Jesus And The Woman
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Women were denigrated by the rabbis
· Woe to him whose children are females. --Tractate Sanhedrin 11
· Whoever teaches his daughter Torah, teaches her obscenity. -- Tractate Sotah 21
· Do not speak excessively with women, for all women’s conversations are lewdness. --Minor Tractates, Derech Eretz, Arayot, Halacha 13
· One who excessively converses with a woman causes evil to himself, neglects the study of Torah, and, in the end, inherits purgatory. --Mishna Avot 1
· Women are invalid to testify. -- (Edut 9:2)
Women are in Jesus’ ancestral genealogy—Matthew 1:3, 5, 6
· Tamar—Canaanite Gentile. Scandalous pregnancy
· Rahab—Canaanite Gentile prostitute who converts.
· Ruth—Moabite Gentile who is honorable. Unusual pregnancy.
· Bathsheba-- Married to a Gentile. Scandalous pregnancy.
Women were honored in Jesus’ ministry
Peter’s mother-in-law (Matthew 8:14-15)
Woman with a gynecological hemorrhage (Mark 5:21-34)
Daughter and wife of Jairus (Mark 5:35-43)
Widow of Nain (Luke 7:11-17)
Disabled woman (Luke 13:10-17)
Immoral woman (Luke 7:36-50)
Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38-42; John 11:1-44)
Poor widow who brought an offering (Luke 21:1-4)
Woman shamed by Pharisees, forgiven by Jesus (John 8:3-11)
Women were used as positive examples in Jesus’ preaching
Gentile widow of Zarephath (Luke 4:24-26)
Gentile Queen of the South (Luke 11:31)
Woman kneading dough (Luke 13:20-21)
Woman finding a lost coin (Luke 15:8-10)
Persistent widow (Luke 18:1-8)
Spiritual family is now Jesus’ mother and sisters (Matthew 12:46-50)
Bridesmaids (Matthew 25:1-13)
Women were key financial supporters of Jesus’ ministry (Luke 8:1-3)
Luke 8:1-3 (GW)
After this, Jesus traveled from one city and village to another. He spread the Good News about God’s kingdom. The twelve apostles were with him. Also, some women were with him. They had been cured from evil spirits and various illnesses. These women were Mary, also called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out; Joanna, whose husband Chusa was Herod’s administrator; Susanna; and many other women. They provided financial support for Jesus and his disciples.
A woman was the first Samaritan convert and evangelist (John 4:7-42)
John 4:26-27, 39 (NLT)
Then Jesus told her, “I AM the Messiah!” Just then his disciples came back. They were shocked to find him talking to a woman, but none of them had the nerve to ask, “What do you want with her?” or “Why are you talking to her?” . . . Many Samaritans from the village believed in Jesus because the woman had said, “He told me everything I ever did!”
A woman was the first Gentile convert (Matthew 15:21-28)
Matthew 15:28 (NLT)
Dear woman,” Jesus said to her, “your faith is great. Your request is granted.” And her daughter was instantly healed.
Women were welcomed as equal disciples (Luke 10:38-42)
Luke 10:38-42 (NLT) As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.” But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”
A woman prophetically anointed Jesus (Mark 14:3-9)
Mark 14:8-9 (NLT)
She has done what she could and has anointed my body for burial ahead of time. I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and discussed.
Women accompanied Jesus to the cross (Luke 23:26-27)
Luke 23:27
(Orthodox Jewish Bible)
And a great multitude of HaAm (people) were following him and nashim (women), who were acting as avelim (mourners), lamenting for him.
(Tree of Life Version—Messianic Jewish)
Now a great multitude of people was following Him, including women who were mourning and singing dirges for Him.
Orthodox Jewish Bible uses some Yiddish and Hebrew phrases.
Tree of Life version is a Messianic Jewish translation making clearer some the Jewish context of the Bible.
Women stayed at the cross
Mark 15:40-41 (NLT)
Some women were there, watching from a distance, including Mary Magdalene, Mary (the mother of James the younger and of Joseph), and Salome. They had been followers of Jesus and had cared for him while he was in Galilee. Many other women who had come with him to Jerusalem were also there.
Women first witnessed Jesus’ resurrection (Matthew 28:1-10)
Remember what the rabbis believed:
Women are invalid to testify. (Edut 9:2)
Matthew 28:5-10 (NCV)
The angel said to the women, “Don’t be afraid. I know that you are looking for Jesus, who has been crucified. He is not here. He has risen from the dead as he said he would. Come and see the place where his body was. And go quickly and tell his followers, ‘Jesus has risen from the dead. He is going into Galilee ahead of you, and you will see him there.’” Then the angel said, “Now I have told you.”
The women left the tomb quickly. They were afraid, but they were also very happy. They ran to tell Jesus’ followers what had happened. Suddenly, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings.” The
women came up to him, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Go and tell my followers to go on to Galilee, and they will see me there.”
Bibliography:
Women in Scripture Edited by Meyers, Craven, and Kraemer
“The New Creation in Christ” in Beyond Sex Roles by Gilbert Bilezikian.