It is important to know that prior to Christ Jesus, woman had be subjugated and was basically a slave. Woman had fallen from being "The help mate of Man, and Bone of His bone, His equal" (Genesis 2:18, Genesis 2:23) to possession. In the time of Jesus women were property and holy men like Rabbis and priests would walk on the other side of the street if they saw women. Women were forced to cover their heads in public, much in way Muslim women still do today. For woman there was no future except to be wife, mother, and in special cases a queen or tradeswomen. The rest were prostitutes, whores, and slaves who had to earn their pay through abominable ways. But then a Man came, The Son of Man who would change their lives forever.
Jesus Christ changed woman's role forever. It is written that at a well, Jesus spoke to Samaritan Woman. Before I relate the account, lets get some facts. The woman was no righteous according to religious elite, she had married so many times that she was no living with a man. Secondly, she was Samaritan, a race hated by Jews whom Jesus was, and who a Rabbi would never ever approach firstly due to racism, and secondly because of the fact she was woman, and promsicious woman at that, living in sin. But what does Jesus do? Not only does he speak to her, being God and holy man in her eyes, but he asks her for a drink! A drink from the well! She's a Samartian, Jews don't drink from their well, even if it was Jacob's well. Jesus carries on a conversation with this woman:
Jesus Talks With a Samaritan Woman
4 Now Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that he was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John— 2 although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples. 3 So he left Judea and went back once more to Galilee.
4 Now he had to go through Samaria. 5 So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon.7 When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” 8 (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)
9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.[a])
10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”
11 “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?”
13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.”
16 He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.”
17 “I have no husband,” she replied.
Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. 18 The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.”
19 “Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. 20 Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.”
21 “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”
25 The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”
26 Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.”
(John 4:1-26).
The Samaritan Woman then after learning this becomes the first recorded woman evangelist and pastor, "39 Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. " (John 4:39-40).
There is much to unpack here, but the most fascinating part of this discourse between the divine Son of God and Samaritan Woman seeking a drink, is that Jesus tells her He is salvation (Living Water) and he reveals to her that He is the messiah! Jesus on other occasions had shied from revealing he was promised Mashiach, the Chosen One of David, but to this pagan, to this women who is not Jewish, Jesus reveals Himself to her! This woman has gone from being an unworthy, good for nothing possession that has passed from husband to husband (in those days, you had only to say you divorce your wife three times, and it was so; this is still the case in Islam, but Jesus changed it for us He said, "share verse about divorce.").
Jesus doesn't stop elevating woman back to her equal state in sight of God and the world. Christ honor a woman who pours fragrant oils on Him, proclaiming of her "Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her." (Matthew 26:13, cross ref Mark 14:9). Then there is Mary and Martha. Now Martha was busy about preparing food and quite angry that Mary wasn't helping, for "Mary sat at Jesus' feet." (Luke 10:39). This is important to understand that sitting at person's feet in the time of Christ and in Jewish culture meant to be disciple. So Mary was disciple of Jesus. In fact Jesus informs Martha of what she is missing, "But the Lord answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her." (Luke 10:41-42).Jesus means greater honor because Mary is discipling under Divine Word of God, Emmanuel (God With Us); but I also believe Jesus might be saying, "Martha, you are still playing house wife cooking and cleaning, but you could be like Mary, and be so much more, you could carry my Gospel." Jesus' ministry begins at the behest of a woman, his Mother, who says, "Do whatever He tells you," (John 2:1-11) and Jesus turns the water into wine, doing the first miracle and beginning his ministry.
Because of a woman Jesus responding to sound reason of holy Spirit in the woman changes his timeline for the Gentiles:
The Faith of a Gentile Woman
"21 Then Jesus left Galilee and went north to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 A Gentile[a] woman who lived there came to him, pleading, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! For my daughter is possessed by a demon that torments her severely.”
23 But Jesus gave her no reply, not even a word. Then his disciples urged him to send her away. “Tell her to go away,” they said. “She is bothering us with all her begging.”24 Then Jesus said to the woman, “I was sent only to help God’s lost sheep—the people of Israel.”
25 But she came and worshiped him, pleading again, “Lord, help me!”
26 Jesus responded, “It isn’t right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs.”
27 She replied, “That’s true, Lord, but even dogs are allowed to eat the scraps that fall beneath their masters’ table.”
28 “Dear woman,” Jesus said to her, “your faith is great. Your request is granted.” And her daughter was instantly healed."
(Matthew 15:21-28).
The boldness of this Gentile Woman spurs Christ to heal her child. Jesus mentions dogs and so does Gentile Woman because in those days Jews called Gentiles Goyim or dogs. Jesus always had the pagans as part of the salvic (salvation) plan, don't forget Him healing the Centurion's servent (Luke 7:1-10).
The Woman With The Discharge and A Girl Raised from the Dead
There is another bold woman with a blood discharge disease, "Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. She said to herself, "If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed. Jesus turned and saw her. "Take heart, daughter," he said, "your faith has healed you." And the woman was healed at that moment." (Matthew 9:20-22). One of people Jesus raises from the dead was a young girl, Tabitha (see Matthew 9:23-24). Jesus praises a woman for giving the all she has:
The Woman With The Discharge and A Girl Raised from the Dead
There is another bold woman with a blood discharge disease, "Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. She said to herself, "If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed. Jesus turned and saw her. "Take heart, daughter," he said, "your faith has healed you." And the woman was healed at that moment." (Matthew 9:20-22). One of people Jesus raises from the dead was a young girl, Tabitha (see Matthew 9:23-24). Jesus praises a woman for giving the all she has:
The Widow’s Two Mites
"21 And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, 2 and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites. 3 So He said, “Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; 4 for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had.” (Luke 21:1-4). Again it is a woman that Jesus points out as having the right heart for almsgiving. In this particular instance, Jesus is instructing Peter and the other Disciples.
There is the account of the woman whom was brought to Jesus to be stoned:
6 They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. 7 They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” 8 Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust.
9 When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. 10 Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?”
11 “No, Lord,” she said.
And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.” (John 8:1-11).
Here are couple of interesting historical points about what is transpiring. Firstly, in the time of Jesus 30-33 A.D. Roman Law forbid Jews stoning anyone, and the Pharisees seldom enforced the Law of Moses regarding stonings. Another important point is that in Law of Moses, if a adultery was caught in the act, both parties, man and woman were to be brought to be stoned. Notice the religious leaders don't bring the man. It is believed Jesus is writing the name of guilty man the self righteous stoners are hiding, but it is also probable that all of men holding stones had laid in sexual sin with her. Jesus thus saying, "You without sin, caste the first stone," then has duel meaning, the more literal about all sin, and second nuance about them probably having known this woman carnally and thus they are as guilty as her. Jesus not only says to woman, "Neither do I condmen you," and "go sin no more." In this we see Jesus' mercy towards women, who in the trade of prostitution often did so to feed themselves and their children, not out of sheer lascivious desire.
A Woman Caught in Adultery
"8 Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, 2 but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them. 3 As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd.
4 “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?”6 They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. 7 They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” 8 Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust.
9 When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. 10 Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?”
11 “No, Lord,” she said.
And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.” (John 8:1-11).
Here are couple of interesting historical points about what is transpiring. Firstly, in the time of Jesus 30-33 A.D. Roman Law forbid Jews stoning anyone, and the Pharisees seldom enforced the Law of Moses regarding stonings. Another important point is that in Law of Moses, if a adultery was caught in the act, both parties, man and woman were to be brought to be stoned. Notice the religious leaders don't bring the man. It is believed Jesus is writing the name of guilty man the self righteous stoners are hiding, but it is also probable that all of men holding stones had laid in sexual sin with her. Jesus thus saying, "You without sin, caste the first stone," then has duel meaning, the more literal about all sin, and second nuance about them probably having known this woman carnally and thus they are as guilty as her. Jesus not only says to woman, "Neither do I condmen you," and "go sin no more." In this we see Jesus' mercy towards women, who in the trade of prostitution often did so to feed themselves and their children, not out of sheer lascivious desire.
At the Crucifixion, when Christ Jesus was dying for our sins, the majority of the faithful people who were there were women, "Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene." (John 19:25). It is important to note the Apostle John was there at the cross(John 19:26-27), and so was Nicodemius, and Joseph of Arimathea (John 19:38-39). What is striking is that the women were there, witnesses to Jesus Christ's crucifixion and death, and so it would be with the Resurrection.
The Risen Christ first appears to a Woman, Mary Magdalene. Peter and John have already visited the empty tomb and fled back to the Upper Room to tell the rest of the Disciples what the angels have said (John 20:2), but they do not see Jesus Risen first:
Notice Mary is the first to touch Jesus Christ aftered He has resurrected. She clings to Him and at behest of the Lord Jesus Christ lets go to do his bidding. This shows that Mary really knows Jesus, and like John who leaned on Christ's breast (John 13:25), feels free to touch Jesus, and at same time is quick to let go and obey Christ and tell the other disciples. Mary Magdalene, like Mary sister of Martha were definitely disciples and likely apostles of Jesus Christ.
Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene
11 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. 12 And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. 13 They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” 14 Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). 17 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” 18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.Notice Mary is the first to touch Jesus Christ aftered He has resurrected. She clings to Him and at behest of the Lord Jesus Christ lets go to do his bidding. This shows that Mary really knows Jesus, and like John who leaned on Christ's breast (John 13:25), feels free to touch Jesus, and at same time is quick to let go and obey Christ and tell the other disciples. Mary Magdalene, like Mary sister of Martha were definitely disciples and likely apostles of Jesus Christ.
In the Churches of the apostles there are many women who stand out as Apostles and Leaders of Churches, there is "Priscila and Aquila" notice that Priscila is mentioned first, which is unusual in that day and age, the reason is she was head of a house Church (1 Corinthians 16:19). There was Phoebe who is a Deacon, "I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church in Cenchreae." (Romans 16:1). The Apostle Paul commends the Apostle Timothy's mother and grandmother, "I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also." (2 Timothy 1:5). There is Julia, "Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas and all the Lord's people who are with them." (Romans 16:15). These are some of the examples of how women had leading roles in the Churches during Age of the Apostles. Today, many church denominations elect woman to high positions in churches, the Anglican Church now consecrates woman bishops.
Because of Jesus Christ women went from property to pastors, priests, and even leading powers like the Protestant Christian Queen Elizabeth I of England (1533-1603 A.D.). We see from Christ's interactions with women, to the Early Church, and finally later centuries, the steady climb of woman's role in Christianity. It began with Cornerstone, who sought as the Second Adam to restore Eve to her equal place in His Kingdom. Unfortunately, extreme feminism takes this too far and tries to subjugate, and pay back man for his abuses of woman which violates, "forgive your brother seven times seventy," (Matthew 18:22) and "..pray for those who persecute you." (Matthew 5:44). The point is Christ established Woman's Rights before the term even existed. He set woman free in two ways, firstly by offering Himself as blood sacrifice to secure her eternal salvation (men get same gift, but this post is about the opposite sex ok), and secondly Jesus recognized and treated women with the love, compassion, care, and dignity that their sex deserves.
I am not trying to stir up sexism, I believe in equality before Emmauel of both man and woman. We are both "So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them." (Genesis 1:27). I wanted to offer this blog to all women who hesistate to accept the Gospel because of their relationships with men. Perhaps you have been abused sexually, physically, and emotionally by men. Maybe you felt marginalized by a man in your life or had a bad father and have chosen a road against the male gender. I want you to understand something, yes Jesus came in flesh (1 John 4:2) and was Man (1 Timothy 2:5), but He is also Lord, which is Yaweh or God, and so you are made in His image too! (Gen 1:27). The Holy Spirit is very feminine at times, and Jesus even said, "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing." (Matthew 23:37, cross ref Luke 13:34). Yes, Jesus is God and Man, but make not mistake ladies you are in Imageof God, and because Jesus is God, within Him you will find your characteristics, and within Holy Spirit the sensitivity, nurturing, sixth sense, and more. If you have some more masculine characteristics, well those come from God too! So do not be discouraged and think Christinaity is a man's religion. It took the obedience of a Woman, named Mary to say to the angel, "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it happen to me according to your word," (Luke 1:38) and her Song:
While Marian worship, prayers to Mary, and overveneration of Mary is idolatry and evil; I think admiring her, and making her a heroine and example of a woman saint is great! May you as women in world say, "I am the Lord's servant."
Mary's Song of Praise: The Magnificat
46 And Mary said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
50 And his mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
51 He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
52 he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
and exalted those of humble estate;
53 he has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
55 as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
50 And his mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
51 He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
52 he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
and exalted those of humble estate;
53 he has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
55 as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”
(Luke 1:46-55).
While Marian worship, prayers to Mary, and overveneration of Mary is idolatry and evil; I think admiring her, and making her a heroine and example of a woman saint is great! May you as women in world say, "I am the Lord's servant."
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