While to Jews, Christians and anyone with the least bit of knowledge of the Bible’s contents this will be old news it is nice to see what “new research” has uncovered.
The UK’s Times Online published Bess Twiston Davies’ article Is the Bible Sexist? – New research claims Bible’s negative stance on women is a myth
“…new research into Biblical women shows that the majority receive positive or matter-of-fact write-ups. Words such as ‘blessed’, ‘righteous’ ‘outstanding’ and – of course – ‘beautiful’ crop up in descriptions…[David Ashford stated] ‘there are four times as many saints as there are sinners…individual women are often described in the Bible in glowing terms’…
‘Wisdom is described as a female attribute in many texts. And some scholars believe that the Song of Deborah, which was probably composed by a woman, is one of the oldest pieces of literature within the Bible (Judges 5)’…
Jesus, he adds, had a liberated attitude to women, unusual for his era: ‘John 4.27, for example, shows that Jesus broke social conventions that discouraged conversations with women. Similarly, the gospel of Luke has long been referred to as the ‘gospel of women’ for its strong positive portrayal of women in the life of Jesus’…
‘Only 13 women are described negatively with terms such as ‘nagging, intimidating lustful or provocative’…[a] list of Bible heroines includes Sarah, Ruth and Mary, while Jezebel, Delilah fall into the villain camp…
[In her essay Feminist Hermeneutics, feminist Bible scholar Dr. Phyllis Tribble wrote the following about Eve] ‘Contrary to tradition, she is not created as the assistant or subordinate of the man. In fact, most often the Hebrew word ‘ezer’ (which means ‘helper’) connotes superiority…The accompanying phrase ‘fit for’ or ‘corresponding to’ (‘a helper corresponding to’) tempers the connotation of superiority to specify the mutuality of woman and man.’”
The UK’s Times Online also published research by George Winston from the Recovering Biblical Ministry for Women, The Biblical male and housework – Faith Online’s guide to men, the Bible and domestic chores
“Jacob cooked stew, Abraham served guests, and priest are told – more than once – to wash their clothes. The scriptures contain many references to men engaged in household tasks. Below is Faith Online’s list: 12 examples of Bible verses concerning men and domesticity…
1. “[Abraham] said: ‘Let me get you something to eat’… He then brought some curds and milk…and set these before them.”)(Genesis 18:5)
2. “[Lot] prepared a feast for them… and baked unleavened bread” (Genesis: 19:3)
3. “[Laban] said ‘I have prepared the house’.” (Genesis: 24-31)
4. “Jacob was cooking some stew” (Genesis 25 – 29)
5. “A man…shall wash his clothes” (Leviticus: 13, 2: 6, 34)
6. “The priest shall then wash his clothes” (Numbers: 19:7)
7. “A man kindles a fire…and bakes bread. He prepares his meal, he roasts his meat and eats” (Isaiah 44: 15 – 16)
8. “Pharisees…you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish” (Matt 23:25)
9. “The disciples…prepared the Passover” ( Matt 26:19)
10. “Jesus poured water in the basin and began to wash the disciple’s feet and to wipe them with the towel with which he was girded” (John 13:5)
11. “The twelve” in the Jerusalem Church had the responsibility to serve tables (Acts 6: 1-2)
12. “The Philippian jailer took [Paul and Silas] and washed their wounds…and he brought them into his house and set food before them.” (Acts 16: 27, 33, 34)”
As for women, some examples of their roles in the Bible include
Prophetesses and Judges: Miriam, Huldah and others (see Exodus 15:20; 2nd Kings 22:14; 2nd Chronicles 34:22; Isaiah 8:3). In fact, Judges 4:4 tells us of “Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, was judging Israel at that time.” Also note that we find that Anna was a prophetess (Luke 2:36) and that “Philip the evangelist…had four virgin daughters who prophesied” (Acts 21:7-9).
In Numbers 27 we see that some women came before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the leaders, and the congregation by the doorway of the tabernacle of meeting in order to inquire regarding land ownership. This, of course, is long after Job 42:15 relates that Job’s daughters were given “inheritance among their brothers.”
There are also two books in the Bible named after women, Esther and Ruth; these women have been an inspiration for generations.
There were women disciples, Acts 9:36 states, “And in Joppa was a certain disciple named Tabitha…this woman was full of good works.”
We find Priscilla teaching right along side of her husband Aquila (Acts 18:26). Women were also encouraged (or commanded) to teach the younger women (Titus 2:3-4).
There were women deaconesses “I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a deacon [diakonos: deacon, minister, servant] of the church in Cenchrea, that you may receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and assist her in whatever business she has need of you; for indeed she has been a helper of many and of myself also” (Romans 16:1-2).
While Pliny the Younger (Plinius Secundus) was Governor of Bithynia in Asia Minor in 112 AD he wrote to Emperor Tarjan in Epistles 10.96, referring to Christians he writes of “two female slaves, who were styled deaconesses.” This again demonstrates a continued Christian practice of having women in leadership and teaching roles.
Women were the first at the empty tomb, while the apostles were hiding in fear.
There are a lot of great resources on this subject that are necessary to counter the myths and also to balance the implied fault of the Bible if it mentions anything negative about a woman.
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