Women Gospels
Women Gospels
There are numerous passages in the gospels dealing with women. Some of the images presented are almost casual in nature; but others are highly important as they present God's unchanging view of women. These passages form the foundation of a guiding teaching from which the apostles try not to stray. Women are portrayed as equal to men by the parables, teachings, healing, and treatment by Jesus Christ, and also in their roles in the events immediately following the crucifixion of Jesus, the Son of God.
Matthew 24:39-41 and Luke 17:34-36 each give representations of the second coming of Jesus. Each shows both men and women being taken up to be with Jesus. The short story of 'two men shall be in the field' is followed by a one for women: 'two women shall be grinding at the mill'. With this, Jesus indicated women to be “co-heirs” to the Kingdom of God, an idea never shown in the Bible before. In the modern Christian churches, this notion is not unordinary, but the concept of "co-heirship" including women was not normal in the day when Jesus said it.
Another example of the parallel of male and female stories is found in Mt 24:45-51 and Mt 25:1-13, where the parable of the honest and dishonest male servants is followed immediately by the tale of the wise and foolish virgins. Each account stresses the importance of being diligently prepared for the Lord's return. These stories are made to fit to the two genders. Both men and women are to be saved. Not only through his stories but also through his healings, does Jesus show the equality of men to women.
One of Jesus' earlier healings in the Gospel of Luke was of a woman. Jesus healed her on the Sabbath. (Lk 13:10-17) He rebuked the ruler of the synagogue who showed scorn toward the Sabbath healing. In doing so, Jesus uses a rare phrase, "daughter of Abraham", to describe her. The phrase "son of Abraham" was commonly used to respectfully refer to a Jew, but "daughter of Abraham", was an unknown phrase. It occurs nowhere else in the Bible. Jesus promotes the equality of men and women with this phrase. Along with healing women, Jesus also shows us how to treat them.
In the case of adultery, Jesus showed mercy when he freed a woman caught in the act (Jn 8:2-11)....