Dictionary of Bible Themes God created both women and men in his image and likeness. Scripture shows women in a variety of roles, playing an important part in God's salvation plan. In Christ, there is no fundamental distinction between believers on account of gender, race or social status. Women played a significant part in the life of Jesus Christ and in the early church. The NT both records their role and faces the questions thereby raised. Genesis 2:20-24The creation of women See also Genesis 1:27; 5:1-21 Timothy 2:13 1 Timothy 2:14 Women and the fall See also Genesis 3:1-162 Corinthians 11:3 Ruth 1:16-17 Examples of godly women 1 Samuel 1:9-28Ruth 1 Samuel 25:2-35Hannah Esther 4:15-16Abigail Luke 1:41-45Esther Acts 9:36-42Elizabeth Tabitha 2 Samuel 6:16-23Examples of women who are condemned or judged 1 Kings 21:1-25Michal Proverbs 5:1-6Jezebel Isaiah 3:16-4:1the adulteress Ezekiel 13:17-23The women of Jerusalem: Exodus 21:22-25OT laws concerning women Leviticus 12:1-8; 15:19-30Deuteronomy 22:5 Judges 4:4-5 Women in office in the OT As a judge or leader Exodus 15:20-21See also As a prophetess Judges 4:42 Kings 22:14-20 Isaiah 8:3 2 Kings 11:1-3 See also As a queen 1 Kings 10:1-13Esther 1:9-21; 2:17 pp 2Ch 9:1-12 Proverbs 12:4Women as wives and mothers in the OT See also Genesis 2:24; 21:11-12Proverbs 18:22; 31:10-31 Luke 1:26-56; 2:16-19,36-38 Women in the life of Jesus Christ In the birth narratives Luke 8:1-3In the ministry of Jesus Christ See also Matthew 9:20-22Jesus Christ respected women and talked to them as individuals with spiritual understanding. This was a considerable deviation from the cultural conventions of the time. Matthew 15:21-28pp Mk 5:25-34 pp Lk 8:43-48 Mark 12:41-44pp Mk 7:24-30 Luke 10:38-42John 4:7-30; 11:17-44 pp Lk 21:1-4 Matthew 27:55-56In the passion narratives See also pp Mk 15:40-41 Matthew 26:6-13pp Lk 23:49 pp Mk 14:3-9 Matthew 27:61pp Lk 7:37-38 pp Jn 12:1-8 Matthew 28:1-10pp Mk 15:47 pp Lk 23:55-56 pp Mk 16:1-11 pp Lk 24:1-11 Acts 21:8-9Women's ministry in the early church See also As prophets Acts 2:17-18Joel 2:28-29 1 Corinthians 11:5 Titus 2:3-5 See also As teachers Acts 18:24-26Romans 16:1-2 As deacons See also 1 Timothy 3:11 fnNIV footnote at verse 1. Colossians 4:15See also As hostesses Acts 16:151 Corinthians 16:19 Romans 16:12 See also As workers in the church Romans 16:6Philippians 4:2-3 Romans 16:7 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. See also Instructions to women in the early church community 1 Corinthians 11:5-16; 14:33-35Their role in the church meetings 1 Timothy 2:11-121 Timothy 2:9-10; 5:11-16 Titus 2:3-5 Their behaviour as Christians 1 Peter 3:1-6Acts 6:1 The care of women in the early church community 1 Timothy 5:1-101 Peter 3:7 Women as the weaker sex See also 1 Timothy 2:13-14Galatians 3:26-29 Women and their relationships Their relationship to God through Jesus Christ See also Romans 7:2-3Their relationship to their husbands 1 Corinthians 7:1-5,10-16,39-40Ephesians 5:22-24,33 Colossians 3:18 Titus 2:4-5 1 Peter 3:1-6 1 Corinthians 11:3 Their relationship to men See also 1 Corinthians 11:7-12Some interpret this as referring to a husband, rather than to men generally. 1 Timothy 2:11-121 Corinthians 11:11-12 Feminism and the Bible's teaching on women Galatians 3:28The equality of the sexes and rejection of female subordination Judges 11:30-40; 19:22-302 Samuel 13:1-20 Examples of the abuse of women by men Acts 16:16-21Judges 4:4 Women who are strong role models 2 Kings 22:14-20Deborah Proverbs 31:10-31Huldah Songs 3:1-5the wife of noble character Acts 16:13-15the beloved See also Lydia 5094 Jacob5659 bride 5675 divorce 5680 family 5696 grandchildren 5701 heir 5708 marriage 5708 marriage 5719 mothers, responsibilities 5744 wife 5745 women 6241 seduction |
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