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“Women of the Bible:
An Introduction"
Genesis 2:18-22)
I. Introduction.
A. There are many reasons why God’s word is unique and
special. It is so because of what it reveals to us about God,
the Father; God, the Son; and God, the Holy Spirit. It is so
because of what it shows us about the origin of all creation,
and especially about the origin of humanity. It is unique
and special because of the hope, comfort, direction, and
purpose it can, and does, give for every life.
1. By far, one of its most unique features is the way in
which the Bible exalts women. Far from ever
demeaning, or belittling women, scripture pays
homage to them, enables their role in society and
the family, acknowledges the importance of their
influence, and lifts up as an example the virtues of
those women who were especially godly.
2. From the beginning of the Bible, we learn that
women, like men, bear the stamp of the very image
of God (read, Genesis 1:26-27 and Genesis 5:2).
From that starting point, women play prominent
roles in many narratives throughout the Scriptures.
a. Wives are seen as partners to husbands,
companions and “helpers,” not merely
slaves or property. (Proverbs 19:14:
“Houses and riches are an inheritance from
fathers, but a prudent wife is from the
Lord”.).
b. At Sinai, God commanded children to honor
both father and mother (Exodus 20:12).
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3. At the time that law was given, and for generations
to come, that was a radical concept, as most pagan
cultures were dominated by men who ruled their
households dictatorially, while women were
regarded as lesser creatures, and mere servants
to men.
B. Clearly, the Bible does, also, recognize and proclaim,
divinely ordained distinctions between men and women,
some of which came from the circumstances of creation
itself.
1. Women have a vital role in childbearing, and the
nurturing of children.
2. Women have a special need for support and
protection, physically, because they were made as
“weaker vessels” (I Peter 3:7).
3. The Bible establishes the particular order that both
families, and the church, are the have, assigning
leadership responsibilities in the home to husbands
(Ephesians 5:23), and in the church to men
(I Timothy 2:11-15).
C. But, even so, women are never relegated to any second-
class status. Paul writes (Galatians 3:28): “There is neither
Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is
neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ
Jesus.” Peter says they are to be given “honor”
(I Peter 3:7) and they are to be loved sacrificially, “. . .just
as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her.”
(Ephesians 5:25). The Bible acknowledges, and celebrates,
the priceless value of a virtuous woman (Proverbs 12:4;
Proverbs 31:10; I Corinthians 11:7: “. . . woman is the
glory of man.”).
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II. Women In The Old Testament.
A. Beginning with the accounts of the patriarchs, we see that
these always gave due distinction to their wives. Sarah,
Rebekah, and Rachel, all are fully pictured in the accounts,
in Genesis,” of God’s relationship with their husbands.
Miriam, sister of Moses and Aaron, was both a prophetess
and a songwriter. In Micah 6:4, God honors her,
alongside her brothers, as one of Israel’s leaders during the
exodus: “For I brought you up from the land of Egypt, I
redeemed you from the house of bondage; and I sent before
you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.”
B. Deborah, also a prophetess, was a judge in Israel prior to
the monarchy. In Judges 4:4, she is identified as, “. . .a
prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, . . .judging Israel at that
time.”
C. Old Testament accounts of family life often show wives as
the wise counselors of their husbands (e.g. Judges 13:23;
II Kings 4:8-10).
1. When Solomon became King of Israel, he publicly
paid homage to his mother, standing when she
entered his presence, then bowing to her before he
sat on his throne (I Kings 2:19). On the occasion
described here, Bathsheba, “. . .sat at his
[Solomon’s] right hand.”
2. Both Sarah and Rahab are expressly named among
people of faith in Hebrews 11, and Moses’ mother,
Jochebed is mentioned by implication in
Hebrews 11:23. “By faith” she and Moses’ father
hid the fact of Moses’ birth for three months,
because they were “. . . not afraid of the king’s
command.”
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D. In “Proverbs,” wisdom itself is personified as a woman. In
the social and religious life of Israel, women were never
relegated to the background. They participated, with men,
in all the feasts and public worship of that time
(Deuteronomy 16:14; Nehemiah 8:2: “So Ezra the priest
brought the Law before the assembly of men and women
and all who could hear with understanding on the first day
of the seventh month.”).
1. Women were not required to be veiled, or silent, in
public (even as they are in Some Middle Eastern
cultures today).
2. Mothers shared teaching responsibilities and
authority over children. And women could be
landowners in Israel (Numbers 27:8: “And you
shall speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘If
a man dies and has no son, then you shall cause his
inheritance to pass to his daughter’”). Proverbs 31
in its description of “a virtuous wife,” includes:
“She considers a field and buys it; from her profits
she plants a vineyard.” (verse 16).
3. Wives were expected to dominate many of the
affairs of the household, in both Old and New
Testament times. (Proverbs 14:1: “The wise
woman builds her house, . . .”; I Timothy 5:14:
“Therefore I desire that the younger widows marry,
bear children, manage the house, give no
opportunity to the adversary to speak
reproachfully.”).
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III. From The Old To The New Testament.
A. When we move from the Old to the New Testament, we see
that some exalted states for women in the Christian age that
defied the cultural norms of the world in which the church
began.
1. The New Testament church itself is represented as a
woman: the “bride of Christ.” In his magnifying
Christ, John the Baptist says: “He who has the
bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the
bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices
greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice.
Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled.” (John 3:29).
2. Ancient cultures routinely degraded, and debased,
women. Women were often treated with little more
dignity than animals.
a. Some well-known Greek philosophers
taught that women were inferior creatures
by nature.
b. In Roman law, and society, women were
regarded as mere personal property,
possessions with hardly any better standing
than household slaves.
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c. This stands in sharp contrast to the biblical
concepts of marriage (and parenthood) as a
partnership where both father and mother
were to be respected and obeyed by
children (Leviticus 19:3: “ ‘Every one of
you shall revere his mother and his
father, . . .’” Ephesians 6:1: “Children, obey
your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
‘Honor your father and mother,’ which is the
first commandment with promise: that it
may be well with you and you may live long
on the earth.’”
3. Pagan religion tended to fuel and encourage the
devaluation of women even more. Greek and
Roman mythology did have its goddesses, but
goddess-worship did not, in any way, raise the
status of women in those societies. In fact, the
opposite was true. Most of the temples devoted
to goddesses were served by so-called “sacred
prostitutes”, priestesses who sold themselves for
money, as part of the religious rites.
B. Christianity, born in a world where Roman and Hebrew
cultures intersected, elevated the status of women to
unprecedented heights.
1. Among Jesus’ closest disciples were women
(for example, Luke 8:1-3), and this was almost
unheard of among the rabbis of that time (read
verses). Jesus encouraged their discipleship. As
He said of Mary of Bethany: “. . .[she] has chosen
that good part, which will not be taken away from
her.” (Luke 10:42). Jesus always treated women
with dignity, even those who were regarded as out-
casts in that society. He did, indeed, exalt the
position of women among His followers.
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2. As the church began, and grew, women were a
prominent part of its membership and ministries.
Some are commended for these good works (as
Dorcas, or Tabitha, in Acts 9:36); some were cited
for their hospitality (Mary, the mother of Mark,
Acts 12:12; Lydia at Phillipi, Acts 16:14-15); others
are noted for their understanding of the truth and
their spiritual giftedness (Priscilla, Acts 18:26;
Philip, at Caesarea who’s four daughters
“prophesied”, Acts 21:9).
3. The apostle Paul, often accused by some of male
chauvinism, regularly ministered alongside
women (Philippians 4:3: “. . .help these women
who labored with me in the gospel. . .”), and
commended their faithfulness (II Timothy 1:5:
“. . . when I call to remembrance the genuine faith
that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother
Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded
is in you also.”).
C. One of the early church writers, Tertullian, in his work
“On The Apparel of Women,” said that, as the church had
grown and the gospel had borne more fruit, one of the
visible results was the trend toward modesty in women’s
dress and a corresponding elevation of the status of women.
Tertullian acknowledged that pagan men commonly
complained: “Ever since she became a Christian, she walks
in poorer garb!” But, as believers who lived under the
Lordship of Christ, women were spiritually wealthier, more
pure, and more glorious than the most extravagantly-
adorned women of pagan society. Now, they were
“clothed with the silk of uprightness, the fine linen of
holiness, the purple of modesty.” (Book II, Chapter 13).
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D. As the influence of Christianity was felt more and more,
women were less vilified, or mistreated, as objects, and
more honored for their faith and virtue. This has always
been the trend. Wherever the gospel has spread, the social,
legal, and spiritual status of women has, as a rule, been
elevated.
IV. Conclusion.
A. Scripture honors women as women, first. It never
discounts their intellect, downplays their talents and
abilities, or discourages their spirituality.
1. But, wherever the Bible expresses the qualities of
excellent women, the emphasis is upon feminine
virtue. The most significant women in the Bible
were influential not because of their career, but
because of their character.
2. Peter describes true femininity in I Peter 3:3-4
(READ).
3. Paul, too, says godliness and good works are the
real essence of feminine beauty
(I Timothy 2:9-10; read).
B. In the women of the Bible we will talk about in future
lessons, it will be clear that each one’s lasting legacy is
their faithfulness. They should challenge, motivate and
encourage us with the love they had for God, the One they
trusted and served.
C. God gave women important roles in life and in His Church.
“God created Adam out of dust and then made Eve to
settle him.”