Women

God created both women and men in his image and likeness. Scripture shows women in a variety of roles, playing an important part in God's salvation plan. In Christ, there is no fundamental distinction between believers on account of gender, race or social status. Women played a significant part in the life of Jesus Christ and in the early church. The NT both records their role and faces the questions thereby raised.

The creation of women

Genesis 2:20–24 See also Genesis 1:27, Genesis 5:1–2; 1 Timothy 2:13

The man gave names to all the livestock, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam no suitable helper was found. So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep, and while he slept, He took one of the man’s ribs and closed up the area with flesh. And from the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man, He made a woman and brought her to him. And the man said: “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for out of man she was taken.” For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.

Women and the fall

1 Timothy 2:14 See also Genesis 3:1–16; 2 Corinthians 11:3

And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman who was deceived and fell into transgression.

Examples of godly women

Ruth 1:16–17 Ruth; 1 Samuel 1:9–28 Hannah; 1 Samuel 25:2–35 Abigail; Esther 4:15–16 Esther; Luke 1:41–45 Elizabeth; Acts 9:36–42 Tabitha

Examples of women who are condemned or judged

2 Samuel 6:16–23 Michal; 1 Kings 21:1–25 Jezebel; Proverbs 5:1–6 the adulteress; Isaiah 3:16–4:1; Ezekiel 13:17–23

OT laws concerning women

Exodus 21:22–25; Leviticus 12:1–8, Leviticus 15:19–30; Deuteronomy 22:5

Women in office in the OT

As a judge or leader

Judges 4:4–5

Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time. And she would sit under the Palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, where the Israelites would go up to her for judgment.

As a prophetess

Exodus 15:20–21 See also Judges 4:4; 2 Kings 22:14–20; Isaiah 8:3

Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women followed her with tambourines and dancing. And Miriam sang back to them: “Sing to the LORD, for He is highly exalted; the horse and rider He has thrown into the sea.”

As a queen

2 Kings 11:1–3 See also 1 Kings 10:1–13 parallel 2 Chronicles 9:1–12; Esther 1:9–21, Esther 2:17

When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to annihilate all the royal heirs. But Jehosheba daughter of King Joram, the sister of Ahaziah, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the sons of the king who were being murdered. She put him and his nurse in a bedroom to hide him from Athaliah, and he was not killed. And Joash remained hidden with his nurse in the house of the LORD for six years while Athaliah ruled the land.

Women as wives and mothers in the OT

Proverbs 12:4 See also Genesis 2:24, Genesis 21:11–12; Proverbs 18:22, Proverbs 31:10–31

A wife of noble character is her husband’s crown, but she who causes shame is like decay in his bones.

Women in the life of Jesus Christ

In the birth narratives

Luke 1:26–56, Luke 2:16–19, Luke 2:36–38

In the ministry of Jesus Christ

Luke 8:1–3 Jesus Christ respected women and talked to them as individuals with spiritual understanding. This was a considerable deviation from the cultural conventions of the time. See also Matthew 9:20–22 parallels Mark 5:25–34, Luke 8:43–48; Matthew 15:21–28 parallel Mark 7:24–30; Mark 12:41–44 parallel Luke 21:1–4; Luke 10:38–42; John 4:7–30, John 11:17–44

Soon afterward, Jesus traveled from one town and village to another, preaching and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with Him, as well as some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, Joanna the wife of Herod’s household manager Chuza, Susanna, and many others. These women were ministering to them out of their own means.

In the passion narratives

Matthew 27:55–56 parallels Mark 15:40–41, Luke 23:49 See also Matthew 26:6–13 parallels Mark 14:3–9, Luke 7:37–38, John 12:1–8; Matthew 27:61 parallels Mark 15:47, Luke 23:55–56; Matthew 28:1–10 parallels Mark 16:1–11, Luke 24:1–11

And many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to minister to Him. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.

Women's ministry in the early church

As prophets

Acts 21:8–9 See also Acts 2:17–18; Joel 2:28–29; 1 Corinthians 11:5

Leaving the next day, we went on to Caesarea and stayed at the home of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the Seven. He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.

As teachers

Titus 2:3–5 See also Acts 18:24–26

Older women, likewise, are to be reverent in their behavior, not slanderers or addicted to much wine, but teachers of good. In this way they can train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, managers of their households, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be discredited.

As deacons

Romans 16:1–2 NIV footnote at verse 1. See also 1 Timothy 3:11

I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church in Cenchrea. Welcome her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and assist her with anything she may need from you. For she has been a great help to many people, including me.

As hostesses

Colossians 4:15 See also Acts 16:15; 1 Corinthians 16:19

Greet the brothers in Laodicea, as well as Nympha and the church that meets at her house.

As workers in the church

Romans 16:12 See also Romans 16:6; Philippians 4:2–3

Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, women who have worked hard in the Lord. Greet my beloved Persis, who has worked very hard in the Lord.

As an apostle

Romans 16:7 Interpreters disagree over whether Junias was a man or a woman, and also over whether Paul meant these two were notable in the ranks of the apostles or were well-known to the apostles.

Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow countrymen and fellow prisoners. They are outstanding among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was.

Instructions to women in the early church community

Their role in the church meetings

Their behaviour as Christians

1 Timothy 2:9–10, 1 Timothy 5:11–16; Titus 2:3–5; 1 Peter 3:1–6

The care of women in the early church community

Acts 6:1; 1 Timothy 5:1–10

Women as the weaker sex

1 Peter 3:7 See also 1 Timothy 2:13–14

Husbands, in the same way, treat your wives with consideration as a delicate vessel, and with honor as fellow heirs of the gracious gift of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.

Women and their relationships

Their relationship to God through Jesus Christ

Galatians 3:26–29

You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise.

Their relationship to their husbands

Their relationship to men

1 Corinthians 11:3 Some interpret this as referring to a husband, rather than to men generally. See also 1 Corinthians 11:7–12; 1 Timothy 2:11–12

But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.

Feminism and the Bible's teaching on women