The Bible has a lot to teach us about how Jesus related to and valued women during his earthly ministry. Here is an overview of some of the key things we can learn from Scripture about Jesus and women:
Jesus broke cultural barriers to include women
During Jesus’ day, women were often marginalized in society and religious life. But Jesus frequently went against the cultural norms of his day to include and interact with women. For example:
- Jesus engaged in public theological dialogues with women like the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4:1-42). This crossed multiple cultural boundaries.
- Jesus allowed women like Mary to sit and learn as his disciples, which was uncommon for Rabbis at that time (Luke 10:38-42).
- Jesus regularly welcomed and interacted with societies’ outcasts and marginalized, including prostitutes and adulteresses (Luke 7:36-50, John 8:2-11).
Jesus treated women with dignity, respect and welcome. He elevated their status and included them in his ministry in groundbreaking ways for that cultural context.
Jesus lifted up positive examples of women’s faith
Jesus highlighted faithful women as positive examples of discipleship and godly character. For instance:
- The widow who gave generously was upheld by Jesus as an example of profound faith and sacrifice (Luke 21:1-4).
- The woman who anointed Jesus with perfume had her story told wherever the Gospel was preached, according to Jesus (Mark 14:3-9).
- A Canaanite woman’s persistent faith was praised by Jesus as being greater than anyone in Israel (Matthew 15:21-28).
- Mary’s choice to sit at Jesus’ feet and prioritize learning from him was lauded by Jesus (Luke 10:38-42).
Jesus wanted all followers to emulate aspects of these women’s faith. He celebrated their examples for both women and men to learn from.
Women were vital witnesses of Jesus’ ministry and resurrection
Jesus chose women to be the first eyewitnesses and proclaimers of his resurrection, even though their testimony faced more skepticism in that era:
- Mary Magdalene and other women were the first witnesses of the empty tomb and Jesus’ resurrection (Matthew 28:1-10, Mark 16:1-11, Luke 24:1-12).
- Jesus first appeared to Mary Magdalene after his resurrection and sent her to tell the other disciples (John 20:11-18).
By appointing women as the first resurrection witnesses, Jesus displayed his high trust in and regard for the credibility of women’s testimony.
Jesus treated women with dignity and transformed their lives
Jesus treated individual women he encountered with great love, respect, and care that transformed their lives. For example:
- The woman at the well went from an outcast to evangelist after her conversation with Jesus (John 4:4-42).
- Jesus cast seven demons out of Mary Magdalene, healing her (Luke 8:2).
- The woman caught in adultery was saved from stoning and forgiven by Jesus (John 8:2-11).
- A disabled woman was healed on the Sabbath and praised for her worth by Jesus (Luke 13:10-17).
Jesus saw these women as infinitely precious daughters of God. His care and restoration of them countered cultural norms that dismissed and belittled women.
Jesus used women positively in his parables and teachings
Jesus referenced women favorably in his parables and teachings. For example:
- The persistent widow who prevailed over the unjust judge was commended for her tenacity in Jesus’ parable (Luke 18:1-8).
- Women working leaven into dough illustrated the positive spread of God’s kingdom (Matthew 13:33).
- The poor widow who gave generously exemplified true devotion more than the major donors (Mark 12:41-44).
- Jesus highlighted the rejoicing of the woman who found her lost coin (Luke 15:8-10).
These parables and teachings counteracted negative female stereotypes. Jesus underscored women’s dignity, wisdom and faithfulness through his storytelling.
Jesus defended Mary’s right to learn as his disciple
When Mary sat at Jesus’ feet to learn from him, Martha objected that Mary should instead be helping her serve. But Jesus affirmed Mary’s choice to learn, saying:
“Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:41-42)
Jesus valued women’s spiritual growth through learning God’s truth. He defended Mary’s right to learn rather than conforming to only domestic roles.
The gospels show Jesus’ concern for women’s wellbeing
Throughout the gospels, Jesus is shown caring for women’s problems and needs:
- Jesus healed Simon Peter’s mother-in-law when she was ill (Mark 1:29-31).
- He raised a widow’s son from dead (Luke 7:11-17).
- Jesus healed a woman who had bled chronically for 12 years (Mark 5:25-34).
- He had compassion on weeping women on his way to the cross (Luke 23:27-31).
In a society where women were often marginalized, Jesus conspicuously cared for and responded to their very human needs and sorrows.
Jesus redeemed women’s identities and purposes
Many women had been defined by their past sins, struggles or disadvantages. But Jesus replaced their societies’ imposed identities with redemption and purpose:
- Formerly demon-possessed Mary Magdalene became a devoted disciple (Mark 16:9).
- A promiscuous Samaritan woman became an evangelist (John 4:4-42).
- The woman caught in adultery was liberated from condemnation (John 8:2-11).
- Ruthless Queen Esther became Savior of the Jews (Esther 4:13-16).
Whatever their pasts, Jesus gave women new identities as beloved daughters of God with vital roles in his kingdom.
Jesus’ teachings elevated marriage relationships
Jesus called husbands and wives to sacrificial, other-centered love in marriage, as opposed to domination or neglect. For example:
- He quoted Genesis that spouses are to “become one flesh” (Matthew 19:3-6).
- He called husbands to not divorce wives, protecting women from abandonment (Mark 10:2-12).
- Paul instructed husbands to love wives like Christ loved the church (Ephesians 5:25).
Jesus’ teachings fostered mutual love and care in marriage versus power imbalances.
The early church uplifted women leaders
The book of Acts shows that women fulfilled important leadership roles in the early church:
- Women like Lydia hosted churches in their homes (Acts 16:11-15).
- Priscilla co-pastored a church with her husband Aquila (Acts 18:1-4, 18-28).
- Philip’s four daughters were honored prophetesses (Acts 21:8-9).
Women’s leadership gifts were developed and deployed in the early church, continuing Jesus’ legacy.
Paul called for mutual submission in marriage
The apostle Paul progressed beyond the patriarchal norms of his society by calling for mutual submission between spouses. He wrote:
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord…Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. (Ephesians 5:21-25)
Paul promoted revolutionary mutual submission in a culture of male domination. He spread Jesus’ ethic of spousal equality.
Paul affirmed women as co-laborers in God’s work
Paul recognized that women were invaluable partners in Christian ministry. For instance:
- He commended Phoebe as a deaconess and leader in the church (Romans 16:1-2).
- He named Priscilla as a “co-worker in Christ Jesus” (Romans 16:3).
- He appreciated Euodia and Syntyche as women who contended for the Gospel (Philippians 4:2-3).
Paul saw women as equally competent and called to serve alongside men in advancing God’s work.
Effects of Jesus and the early church on women
The combined effect of Jesus and the early church’s teachings on women was revolutionary and countercultural. Some major outcomes included:
- Women gained greater dignity as equally precious image-bearers of God.
- Cultural boundaries were torn down to include women in ministry and discipleship.
- Women’s gifts were developed for leadership in Jesus’ kingdom.
- Marriage relationships grew more mutual and balanced.
- Restrictive female stereotypes were replaced with regeneration and purpose.
Jesus and the early church’s stance on women effected sweeping change to right their societal wrongs.
Women in the Bible point to redemption through Jesus
Many named and unnamed women in the Bible point ahead to Jesus as redeemer. For example:
- Rahab’s redemption foreshadowed salvation through Jesus (Matthew 1:5).
- Ruth’s inclusion prefigured redemption of the Gentiles by Christ (Matthew 1:5).
- Esther’s deliverance of her people mirrored Christ’s salvation.
- The Virgin Mary gave birth to humanity’s Savior (Luke 1:26-56).
The stories of women like Rahab, Ruth, Esther and Mary all prefigure the ultimate redemption through Christ.
Jesus’ teachings raised the bar for purity of thought
Jesus confronted lustful thinking toward women, challenging men at the root:
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matthew 5:27-28)
Jesus took purity of heart toward women to an unprecedented level. He redressed problems of sexualization and objectification.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Scripture provides a wealth of revelation about how Jesus related to, valued, and redeemed women. Key takeaways include:
- Jesus showed profound respect for women and included them in his ministry.
- He elevated examples of women’s faith for all disciples to learn from.
- Jesus profoundly cared for and transformed individual women’s lives.
- His teachings and early church practices revolutionized the worth and roles of women.
- Bible accounts point to redemption ultimately through Jesus.
Studying Jesus and the early church’s interactions with women yields great insight into God’s high purposes for all his daughters and sons.
