Jesus’ warning to pregnant women

One of the scripture passages that always worried me about getting pregnant were the end times passages. The synoptic gospels, Mathew, Mark, and Luke, each include Jesus warning pregnant women and those with young children about how hard it will be for them at the end of the ages. Though they do not speak directly to whether to have children, I do think they provide a good warning for parents to be.

After reading them multiple times I found myself silently praying that I could get through pregnancy and nursing before the eschatology. Many religious groups throughout time have focused on the current age being the end of time. With this interpretation of scripture these passages can be seen as a direct warning to consider not having children because of the warnings of the great suffering.

Even if you do not interpret scripture as saying that the end of the world is imminent, I do think these scriptures serve as a wake up call. If you are considering having your own children or even adopting young children, you should be warned that life will be more difficult for you. Traveling, even just out to buy diapers, is much more difficult. In the early days of having newborn twins it used to take me about three hours from the time I started working on it until I was able to get all three of us happily out the door to somewhere. Note I could have left with two screaming infants much sooner if it was needed, but that would have made any outing much, much worse for both us and everyone around us.

I do not want to take theses passages too lightly for those who do interpret them for the current time, but for most people I do not feel that they are a serious reason not to have children. (Very few children today do rise up to kill their parents and most of us are not fleeing for the hills on a regular basis.) However, most life events that would have been stressful without kids are much more so with children you are parenting.

Passages in NRSV synoptic gospels warning parents:
matt 24:15-25
The Desolating Sacrilege
‘So when you see the desolating sacrilege standing in the holy place, as was spoken of by the prophet Daniel (let the reader understand), then those in Judea must flee to the mountains; someone on the housetop must not go down to take what is in the house; someone in the field must not turn back to get a coat. Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing infants in those days! Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a sabbath. For at that time there will be great suffering, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. And if those days had not been cut short, no one would be saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. Then if anyone says to you, “Look! Here is the Messiah!” or “There he is!”—do not believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and produce great signs and omens, to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. Take note, I have told you beforehand.
Luke 21:20-25
The Destruction of Jerusalem Foretold
‘When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near. Then those in Judea must flee to the mountains, and those inside the city must leave it, and those out in the country must not enter it; for these are days of vengeance, as a fulfilment of all that is written. Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing infants in those days! For there will be great distress on the earth and wrath against this people; they will fall by the edge of the sword and be taken away as captives among all nations; and Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
Mark 13:10-25
And the good news must first be proclaimed to all nations. When they bring you to trial and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what you are to say; but say whatever is given you at that time, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; and you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
The Desolating Sacrilege
‘But when you see the desolating sacrilege set up where it ought not to be (let the reader understand), then those in Judea must flee to the mountains; someone on the housetop must not go down or enter the house to take anything away; someone in the field must not turn back to get a coat. Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing infants in those days! Pray that it may not be in winter. For in those days there will be suffering, such as has not been from the beginning of the creation that God created until now, no, and never will be. And if the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would be saved; but for the sake of the elect, whom he chose, he has cut short those days. And if anyone says to you at that time, “Look! Here is the Messiah!” or “Look! There he is!”—do not believe it. False messiahs and false prophets will appear and produce signs and omens, to lead astray, if possible, the elect. But be alert; I have already told you everything.

Prayer as God’s children

Almighty, we are your children. Teach us how to grow into your image that we may nurture others as you have nurtured us. Amen

Jesus and Children

Jesus holds in tension the reality of loving children, but not being called to be a biological parent. Many people assume that if you love children it means you should be a parent. In actuality the two are not necessarily inclusive of each other. We do not have any evidence in the canonical books of the Bible that Jesus had biological children of his own. However, Jesus clearly highly valued their presence in his midst. In each of the synoptic gospels, Matthew, Mark, and Luke, there is a story of Jesus’ disciples not getting him again.

Each account tells of people bringing young/little children and infants to Jesus so that he would lay his hands on them. Jesus’ disciples tried to get people to stop. Jesus was way too important in deal with little kids. He had much more important things to do. In each account Jesus stops them “sternly,” saying “Let the little children come to me and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs.” The kingdom of God, that elusive thing that Jesus’ disciples were called to seek first belonged to those they were pushing away.

Mark and Luke go further and have Jesus telling his disciples, “Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.” Not only did Jesus call us to welcome children in our midst, but to use them as an example of how we should act in order to enter his kingdom. Jesus is calling each of us to find ways to welcome children and to learn from them.

For some we do this by welcoming them into our families. For others we follow Jesus’ example of creating time and place to nurture and bless to children. To learn from them how to seek God’s kingdom. One does not exclude the other. We too can set aside time to be with children to bless them, pray for them, and learn from them. Jesus does not specify that this must take place through being a parent for he was not a parent himself. Loving children as Jesus does requires making the conscious effort to welcome them in our midst it does not require that we parent them in our homes.

Referenced Scriptures NRSV version:

Matthew 19:13-15
13 Then little children were being brought to him in order that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples spoke sternly to those who brought them; 14but Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.’ 15And he laid his hands on them and went on his way.

Luke 18:15-17
15 People were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them; and when the disciples saw it, they sternly ordered them not to do it. 16But Jesus called for them and said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. 17Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.’

Mark 10:13-16
13 People were bringing little children to him in order that he might touch them; and the disciples spoke sternly to them. 14But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, ‘Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. 15Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.’ 16And he took them up in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them.

 

WWJD? What would Jesus do?

I find the pressure in Christian faith communities to have children a very interesting thing when taken In light of the WWJD movement. The idea of the actions of Jesus dictating our every move seems to create some dilemma and crosses paths with other “Christian ideals.”

From the canonical gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, found in the Bible we do not have any indication of Jesus having biological children of His own. At that time in history there were two ways to have biological children and both required a woman. The traditional way of a man and a woman having sex and procreating was the one. The other we only have one record of in the bible and that is the immaculate conception- Mary becoming pregnant with Jesus through the power of God.

We do not have any biblical records of Jesus having intercourse. Some scholars would argue that Jesus had a “special relationship” with Mary Magdalene. Mary Magdalene did seem to be one of women closest to Jesus. That Jesus would be as close as he was to women was a bit scandalous at the time. However, there is no record of the relationship being consummated.

So did Jesus have sex and does it matter? Most of Christian tradition has held that Jesus was fully human and as a human experienced the passions of our humanity. However, since we do not have any biblical record that Jesus was married would that mean that Jesus had sex outside of marriage? That concept would be unthinkable for most conservative Christians. Jesus did not experience all of our human experiences since he was a man on earth. Women know this well because he did not go through menstruation, menopause, or childbirth. To argue that Jesus would have to understand the passions of people through intercourse would discredit the humanity of many who choose to abstain from sex for whatever reason…monks, nuns, young people, physically unable, etc. All that being said I do not believe that Jesus had to have had sex in his lifetime to be fully human and fully God.

The other way people could become parents in Jesus’ time was through adoption. Most adoptions were the case of one or both parents dying. Both in the culture of the time of Jesus and in the Jewish faith orphans were dependent on benevolent family members to take them in and care for them. We do not have any records of Jesus becoming a father in this way.

So in regards to having children, WWJD? probably not have children. So if all Christians were to follow Jesus’ example we would not have any future generations and would probably eventually die out.