Reference: Woman
American
Is spoken of in Scripture as the beloved and honored companion and helpmeet, not the servant, of man, Ge 2:23-24, created as the necessary completion of man, Ge 3:16; 1Co 11:3,8-9; 14:34-35; 1Ti 2:11-14, yet specially qualified for that sphere, and as necessary in it as man in his. Man and woman are indeed essentially one, the natural qualities of each so responding to those of the other as to lay the foundation of the most tender and abiding unity. The Bible thus raised the Jewish woman high above the woman of heathenism; and the Old Testament contains some of the finest portraitures of female character. But still greater is the contrast between the women of heathenism and those of Christianity: the former with mind and soul undeveloped, secluded, degraded, the mere toys and slaves of their husbands; the latter educated, refined, ennobled, cheering and blessing the world. Christianity forbids a man to have more than one wife, or to divorce her for any cause but one, Mt 5:32; 19:3-9; declares that bond and free, male and female, are all one in Christ, Ga 3:28; and that in heaven they are no more given in marriage, but are as the angels of God, Mt 22:33. If woman was first in the Fall, she was honored in the exclusive parentage of the Savior of mankind; and women were the truest friends of Christ while on earth. The primal curse falls with heaviest weight on woman; but the larger proportion of women in our churches may indicate that it was the purpose of God to make his grace to man "yet more abound" to her who was the first in sinning and suffering.
In the East, women have always lived in comparative seclusion, not appearing in public unless closely veiled, not mingling in general society, nor seen the men who visit their husbands and brothers, nor even taking their meals with the men of their own family. Their seclusion was less in the rural districts than in towns, and among the Jews than among most to her nations. They were chiefly engaged in domestic duties, Pr 31; among which were grinding flour, baking bread, making cloth, needle work, etc. The poor gleaned the remnants of the harvest; the daughters of he patriarchs joined in tending their fathers' flocks, Ge 29:9; Ex 2:16; and females of all classes were accustomed to draw water for family use, bearing it in earthen pitchers on their shoulders often for a considerable distance, Ge 24:15-20; Joh 7:28.
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but I say unto you, that whosoever shall put away his wife, except on account of whoredom, tempteth her to commit adultery; and if any man marry her that is divorced, he committeth adultery.
And the pharisees came to Him to ensnare Him, and asked Him, whether it was lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? And He answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that He, who made them at first, made them male and female, and said, For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, read more. and be joined to his wife, and they two shall be one flesh: so that they are no longer two, but one flesh. And therefore what God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. They say unto Him, Why then did Moses order a bill of divorce to be given, and so to put her away? He answered them, Moses because of your hardheartedness, permitted you to put away your wives; but it was not so from the beginning: and I tell you, that whosoever putteth away his wife, except for whoredom, and marrieth another, committeth adultery; and he that marrieth her so put away committeth adultery.
And when the people heard this, they were astonished at his doctrine.
Jesus therefore cried out in the temple, teaching and saying, Ye both know me, ye say, and ye know whence I am: now I am not come of myself, but He that sent me is true, whom ye know not.
and there is neither Jew nor Greek, those is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female; for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
For the grace of God, that bringeth salvation, hath appeared to all men; teaching us that denying ungodliness, and worldly desires, we should live soberly, and righteously, and piously in this present world; read more. looking for the blessed hope, and glorious appearance of the great God, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ: who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify to Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
Easton
was "taken out of man" (Ge 2:23), and therefore the man has the preeminence. "The head of the woman is the man;" but yet honour is to be shown to the wife, "as unto the weaker vessel" (1Co 11:3,8-9; 1Pe 3:7). Several women are mentioned in Scripture as having been endowed with prophetic gifts, as Miriam (Ex 15:20), Deborah (Jg 4:4-5), Huldah (2Ki 22:14), Noadiah (Ne 6:14), Anna (Lu 2:36-37), and the daughters of Philip the evangelist (Ac 21:8-9). Women are forbidden to teach publicly (1Co 14:34-35; 1Ti 2:11-12). Among the Hebrews it devolved upon women to prepare the meals for the household (Ge 18:6; 2Sa 13:8), to attend to the work of spinning (Ex 35:26; Pr 31:19), and making clothes (1Sa 2:19; Pr 31:21), to bring water from the well (Ge 24:15; 1Sa 9:11), and to care for the flocks (Ge 29:6; Ex 2:16).
The word "woman," as used in Mt 15:28; Joh 2:4, implies tenderness and courtesy and not disrespect. Only where revelation is known has woman her due place of honour assigned to her.
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Then Jesus answering, said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it therefore unto thee as thou desirest. And her daughter was cured from that very hour.
And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser; who was of a great age, having lived with a husband seven years from her first marrying, and had been a widow about eighty four years; who departed not from the temple; serving God with fastings and prayers night and day.
Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? my time is not yet come.
On the morrow Paul and those that were with him departed from Ptolemais, and came to Cesarea; and entering into the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven deacons, we stayed with him. And he had four daughters virgins, that were prophetesses.
But I would have you know that Christ is the head of every man; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.
For the man was not of the woman; but the woman was taken out of the man: nor was the man created for the sake of the woman, but the woman for the man.
Let your women be silent in your assemblies: for it is not permitted to them to speak, but they are to be in subjection, as the law saith. And if they would learn any thing, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it does not become women to speak in a public assembly.
For the grace of God, that bringeth salvation, hath appeared to all men; teaching us that denying ungodliness, and worldly desires, we should live soberly, and righteously, and piously in this present world;
Hastings
WOMAN
1. In OT ('ishsh
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Ye have heard, that it was said to the ancients, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
And it has been said, whosoever would put away his wife, let him give her a bill of divorce:
And the pharisees came to Him to ensnare Him, and asked Him, whether it was lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?
And behold a woman in the city, that was a sinner, when she knew that He was at table in the pharisee's house,
and some women that had been cured of evil spirits and other infirmities, as Mary Magdalene, out of whom were cast seven demons,
Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? my time is not yet come.
And upon this came his disciples and wondered that He talked with the woman: (though none of them said, What dost thou seek? or, Why dost thou talk with her?)
Jesus therefore seeing his mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, saith to his mother, Woman, behold thy son:
These all persevered with one accord in prayer and supplication with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brethren.
And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all met together with one accord.
and they were all filled with the holy Spirit, and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
"And it shall come to pass in the last days (saith God) that I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy; and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
"And it shall come to pass in the last days (saith God) that I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy; and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
Therefore God gave them up to infamous passions: for even their women changed the natural use into that which is unnatural, and the men likewise, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust to one another, men with men committing shame, and receiving in themselves the recompence of their error which they deserved.
I recommend to you Phebe, our sister, who is a servant of the church in Cenchrea:
I think then, that it is---better on account of the present distress,---that it is better, I say,
But this I say, brethren, that the time is short: it remains therefore, that even those, who have wives, be as though they had none; and they, that weep, as if they wept not; and they, that rejoice, as if they rejoiced not; and they, that buy, as if they possessed not; read more. and they, that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away.
Let your women be silent in your assemblies: for it is not permitted to them to speak, but they are to be in subjection, as the law saith.
and there is neither Jew nor Greek, those is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female; for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord: for the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and the saviour of that body. read more. As the church then is subject to Christ, so also should wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave up Himself for it: to sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that He might prepare it for Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing: but that it should be holy and unblameable. Men ought so to love their wives, as their own bodies: he that loveth his wife, loveth himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord also doth the church: for we are members of his body, as if taken out of his flesh, and of his bones, as Eve was out of Adam's. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined to his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This mystery is great: but I speak concerning Christ and the Church. Nevertheless, let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and let the wife reverence her husband.
I exhort Euodia, and Syntyche to be perfectly united in the Lord.
And their wives likewise grave, not slanderers, sober, and faithful in all things.
Honour widows who are widows indeed.
For of these are they who insinuate themselves into families, and captivate weak women, that are laden with sins,
Morish
It is evident from scripture that women were anciently held in much more honour and esteem in Eastern countries than they are now. Solomon, speaking of women, said that such as his soul sought for he did not find one in a thousand. Ec 7:28. This tells of fallen human nature; but the true thought of woman is that she is the glory of the man, his true helpmeet. This is fulfilled in the relationship of the church to Christ.
In the N.T. the true place of the woman in subjection to the man is plainly stated, as indicated in creation; and in the assembly the woman is to be silent, and not to teach. Her bearing and deportment are expressive of what she learns as taught of Christ. 1Co 11:3-15; 14:34-35; 1Ti 2:11. 12. Nevertheless women were greatly honoured in ministering to the Lord, and are accredited as helping on the work of the Lord in the gospel and among the saints. Lu 8:2-3; 23:27,55-56; 6/1/type/worsley'>Ro 16:1,3,6; Php 4:2-3; 2Jo 1:10.
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and some women that had been cured of evil spirits and other infirmities, as Mary Magdalene, out of whom were cast seven demons, and Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, who assisted Him with their substance.
And there followed Him a great multitude of people, and of women, who also bewailed and lamented Him: but Jesus turning to them said,
wherefore the women, that came with Him from Galilee, followed Joseph, and saw the sepulchre, and how the body was laid: but returned and prepared spices and perfumes; and then rested on the sabbath-day, according to the commandment.
I recommend to you Phebe, our sister, who is a servant of the church in Cenchrea:
Salute Priscilla and Aquila my fellow-laborers in Christ Jesus:
But I would have you know that Christ is the head of every man; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. Every man praying or prophesying, having a veil on his head, dishonoureth Him who is his head. read more. But every woman praying or prophesying with her head unveiled dishonoureth man her head; for it is even all one as if she were shaved. For if a woman be not covered, she may as well be shorn: but if it be shameful to a woman to be shorn or shaved, let her be covered. For a man indeed ought not to have his head covered, he being the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man. For the man was not of the woman; but the woman was taken out of the man: nor was the man created for the sake of the woman, but the woman for the man. For this reason ought the woman to have power on her head, because of the angels. Nevertheless, neither is the man without the woman, nor the woman without the man, in the Lord. For as the woman was originally from the man, so also is the man by the woman: but all things are from God. Judge in yourselves, Is it decent for a woman to pray to God uncovered? Doth not even nature itself teach you, that if a man have long hair, it is a disgrace to him? but if a woman have long hair it is a glory to her; because the hair was given her as for a veil.
Let your women be silent in your assemblies: for it is not permitted to them to speak, but they are to be in subjection, as the law saith. And if they would learn any thing, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it does not become women to speak in a public assembly.
I exhort Euodia, and Syntyche to be perfectly united in the Lord. And I entreat thee likewise, my faithful collegue, to assist them, for they laboured with me in the gospel, and Clement also, and my other fellow-laborers, whose names are in the book of life.
For the grace of God, that bringeth salvation, hath appeared to all men;