Jesus and the women

In dealing with women, Jesus behaved in a downright revolutionary manner compared to the customs that were common in first-century society. Jesus met the women around him at eye level. His casual interaction with them was extremely unusual for the time. He brought honor and respect to all women. In contrast to the men of his generation, Jesus taught that women were equal and equal to men before God. Women could also receive God's forgiveness and grace and be full citizens of the kingdom of God. The women were overjoyed and excited by Jesus' behavior, and many of them gave their lives to his service. Let us take a look at the example of his mother, Mary, through the historical accounts of the Scriptures.

Mary, the mother of Jesus

When Maria was teenagers, it was her father who arranged their marriage. That was the custom at that time. Mary was to become the wife of the carpenter Joseph. Because she was born as a girl in a Jewish family, her role as a woman was firmly assigned. But their role in human history has been extraordinary. God had chosen her to be the mother of Jesus. When the angel Gabriel came to her, she was frightened and wondered what his appearance meant. The angel reassured her and told her that she was the one God had chosen to be the mother of Jesus. Mary asked the angel how this should be done, since she did not know a man. The angel replied: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the holy thing that is born will also be called the Son of God. And behold, Elisabeth, your relative, is also pregnant with a son, her age, and is now in the sixth month, which is said to be sterile. For with God nothing is impossible »(Luke 1,35-37). Mary answered the angel: I will put myself completely at the disposal of the Lord. Everything should happen as you said it would. Then the angel left her.

Knowing that she was threatened with shame and humiliation, Mary courageously and willingly submitted to God's will in faith. She knew that because of this, Josef might not marry her. Although God protected her by showing Joseph in a dream that he should marry her despite her pregnancy, the incident of her premarital pregnancy spread. Joseph remained loyal to Mary and married her.

Mary appears only twice in John's letter, at the very beginning in Cana, then again at the very end of Jesus' life under the cross - and both times John calls her the mother of Jesus. Jesus honored his mother throughout his life and also when he was crucified. When Jesus saw her there, undoubtedly shocked by what she had to see, he sympathetically let her and John know how she would be cared for after his death and resurrection: «When Jesus saw his mother and with her the disciple, whom he loved, he said to his mother: Woman, behold, this is your son! Then he said to the disciple: See, this is your mother! And from that hour on the disciple took her with him »(John 19,26-27). Jesus did not show honor and respect to his mother.

Maria Magdalena

One of the most unusual examples from the early days of Jesus' ministry is the devotional following of Mary Magdalene. She belonged to the group of women who traveled with Jesus and his 12 disciples and is mentioned in the first place among the female fellow travelers: «In addition, several women whom he had healed from evil spirits and diseases, namely Mary, called Magdalena, from of the seven demons had gone out »(Luke 8,2).

Her demons are explicitly mentioned, i.e. the difficult past that this woman had to experience. God gave women key positions to carry His message into the world, including at the resurrection. The testimony of women was worthless at the time, because the word of women was of no use in court. It is remarkable that Jesus chose women as witnesses of his resurrection, although he knew exactly that their word could never be used as proof before the world of that time: «She turned around and saw Jesus standing and did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her: Woman, what are you crying? Who are you looking for? She thinks it is the gardener and says to him, Lord, have you carried him away, tell me: Where did you put him? Then I want to get him. Jesus said to her: Mary! Then she turned around and said to him in Hebrew: Rabbuni !, that means: Master! " (John 20,14: 16). Mary Magdalene went immediately and told the disciples the immovable news!

Mary and Martha

Jesus taught that women, like men, are responsible for growing in grace and knowledge when it comes to belonging to His followers. This is clearly expressed in the account of the evangelist Luke about the visit of Jesus to the house of Martha and Mary, who lived in Bethany, a village about three kilometers from Jerusalem. Martha had invited Jesus and his disciples to dinner at their home. But while Martha was busy serving her guests, her sister Mary, together with the other disciples, listened attentively to Jesus: “She had a sister whose name was Mary; she sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his speech. Marta, however, was very busy serving them. And she came up and said, Lord, don't you ask my sister to let me serve alone? Tell her to help me! " (Luke 10,39-40).
Jesus did not reprimand Martha for being busy with service, he told her that her sister Mary was the one who had set her priorities right at the time: «Marta, Marta, you have a lot of worry and trouble. But one thing is necessary. Mary chose the good part; that should not be taken from her »(Luke 10,41-42). Jesus loved Martha just as much as Mary did. He saw her trying, but he also explained to her that being dutiful is of secondary importance. Much more important is the relationship with him.

A daughter of Abraham

Another fascinating account of Luke is about the healing of a handicapped woman in the synagogue, right before the eyes of the synagogue ruler: «He taught in a synagogue on the Sabbath. And behold, there was a woman who had had a spirit for eighteen years that made her sick; and she was crooked and couldn't stand up anymore. But when Jesus saw her, he called her over and said to her, "Woman, you are redeemed from your illness!" And put my hands on her; and immediately she straightened up and praised God »(Luke 13,10-13).

According to the religious leader, Jesus broke the Sabbath. He was outraged: “There are six days to work; come on them and be healed, but not on the Sabbath day ”(verse 14). Was Christ intimidated by these words? Not in the least. He replied: “You hypocrites! Don't you each untie your ox or donkey from the manger on the Sabbath and lead him to water? Didn't this, who is Abraham's daughter, whom Satan had bound for eighteen years, have to be released from this fetter on the Sabbath? And when he said that, everyone who opposed him was ashamed. And all the people rejoiced in all the glorious deeds that were done through him »(Luke 13,15-17).

Not only did Jesus incur the wrath of the Jewish leaders by healing this woman on the Sabbath, he showed his appreciation for her by calling her a "daughter of Abraham." The idea of ​​being a son of Abraham was widespread. Jesus used this term a few chapters later in relation to Zacchaeus: "Today salvation has come to this house, for he too is a son of Abraham" (Luke 19,9).

In front of his harshest critics, Jesus publicly showed his concern and appreciation for this woman. For years everyone watched as she struggled in her misery to come to the synagogue to worship God. You may have avoided this woman because she was a woman or because she was disabled.

Female followers and witnesses of Jesus

The Bible does not state exactly how many women were with Jesus and his disciples, but Luke gives the names of some prominent women and mentions that there were "many others". «It came to pass afterwards that he went from town to town and village to village preaching and preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God; and the twelve were with him, as well as several women whom he had healed from evil spirits and diseases, namely Mary, called Magdalena, from whom seven demons had come out, and Joanna the wife of Chuza, a steward of Herod, and Susanna and many others who served them with their belongings »(Luke 8,1-3).

Think about these remarkable words. Here women not only were with Jesus and his disciples, but also traveled with them. Note that at least some of these women were widows and had their own finances. Their generosity helped Jesus and his disciples at least in part. Although Jesus worked under the cultural traditions of the first century, he ignored the restrictions imposed on women by their culture. Women were free to follow him and participate in his service to the people.

The woman from Samaria

The conversation with the marginalized woman at Jacob's well in Samaria is the longest recorded conversation that Jesus had with any person and that with a non-Jewish woman. A theological conversation at the well - with a woman! Even the disciples, who were used to experiencing a lot with Jesus, could not believe that. «Meanwhile his disciples came, and they were amazed that he was talking to a woman; but nobody said: What do you want? or: What are you talking to her? " (Johannes 4,27).

Jesus confided to her what he had never told anyone before, namely that he is the Messiah: «If the woman said to him: I know that the Messiah is coming, who is called Christ. When he comes, he will tell us everything. Jesus said to her: It is I who speak to you "(John 4,25-26).

Furthermore, the lesson Jesus gave her about living water was just as profound as the conversation he gave Nicodemus. Unlike Nicodemus, she told her neighbors about Jesus, and many of them believed in Jesus because of the woman's testimony.

Perhaps, for the sake of this woman, her true social position in Samaria is not being properly appreciated. The narrative seems to indicate that she was a knowledgeable, informed woman. Your conversation with Christ reveals an intelligent familiarity with the most important theological issues of your time.

All are one in Christ

In Christ we are all children of God and equal before him. As the apostle Paul wrote: “You are all children of God in Christ Jesus by faith. For all of you who have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Here there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither man nor woman; for you are all one in Christ Jesus »(Galatians 3,26-28).

Paul's meaningful words, especially when they concern women, are bold even today and were certainly astonishing at the time he wrote them. Now we have a new life in Christ. All Christians have a new relationship with God. Through Christ we - both men and women - have become God's own children and one in Jesus Christ. Jesus showed through his personal example that it is time to put aside old prejudices, feelings of superiority over others, feelings of resentment and anger, and to live with and through him in a new life.

by Sheila Graham