Women in the HB, NT, and
the Qur’an.
SCTR 19-Section 1, Group 3
Cierra Cass, Chad Greer, Dani Lencioni
Main Questions
• What roles do women play in the texts and
in the foundational histories of each of the
three religions?
• Prominent women associates of the major
prophets: women associated with Moses,
Jesus, and Muhammad?
• Male/female roles and relationships, in
family and society?
Women in the Hebrew Bible
• “Israel lived in a patriarchal world, but her society was always
informed by a faith that gave equality to women in the eyes of God.”
(Oxford Reference)
–
–
–
–
Eve (Genesis 2-4)
Ruth (Book of Ruth)
Esther (Book of Esther)
Others
• Miriam
• Deborah
– Four matriarchs (Sarah, Rebekah, Leah, Rachel).
• Patriarchal society-->wives
Eve: The First Woman
• Genesis 2-4
• Led into temptation by the
devil--> “caused” first sin.
– Woman=sin
• “The subordination of women
to men is considered to be the
result of human sin (Genesis
3)” (Oxford Reference).
• Necessary compliment of man
Ruth
• Great grandmother of
David
• Book of Ruth:
– Left her own family to go
with her husband’s family.
– self-sacrifice, moral
integrity, filial piety,
gracious.
– Ruth 1:16-18
Esther
• Becomes Queen of
the Persian Empire
• Seen as a heroine:
stopped the massacre
of the Jews by Haman.
• Character:
– Humble
• Esther 4C:12-13
– Devout
• Esther 4C:22-25
“Other”
• Miriam
– Moses & Aaron’s sister; prophetess.
– Guilty of gossip; punished with leprosy.
– Moses healed her.
• Deborah
– Prophetess; Judge of Israel
• Judge: “a leader God provided to free Israel from danger and
keep the peace.”
• Courage (strength against all odds), faith (Deborah’s Canticle).
Proverbs
• “A gracious woman wins esteem, but she who
hates virtue is covered with shame” --Proverbs
11:16
• Proverbs 31:16-31---> The Ideal Wife
– ”Charm is deceptive, and beauty fleeting; but the
woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” Proverbs 31:30
Women in the New Testament
• Elizabeth
• Mary, mother of Jesus
• Martha & Mary
• Mary Magdalene
• Other
Elizabeth
•
•
•
Mother of John the Baptist
Zechariah=husband
Mary (mother of Jesus)=cousin
•
•
•
Faithful
Devout
Encourager
•
First human to identify Jesus as Lord (Luke
1:43)
•
Role in religious foundation: Parallel
between Elizabeth and Mary/John the
Baptist and Jesus
Elizabeth and Mary (cousins)
Mary, mother of Jesus
• Virgin Mary, visited by an angel and
told that she was to bear the son of
God.
• Revelation story in all the Gospels.
• Characteristics:
–
–
–
–
Purity(virginity emphasized)
Faith (believes the angel)
Courage (makes journey to Bethlehem)
Compassionate (weeps when Jesus dies)
Martha & Mary
• Sisters; friends of
Jesus
• Luke 10:38-42
– Martha: housekeeper,
hospitable
– Mary: scholarly, eager to
learn, spiritual
Mary Magdalene
• Most important woman disciple
• Magdalene=“trouble and sorrow”
• Possessed by 7 demons; Jesus
exorcised her; became his disciple.
• “I have seen the Lord”
– First in the list of witnesses to
the resurrection of Jesus.
– “apostle to the apostles”
Mary Magdalene (cont.)
• Faithful/loyal/devoted
• Personal & financial support
to Jesus
• Role in religious foundation:
– Jesus can help us
– We can help Jesus
Mary depicted as a Saint
“Other”
• Luke 7:36-50
– Jesus eating at a Pharisee's
house
– “Woman” washes his feet
with perfume/oils and kisses
them
– Weeps at Jesus’ feet
• “Woman”=Mary of
Bethany (referenced in
John 11:2)
• Great faith
“Other” (cont.)
• Samaritan Woman
– Jesus gives her
instruction, offers
forgiveness, shows
compassion.
– She becomes a believer
– Is an example of hope for
other unbelieving/sinful
women.
Women in the Qur’an
• Eve
• Wives of the prophets
• Mary, mother of Jesus
Mary in the Qur’an
• Surah 19 named “Maryam” after
Mary.
• Mary’s mother dedicates “what is in
my womb for thy special service”
• Mary:
– Pure
– Beautiful
– Devout
– Modest
Mary (cont.)
• Tells the revelation story
twice
– Believe that the conception
of Jesus was a miracle.
• Very revered by Muslims
– "Behold! the angels said:
'O Mary! God hath
chosen thee and purified
thee - chosen thee above
the women of all nations.'"
3:42
Surah 33
• Spiritual equality (33:35)
– Also, all the virtues of Islam
are specified in this verse.
• Modesty
– Not to restrict the liberty of
women, but to protect them
from molestation
• Prophet’s wife=example for
Muslim women
• 33:33 (characteristics)
Women in Ancient Society
From the Oxford Reference
• Relationships to men and in society:
– Judaism: Women increasingly separated from worship and
society because of passages dealing with “uncleanliness” during
childbirth and menstruation (Leviticus 12&15)
• Added a “women’s court” to the temple to further them from the
sanctuary.
• Women’s vows to God weren’t considered as valuable as men’s.
• Second Temple period:
– excluded from testifying in a court trial
– They were not to be seen in public or to speak with strangers
– Outside their homes they were to be doubly veiled.
– Could not teach or be taught the Torah in their home.
Women in Ancient Society
From the Oxford Reference
– Christianity: The actions of Jesus changed society’s views towards women
• He taught and openly ministered to women as “children of wisdom” (Luke 7.35–50),
• Gave them an equal rank with men as daughters of Abraham (Luke 13.10–17)
• The Fourth Gospel begins and ends with the testimony of a woman to the Christ (John
4.29; 20.18).
– In return, women:
• Were baptized and receiving the Spirit (Acts 2.17; 5.14; 8.12; 16.15)
• Served as ministers of the church (Rom. 16.1–7).
• Were allowed to preach and to pray in worship (1 Cor. 11.5),
• Were allowed to prophesy and teach (Acts 21.8–9; 18.25–26).
– Paul’s views on the “ancient subordination of women”
– Believed that the teachings of Genesis 3:16 had been overcome by Christ
– Gave women equal status
Women in Ancient Society
From Wikipedia
• Islam: And for women are rights over men similar to those
of men over women according to what is equitable; but
men have a degree (of advantage) over them.”
–
–
–
–
–
Right of Honor (16:58, 4:1)
Financial rights (4:32)
Right to bear witness (2:282)
Right to divorce (4:35)
Right to remarry (2:232)
Self-sacrifice
Moral integrity
Filial piety
God-fearing
Purity
Gracious
Devout
Courageous
Gracious
Humble
Hospitable
Spiritual
Faith
Compassionate
Loyal
Modest
Devoted
Beautiful
Works Cited
•
•
•
•
•
Catholic Study Bible. 2nd ed. New York City, New York: Oxford UP, 1990.
Elizabeth Achtemeier, Mary Joan Winn Leith, Sidnie Ann White, Valerie Abrahamsen
"Women" The Oxford
Companion to the Bible. Bruce M. Metzger and Michael D.
Coogan, eds. Oxford University Press
Inc. 1993. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford
University Press. Santa Clara University. 9 March 2007 <http://0
www.oxfordreference.com.sculib.scu.edu:80/views/ENTRY.html?
subview=Main&entry=t120.e0775-s0001
Elizabeth Achtemeier, Mary Joan Winn Leith, Sidnie Ann White, Valerie Abrahamsen ”
Women" The
Oxford Companion to the Bible. Bruce M. Metzger and
Michael D. Coogan, eds. Oxford
University Press Inc. 1993. Oxford
Reference Online. Oxford University Press. Santa Clara
University. 9
March 2007 http://0- www.oxfordreference.com.sculib.scu.edu:80/views/
ENTRY.html?subview=Main&entry=t120.e0775-s0004
Women in the Qur’an. Wikipedia.com http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_in_the_Qur'an
The Meaning of the Hold Qur’an. 10th ed. Beltsville, Maryland: amana publication,
2001.Trans. Abdullah Yusef Ali.