Women

The creation of women

Genesis 2:20–24 NIV84

So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds of the air and all the beasts 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 was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.” For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.

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Women and the fall

1 Timothy 2:14 NIV84

And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner.

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The care of women in the early church community

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Women as the weaker sex

1 Peter 3:7 NIV84

Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.

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Women and their relationships

Their relationship to God through Jesus Christ

Galatians 3:26–29 NIV84

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. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Their relationship to their husbands

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Their relationship to men

Some interpret this as referring to a husband, rather than to men generally.

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Feminism and the Bible’s teaching on women

The equality of the sexes and rejection of female subordination

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Examples of the abuse of women by men

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Women who are strong role models

Deborah; Huldah; the wife of noble character; the beloved; Lydia

Examples of godly women

Ruth; Hannah; Abigail; Esther; Elizabeth; Tabitha

Examples of women who are condemned or judged

Michal; Jezebel; the adulteress

The women of Jerusalem:

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OT laws concerning women

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Women in office in the OT

As a judge or leader

Judges 4:4–5 NIV84

Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was leading Israel at that time. She held court under the Palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites came to her to have their disputes decided.

As a prophetess

Exodus 15:20–21 NIV84

Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women followed her, with tambourines and dancing. Miriam sang to them: “Sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted. The horse and its rider he has hurled into the sea.”

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As a queen

2 Kings 11:1–3 NIV84

When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to destroy the whole royal family. But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram and sister of Ahaziah, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the royal princes, who were about to be murdered. She put him and his nurse in a bedroom to hide him from Athaliah; so he was not killed. He remained hidden with his nurse at the temple of the Lord for six years while Athaliah ruled the land.

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Women as wives and mothers in the OT

Proverbs 12:4 NIV84

A wife of noble character is her husband’s crown, but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones.

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Women in the life of Jesus Christ

In the birth narratives

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In the ministry of Jesus Christ

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.

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In the passion narratives

Matthew 27:55–56 NIV84

Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.

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Women’s ministry in the early church

As prophets

Acts 21:8–9 NIV84

Leaving the next day, we reached Caesarea and stayed at the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the Seven. He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.

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As teachers

Titus 2:3–5 NIV84

Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.

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As deacons

NIV footnote at verse 1.

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As hostesses

Colossians 4:15 NIV84

Give my greetings to the brothers at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house.

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As workers in the church

Romans 16:12 NIV84

Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, those women who work hard in the Lord. Greet my dear friend Persis, another woman who has worked very hard in the Lord.

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As an apostle

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.

Instructions to women in the early church community

Their role in the church meetings

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Their behaviour as Christians

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