In my last blog, I described the patriarchal cultural norms of Jesus’ day, how Jesus treated women with compassion and how he lauded their actions over the actions of the male religious leaders around him. Today, we will explore how Jesus engaged women in theological discussions, something unheard of for his time, and even allowed women to be his disciples. Then, we will draw some conclusions about how Jesus might engage with women in our day and age, with special attention to those suffering from domestic violence.

Jesus Engaged Women in Theological Discussions

Unlike most leaders of his time, Jesus was willing to engage in theological discussions with women as a rabbi would teach his disciples. In Luke 10:38-42, we see Mary sitting in the position of a disciple, at the feet of Jesus. Theologian Darrell Bock notes that this would be startling in a culture where women did not receive formal teaching from a rabbi.[1] Most theologians see a polarity in this story, where Mary chose well, and Martha was rebuked because she did not choose the one thing needed. Theologian Warren Carter reads this passage differently. He believes the Greek words that the NIV translates as “worried and upset about many things” (Luke 10:41), actually should be read as “distracted by much ministry.” He notes that there is no indication that Martha is preparing a meal for Jesus, as most theologians believe. Carter sees both Mary and Martha as partners in Jesus’ ministry. Jesus pointed out to Martha that in ministry, our first allegiance is to follow Jesus wholeheartedly without being distracted.[2] In John 11:20-27, Jesus engaged in a theological discussion with Martha, explaining the resurrection to her. She made one of the greatest declarations of faith found in the gospels when she said, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

At times, Jesus was even willing to risk scandal in order to teach women. The story of the Samaritan woman (John 4:4-42), begins by saying Jesus “had to” pass through Samaria. Theologian Mark Strauss notes that while Jews did not always go around Samaria, contact between the two groups was usually avoided. He posits that John’s comment that Jesus “had” to go through Samaria suggests Jesus went there intentionally for a divine appointment.[3] One indicator that Jesus risked scandal to teach this woman is found in the apostles’ reaction. John 4:27 says they were “surprised” to find Jesus talking with this woman, and that they wanted to ask him, “Why are you talking with her?”

Viewing the interaction of Jesus with the Samaritan woman and both Mary and Martha, we clearly see that Jesus considered these women to be worthy of his time, attention and training.

Jesus Allowed Women to Participate in His Ministry as Disciples

Though Jesus did not choose any women to be apostles, he allowed women to participate in his ministry. Luke 8:1-3 lists three women: Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Susanna. These three and “many others” were with Jesus and the twelve as they traveled from one town to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. Theologian Richard Bauckman points out that in these verses, the Greek places the twelve disciples and the women alongside each other in the same relationship to Jesus. Up until this point, the apostles have done nothing except “be with” Jesus. Matthew 27:55-56 and Mark 15:41-41 make it clear that these women had been with Jesus from the early days of his ministry in Galilee, right up until his death and resurrection. Bauckman remarks that the last clause of Luke 8:3 (about the women providing for them) is a fact about the women that is in addition to the fact they were “with” Jesus. He translates the Greek to mean the women supplied the economic needs of Jesus and the twelve, not, as some have thought, that the women cooked the meals and washed their clothes.[4]

Perhaps the best example of Jesus allowing women to participate in his ministry is found at the resurrection. Each of the gospels tell the story a bit differently from the others. Mark and John only mention Mary Magdalene. Matthew mentions Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, while Luke lists Mary Magdalene, Joanna and Mary the mother of James. Nevertheless, each gospel makes a point of saying the women arrived at the tomb first. In each gospel, these women were met either by angel(s) or by the resurrected Jesus himself and given the incredible news that Jesus had risen from the dead. In Mark 16:7 and Matthew 28:7, an angel told them to go and tell the disciples that Jesus had risen. In John 20:17, Jesus himself tells Mary Magdalene to go and tell Jesus’ brothers (the disciples) that he is returning to the Father.

Blomberg states that the fact each gospel describes women being the first to witness the resurrection guarantees the credibility of the account because in that day, the world did not usually accept women’s testimony as legally binding.[5] We see signs of this in the disciples’ reaction to the women’s testimony. The disciples did not believe them and ran to see for themselves (Luke 24:11-12). Theologian Craig Keener notes that though women’s testimonies were generally not believed, the authors of the gospels may have preserved this part of the story to focus on the gospel’s power to transcend gender restrictions.[6] Jesus could have chosen to give this message to the male disciples first. As we see in Matthew 28:16-20, Mark 16: 14-18, Luke 24:13-49 and John 20:19-22, Jesus chose to later appear to the male disciples, but he honored the women by appearing to them first and allowed them to be the bearer of the news.

We can see from these two scenes that Jesus allowed women to travel with him and his disciples, accepting their financial support. He also chose women to be the first to see his resurrected body and gave them the task of disciples – sharing the good news with others. In examining these interactions and those from my last blog, there was never a time Jesus treated women with disdain or failed to help and honor them. This leads me to conclude that Jesus would treat women with the same honor today.

How Does this Information Inform Women Who Experience Domestic Violence?

People who are being abused by their intimate partner often have very low self-esteem – this is made worse by their abuser. Christian abuse victims are often spiritually abused. An abuser with a Christian wife will use Bible verses out of context to keep his spouse in bondage. Often, pastors exacerbate the problem by preaching that women need to submit to their husbands (Ephesians 5:22-24) without looking at the entire passage (5:21-32) which says that we should submit to one another out of reverence for Christ (5:21) and that husbands should love their wives like Christ loved the church, giving himself up for her (5:25).

It is helpful to study just how Christ did give himself up for the church. Every Christian is aware that Jesus died on the cross to wash away our sins. Since the church also includes men, this fact alone may not help an abused Christian woman feel the weight of Jesus’ love for her individually. We can look at the ways that Jesus interacted with women to discern how he would value an abused woman today.

Jesus cared more about individual women than he cared about the prejudices of the day or about following the law. We see this in his showing compassion for the woman caught in adultery (John 8:2-8:11), in his acceptance of the anointing by a sinful woman (Luke 7:36-50), in his theological discussion with the Samaritan woman (John 4:4-42), and in allowing women to follow, support him and share his message (Luke 8:1-3, John 20:17).  Jesus’ response to the synagogue leader after he healed the woman on the Sabbath who had been bent over for 18 years is instructive: “Should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen years be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?” (Luke 13:10-17). I believe Jesus would say the same to those who would tell a Christian woman to stay in an abusive marriage. These verses can help Christian abuse victims feel their value and to stand up for themselves with their husbands and their pastors.

If you are being abused, and need help standing up to your abuser and/or church, please contact me for help. Blessings to you all today.

Caroline

[1] Darrell L. Bock, Luke: Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 1996), 1038.

[2] Warren Carter, “Getting Martha Out of the Kitchen: Luke 10:38-42 Again,” A Feminist Companion to Luke, ed. Amy-Jill Levine (New York: Sheffield Academic Press, 2002), 226-229.

[3] Mark L. Strauss, Mark – Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, ed. Clinton E. Arnold (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2014), 237.

[4] Richard Bauckman, Gospel Women: Studies of the Named Women in the Gospels (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2002), 111-114.

[5] Craig L. Blomberg, Matthew: An Exegetical and Theological Exposition of Holy Scripture (Scotland, SD: B&H Publishing Group, 1992), 265.

[6] Craig S. Keener, Matthew, The IVP New Testament Commentary Series, ed. Grant R. Osborne, D. Stuart Biscoe and Haddon Robinson, vol. 1 (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1997), 1192.