Dictionary of Bible Themes Dictionary of Bible Themes » 5000 Humanity » 5650 Human relationships » 5745 women 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. The creation of women Genesis 2:20-24 See also Genesis 1:27; Genesis 5:1-2; 1 Timothy 2:13 Women and the fall 1 Timothy 2:14 See also Genesis 3:1-16; 2 Corinthians 11:3 Examples of godly women Ruth 1:16-17 Ruth; 1 Samuel 1:9-28 Hannah; 1 Samuel 25:2-35 Abigail; Esther 4:15-16 Esther; Luke 1:41-45 Elizabeth; Acts 9:36-42 Tabitha Examples of women who are condemned or judged 2 Samuel 6:16-23 Michal; 1 Kings 21:1-25 Jezebel; Proverbs 5:1-6 the adulteress The women of Jerusalem: Isaiah 3:16-4:1; Ezekiel 13:17-23 OT laws concerning women Exodus 21:22-25; Leviticus 12:1-8; Leviticus 15:19-30; Deuteronomy 22:5 Women in office in the OT As a judge or leader As a prophetess Exodus 15:20-21 See also Judges 4:4; 2 Kings 22:14-20; Isaiah 8:3 As a queen 2 Kings 11:1-3 See also 1 Kings 10:1-13 pp 2 Chronicles 9:1-12; Esther 1:9-21; Esther 2:17 Women as wives and mothers in the OT Proverbs 12:4 See also Genesis 2:24; Genesis 21:11-12; Proverbs 18:22; Proverbs 31:10-31 Women in the life of Jesus Christ In the birth narratives Luke 1:26-56; Luke 2:16-19,36-38 In the ministry of Jesus Christ Luke 8:1-3 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. See also Matthew 9:20-22 pp Mark 5:25-34 pp Luke 8:43-48; Matthew 15:21-28 pp Mark 7:24-30; Mark 12:41-44 pp Luke 21:1-4; Luke 10:38-42; John 4:7-30; John 11:17-44 In the passion narratives Matthew 27:55-56 pp Mark 15:40-41 pp Luke 23:49 See also Matthew 26:6-13 pp Mark 14:3-9 pp Luke 7:37-38 pp John 12:1-8; Matthew 27:61 pp Mark 15:47 pp Luke 23:55-56; Matthew 28:1-10 pp Mark 16:1-11 pp Luke 24:1-11 Women's ministry in the early church As prophets Acts 21:8-9 See also Acts 2:17-18; Joel 2:28-29; 1 Corinthians 11:5 As teachers Titus 2:3-5 See also Acts 18:24-26 As deacons Romans 16:1-2 NIV footnote at verse 1. See also 1 Timothy 3:11 fn As hostesses Colossians 4:15 See also Acts 16:15; 1 Corinthians 16:19 As workers in the church Romans 16:12 See also Romans 16:6; Philippians 4:2-3 As an apostle Romans 16:7 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 See also 1 Corinthians 11:5-16; Corinthians 14:33-35; 1 Timothy 2:11-12 Their behaviour as Christians 1 Timothy 2:9-10; Timothy 5:11-16; Titus 2:3-5; 1 Peter 3:1-6 The care of women in the early church community Women as the weaker sex 1 Peter 3:7 See also 1 Timothy 2:13-14 Women and their relationships Their relationship to God through Jesus Christ Their relationship to their husbands See also Romans 7:2-3; 1 Corinthians 7:1-5,10-16,39-40; Ephesians 5:22-24,33; Colossians 3:18; Titus 2:4-5; 1 Peter 3:1-6 Their relationship to men 1 Corinthians 11:3 Some interpret this as referring to a husband, rather than to men generally. See also 1 Corinthians 11:7-12; 1 Timothy 2:11-12 Feminism and the Bible's teaching on women The equality of the sexes and rejection of female subordination 1 Corinthians 11:11-12; Galatians 3:28 Examples of the abuse of women by men Judges 11:30-40; Judges 19:22-30; 2 Samuel 13:1-20; Acts 16:16-21 Women who are strong role models Judges 4:4 Deborah; 2 Kings 22:14-20 Huldah; Proverbs 31:10-31 the wife of noble character; Songs 3:1-5 the beloved; Acts 16:13-15 Lydia See also
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