Eli treated Hannah fairly after listening to her explanation.
Then Eli answered, "Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition which you have made to him." (1 Samuel 1:17)
The Church represents Christ on earth and exercises teaching authority. But she is also made up of people with defects. Throughout history, it is therefore inevitable for her to make mistakes and misunderstand. She has to be very careful as well as being open and receptive to the counsel of the Holy Spirit. I use the pronoun "she" because the Church is also the mother of the Christians. She herself is often misunderstood by the outside world. May the Spirit of the Lord infuse the world so that it will listen to the Church with an open mind.
Then Eli answered, "Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition which you have made to him." (1 Samuel 1:17)
The Church represents Christ on earth and exercises teaching authority. But she is also made up of people with defects. Throughout history, it is therefore inevitable for her to make mistakes and misunderstand. She has to be very careful as well as being open and receptive to the counsel of the Holy Spirit. I use the pronoun "she" because the Church is also the mother of the Christians. She herself is often misunderstood by the outside world. May the Spirit of the Lord infuse the world so that it will listen to the Church with an open mind.
Dear Lord, may Your Spirit come to drive away our misunderstanding. Amen.
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