God Loves Women
Women’s rights and interests have been one point of concern in society for the past many centuries. Thousands of years ago, in the Greco-Roman world, women were equivalent to chattel. It was not much better in the Middle Kingdom, or in the Middle-Eastern cultures. Mankind has come a long way since. The history of women’s rights is interesting, but that is not what I’m writing about today. Instead, I’m writing this article as a Christian young man with the view of articulating his perception of women, at home and in society. This perspective is created from my limited understanding of the world, its history, and importantly, of God’s purpose for us. If you want to hear a thesis, this is the best I can think of: God loves women.
Indeed, God loves women. At about 30 A.D., in Israel, where women were despised upon and treated as chattel, Jesus, the Son of God incarnate, showed us how God treats and looks at women. Jesus loved them, cared for them, affirmed them, and liberated them when no one else would, when it was a taboo.
In Luke 7:11-15, Jesus was so moved by a widow who lost her only son, that “when the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, ‘Don’t cry.’” Then Jesus raised the son back to life and “gave him back to his mother”. In John 4, Jesus approached a Samaritan woman and spoke to her, revealing his identity to her. It was even recorded in John 4:27 that Jesus’ disciples “were surprised to find him talking with a woman”. Further, in a society that neglected widows, Jesus, while on the cross, compassionately said to his mother, “Dear woman, here is ‘your son,’ and to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’” (John 19:26-27) to entrust her care to his disciple. Surely, Jesus’ love for some of these women compelled them to follow him wherever he went, even supporting him and his disciples “out of their own means”; the Bible specially records their names – Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Susanna (Luke 8:2). Another especial instance was when Jesus healed an infirmed woman, laying his hands on her, a taboo deserving of controversy and condemnation (Luke 13:10-16).
As British writer Dorothy L. Sayers said: “Perhaps it is no wonder that the women were first at the Cradle and last at the Cross. They had never known a man like this Man—there never has been such another. A prophet and teacher who never nagged at them, never flattered or coaxed or patronised: who never made arch jokes about them...who rebuked without querulousness and praised without condescension: who took their questions and arguments seriously.” In short, God loves women.
Christian Laws Favouring Women
God loves women that He would not have them forsaken. In Singapore, the Women’s Charter came about in 1961 and banned polygamous marriages in light of then increasing awareness of women’s rights and interests. This is of course premised on the assumption that the outlawing of polygamy is definitely an advancement of women’s interests. Taking this line, it could be said that Christianity had been in favour of this long before the Women’s Charter. In 1 Timothy 3:2, apostle Paul stated that the overseer of a church must be “the husband of but one wife”. Indeed, God had intended this from the start. In Genesis 2, we read of God’s creation of Adam and Eve, not Adam and Eve, Evelyn and Eva. That is why Genesis 2:24 explains that “for this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.”
Even concerning intestacy laws, the Judeo-Christian tradition has shown its consideration for women. Traditionally, inheritance would only be passed on to sons. this approach reflected the understanding that the males managed the legal titles, while the females simply did not. It was never an issue for them. However, in cases where there were no sons, the Mosaic law of intestacy allowed for women to inherit the estate (Numbers 27). This was impossible in the contrasting Roman law which, as stated earlier, treated women as chattel. In fact, it is with much credit to St. Augustine and Emperor Justinian that Christian principles which favoured women began to infiltrate into the laws of Western civilization and eventually, by virtue of imperialism and colonialism, to the world. Indeed, God never would forsake His daughters.
Christian’s Perception of the Role of Women
There has however been much argument over the role of women. Some schools of feminism adopt the view that women must not be restrained to the home but should be emancipated into the workforce, prying free from their duties as mothers so as to fulfil their ambitions. And on the other end of the spectrum, some fundamental Christians argue that women’s roles should be confined to making babies, and tending to the home. With all due respect, it ought to be said that actually, God is pleased to have women care for her children and family, and also serve in the workplace.
To start off, women are biologically created to bear children. They are specially equipped to do so. Males simply do not have that privilege, no matter how much they want (or do not want), or how far technology advances. One simply cannot expect males to breastfeed babies. And this is God’s unique purpose in creation – not Man’s, not feminists, nor chauvinists. Eve “would become the mother of all the living” (Genesis 3:20), (and thankfully) not Adam.
Yet, that is not to say that women must be confined to baby making and tending to homes. In fact, it is likely that Jesus was financially and materially supported by his women followers. “These women [Mary Magdalene, Joanna and Suzanna] were helping to support them out of their own means.” (Luke 8:3)
Indeed, God is pleased with women who go beyond their duties as mothers and homemakers. Proverbs 31, entitled in the NIV, “Epilogue: The Wife of Noble Character” is a wonderful place to catch a glimpse of how God probably sees the role of a woman (captured through the words of Solomon):
10 A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.
11 Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.
12 She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.
13 She selects wool and flax
and works with eager hands.
14 She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.
15 She gets up while it is still dark;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her servant girls.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.
18 She sees that her trading is profitable,
and her lamp does not go out at night.
19 In her hand she holds the distaff
and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
20 She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.
21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
22 She makes coverings for her bed;
she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is respected at the city gate,
where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them,
and supplies the merchants with sashes.
25 She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.
26 She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27 She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
29 "Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all."
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
31 Give her the reward she has earned,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.
This is one of my favourite passages because it helps me respect women, not despise them. Evidently, God also honours and blesses women in this regard. I know of mothers who do fit this description in the modern day context: God-fearing women who are wonderful caregivers in the home and also excellent workers in the marketplace.
Addressing A Conservative Interpretation of 1 Timothy 5
Some conservative schools have relied on 1 Timothy 5:14 (“So I counsel younger widows to marry, to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander.”) to show that women must be confined to having children and managing their homes. With all due respect, a thorough exegetical approach must be taken to understand these verses in Paul’s epistle to Timothy, in light of its proper context. When the verse is taken out of context, it does indeed seem to state that. But any verse taken out of context is hogwash. Try any random verse; for example, Luke 8:22 – “one day Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Let’s go over to the other side of the lake.’” Does that make sense?
The important point about the particular verse in 1 Timothy is the background to the epistle. In 1 Timothy 1:3, Paul warns against men teaching false doctrines. It appears that a few individuals, perhaps elders, within the congregation have risen to teach such false doctrines (1 Timothy 1:6 7). Yet, what was pressing also was that many people in the church have already turned to follow these charlatans (1 Timothy 1:6). Among these were women and widows, whom the false teachers have exploited as they “worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed women” (2 Timothy 3:6,7). This sad situation was promulgated by the behaviour of the women themselves, “Thus they bring judgment on themselves, because they have broken their first pledge. Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying things they ought not to.” (1 Timothy 5:12,13). As a result of these, “some have in fact already turned away to follow Satan” (1 Timothy 5:15).
Notably, the charlatan teachers had preached to the women and widows from house to house. These women partook in gossiping and being busybody (1 Timothy 5:12,13). Hence, Paul wanted the women to learn sound teachings in quietness and not in such crass, unruly fashion, which seem to suggest them partaking in frivolous chatter rather than learning scriptural teachings. Also, as a result of the false teachings that have been spreading around, these women, having been the vulnerable victims are also now proliferating the teachings of false doctrines.
Taking a quick look at 1 Timothy 5:14 again, “so I counsel younger widows to marry, to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander,” it now seems elucidated that Paul was concerned that the young widows were becoming influenced by the false teachers because of their loneliness and hence, vulnerability. In light of that the last part of the verse “give the enemy no opportunity for slander”, which seems to be the ultimate objective of that counsel, would then become logical, because otherwise, it would be bizarre that marrying and having children would “give the enemy no opportunity for slander”.
The fact of the matter is, Paul’s counsel for widows was mainly to marry so that they would have husbands to care for them, and watch out for them. It does not, however, insist that women must be confined to the homes, because those same widows may very well work eagerly with their hands, like the Wife of Noble Character in Proverbs 31. They are neither contradictory, nor mutually exclusive.
Submission to Husbands
It is commonplace knowledge that the Bible counsels wives to submit to their husbands (Ephesians 5:22). Feminists today seem irked by such a proposition. Again, it is perhaps due to a myopic understanding of that command. In fact, Ephesians 5:22-33 tells us something more profound than that crudely framed proposition.
22 Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church— 30 for we are members of his body. 31 "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." 32 This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
In truth, God desires wives to submit to husbands in the way that we as followers of Christ submit to him, in obedience to God’s will. This is premised on the important other side of the equation: that husbands love their wives just as Christ loves His church. This means that a husband must serve his wife by: (1) giving himself up for her, (2) preparing her to be holy before God, (3) loving her like he loves himself, (4) caring for her (for example, just as Jesus washed the feet of His disciples (John 13)). This is a tall command.
This passage does not command wives to be mute and robotically subservient to husbands. In fact, it describes to us the ideal relationship between a husband and wife – that of respect and love. It does not say that woman cannot say “no”. It does however imply that, if her husband loves and respects his wife, and is in the wise counsel of God, his instructions for her ought to be heeded because it is God’s counsel to her through him.
And in fact, Paul rightly described the institution of marriage as “a profound mystery”, because marriage is actually an earthly parable of the relationship between that of Christ and his Church. This parallelism can be found throughout the Bible, from Song of Songs to Revelation (Chapter 19). More importantly, this high command (in Ephesians 5) from God to men seems to me to say only one thing: God loves women so much that He wants women cared for just as Jesus loves us.
Conclusion
Having contemplated all these perspectives, I find myself wondering why there is so much discontentment today amongst feminist groups etc. I wonder why women today are still being abused and hurt, even after all the fights for rights and lobbying. It dawned on me that perhaps there can only be one reason, the reason why we continue to struggle so hard, struggling in every part of our lives, of society – it is because we live in a broken, imperfect world. The world that God had envisioned beautifully for us has long become plagued with brokenness and hurt, sin and wreckage. I am sorry for all those before us who have committed atrocities, who have denied women the care they deserve, who have mistook God’s Word for their own gains, who have propagated the brokenness further. I am sorry for their wrongs. Accept my apologies on behalf of them. But listen also to the whisper of hope I possess and keep. It is the hope that Jesus whispered to the widow in Luke 7, when “his heart went out to her and he said, ‘Don’t cry.’”
Soli Deo Gloria
Credit goes to Ronald Wong J J, Brother in Christ and NS buddy at HQ MC who wrote this note in facebook.
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