women in the bible

Theological perspective of women in the bible

                                                                                             C.BASTIN ANITO RAJ

                                                                                       DATE:30-08-2011

 

Introduction:

The God given status for women is that of dignity and equal status.  But the status which society has given them is based on the status often is discriminatory, oppressive and inhuman.  In other words their own position granted by God is ignored and the one which is granted to them by the male members of the family and society is ensured, thus leading to the subordination of women to men. Women’s quest to reclaim their God given dignity and human rights has become a global phenomenon. Rayan Samuel called on women to be like the women who searched till she found her lost coin. He says, “no one but you can recover your lost coin, your lost story, your sub-merged history.”[1] It is true also in India which still has deep roots of patriarchy.  Gender division is found in all walks of life.  Such a division influences family, division of labor, class structure and caste categories.  Gender has potential to become an overriding base of social stratification according to class, power, caste, color, ethnicity, language and so on.  In this social stratification, the most important fact is the understanding of relations between man and woman. This phenomenon to challenge and break structures that oppress women is not something new in our modern times.  It had been there throughout history glimpses of which I explain in this assignment from a few selected passages in the Bible.

1. Women in the church:

1.1 The church perspective towards women:

In authoritative theological documents and in heartfelt pastoral letters, Pope John Paul II looked at the role of women in the church and in the world more closely than any other pope in modern history. The basic elements of his teaching on women are found in his 1988 apostolic letter, "Mulieris Dignitatem" ("The Dignity of Women"), his 1994 apostolic letter, "On Reserving Priestly Ordination to Men Alone," and his 1995 "Letter to Women." But his thoughts on women also could be found in significant segments of his weekly general audience series on sexuality and on the structure of the church, his 1988 apostolic exhortation on the laity, his 1995 message for World Peace Day, and his messages to the leaders of the U.N. conferences on population and on women. Even one of his annual heart-to-heart letters to the world's priests dwelt on the topic of women, particularly on the importance of women -- mothers, sisters and friends in the lives of priests.

The starting point of "Mulieris Dignitatem" was what Scripture had to say about women, especially Eve and Mary, and Christ's attitude toward women in the New Testament. In the letter, the pope argued against outdated cultural views that God meant women to be subject to men. Both were created in God's image and likeness with equal dignity, he said. Pope John Paul took his teaching directly to the world's women in a 1995 letter in which he thanked them for all they have done, apologized for the church's failure to always recognize their contributions and condemned the "long and degrading history" of sexual violence against women. Evaluating the women's liberation movement as being generally positive, the pope called for changes to make women's equality a reality in the world. He called for equal pay for equal work, protection for working mothers and fairness in career advancement.

 1.2 Theological contribution of women:

Women also contributed to the growth of the church. Teresa of Avila contributed by her writings. She says, “I write because I have been ordered to write, and these words are not mine but god’s.”[2]

Women took over pastoral and administrative duties in priest less parishes, they were appointed chancellors of dioceses around the world, and they began swelling the ranks of experts at Vatican synods and symposiums. In 2004, for the first time, the pope appointed two women theologians to the prestigious International Theological Commission and named a Harvard University law professor, Mary Ann Glendon, to be president of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences.

2. Women in the Old Testament:

2.1 Political perspective:

1. Miriam's sin (Num. 12:1-16). Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses' leadership of Israel because he had married an Ethiopian. That Miriam took the lead in the rebellion is seen by the order of the names (Miriam and Aaron) and the punishment of leprosy being given to her alone. Women were not raising their voice against leaders of Israel. Women political power was oppressed by the leaders.

2. Jezebel. Ahab, king of Israel, married the daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Zidonians. The domineering spirit of this woman was manifest in many ways. She stirred up Ahab to commit idolatry (1 Kings 21:25). She cut off the prophets of the Lord (1 Kings 18:4). She publicly swore that Elijah would be put to death because of his role in destroying the prophets of Baal at Mt. Carmel (1 Kings 19:2). She plotted and commanded the execution of Naboth in order to give Ahab a vineyard he wanted. This wicked woman dominated and manipulated her husband.

3. Athaliah. Jehoram of Judah married Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel. Athaliah's son Ahaziah was killed after ruling only one year. When her son died, she slew all the others who had a claim to the throne and usurped the throne of Judah for herself (2 Kings 11). She had learned her dominating ways from her mother. She was slain when Jehoiada was able to re-instate the Davidic dynasty by putting Joash on the throne.

2.2 Social and cultural perspective:

2.2.1 Genesis:

In the first creation story God is described as creating man, both male and female at the same time. This shows that God did not show any partiality in his creation.

The men of Sodom gathered around Lot's house, and asked that he bring his two guests out so that the men can "know" them. This is frequently interpreted as a desire to gang rape the visitors, although other interpretations are possible. Lot offers his two virgin daughters to be raped instead. Lot is still regarded as an honorable man, worth saving from the destruction of the city. Allowing one's daughters to be sexually assaulted by multiple rapists appears to be treated as a minor transgression, because of the low status of the young women (Genesis 19:8).

2.2.2 Exodus:

The Pharaoh ordered the midwives to kill all Jewish boys at birth, because of the threat that they might pose to the kingdom. The girls were considered less important. A number of verses describe a woman as the property. A slave-owner was permitted to give a woman to his male slave as a wife. There is no indication that women were consulted during this type of transaction. After serving six years, he would leave, but his wife and children would remain slaves of the slave-owner. Again, there is no indication that the woman was consulted on this arrangement (Exodus 21:2-4). If two men are fighting and one hits a pregnant woman. If the woman has a miscarriage because of the blow, the man is punished as the husband decides and must pay a fine for their act - not to the woman, but to her husband, presumably because he has been deprived of a child. The woman had no involvement.

2.2.3 Leviticus:

Women were not allowed to become priests. Leviticus 12:1-5 Quotes God as stating that a woman who has given birth to a boy is ritually unclean for 7 days. If the baby is a girl, the mother is unclean for 14 days. It would appear that the act of having a baby is a highly polluting act. To give birth to a girl is twice as polluting as is giving birth to a boy.

2.2.4 Numbers:

It shows that a census counted only male infants over the age of one month, boys and men. Females were not considered worthy of being included (Numbers 3:15). In Numbers 27:8-11, Moses describes the rules of inheritance that God has stated. If a man dies, his son inherits the estate; his daughter gets nothing. Only if there is no son, will his daughter inherit. If there are no children, then the estate is given to the man's brothers; his sisters get nothing. If he had no brother, the estate goes to his nearest male relative.

2.2.5 Deuteronomy:

It describes that a woman be a virgin when she is married. If she has had sexual relations while single in her father's house, then she would be stoned to death. There were no similar virginity requirements for men. It requires that a virgin woman who has been raped must marry her attacker, no matter what her feelings are towards the rapist. (Deuteronomy 22:13-21). It also states that if a woman is widowed, she would be required to marry her former brother-in-law. This was called a "levirate" marriage. Their first-born son will later be considered to be the son of the deceased husband. The man could refuse to marry her. Women were not given a choice in the matter. If two men are fighting, and the wife of one of them grabs the other man's testicles, her hand is to be chopped off. There is no penalty if a male relative were to grab the other man (Deuteronomy 25:11).

2.2.6 Chronicles:

It mentions the Second Temple which was constructed after some Jews returned from exile in Babylon. It was rebuilt by Herod late in the 1st century BCE. One of its features was women's court, considered the least sacred area. Next was the court of the Israelites, then the court of the Priests, and finally the Temple itself. The courts were laid out in this order to separate the women as far as possible from the Temple. During the Second Temple period, women were not allowed to testify in court trials. They could not go out in public, or talk to strangers, when outside of their homes (2 Chronicles 36:23).

2.3 Spiritual perspective:

During the Patriarchal Age, the father took the lead in offering worship (Gen. 8:20). There is no evidence of a woman ever building an altar to Jehovah and offering a sacrifice on it. The only examples of women offering sacrifices are related to pagan worship.

When the Levitical worship was instituted, strict requirements were given for those who could serve as priests from the family of Aaron of the tribe of Levi. The other male Levites were to assist at the Tabernacle and later in the Temple. However, women could not serve as high priest, priest, or Levite assistant in the worship. They were allowed to participate in the choirs in the Temple (Ps. 68:25).

Solomon D. Goitein states, “the whole time there were prophets in Israel, prophetesseswere active as well.”[3]  There are six references to prophetesses in the Old Testament. Miriam is called a prophetess when she led other women in celebrating the deliverance at the Red Sea (Exod. 15:20). Deborah was called a prophetess .She was chosen to lead Israel against the Canaanites. She recognized that hers was an unusual role and insisted that Barak lead the battle (Judg. 4). Huldah prophesied the word of the Lord when Josiah's servants found the Law that had been lost in the Temple (2 Kings 22:14). Nehemiah referred to a prophetess named Noadiah (Neh. 6:14). The wife of Isaiah is called a prophetess.

3. Women in the Gospels:

3.1 Women in the Gospel of Matthew:

Even though all of Jesus twelve apostles were men, in the Gospel of Matthew, as well as in all of the New Testament, we see that there were also some very brave and important women who were faithful followers of their Lord. Elizabeth Schussler Fiorenza says, “Scholars not only translate the New Testament texts into a masculinised language, but also interpret them from a patriarchal perspective.”[4] There are many more examples of believing women in the book of Matthew. Women were beneficiaries of some of Jesus' greatest miracles; they were the means by which God brought important men into the world; they were there while Jesus was being crucified, witness to the fact of Jesus' Resurrection.

3.2 Women in the Gospel of mark:

Jesus had a close group of women followers, several of whom are named in Mark; they are Mary Magdalene, Mary, mother of James and Joses, and Salome. A young girl, daughter of Jairus, raised from the dead, is the first recorded miracle that Jesus performed (Mark 5:23). She was addressed as ‘talitha’, ‘child’ (Mark 5:41). The girl’s mother was called in to witness her resurrection along with her father which shows a thoughtfulness and consideration for women rarely seen in the ancient world. On the way to the house of Jairus Jesus healed a woman of a long-standing hemorrhage. She was addressed as ‘daughter’ (Mark 5:34); also signifying she was saved and forgiven her sins. Her faith is singled out for praise by Jesus (Mark 5:34). Mark records these as matter of fact without comment. Jesus saw women and men equally as God’s creation (Mark 10:6) and demanded that women, as much as men, should be protected in marriage, disagreeing with the Pharisees interpretation of the Law of Moses regarding divorce

3.3 Women in the Gospel of Luke:

More than the other gospels, Luke focuses on women as playing important roles among Jesus' followers, such as Mary Magdalene, Martha, and Mary of Bethany. The Gospel of Luke is the only Gospel which contains the Annunciation of the Birth of Jesus to Mary his mother (1:26-38).Compared to the other canonical gospels, Luke devotes significantly more attention to women. The Gospel of Luke features more female characters, features a female prophet, and details the experience of pregnancy (1:41–42).Prominent discussion is given to the lives of Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist and of Mary, the mother of Jesus.

“As far as Luke’s account of the empty tomb goes that the apostles did not believe the women, he makes explicit the rebuke to assumptions of male priority that the revelation given first to the women entails”.[5]

3.4 Women in the Gospel of John:

It is through John’s portrayal of Jesus relating to women that we gain insight into both Jesus’ and the Evangelist’s attitude toward women. One of the most radical aspects of Jesus’ behavior towards women is his willingness to teach them. While rabbinical thought considered it inappropriate to involve women in intellectual instruction, Jesus teaches women personally. He assumes that women are capable of learning and understanding the theological truths that he presents to them, and able to engage in theological debate. Jesus is willing to risk public scandal in order to instruct women. John further affirms women in their intellectual capacity as he presents them as valid witnesses of the truth about Jesus. It is through the witness of the Samaritan woman that the people of Sychar are introduced to Jesus. More importantly, it is Mary Magdalene who is entrusted with the truth of Jesus’ resurrection and commanded by the risen Jesus to be a witness of that truth to the disciples.

Conclusion:

There was a prayer ritual by Jewish males three times a day which are as follows,

“Blessed be God that he not made me a gentile.

Blessed be God that he not made me a woman.

Blessed be God that he not made me a slave.”[6]

The Old Testament considered women as inferior to men. Jewish never considered women as equal as men. They were lesser than animals. But Jesus considered them as divine being. In concluding, it is well to note that to review the Scriptures for the image of Woman is much like desiring to know what God thinks of her. Yahweh considered Israel his wife, as Christ holds the church to be his bride. Thus, in one sense, we are all women.

Bibliography

1.Bauckham, Richard. Gospel women. new york: T&T clark, 2002.

2.Chung, Lee O. Women of courage. Korea: Sa dang publishing House, 1992.

3.Gnanadason, Aruna. "Women Theologising." Jeevadhara, 1987: 199-206.

4.Hinsdale, Mary Ann. Women and Theology. New York: Annual Publication, 1994.

5.Kirk, Martha Ann. Women of the Bible Lands. Minnesota: Liturgical press, 1992.

6.Malone, MAry T. Women and christianity. New york: The columba press, 2003.

7.Ruether, Rosemary Radford. Feminist Theologies. Minneapolis: Forttess press, 2007.

8.Silva, Bernie. "Gospel and liberation of Asian Women." Jeevadhara, 1987: 79-85.

9.Yamaguchi, Santoko. Mary and Martha. New York: Orbis books, 2002.

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[1] Aruna Gnanadason, “Women Theologizing”.p-202.

[2] Mary T. Malone, “women and Christianity”. P-77.

[3] Satoko Yamaguchi, “Mary and Martha”.p-63.

[4] Aruna Gnanadason, “women theologizing”.p-200.

[5] Richard Bauckham, “Gospel of women “.p-279.

[6] Bernie Silva, “Gospel and the liberation of Asian women”. P-81.