An alternate point of view was revealed to me recently. It revolved around the oppression of women in the Bible. As a woman in this day and age, I haven’t felt a lot of oppression. In fact, the whole issue of affirmative action has probably worked in my favor. Considering that I’m a fairly independent person, though not a feminist, I think I probably would’ve felt the effects of oppression had they been implemented in my life. So, it is difficult for me to believe that the book in which I live my life by, the Bible, condoned such actions. Let’s take a look.

Over the years of history, I will definitely agree that women have been considered as lower in social status on this planet. Women are usually the ones to raise the children, make food, make sure the house is clean, look good, and not make their husbands look bad. Yet, there have been some societies in history, such as the Nair community in South India or the Minangkabau (also known as Minang or Padang) in Indonesia, that have a matrilineal society. In those cultures, possessions are passed from mother to daughter instead of father to son. These are unique societies, but American culture today is leaning toward a more equal distribution of wealth. People want to feel that the sexes are equal in America. Whether they will be one day remains to be seen. The uplifting and oppression women is something that human nature has created. It’s from the societies of men, not necessarily of God.

In the beginning of the Earth’s creation, God created man, whom He named Adam. Genesis 1:1-31 depicts all that God created from light and darkness to birds, plants, animals, oceans, and stars. After each thing He created, He said it was good. Then, He came to the creation of man. Genesis 2:20b-24 speaks of the need for women. The Scripture says:

“But for Adam, no suitable helper was found. So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and closed up the place with flesh. Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.
The man said,
“This is now bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called ‘woman,’
for she was taken out of man.”
For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.”

Nowhere in the Scriptures does it say God created man and “it was good”. It wasn’t until woman was created that God spoke those words (Gen. 1:31). That leads me to believe that God saw the importance of women. He knew that man needed a helper, which no animal could provide. Therefore, He created a wonderful helper. This was someone who could come alongside man and make his work complete. Even though Adam was created before Eve, it does not mean that Eve was less of a person than Adam. Eve complemented Adam. She offered what Adam was lacking.

Within other portions of Old Testament Scripture, women are not left in the cold. We hear of Ruth and Naomi, a mother and daughter-in-law, who loved one another and looked out for the best of eachother. There also exists the book of Esther and at least one other book believed to have been written by Priscilla, a respected woman. Even King David wrote lovingly about his wife in some of the Psalms. We also see how Jewish society may not have respected women as much in the Old Testament, which may make some women very angry. Yet, when Jesus was born, He was not only the Savior of the world, but also our greatest example of how to treat one another.

Jesus did not demean women in any way. In fact, He was more willing to associate with women than any other man in the Bible. First, I will look at the woman caught in the act of adultry. John 8:3-11 speaks of how the teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought a woman whom they found having sex outside the bonds of marriage. In Old Testament law, she should have been stoned to death. Yet, these Pharisees failed to bring the man she was having sex with. This was clearly a way to trap Jesus. Leviticus 20:10 points out that the law required both the woman and man committing adultry to be stoned. Jesus knew of their desire to trap Him, so He set an example for everyone to follow. He turned the tables and asked the teachers and Pharisees to look at themselves. If they had never commited a single sin, they were worthy to start stoning her. Did anyone pick up a rock and hurl it toward her? Nope. Jesus was the only One righteous enough to stone her, but instead, He forgave her. At the same time, He told her to leave her life of sin. Jesus had compassion. He did not come to punish us, but instead to take the punishment of our sins upon Him. He came to save people, not kill them. He may point out sins in our lives, but that is only because He wants the best for us. This requires us to change our ways and follow Him.

Another instance is when the bleeding woman approached Jesus. Matthew 9:18-25 speaks of an instance where Jesus was asked by a ruler to come and bring his daughter back to life. As Jesus was leaving, a woman who had been bleeding for 12 years approached Him. She had such faith in Jesus that she felt she would be healed by merely touching his cloak. Jesus saw her, knew her faith, and told her she was healed that very moment. And, she was. He then continued on His way and brought the ruler’s daughter back to life. In this circumstance, a bleeding woman was considered unclean. She may have been shunned to live outside the camp or told to stay within the confines of her home in order to not make anyone else unclean. Yet, she decided to take a chance and literally touch Jesus. By doing so, she was risking at least imprisonment for knowingly being unclean and touching another. Did Jesus jump back and shoo her away? No, He accepted her, healed her and showed compassion where none other would.

We can also look at John 4:7-26, where Jesus approached a Samaritan woman at a well. Samaritans and Jews did not get along during this time. Plus, she was a woman. So, no other Jewish man would have taken the time to recognize her presence. Jesus wasn’t an ordinary Jewish man. He is God and man in one body. Jesus not only spoke to her, much to her surprise, but He offered her eternal life (water that will quench your thirst forever). God isn’t picky about who comes to know Him. You can be of any race, nationality, sex, age, etc. He has no stipulations. He only asks that you leave your life of sin and join Him.

Jesus had a such a good relationship with women that He not only befriended a once demon-possessed woman (Mary Magdalene), but also Lazarus’ sisters (Martha and Mary) and many others. He showed them dignity and respect in a society that did not openly offer it. He did not oppress them in any way. In fact, they respected Him so much that once Jesus died on the Cross and was put into the tomb, it was women who came to anoint His body. When Jesus rose from the dead and appeared to people in the 40 days before He went to Heaven, He appeared to Mary Magdalene as well as to men. That’s not because she was His alleged wife, a lie that some are actually believing, but because He cares for all people equally.

The Bible does not condone oppression of women. In fact, I believe Jesus’ life clearly shows that He shuns that belief. As a woman, I feel empowered by what I learn in the Bible. I do believe that men and women have roles in a marriage relationship because we have different things to offer one another. We cannot be entirely equal because we were not created that way. I encourage all women to be empowered by God’s Word. You are His daughters, He loves you and wants you to use your lives to follow Him and share the Truth with others.