Jesus and the Role of Women pt.5

"It is no wonder that Jesus had such a spiritual attraction for women, who were so often neglected by the teachers of that period. Luke 8:1-3 records that many women followed Him and ministered to His needs.

Why was it that a formerly immoral woman could cry tears of thanks on Jesus' feet and dry them with her hair, without fear? Why was it that Mary felt so free in His presence and anointed His feet with costly perfume, at the risk of rebuke by others? It was because the Master simply accepted them as people. Compassionately and with complete purity, He accepted their affection while moving them to repentance.

Dorothy Sayers remarked, "They had never known a man like this Man-there has never been such another. A prophet and teacher who never nagged at them nor patronized them; who never made jokes about them and who took their questions seriously; who took them as He found them. Nobody could possibly guess from the words and deeds of Jesus that there was anything 'funny' about woman's nature" (Are Women Human?, p. 47).

It is not surprising, therefore, that wherever the gospel has penetrated the cultures of this world, an inevitable result has been that the social status of women has been raised. Rather than attack Christianity for oppressing women, we must recognize that the message of the gospel provides true liberation for both male and female, who are both "one in Christ Jesus" (Gal. 3:28)."

Varner, Will; Jesus and the Role of Women

The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry, Inc.

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