Women in the HB, NT, and the Qur’an. SCTR 19-Section 1, Group 3 Cierra Cass, Chad Greer, Dani Lencioni.

Women in the HB, NT, and the Qur’an.

SCTR 19-Section 1, Group 3Cierra 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 SocietyFrom 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 SocietyFrom 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 SocietyFrom 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 integrityFilial piety

Gracious

Humble

Devout Courageous

Hospitable

Spiritual

Gracious

God-fearingPurity

Faith

CompassionateLoyal

Devoted

Modest 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.