CHRIST CHURCH INDEPENDENT STUDY SERIES CHRIST CHURCH JESUS AND WOMEN IN GRECO-ROMAN PALESTINE A RESEARCH PAPER SUBMITTED TO MR. CHRISTOPHER A.

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1 CHRIST CHURCH INDEPENDENT STUDY SERIES CHRIST CHURCH JESUS AND WOMEN IN GRECO-ROMAN PALESTINE A RESEARCH PAPER SUBMITTED TO MR. CHRISTOPHER A. PERRY IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR HONORS INTRODUCTION TO THE NEW TESTAMENT DEPARTMENT OF BIBLE BY SAMANTHA J. THOMPSON LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS APRIL 25,

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS I. THESIS-SUMMARY iv II. INTRODUCTION 1 III. THE SOCIAL STATUS OF WOMEN 1 a. The Birth of a Woman 1 b. The Marriage of a Woman 2 c. The Public Life of a Woman 3 IV. THE SOCIAL CHANGES BROUGHT BY JESUS 4 a. The Teachings and Actions of Jesus 4 b. The Female Disciples of Jesus 6 V. CONCLUSION 8 2

3 THESIS-SUMMARY This research paper will discuss the social changes brought by Jesus Christ concerning the treatment and attitude toward women in Greco-Roman Palestine. This will be accomplished first by establishing the social status of women in Greco-Roman Palestine. The significance of the birth, marriage, and public life of a woman will also be covered. Second, the social changes brought by Jesus will be revealed by reviewing the teachings and actions of Jesus and by discussing two of the primary female disciples in his ministry. 3

4 JESUS AND WOMEN IN GRECO-ROMAN PALESTINE INTRODUCTION By the Second Temple period, women in Palestine had become second-class Jews, with a status barely above that of slaves. 1 Therefore, the attitude and actions of Jesus Christ toward women during his ministry were rather remarkable. 2 This research paper will discuss the social changes brought by him concerning the treatment and attitude toward women in Greco-Roman Palestine. This will be accomplished first by establishing the social status of women in Greco-Roman Palestine. The significance of the birth, marriage, and public life of a woman will also be covered. Second, the social changes brought by Jesus will be revealed by reviewing the teachings and actions of Jesus and by discussing two of the primary female disciples in his ministry. THE SOCIAL STATUS OF WOMEN The Birth of a Woman In Greco-Roman Palestine, the birth of a daughter was considered a great disappointment to parents. 3 For many reasons, a daughter was actually thought to be a liability. Unlike men and boys, the actions and behavior of girls and women could bring shame to their families. 4 The typical woman, according to the Testament of Reuben, was described as deceptive and shrewd. Women were also believed to be more inclined to promiscuity. 5 It was for this reason that a father worried constantly about his daughter 1 Achtemeier, Elizabeth. An Overview. in The Oxford Companion to the Bible, ed. Michael D. Coogan and Bruce M. Metzger (New York: Oxford University Press, 1993), p Ibid., p Ilan, Tal. Jewish Women in Greco-Roman Palestine (Peabody: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 1995), p Strange, W.A. Children in the Early Church (Carlisle: Paternoster Press, 1996), p Ilan, Tal. Jewish Women in Greco-Roman Palestine (Peabody: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 1995), p

5 before she was married. 6 The honor of a man was defined by the sexual purity of the women in his life, such as his daughters, his wife, and even his mother. 7 This was why daughters were recognized as liabilities. Exposure of infants, especially girls, was prevalent in this time period among the Romans and the Greeks. All children, regardless of gender, were not looked upon with much regard; however, the Jews treated their children with more favor than did the Romans and Greeks. 8 Despite the Jewish belief in the liability of a daughter, there were no practical steps taken in reducing the number of daughters in a family. 9 The Marriage of a Woman The marriage of a woman was comparable to the transferring of the authority under which she submitted from her father to her husband. 10 In the hierarchical order of the family, the women were always subordinate to the men. 11 The author of the Midrash was of the belief that Creation itself established such a social order. 12 Yet what was not established by creation was that the arranging of and marrying of a woman to a man went on much like the purchasing of property; the woman, once the property of her father, after the marriage, became the property of her husband. This was the rabbinic view of marriage in Greco-Roman Palestine Strange, W.A. Children in the Early Church (Carlisle: Paternoster Press, 1996), p Malina, Bruce J. The New Testament World (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2001), p Witherington III, Ben. Women in the Ministry of Jesus (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1984), p Ilan, Tal. Jewish Women in Greco-Roman Palestine (Peabody: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 1995), p Ilan, Tal. Jewish Women in Greco-Roman Palestine (Peabody: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 1995), p Meeks, Wayne A. The First Urban Christians (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1983), p Ilan, Tal. Jewish Women in Greco-Roman Palestine (Peabody: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 1995), p Ibid., p

6 Concerning the age of a woman at the time of her marriage, there was not a specific age by which a woman, or rather a young girl, had to be married. However, given the tendency of woman to immorality, as mentioned previously, parents often arranged the marriage of their daughter long before puberty and had her enter into it shortly after. This was done in order to prevent scandal and protect the family s honor. 14 Unfortunately, while marrying women off at a young age may have seemed to work in preventing immorality, it had the opposite effect in childbearing. In many cases, the young girls were too young to endure childbirth and often died during labor. 15 The instance of death during childbirth by these young mothers was so extensive that special measures of birth control were taken to prevent more fatalities from occurring. 16 The Public Life of a Woman The public life of a woman was quite limited, generally for the purpose of preserving her purity as well as the purity of the men around her. It was commonly accepted and taught that men should not speak to women who were not their wives lest they be led into adultery. 17 According to Jewish wisdom literature, the rabbis taught that disciples of the sages would receive reproach if they spoke to a woman in the market place. 18 Yet, according to Abot de Rabbi Nathan, all men should refrain from speaking to women in the public, even if that woman happened to be their wife, in order to prevent the people from misunderstanding their actions. Both man and woman wanted to avoid the unpleasant consequences that followed even the appearance of such an immoral act Strange, W.A. Children in the Early Church (Carlisle: Paternoster Press, 1996), p Ilan, Tal. Jewish Women in Greco-Roman Palestine (Peabody: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 1995), p Ibid., p Ibid., p Ibid., p Ibid., p

7 The prevention of speaking to a woman and thus the prevention of immorality was accomplished by sequestering a woman to her home. 20 According to the rabbis, secluding women to their homes was also done for two other reasons. First, it was believed that keeping women away from the city would prevent them from getting raped by evil men. 21 Supposedly, if beautiful women were out of sight, they were out of mind. A second reason for women staying at home was the verb subdue in the phrase in Genesis 1:28 subdue the earth. 22 It was argued that the verb subdue was singular and not plural. Therefore, the men were to subdue the earth, even to the point of subduing their wives and keeping them away from the market place and thus away from sin. 23 In an extreme sense, seclusion from the public eye was a form of modesty for a woman. In a culture defined by honor and shame, a modest, timid, restrained woman was considered an honorable one. 24 THE SOCIAL CHANGES BROUGHT BY JESUS The Teachings and Actions of Jesus Jesus treatment of women was in stark contrast with that of the rabbis in Greco- Roman Palestine. 25 This is demonstrated first with his teaching concerning adultery in the Sermon on the Mount. Contrary to normal rabbinic teaching of his day, Jesus did not place the responsibility of sexual sin on women, but on men. 26 As mentioned earlier, women were considered the weaker, more fragile gender that could not control their 20 Ibid., p Ibid., p Ibid., p Ibid., p Malina, Bruce J. The New Testament World (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2001), p Elwell, Walter A. and Yarbrough, Robert W. Encountering the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1998), p Witherington III, Ben. Women in the Ministry of Jesus (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1984), p.50. 7

8 sexuality as men could. This was a social stereotype that Jesus endeavored to free women from through his teaching as he admonished men to beware of their own lustful desires. 27 A form of teaching used often by Jesus was the telling of parables. There are four parables recorded in which women are the primary characters. First, in the parable of the obstinate widow and the obdurate judge, recorded in Luke 18:1-8, Jesus used a destitute, resolute woman as an example to his disciples of perseverance in an oppressive world. 28 There is also a hint of compassion in this parable for widows with no male protector. 29 In the parable of the lost coin, recorded in Luke 15:8-10, and in the parable of the leaven and the dough, recorded in Matthew 13:33 and Luke 13:20-21, Jesus expressed the message of the gospel in terms that women could relate to immediately. 30 Finally, in the parable of the wise and the foolish virgins, recorded in Matthew 25: 1-13, Jesus used women as both good and bad examples for his disciples. There was also a suggestion of the participation of women in the Messianic Banquet when the Bridegroom returns for His Bride. 31 Jesus respect for women showed not only in his words and teachings but also in his actions. In the account of the sinful woman s anointing Jesus feet in Luke 7:36-50, the reactions of Jesus were especially noteworthy. While he was attending a banquet given in his honor by Simon the Pharisee, a woman, probably a prostitute, entered the home with the intention of anointing Jesus. While it was not uncommon for the woman to 27 Ibid., p Ibid., p Malina, Bruce J. and Neyrey, Jerome H. The Social World of Luke-Acts, ed. Jerome H. Neyrey (Peabody: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 1991), p Witherington III, Ben. Women in the Ministry of Jesus (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1984), pp Ibid., p

9 enter the home uninvited according to Jewish culture of that time, 32 it was uncommon for her, a sinful woman, to anoint Jesus feet with perfume and especially to wipe them with her hair. A woman with uncovered hair was considered immodest, 33 yet, as noted above, she was most likely a prostitute. Contrary to the reaction the Pharisees expected from Jesus as a teacher and a prophet, he was silent, a sign indicating that he accepted the woman s gift of love, gratitude, and devotion. 34 The woman had obviously heard his message of forgiveness and wanted to express her thankfulness, and Jesus willingly allowed her to do so. 35 A second instance in which Jesus actions reflected his positive attitude towards women was his encounter with the woman at the well, recorded in John 4:4-42. In this account, Jesus not only broke the political rules and, as a Jew, spoke to a Samaritan, but what is more noteworthy is that this Samaritan he spoke to was a sinful woman. The rabbis strongly warned against speaking to women such as her. 36 According to the account, this woman had been married a number of times, more than was the Jewish custom. Legally, she was married, but morally, her marriage was questionable. 37 However, Jesus not only spoke with her and shared a cup of water with her, but more importantly he shared the message of living water with her. She then became a witness for Jesus to the Samaritans. 38 The Female Disciples of Jesus 32 Ibid., p Ilan, Tal. Jewish Women in Greco-Roman Palestine (Peabody: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 1995), p Witherington III, Ben. Women in the Ministry of Jesus (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1984), p Ibid., p Ibid., p Ibid., p Ibid., p

10 Yet another revolutionary characteristic of Jesus was the fact that he, unlike any other rabbi of his day, had female followers. The most prominent of those followers were Mary and Martha, whose stories are recorded in Luke 10:38-42, John 11:1-44, and John 12: In Luke s account, Martha, apparently the older sister of the two, was preparing for and serving Jesus, her guest. 40 In the meantime, Mary was sitting at the feet of Jesus. In this culture, there is evidence that the phrase to sit at the feet of was the technical formula meaning to be a disciple of. 41 In other words, Mary had taken on the rather unconventional role of disciple. However, Martha became resentful and slightly jealous, and complained to Jesus. His response to her complaints neither devalued her acts of hospitality nor discouraged her acts of service for him. He merely defended Mary s right to learn from him and explained that a person s first priority was to be a disciple. 42 What is of primary significance concerning this account of Mary and Martha is the equality Jesus afforded Mary as a disciple. It is by this equality in faith under the new covenant established by Jesus that women were given a new and equal status. 43 This new status, which was in actuality liberty found in the Gospel of Christ, dramatically changed the social status of women in Greco-Roman Palestine. 44 In such a culture, it was only because of the Gospel that women became examples for, and indeed even equals with, men. 45 For instance, when Jesus explained to Martha that Mary was doing the one thing that was truly important in this life, hearing and obeying God s word, he not only used a 39 Ibid., p Ibid., p Ibid., p Ibid., p Ibid., p Ibid., p Balch, David L. and Osiek, Carolyn. Families in the New Testament World (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1997), p

11 woman as an example but included women in his call for all to carry out this first and most significant task in pleasing God. 46 CONCLUSION In Greco-Roman Palestine, the social status of women was that of property of men. 47 The birth of a daughter was dreaded because of the risk of sexual scandal daughters were thought to bring. Because of this risk, a woman s marriage was arranged at an extremely young age, which was often detrimental to her health during childbirth. 48 In public, a woman was never spoken to by a man for fear that it would appear as if she were seducing him. 49 In order to further preserve the chastity of women, they were in essence banished to their homes for the purpose of concealing their beauty. It was into this world that Jesus Christ came. He, ever the gentle revolutionary, did not regard women as property, neither did he consider them second-class citizens. 50 Jesus considered women as real people of value and worth, as evidenced by his treatment of them during his ministry. 51 From his parables and teachings using women as examples for men to his befriending and teaching Mary and Martha, it is evident that Jesus attitude regarding women was positive. Not only was Jesus willing to teach women as a rabbi would teach his students, but he befriended women who most likely were not related to him. 52 Jesus afforded women a sense of dignity, honor, and respect in a culture in which such treatment of them was not only unheard of but was actually absurd, especially 46 Witherington III, Ben. Women in the Ministry of Jesus (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1984), p France, R.T. Women in the Church s Ministry (Carlisle: Paternoster Press, 1995), p Ilan, Tal. Jewish Women in Greco-Roman Palestine (Peabody: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 1995), p Ibid., p France, R.T. Women in the Church s Ministry (Carlisle: Paternoster Press, 1995), p Ibid., p Witherington III, Ben. Women in the Ministry of Jesus (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1984), p

12 among the religious leaders of his day. Women everywhere owe him a tremendous debt for breaking the social barriers of his day and allowing them to be equal participants in his ministry. 12

13 WORKS CITED Achtemeier, Elizabeth. An Overview. in The Oxford Companion to the Bible, ed. Michael D. Coogan and Bruce M. Metzger (New York: Oxford University Press), Balch, David L. and Osiek, Carolyn. Families in the New Testament World (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press), Elwell, Walter A. and Yarbrough, Robert W. Encountering the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Baker Books), France, R.T. Women in the Church s Ministry (Carlisle: Paternoster Press), Ilan, Tal. Jewish Women in Greco-Roman Palestine (Peabody: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc.), Malina, Bruce J. The New Testament World (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press), Malina, Bruce J. and Neyrey, Jerome H. The Social World of Luke-Acts, ed. Jerome H. Neyrey (Peabody: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc.), Meeks, Wayne A. The First Urban Christians (New Haven: Yale University Press), Strange, W.A. Children in the Early Church (Carlisle: Paternoster Press), Witherington III, Ben. Women in the Ministry of Jesus (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press),