Taking Away the Pound: Women, Theology and the Parable of the Pounds in the Gospel of Luke

Against the majority opinion, this study argues that the Lukan Parable of the Talents (Lk 19.11-28) is a story about the use and abuse of power. The parable is also the story of those who suffer adverse consequences when they oppose unjust power structures. This suppression of challenge to oppressive structures evidenced in the Parable of the Pounds fits a pattern that operates in other parts of the Lukan Gospel. We meet it, for example, in the arrest and killing of John the Baptist by Herod, and in the arrest and crucifixion of Jesus. The Parable of the Pounds can be seen as a paradigm for the stories of those characters in the Lukan Gospel who 'lose their pound' when they challenge an oppressive structure, where 'pound' becomes a metaphor for what one has that can be potentially taken away by those in a position of power. This study argues that this pattern of 'taking away the pound' is also seen within stories of women characters who resist patriarchal ideals and expectations. The Parable of the Pounds is used as a lens through which to view the characterizations of Lukan women. New lenses provide new opportunities for perception. This study explores what is opened up by this way of viewing the text. In particular, it explores the ways in which the dynamic of the Parable of the Pounds gives insight into the dynamic operating in the Lukan women's characterizations. LNTS

• Table of Contents
• Introduction
  • I.Hermeneutical Framework and Methodology
  • II.Women and Slaves in the Greco-Roman World
  • III.The Oppression of Silencing
  • IV.Public and Private Space
  • V.Outline of Chapters
• Chapter 1 The Parable Of The Pounds And Lukan Women: The Current State Of Scholarship
  • I. Scholarship on the Parable of the Pounds
    • A. The Failure of the Third Slave
    • B. Honouring the Third Slave
    • C. Conclusions from the Literature Review of the Parable of the Pounds
  • II.Scholarship on Women in the Gospel of Luke
    • A. The Gospel for Women
    • B. The Need for Watchfulness
    • C.Conclusions from the Literature Review of the Lukan Women
• Chapter 2 Reading The Parable Of The Pounds
  • I. The Nature of "Parable"
  • II. The Matthean Parable of the Talents
  • III.Lukan Context for the Parable of the Pounds
  • IV.Structure of the Parable of the Pounds
  • V.Reading the Parable - The Opposition of the Citizens
  • VI.Reading the Parable - Calling the Slaves to Account
• Chapter 3 Lukan Theology And The Parable Of The Pounds As Metaphor
  • I.Lukan Theology
    • A. Visitation and Hospitality
    • B.Proclaiming and Embodying Release
    • C. Social Justice Ethos
    • D. Death and Resurrection
    • E.Salvation
  • II.The Parable as Metaphor
    • A. John the Baptist
    • B. Jesus
    • C.Reading Metaphorically
    • D. The Characterisation of Women
• Chapter 4 The Characterisation Of Women In The Narrative Of Luke 1-2
  • I. Elizabeth Introduced
  • II.Mary Introduced
  • III.The Meeting of Elizabeth and Mary
  • IV.Elizabeth Names Her Son V.Mary Gives Birth
  • VI.Anna in the Temple
  • VII.Mary Speaks in the Temple
  • VIII.Other References to Mary I
  • X.Conclusion
• Chapter 5 The Characterisation Of Women In The Narrative Of Luke 3-24
  • I. Simon's Mother-in-law
  • II.The Widow at Nain
  • III.The Woman who Anoints Jesus' Feet
  • IV.Women With Jesus
  • V.Jairus' Daughter and a Woman With a Haemorrhage
  • VI.Martha and Mary
  • VII.A Woman in the Crowd
  • VIII.The Woman With a Spirit of Infirmity
  • IX.The Widow With Two Coins
  • X.A Slave-Woman
  • XI.The Daughters of Jerusalem
  • XII.The Women from Galilee
  • XIII.Women in Parables
    • A. The Woman With Ten Coins
    • B. The Widow Seeking Justice
  • XIV. Conclusion
• Chapter 6 Women, The Parable Of The Pounds And Lukan Theology
  • I. What is "Gained"?
  • II.The Pound Taken Away
    • A. Women Disbelieved by Other Characters
    • B. Women Corrected
    • C. Women's Words Not Recorded
    • D.Women as Demon Possessed
    • E. Women Who Do Not Speak
  • III.The Cumulative Narrative Effect
  • IV.Women in Lukan Parables
  • V.Women's Resistance
  • VI.Power Inequities
  • VII.Release for the Oppressed?
  • VIII.Acclamation
• Conclusion
  • I.Summary of Findings
  • II.Implications for the Twenty-first Century
• Bibliography
  • I.Ancient Texts and Translations
  • II.Grammatical Tools
  • III.General
• Index of References
• Index of Authors