Jesus and the Faith of Women in Gospels

Jesus and the Faith of Women in the Gospels

Sharon Rose Joy Ruiz-Duremdes

If we are to appreciate what some women in the Bible did and draw inspiration from their lives, it is important to understand the status of women in Hebrew society during the biblical times. Principally, Hebrew culture was male-centered. Women were thought of and treated as inferior. Men were given twice the autonomy and privilege. Every young girl was subject to the authority of her father until given by him to a husband who then became her master. When they became widows, they were dependent on their sons because it was only through men that women gained access to the economic resources of the community. If a man disliked his wife because of some notable defect, he could divorce her and send her out of his house (Deut. 24:1-4). And since a husband could take more than one wife, a woman had feelings of insecurity.

The extent of masculine privilege is shown by the ordeal for a suspected adulteress detailed in Numbers 5:11-31. A woman underwent this ordeal even if there was lack of proof of her' infidelity or even if her husband only felt jealous thus making him suspect his wife. Needless to say, there was no provision for unfaithful husbands or any concern for a wife's feeling of jealousy. Adultery by a woman was punishable by death – she was either burned or stoned to death. Sexual transgressions by a woman were considered serious crimes not because she sinned but because the husband's property rights were violated.

Even in their religion, women were discriminated. In the temple, women were confined to the Court of Women, which was fifteen steps lower than the Court of Israel, the highest section in the temple. Only men were admitted in the Court of Israel. A woman was also denied access to the temple seven days after the end of her menstruation, forty days after bearing a son, and eighty days after giving birth to a daughter because within these days she was considered "unclean." Notice that a woman was more "unclean" after giving birth to a girl than a boy.

Women were also the object of so much scorn. The books of traditional Judaic wisdom have an anti-feminine message: women are dangerous. Being weak, unfaithful and seductive, they easily lead men astray. Wise men will not be seduced by the beauty of women (Ecc. 7:26); it is better not to look at them and certainly one should not sit down in the company of women (Sir 42:12-13). A woman's malice is above all other malice, her anger worse, her wickedness totally destructive and contaminates even the good (Sir. 25:19-25). A man's wickedness is better than a woman's kindness (Sir. 42:14).

The main role of women was in bearing children. And since she could not inherit property she simply served as blood link to pass property from male to male within the family line (Num. 36:1-9). Her citadel was her home, serving her husband and taking care other children (Prov. 31:10-31).

During Jesus' time, women really had the rotten end of the deal. The men never had it so good. From this milieu, however, were women who broke out of the pre-determined social mold. Many of them did not deliberately engage in confrontational battles with the male-dominated society. They just did what they felt was right and by so doing, they reversed the circumstances. Their modus operandi were not necessarily aggressive, loud and, therefore, obnoxious but the consequences of such actions were just as life

changing. Let us look at three of the women who had direct contact with Jesus as the gospel’s attest.

The Woman Who Anointed Jesus (Matthew 26:6-13)

She was a nameless woman who broke ceremonial rules to express her faith. Some Bible scholars maintain that she was the woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. She was a victim of double oppression: she was socially discriminated against for she was a "sinner;" she was marginalized because of her gender. In the story, she just barged in to Simon's house in Bethany where a party was underway and the guest of honor was Jesus. She poured perfume on Jesus' head. In other texts, she washed Jesus' feet with her tears. This was a ritual done for a special guest by the host before a meal. But here, a woman from off the street came in uninvited and performed a rite traditionally done by the host. Needless to say, the people were scandalized. They even criticized Jesus for allowing her to do it and using, as always, beautiful rhetoric: The money could have been used to help the poor! How people love to parade their generosity!

But Jesus praised the woman and said that her act constituted a "fine and beautiful thing." What was so fine and beautiful about a prostitute washing his feet? What was fine and beautiful was that she broke out of the confines of the mold placed on her by society. She believed that dignity was not a virtue bestowed upon society or other people on a person. Dignity stemmed from the realization that one was a child of God. Because she believed this, she had faith that Jesus would not reject her nor turn her away.

Jesus praised the woman because she was authentic and transparent. She believed it was imperative to express her love and respect for Jesus. Never mind if people considered her unclean or unworthy to anoint Jesus. Never mind if tradition had it that the host (and this was almost always a male) was the only legitimate

person to anoint the guest of honor. What men can do, woman can do better!

Mary Magdalene: Frank Wesley Courtesy: Christian Art in Asia

In the text, where it says "she washed Jesus' feet with her tears," I like to think she was shedding tears of anger over a society so oppressive and biased. .And anointing Jesus was an act of affirmation that indeed Jesus was the Messiah – the one who came to set people free from the chains of bondage.

In Matthew 26:11, Jesus was not declaring the eternity of poverty. He was attacking the blindness of the crowd. He was saying that there are times when money is not the right kind of help to the poor or to anyone. There comes a time when something more than routine giving of alms is needed. He was saying: "Do not think that because you have collected a benevolence offering that you have already performed your responsibility to the poor." In other words, there is an appropriate way of helping the poor. And the way to help the poor (women included) is to allow them to .exercise their God-given right to participate in the mainstream of social and political life. In this way, the walls that divide class and gender are broken down.

Mary, The Sister of Martha (Luke 10:38-42)

The household of Mary and Martha was a favorite place of respite for Jesus. He was close to this family, so close that when he heard that their brother Lazarus had died, Jesus wept. It was, therefore, not unusual that as he was nearing his death, he would spend a few days at this home. As the story goes, Mary sat at Jesus' feet and listened to him.

The account highlights one very commendable yet often overlooked trait of women: their sensitivity. This is confirmed by Jesus' commendation of Mary's act – that of sitting down at his feet and talking with him. It must be understood that Jesus here is on his way to Jerusalem to be crucified. We can understand his fear, his anxiety, his tension and his need for quiet. More important for him at this point in time was someone to talk to, someone he

could open up to, someone who would allow him to express his innermost concerns, even his insecurities or doubts. He had no need for a housekeeper who would trouble about how he wanted his eggs, if he wanted cream in his coffee, or if his crucifixion attire needed ironing! Mary chose the better part because she perceived what Jesus needed at the moment. She was sensitive to his need.

On the other hand, Martha busied herself with domestic responsibilities. The reaction of Jesus to Martha's complaint is often taken to mean the superiority of the spiritual over the physical, the priority given to food for the soul over food for the body. Jesus, however, was not implying that Martha's concern for household duties was unimportant. When Jesus said that Mary had done the right thing, he meant that what is most important is that a woman does what she wants and desires to do for her personal development. A woman does not have to be chained to housekeeping functions. She can sit down and study in order to broaden her horizons. The account shows Martha's resentment over being pressured by domestic chores. She was upset and jealous that Mary was more liberated. Martha was filled with self-pity (vs. 40). So Jesus admonished her: "Martha, the right thing to do is to free yourself from the suffocating mold that society has placed on you. Liberation from that pressure will not be taken away from you."

Mary, the Mother of Jesus

There is another Mary – the daughter of Heli from the tribe of Judah, the Mary who came from the royal line of David. But as Joseph's wife, she suffered poverty. We know this because when they brought Jesus to the temple to be dedicated, they brought with them two doves for their offering. During those days, the rich offered animals while the poor gave birds.

Very little is said about Mary in the New Testament. Even as Jesus' mother, she is mentioned only four times during the entire earthly ministry of Jesus. In other words, she was a nobody; insignificant and marginalized.

Mary had a deep and profound faith in God. She unreservedly committed herself to the mission that the angel told her to take because she did not allow herself to be a subject to any other human being or human law...only to God. When she was told that she would bear a son, she did not ask: "How can this be? I'm not even married yet?" She responded: "Be it done to me according to your word" – a simple receptivity that is unencumbered by personal interests.

It is clear that there were times when Mary did not fully understand the deep implications of her role as earthly mother of the Messiah. But she spent time in analyzing and reflecting about what was going on. In other words, she tried to grasp the deep meaning of events in her life. She did not let things go unnoticed. Neither did she allow herself to be used by a historical movement she did not understand. She gave herself to the process of conscientization. The Magnificat was a reflection on the news she heard that she was going to bear a son. In Luke 2:19 she reflects on the meaning of the shepherds' visit to the stable. When Jesus was taken to the temple at age twelve and when his parents discovered that he was missing from among the group, the worried Mary returned to the temple, found him and questioned her son to which Jesus replied: "Don't you know that I must be about my Father's business?" The uncomprehending Mary must have thought: "And your Father's business is in the carpenter shop building tables and yokes, repairing beds and chairs – not here in the temple talking to lawyers and philosophers!" Mary was taken aback by her young son's answer yet, according to the account of Luke, she kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.

Mary's deliberate-reflections caused her to support her son's mission to the bitter end. Her theoretical formulations led her to praxis. She was visible at the most significant and crucial moments of Jesus' life: at the marriage in Cana – this was Jesus' first public appearance as Messiah; at Capernaum where Jesus was in the thick of his work; at the cross where Jesus was undergoing the most painful crisis in his life; at the ascension where the glorified Jesus left important reminders to his disciples. Her presence lent advocacy to the cause for which her son lived and died – the cause of the poor and the dispossessed.

Mary, just like her son, was a woman for others. At the wedding in Cana, she became concerned that the hosts had run out of wine. She did not want them to be put in an embarrassing situation. This was what prompted her to request Jesus to change water into wine. She got involved in the search for a solution to a concrete problem.

In the account, too, we see that Jesus' first reaction was to turn down the request because his "time had not yet come." But Mary, with deep faith and confidence in her son, told the servants: "Do as he tells you." From her reflections on Jesus' life, she knew that he would save people from their predicaments. She fully trusted in him and believed he would save the day. How many parents trust their children especially in the path that the latter have chosen to tread?

But more than anything else, Mary was attuned to the sentiments of her oppressed people. The Lukan account of the Magnificat speaks about the final liberation of her people – the day when the "mighty are put down from their throne and the lowly are exalted." She was committed to the social destiny of her people. She was not only pious, she was revolutionary. This "conscientized and committed Jewish woman sang of solidarity in struggle with the poor and the oppressed." (Sr. Hilda Buhay, OSB)

These are only three of the many women who refused to be bound by the patriarchal society they found themselves in. By what they did, they presented a challenge to the existing system. They used their natural endowments to create conditions that were liberating. Women of today who seek deep commitment in service to the people can draw inspiration from these women of the gospels. And where does this put the men? Right in their places – alongside the women as partners, comrades and co-workers for social transformation.

Suggested Procedures

1. Start with an exercise called "reaching the prize." Divide into two groups – a girls' group and a boys' group. You will need a big space to form two concentric circles: the boys inside and the girls outside. In the middle of the circles on the ground is a "prize." The object of the game is for the girls to get the prize without being tagged by the boys. If by any chance a girl is tagged, she is taken "prisoner" by the boys. The girls have to retrieve the "prisoner" first before attempting to get the prize. Only when "prisoners" are returned to the outside circle can the girls start reaching for the prize. The boys cannot leave their places; they have to stay in the same circle formation. You are given 5-7 minutes to plan your strategies. After that, we will all go into circle formation.

2. What did you discover about yourself and your group (boys' group and girls' group)?

3. Proceed with the Bible study presentation here. What lessons can we learn from these women of the gospels for our own time and situation?

4. Compare these women of the gospels to women of today who have presented themselves as a challenge to the existing system of patriarchy. How can men and women be liberated from this patriarchal domination?

5. After you have done this Bible study, you may want to take each sub-section for farther/deeper study and reflection with role-play of the story.