CHAPTER 3
THE ATTITUDE OF JESUS TOWARD WOMEN
Opinions vary concerning the interpretation of the attitude of our Lord toward women as shown in the Gospels. Bishop Lightfoot comments that “to contemporaries it must have appeared in the light of a social revolution,”1 while Donaldson goes to the opposite extreme by stating emphatically that “an examination of the facts seems to me to show that there was no sign of this revolution in the first three centuries of the Christian era, and that the position of women among Christians was lower, and the notions in regard to them were more degraded than they were in the first.”2
Speaking in general terms, one may say that the Gospels picture Christ as having an attitude of appreciating the distinct capabilities of women as personalities in their own right. Allworthy has well said that each individual Gospel writer records “the powerful impression produced upon women by the personality and teaching of Jesus. This impression could only have been made by one who had a sincere belief in the intellectual and spiritual possibilities of women.”3 The truth of this statement will be demonstrated in this chapter.
APPRECIATION OF WOMEN’S SPIRITUAL CAPABILITY
The Gospel counterpart to the Pauline statement that in Christ there is neither male nor female4 is the Lord’s saying that “whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.”5 Early in His ministry, then, Jesus opened the doors to intimate affinity with Himself, and sex constituted no barrier to this intimacy. This was without any doubt so new that it may be called a revolutionary saying, for “the story . . . has no rabbinic ring.”6 In the same vein, Christ also said that His claims might set “the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.”7 Although one must not read into this statement feminine equality with or superiority over men, one may conclude that “women might take an independent line in religion.”8
In the Gospels are two accounts of Jesus’ recognizing, honoring, and rewarding with physical healing the faith of women. One concerns a Jewish woman whose faith (though it may have been mixed with the superstition that Christ’s garments could heal apart from His will) made her free from an issue of blood that had plagued her.9 The other incident involved a Gentile woman.10 Although this Syrophoenician was reminded by Jesus of the exclusiveness of the Jews in relation to the Gentiles and although she was refused with sharpness,11 her persistent faith was rewarded by the delivering of her daughter from an unclean spirit. These two events illustrate the capability of women in matters of recognized active faith as well as the appreciation of women on the part of Jesus, which obliterated the barriers of sex and race.
APPRECIATION OF WOMEN’S INTELLECTUAL CAPABILITY
The rabbis were willing to teach women because education, except for that which could be given girls in the home, was for men only. But in the ministry of Jesus there is abundant evidence that He taught women privately, and there is every indication that women, as part of the multitudes who followed Him, heard His public teaching. The miracle of the feeding of the five thousand specifically states that there were women present in the crowd following the Master on that occasion, for Matthew expressly says so,12 and the use of anēr (Gk. “male”) by the other writers clearly implies it. Further evidence that women were present in the crowds who heard the Lord’s teaching is the interesting use He made of women in His parables and illustrations. For instance, the parable of the mustard seed, which a man took and planted, is followed by the parable of the leaven, which a woman took and hid in the meal.13 Though the parables teach different truths, it is not at all unlikely that our Lord varied the figure in order to capture the attention of men and women who were in the “great multitudes” who gathered on that occasion.14
The same phenomenon is repeated in another pair of parables recorded in Luke 15. The Lord speaks first of the joy of a man on finding a lost sheep (vv. 3–7) and then of the joy of a woman who found a lost coin (vv. 8–10). Without question, the main point of these parables is that “each sinner is so precious that God and His Ministers regard no efforts too great to reclaim such.”15 The same writer further suggests that the use of a woman’s experience in the second parable shows that “woman also may work for the recovery of sinners.”16
To illustrate the point further, other examples may be cited. To illustrate the Lord’s teaching concerning prayer, He spoke of an importunate friend who came asking for food at midnight and of an importunate widow.17 To teach His followers peace of mind He pointed to the lilies of the field, which do not toil (man’s work) or spin (woman’s work).18 To prepare them for His return to earth, Jesus told His disciples that when it occurs one (eis, Gk.) of two men in the field and one (mia, Gk.) of two women grinding would be taken and the others left.19 Admittedly it would be impossible to prove that women were actually present on each occasion cited (though clearly they were in the crowds who heard Jesus’ public teaching in some of these instances); nevertheless, without doubt the use our Lord makes of women in these parables and illustrations “is in fact evidence of His special interest in them.”20
In addition to this public ministry, our Lord taught women individually and in private. Indeed, some of the most profound revelations concerning Himself and His Father were given in these instances. That He even did such a thing indicates His appreciation not only of a woman’s intellectual capacity but also of her spiritual capabilities.
The first of these instances took place on the Lord’s journey from Judea to Galilee when He passed through Samaria.21 While sitting at Jacob’s well and while the disciples were in the town buying food, Jesus held a long theological discussion with a Samaritan woman. The rabbis had said that a man should not salute a woman, not even his own wife, in a public place,22 but this dictum was probably not rigidly followed else we might expect that the Pharisees would have accused Jesus about this more often.23 To talk to this woman may not have been contrary to the ordinary practice of the day, but to teach her certainly was. To hold this sort of conversation with a Samaritan, with whom the Jews had no dealing, was to break all convention and to demonstrate Jesus’ wider interest in people outside Judaism. That He should deal with a woman as He described her in John 4:18 shows His compassion and interest in the neediest of human beings. It is rightly said that “in this combination of freedom and pity . . . he makes a new departure of enormous significance and importance.”24 The entire scene was “a strange innovation on rabbinic custom and dignity”;25 and even those who may not admit the historical accuracy of the Gospels must admit that since there is no evident theological reason for inserting a female person into this story; there must be a historical basis. In the conversation the Lord spoke of the deep truths of living water and proper worship; and although there is no command from Christ for this woman to testify of what she had been taught, He did not disapprove of or reject her witness, which resulted in bringing many men to Him. Women, indeed, may work for the reclamation of sinners.
On many occasions the Lord Jesus visited the house of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus in Bethany. On the very first recorded visit26 He is seen teaching Mary who “sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word.” After a bit, Martha, who was distracted with much serving and who “could not think that a woman could, in such manner [as Mary’s], fulfil her duty, or show forth her religious profiting,”27 complains that her sister should also be helping with the domestic preparations. Our Lord in reply taught her with gentle reproof, and yet with affection, that “one thing is needful”; that is, the care of the spiritual life.
Later in Christ’s ministry, Lazarus, one of the members of this home, died.28 When Jesus appeared at Bethany four days after Lazarus’s death, He revealed to the two sisters the profound truth that Resurrection and Life are the outcome of His very being. Since resurrection at the end of time was part of the religious hope of every Jew, Martha doubtless thought that Jesus’ first words to her—“Thy brother shall rise again”—were nothing more than the accustomed consolation. But our Lord reveals to her that “the Resurrection of the Dead is no longer bound up purely or primarily with an historical event at the end of time, but connects immediately with the Person of Jesus Christ and with the life which He bestows here and now.”29 Of course, one must remember that most of the Lord’s teaching was to men and especially to His 12 disciples, but these instances cited are ample proof of His revolutionary recognition of women, His confidence in their capabilities, and His concern for their spiritual education and welfare.
APPRECIATION OF WOMEN’S ABILITY TO SERVE
Other accounts in the Gospels give indication of the kind of service Jesus received and appreciated from women. On one occasion He used a woman to teach some religious leaders the grace of forgiveness in mixing mercy with law. Although this incident recorded in John 8:2–11 is poorly attested, it nonetheless probably relates a historic event.30 Similarly, on another occasion the sacrificial giving of a widow was used to teach the disciples that true value is based not on quantity but on quality.31 In other words, our Lord held up to men the lives and examples of women.
On at least two occasions Jesus received the public testimony of women. While teaching in a synagogue on the Sabbath, He called, as if deliberately, a woman to Him, and then He healed her infirmity. She immediately glorified God so as to bring an indignant rebuke from the ruler of the synagogue but not from the Master.32 In the other instance, the healing of the woman who touched the hem of His garment, Christ called for the public declaration of her faith. No doubt this was done “to bring her to clearness in the exercise of her faith,”33 but in so doing the woman gave her testimony “before all the people.”34
On two other occasions Jesus was anointed by women.35 For the present purpose, whether or not these are two different occasions is not under discussion;36 the important point is that Jesus received such worship and affection from women. In the first instance the woman was probably a prostitute, and Jesus’ reception of her act of reverence laid His own character open to question. In the other instance, Mary’s costly ointment paid highest tribute to the Master, for “this was the kind of demonstration reserved for princes or persons of great distinction.”37 A woman leads the way by saying in effect “that no tribute is rich enough to pay to Him,”38 and this kind of worship He not only receives but also defends before all. If anything is to be made of the words of Jesus concerning the resurrection in which men and women neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like the angels, it would simply be that they show His approval of the purpose of earthly marriage as the perpetuation of the race.39
Certain conclusions, some important and some not so important, are evident from these passages. Jesus Christ opened the privileges of religious faith equally to men and to women. He gave His message publicly and privately to women as well as to men. The frequent and prominent mention of women in the Gospels is in itself noteworthy by contrast with their status in Judaism. Christ gladly received certain kinds of service from women, including their public testimony. There can be no doubt that as regards spiritual privilege Jesus considered the two sexes equal.
However, as regards spiritual activity there was a difference between that of men and women. What is not said about women is as important as what is said.40 That Jesus chose and sent out 70 men is significant.41 That there was no woman chosen to be among the 12 disciples is to be noted. That the Lord’s Supper was instituted in the presence of men only is important. The apostolic commissions of John 20:19–23 and Matt 28:16–20 were given to men only (though it is true that the Holy Spirit fell upon women as well as men at Pentecost). But it is evident that all these significant facts put together are proof that the activities assigned to women were different from those which our Lord assigned to men. Furthermore, despite Harnack’s attributing the Epistle to the Hebrews to the pen of Priscilla42 and Bacon’s conjecture that the Revelation was written by one of the four prophesying daughters of Philip the evangelist,43 that no woman was granted the privilege of being the author of any book in the New Testament canon is generally accepted. Surely, then, one must recognize that Jesus Himself differentiated between men and women in their spheres of activity.
In the light of this evidence, the word revolution does not seem too strong a word to use of the appreciation of women introduced by Jesus. Though there were definite limitations—things that He did not appreciate, if it may be put that way—His free and merciful attitude toward women introduced a revolutionary appraisal of them. Their spiritual privilege was equal with that of men; definite differences, however, existed in their spiritual activity. And to explain woman’s sphere of activity in the Gospels is the task of the following chapter.
QUESTIONS
ENDNOTES
1. Joseph Barber Lightfoot, Sermons Preached on Special Occasions (London: Macmillan, 1891), 224.
2. James Donaldson, Woman: Her Position and Influence in Ancient Greece and Rome, and Among the Early Christians (London: Longmans, Green & Co., 1874), 148.
3. Thomas Bateson Allworthy, Women in the Apostolic Church (Cambridge: W. Heffer & Sons, 1917), 4.
4. Gal 3:28.
5. Mark 3:35; cf. Matt 12:50 and Luke 8:21.
6. C. G. Montefiore, Rabbinic Literature and Gospel Teachings (London: Macmillan, 1930), 249.
7. Luke 12:53.
8. Allworthy, Women in the Apostolic Church, 4.
9. Matt 9:20–22; Mark 5:25–34; Luke 8:43–48.
10. Matt 15:21–28; Mark 7:25–30.
11. “[T]he word kunaria is in the oriental world, even to-day, an insult.” Joachim Jeremias, “The Gentile World in the Thought of Jesus,” Bulletin of the Studiorum Novi Testamenti Societas 3 (1952): 19.
12. Matt 14:21.
13. Luke 13:18–21.
14. Matt 13:2.
15. Alfred Plummer, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Gospel According to St. Luke (Edinburgh, T. & T. Clark, 1901), 370.
16. Ibid.
17. Luke 11:5–8; 18:1–5.
18. Matt 6:28.
19. Matt 24:40–41.
20. Allworthy, Women in the Apostolic Church, 5.
21. John 4:1–42.
22. Aboth, i, 5.
23. Montefiore, Rabbinic Literature, 47.
24. Ibid.
25. Alfred Edersheim, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1943), 1:418.
26. Luke 10:38–42.
27. Edersheim, Life and Times of Jesus, 2:147.
28. John 11:1–44.
29. William Manson, The Incarnate Glory: An Expository Study of the Gospel according to St. John (London: James Clarke & Co., 1923), 172.
30. It is omitted by א, A, B, C, L, N, W, Y.
31. Mark 12:41–44; Luke 21:1–4.
32. Luke 13:10–17.
33. Edersheim, Life and Times of Jesus, 1:628.
34. Luke 8:47.
35. Luke 7:36–50; John 12:1–11.
36. Cf. the discussion in Plummer, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary, 214.
37. Marcus Dods, The Gospel of St. John (London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1908), 2:6. Cf. Ps 23:5.
38. Ibid.
39. Matt 22:30; Mark 12:25; Luke 20:35–36. Cf. Henry Latham, A Service of Angels (Cambridge, Deighton Bell, 1896), 53.
40. Allworthy, who has been cited several times in this chapter, fails to mention these significant silences in the record. One cannot help feeling that his treatment of Jesus’ attitude toward women is unbalanced.
41. Luke 10:1–17.
42. Adolf Harnack, “Probabilia über die Adresse und den Verfasser des Hebräer-briefs,” Zeitschrift für die neutestamentliche Wissenschaft 1 (1900): 16–41.
43. Benjamin W. Bacon, “The Authoress of Revelation—A Conjecture,” Harvard Theological Review 23, no. 33 (July 1930): 235–50.