Jesus and first century Jewish women
What can we learn from what the Bible says about Jesus and women? | GotQuestions.org
We shall look at history and the Bible to see what we can ascertain about life of the 1st Century Jewish women.
The website Jews for Jesus make the following claims about what it was like for women at the time of Jesus and how they would have had to have lived.
Customarily, even a woman of stature could not engage in commerce and would rarely be seen outside her home. Only a woman in dire economic straits, who was forced to become the family breadwinner, could engage in her own small trade. If a woman was ever in the streets, she was to be heavily veiled and was prohibited from conversing with men. “It is the way of a woman to stay at home and it is the way of a man to go out into the marketplace” (Bereshit Rabbah 18:1; cf. Taanit 23b).
In Talmudic times, respectable women were expected to stay within the confines of the home. The terminology for a prostitute was “one who goes abroad.” The woman of the first century did not even do her own shopping, except possibly to go out, accompanied by a slave, to buy material which she would use to construct her own clothing at home!
The Role of Women in the Bible – Jews for Jesus
It is stated that Satan was created alongside Eve.
[The allusion is this:] When she was created, Satan was created with her.
Bereshit_Rabbah.17.6
There of course is no biblical support for this claim. Eve was made from the rib(side) of Adam. There is no mention of Satan being created at this time in the Bible.
It was taught that women should not learn Torah. The earliest attestation we have to this says that the sons should be taught but not the daughter.
(Devarim 11:19) “And you shall teach them to your sons to speak in them”: and not to your daughters — whence they ruled: When a child begins to speak, his father should speak to him in the holy tongue and teach him Torah; and if he does not do so, it is as if he had buried him, it being written “And you shall teach them (words of Torah) to your sons to speak in them
Sifrei Devarim 46
It is also stated that daughters should not be taught the Torah for this actually teaches her to be promiscuous.
Tractate Sotah.21b.4
Interestingly we even find teaching in the Talmud that states at the time of Hezekiah everyone was an expert in the Torah and that anyone that did not engage in Torah study would be stabbed, this including women and children
Sanhedrin.94b.
Ishut 3:11
It was taught also that woman should not go outside of the home and that sitting in the corner of the home was something that women actually enjoyed. Psalm 45:14 is totally misrepresented in order to assert this. (Psalm 45:13 in the Christian Bible)
The reading in the KJV says that while the royal daughter, Princess is in the palace she is glorious in the way that she looks, clearly also dressed nicely.
The JPS Tanakh 1917 has a very similar reading.
Tehillim – Psalms – Chapter 45 – Tanakh Online – Torah – Bible (chabad.org)
All honor [awaits] the King’s daughter who is within, etc.: Those who deserve all honor, and they are the nation of the King, who behaved with modesty now their garments will be more esteemed than the settings of gold of the High Priests. משבצוֹת is chatons in French, settings.
Rashi on Psalms
Michnah Shevout 4:1
The Bible seems to tell us a different story. When Jesus heals a blind man the parents of the man were called to give testimony, this obviously includes the mans mother who gives testimony of her son.
John 9:18 But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his sight. 19 And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? how then doth he now see? 20 His parents answered them and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind:
Here we see that it was not only the father that was called to give evidence as would be expected if a woman’s testimony was worthless, we also see that the parents answered and not simply the father.
We also see at the time of the trial of Jesus that a woman(maid) accuses Peter of being one of the disciples and going around with him
Matthew 26:69 Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee. 70 But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest. 71 And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth. 72 And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man.
Mishnah Kiddushin.4.12
One wife can be secluded with 2 men, even if both of them are kuti’im, even if both of them are slaves, even if one of them is a kuti and one of them is a slave, even if one of them is a minor, except for a minor with regard to whom he [the adult man] has no shame to have sex in his [the minor’s] presence. But she should not be secluded with any Gentiles, even 100 [of them]. His sister, his mother-in-law and any other person with whom sex would be forbidden—he should not be secluded with them except on the basis of two [witnesses].
Tosefta Kiddushin.5.10
In Genesis we are told of the story of Abraham sending out his eldest servant to search for a wife for Isaac, his son. In this story we find that the servant waits at a well for the women of the city of Nahor to come out to the well.
Genesis 24: 11 And he made his camels to kneel down without the city by a well of water at the time of the evening, even the time that women go out to draw water. 12 And he said, O LORD God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and shew kindness unto my master Abraham. 13 Behold, I stand here by the well of water; and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water: 14 And let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast shewed kindness unto my master.
Genesis 24:15 And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder. 16 And the damsel was very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her: and she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came up. 17 And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of thy pitcher. 18 And she said, Drink, my lord: and she hasted, and let down her pitcher upon her hand, and gave him drink. 19 And when she had done giving him drink, she said, I will draw water for thy camels also, until they have done drinking. 20 And she hasted, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again unto the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels. 21 And the man wondering at her held his peace, to wit whether the LORD had made his journey prosperous or not.
We see in this story that the male servant is very likely alone with a group of women. There is also no issue with the young woman, who is unmarried and a virgin talking with this man alone at the well.
There are many passages in the New Testament that are used to support the notion of women as 2nd class citizens and that men and women were not allowed to interact with one another. .
It is asserted that the disciples were amazed at his speaking to a woman alone. Many websites claim that in the culture of the time it would have been unacceptable for a man to speak alone with a woman.
Jesus asks the woman for water; she expresses surprise that a Jew would talk to a Samaritan. It was culturally unacceptable for a man to speak with a woman privately
The Samaritan Woman and Our Barrier-Smashing Savior (thegospelcoalition.org)
The Bible does not actually state that Jesus and the woman were alone, although it does tell us that Jesus was not with his disciples as they had gone to get food. Jesus was at the well without his disciples when a woman of Samaria comes to draw water.
John 4:7There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. 8 (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.
As we see the text only says that a woman came to the well and that Jesus spoke only to her. The text does not say they were alone this is an assertion based on the fact that nobody else is mentioned. It could well be that others were at the well but are not mentioned but Jesus only asked of this woman to give him a drink. As the text does not state anyone else was present we will take this as Jesus and the woman being alone.
Regardless of whether or not Jesus was alone with the woman or not, this is not the reason for the disciples wondering of why he spoke to the woman. The text explains explicitly why this was an issue, not because she was simply a woman but rather because she was a woman of Samaria (verse 7 tells us this).
After Jesus asks the woman for a drink of water, she replies with the question regarding why he asked her for a drink, seeing that Jews have no dealings with Samarians.
John 4: 9 Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.
Jesus had even told his disciples not to go to the Samaritans when he sent them out to go and disciple.
Matthew 10: 5These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:
There are many others that make this same claim regarding the woman. Gotquestions being one such site.
This was an extraordinary woman. She was a Samaritan, a race of people that the Jews utterly despised as having no claim on their God, and she was an outcast and looked down upon by her own people. This is evidenced by the fact that she came alone to draw water from the community well when, during biblical times, drawing water and chatting at the well was the social highpoint of a woman’s day. However, this woman was ostracized and marked as immoral, an unmarried woman living openly with the sixth in a series of men.
What can we learn from the woman at the well? | GotQuestions.org
Yet we are told that she went back to Samaria and that she told the people about Jesus and many of the people believed on Jesus just from her words. They believed on the testimony of a woman. This does not sound like an outcast at all. If women were seen as second class, with no authority or even respect, how likely is it that Jesus would be believed on simply because one woman had claimed he had told he her whole life, especially a woman that was an outcast and despised.
John 4:39 And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did.
The claims against this woman are purely conjecture and would seem contrary to the biblical narrative.
We should not bring false witness against someone without proper evidence. Conjecture is not enough to make such a claim, especially given what the text states regarding her testimony and the belief of those that heard it.
This story does not fit with the assertion regarding women at the time.
Again it is asserted by some that men and woman did not talk to one another, which is exactly what we find in many writings on this passage. I shall hive an example from a website.
She reached out to Jesus across two barriers.
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Firstly, she is a woman and Jesus is a man. Men and women did not talk to strangers across the gender barrier. Some rabbis didn’t even talk to female members of their own families in public.
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Secondly, she is a Gentile and Jesus is a Jew. A Gentile just means a non-Jew.
Is Jesus a sexist, or does he have some remarkable view about women? — CROWD Church
This understanding, that the issue was that she was a non Jew, should also be derived from the parallel passage in Mark, where we see the description of the woman, that of being a Syrophenician and not simply being a woman.
Mark 7:24 And from thence he arose, and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and entered into an house, and would have no man know it: but he could not be hid. 25 For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet: 26 The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daugh0ter. 27 But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it unto the dogs. 28 And she answered and said unto him, Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children’s crumbs. 29 And he said unto her, For this saying go thy way; the devil is gone out of thy daughter. 30 And when she was come to her house, she found the devil gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed.
The Bible tells us that the Jewish authorities tried on many occasions to provoke Jesus into saying something that they could accuse him of.
Luke 20:19 And the chief priests and the scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on him; and they feared the people: for they perceived that he had spoken this parable against them. 20 And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor. 21 And they asked him, saying, Master, we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly, neither acceptest thou the person of any, but teachest the way of God truly: 22 Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Caesar, or no? 23 But he perceived their craftiness, and said unto them, Why tempt ye me? 24 Shew me a penny. Whose image and superscription hath it? They answered and said, Caesar’s. 25 And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar’s, and unto God the things which be God’s. 26 And they could not take hold of his words before the people: and they marvelled at his answer, and held their peace.
However, despite the many accusations against Jesus made by the Pharisees, they never once question Jesus about his keeping company with women. For it to apparently have been such a ground breaking action by Jesus to talk to, keep company with and even teach women, this is never challenged by any of the Jews or Jewish authorities who sought at every occasion to accuse him. How could it be that such provocative and frowned upon actions could go unchallenged by those wishing to find him at fault. This would have been such an easy accusation yet nobody mentions it at all. If women truly were not allowed to be part of normal society then this most certainly would have been brought up at some point by his accusers and yet there is complete silence on the matter.
Interestingly, the disciples of Jesus also never once mention anything about Jesus and the women that followed him. This, despite them apparently, taking issue with Jesus speaking to the woman at the well. The disciples themselves would have been travelling with the women, sitting with them while Jesus taught and even interacting with them, all with no issues nor questioning Jesus as to why he would allow women to accompany them.
In one story told in the Gospel of John we see Jesus was anointed by Mary. None of the disciples questioned this action, apart from Judas. However, we are told that the reason for this was not that this was a woman, but rather because of the cost of the ointment that was used.
John 12:1 Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. 2 There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him. 3 Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. 4 Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, which should betray him, 5 Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? 6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein. Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this. 8 For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always.
Jesus was also left alone with the woman caught in adultery and partook in a conversation with her. It was the scribes and pharisees that had brought her to Jesus and they were the ones that left Jesus and the woman alone together. What should be noted is that Jesus and the woman were left alone in the temple.
John 8:1Jesus went unto the mount of Olives. 2And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them. 3And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,
John 8:10When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? 11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
The biblical evidence would seem to be contrary to the claims of how 1st century Jewish women were treated.
The Bible gives us even more stories that would seem to contradict these assertions. Jesus was also followed by women who came to hear him teach. Many times this was in public along with men. We see this at the Sermon on the mount where both men and woman present.
We again see women present when Jesus fed the 5000 people. There were actually more than 5000 as this was, in fact, 5000 men, besides (not including) the women and children that were also in attendance.
Matthew 14:13 When Jesus heardof it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heardthereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities.14 And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.15And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals.16 But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat.17 And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes.18 He said, Bring them hither to me.19 And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves tohisdisciples, and the disciples to the multitude.20 And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full 21 And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.
The same occurs when Jesus fed the 4000, which we are told is besides (not including) the women and children that had also gathered.
Matthew 15:29And Jesus departed from thence, and came nigh unto the sea of Galilee; and went up into a mountain, and sat down there. 30 And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus’ feet; and he healed them: 31 Insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see: and they glorified the God of Israel. 32 Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way. 33 And his disciples say unto him, Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude? 34 And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven, and a few little fishes. 35 And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. 36 And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. 37 And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full. 38 And they that did eat were four thousand men, beside women and children.
This would simply have been impossible in a time when women were viewed in such low regards that they were not even allowed to leave the house except on rare occasions. Maybe these women were “veiled” as the teaching said they should be, we do not know as the text does not say, but they were certainly out of the house and part of the crowd despite the teaching that they should not go outside. There is no uproar recorded from the men in attendance nor from the pharisees about the women being present while Jesus taught and then fed the people, which again would contradict the teachings that women were not to be taught.
In yet another story we are told of an incident where a Pharisee invited Jesus to eat with him at his home. A woman was there who washed the feet of Jesus with her tears.
Luke 7: 36 And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to meat. 37 And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, 38 And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. 39 Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.
What is interesting in this story is that the Pharisee does not take issue with the fact that the woman interacts with Jesus, but rather with the type of woman that she was, being a sinner and that if he was a prophet he would have known this.
It is taught that even at weddings there should be segregation
John 2:1 And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: 2 And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. 3 And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. 4 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come. 5 His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.
The Bible is full of stories where women are included and even the main figure of the story. We see Women prophets, women who help Israel, women as judges of Israel and women placed in positions of the utmost respect. These are some examples and is in no way meant to be a full or concise depiction of the biblical narrative regarding women.
Miriam the sister of Moses is called a prophetess and is seen leading the women
Exodus 15:20 And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.21 And Miriam answered them, Sing ye to the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.
Deborah was a prophetess and Judge of Israel
Judges 4:4 And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time.
Huldah was a prophetess
2 Kings 22:14So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asahiah, went unto Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college;) and they communed with her. 15 And she said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Tell the man that sent you to me, 16 Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the words of the book which the king of Judah hath read: 17 Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and shall not be quenched. 18 But to the king of Judah which sent you to inquire of the LORD, thus shall ye say to him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, As touching the words which thou hast heard; 19 Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the LORD, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard thee, saith the LORD. 20 Behold therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace; and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place. And they brought the king word again.
Solomon put his mother on his right hand side.
1 Kings 2:19 Bathsheba therefore went unto king Solomon, to speak unto him for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her, and bowed himself unto her, and sat down on his throne, and caused a seat to be set for the king’s mother; and she sat on his right hand.
To be on the right hand would have been a sign of great respect to his mother
The law taught to honour your mother (and father) but the mother is included in the command.
Exodus 20:12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
Leviticus 19:3 Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and keep my sabbaths: I am the LORD your God.
Abraham was told to listen to his wife.
Genesis 21:12 And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.
Proverbs 18:22 Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.
Proverbs 19:14 House and riches are the inheritance of fathers: and a prudent wife is from the LORD.
While we do see that the post Jesus Jewish writings do have many teachings against women and the interaction between them and men, these teachings are not found within the biblical texts themselves. The Bible would seem to teach contrary to the later Rabbinic writings.
More study will be conducted and any evidence that is found will be added to this writing.
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