Scripture used against women: What the Church Got Wrong
Scripture used against women has been one of the most damaging tools in evangelical culture, and today we’re naming it directly.
What if the church didn’t just get it wrong, what if it used scripture to make sure you blamed yourself? In this episode of Jesus, Justice + Mercy, Kristen takes a hard look at three passages that have been weaponized against women, Ezekiel 34, Matthew 18, and 2 Corinthians 5, and shows what they actually say about harm, accountability, and repair.
This episode is for the woman who has been told her hurt was less important than institutional peace. For the woman who was sent back to a room that was hurting her with a Bible verse attached. For the woman still carrying something that was never hers to carry.
What Ezekiel 34 Says About Leaders Who Fail
God’s indictment of shepherds who scattered the flock instead of protecting it, and what that means for churches and institutions today. Real accountability looks like leadership willing to step down, outside accountability that isn’t self-selected, and policies that protect people instead of reputations.
Matthew 18 and the Harmed Person’s Power
The text most used to demand silence was actually written to give power to the wounded. Jesus hands the entire process to the person who was wronged, and he never asks them to rush.
2 Corinthians 5 and Who Moves First
The ministry of reconciliation was never meant to put the burden on the wounded. God moved first. The powerful one initiates. That is the theological logic of repair.
Repair vs Return: What the Bible Actually Requires
Repair and return are not the same decision. You get to make both on your own terms. A marriage, a church, a friendship, repair can happen and return is still your choice. Always your choice.
In this episode:
- The verses used to silence women reporting abuse, assault, and affairs, and what they actually mean
- What Ezekiel 34 says about institutional failure and what real accountability requires
- How Matthew 18 was flipped from a text about the harmed person’s power into a tool for institutional protection
- Why 2 Corinthians 5 puts the burden of repair on the powerful, not the wounded
- What real repair requires: truth-telling, accountability, and changed conditions
- The difference between repair and return, and why you get to choose both
- What healing looks like when the other party won’t come to the table
Scripture referenced: Ezekiel 34 | Matthew 18:15–17 | 2 Corinthians 5:18–19 | Micah 6:8
Resources: RAINN: rainn.org National Domestic Violence Hotline: thehotline.org Church abuse accountability: GRACE, netgrace.org
Next episode: Holy Week, the cross, Holy Saturday, and what we do with the in-between.
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There is a version of faith that taught us silence = holy. That speaking up would cost us relationships, standing, or spiritual reputation. That the godly woman is the quiet one, who stays small & calls it faithfulness. What if we weren’t formed into faith but into silence? If that question lives in you & you’re not sure where to start, here’s something for you. Beyond Faith as Usual: a theological reading list for the curious & courageous.
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