It’s been claimed that Jesus was the “first feminist”. Indeed Jesus, in His teaching, provided a lot of
the justification toward the movement for equality that before had been
largely unseen. Jesus broke down a lot
of barriers that were caused by racism and by misogyny. It was
especially His treatment of women as if they were equals which caused some
Pharisees and religious leaders of the day to despise Him. It was revolutionary thinking. It’s hard for us to really appreciate that
today.
Back then women weren’t seen as having any legal rights, and women were not allowed to bear witness in a court of law. They were not allowed to participate in public prayers or to even petition God themselves, as the man of the household – either their son or husband – would do that. These attitudes to women weren’t based on the word of God, but the traditions of men. Sometimes they were thought of more as sex slaves who would leave their family to be married or to join a harem. Men in Palestine would be allowed several wives yet women were not allowed to divorce their husbands.
Men had all the rights in marriage, yet Jesus completely taught a contradictory viewpoint to this. He rejected polygamy and easy dismissal of one’s wife by insisting on monogamy and speaking up about the malpractice of taking divorce lightly and using it in an abusive way. It was completely counter-cultural and uplifted the dignity of women. He also challenged women’s roles in the instance of Mary and Martha. He rejected the stereotype that "a woman's place is in the kitchen" when he commended Mary for choosing the role of the "intellectual" instead of a homemaker.
Jesus didn’t exclude women, he spoke to the Samaritan woman breaking down the cultural and sexist boundaries and it was her testimony that led to many others from her town believing in Him. He wanted women to tell the good news too, just as much as men. The extraordinary thing is how God chose women – the despised of society – to be the first witnesses of Jesus’ resurrection. Even when legally their testimony wouldn’t hold up, it was women who first viewed the empty tomb and witnessed Jesus in His full glory as Messiah.
Instead of the misogynous representations of God, Jesus told a parable of the woman who found the lost coin (Luke 15:8), where God was projected in the image of woman! That goes hand and hand with the two other parables where God is projected as the shepherd (the lost sheep parable) and the father (the prodigal son parable). In some instances the Holy Spirit has been associated with a feminine character. The Syrian Didascalia states: "The Deaconess however should be honored by you as the lineage of the Holy Spirit."
Paul took the teachings of Jesus on women to their logical conclusions and encouraged the role of women in the churches he was planting. He had women ministering, Priscilla was teaching Apollos, and there was more opportunity than ever before to have women accepted as equals among men. As Paul wrote: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28).
We never would have progressed with gender equality if it had not been for the spread of Christianity and that is largely due to the very words of Jesus as recorded in the Bible. Even today, you can tell the contrast between societies with a Christian basis (like those in the Western countries) and societies that have an Islamic basis who have less freedom and rights for women. It’s not because these societies have progressed less and are further “behind”, but because without the teachings of Jesus there would be no reason for women to be seen as equals.
Feminism actually makes little sense in an evolutionary worldview. Sadism makes much more sense based on the “survival of the fittest” mentality. The reason why it makes more sense is that if “nature” made man stronger than woman then (as Marquis de Sade suggested) “what is, is right”. Therefore man should, based on the very standard of nature, be able to do whatever he wants to women. Yet we know that Sadism is wrong, despite how much it complements the Theory of Evolution.
You must be inconsistent if you are an evolutionist in supporting feminism and rights for weaker people (like babies and the elderly). Christianity provides a basis for rights for all people because all are created in the image of God and deserve to be protected and given the chance to live, not for themselves, but for God and for others.
Back then women weren’t seen as having any legal rights, and women were not allowed to bear witness in a court of law. They were not allowed to participate in public prayers or to even petition God themselves, as the man of the household – either their son or husband – would do that. These attitudes to women weren’t based on the word of God, but the traditions of men. Sometimes they were thought of more as sex slaves who would leave their family to be married or to join a harem. Men in Palestine would be allowed several wives yet women were not allowed to divorce their husbands.
Men had all the rights in marriage, yet Jesus completely taught a contradictory viewpoint to this. He rejected polygamy and easy dismissal of one’s wife by insisting on monogamy and speaking up about the malpractice of taking divorce lightly and using it in an abusive way. It was completely counter-cultural and uplifted the dignity of women. He also challenged women’s roles in the instance of Mary and Martha. He rejected the stereotype that "a woman's place is in the kitchen" when he commended Mary for choosing the role of the "intellectual" instead of a homemaker.
Jesus didn’t exclude women, he spoke to the Samaritan woman breaking down the cultural and sexist boundaries and it was her testimony that led to many others from her town believing in Him. He wanted women to tell the good news too, just as much as men. The extraordinary thing is how God chose women – the despised of society – to be the first witnesses of Jesus’ resurrection. Even when legally their testimony wouldn’t hold up, it was women who first viewed the empty tomb and witnessed Jesus in His full glory as Messiah.
Instead of the misogynous representations of God, Jesus told a parable of the woman who found the lost coin (Luke 15:8), where God was projected in the image of woman! That goes hand and hand with the two other parables where God is projected as the shepherd (the lost sheep parable) and the father (the prodigal son parable). In some instances the Holy Spirit has been associated with a feminine character. The Syrian Didascalia states: "The Deaconess however should be honored by you as the lineage of the Holy Spirit."
Paul took the teachings of Jesus on women to their logical conclusions and encouraged the role of women in the churches he was planting. He had women ministering, Priscilla was teaching Apollos, and there was more opportunity than ever before to have women accepted as equals among men. As Paul wrote: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28).
We never would have progressed with gender equality if it had not been for the spread of Christianity and that is largely due to the very words of Jesus as recorded in the Bible. Even today, you can tell the contrast between societies with a Christian basis (like those in the Western countries) and societies that have an Islamic basis who have less freedom and rights for women. It’s not because these societies have progressed less and are further “behind”, but because without the teachings of Jesus there would be no reason for women to be seen as equals.
Feminism actually makes little sense in an evolutionary worldview. Sadism makes much more sense based on the “survival of the fittest” mentality. The reason why it makes more sense is that if “nature” made man stronger than woman then (as Marquis de Sade suggested) “what is, is right”. Therefore man should, based on the very standard of nature, be able to do whatever he wants to women. Yet we know that Sadism is wrong, despite how much it complements the Theory of Evolution.
You must be inconsistent if you are an evolutionist in supporting feminism and rights for weaker people (like babies and the elderly). Christianity provides a basis for rights for all people because all are created in the image of God and deserve to be protected and given the chance to live, not for themselves, but for God and for others.
