Second-Class Citizens?
There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free
nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
(Galatians 3:28 NIV)
An issue I am often questioned about is how God views women. A self-proclaimed feminist told me one day that the Bible treated women as second-class citizens. She had not read the Bible but wasn’t going to confuse the issue with any facts. Her entire opinion was based on hearsay and what she thought the Bible said
I pointed out one of the unique features of the Bible is the way it exalts women. Starting in Genesis, God states men and women both bear the stamp of His image, and stories are woven throughout the Bible of women playing prominent roles in Biblical narratives. Pagan religions debased women. Christianity lifted them up. God places women right next to men because both sexes bear His image.
The conversation started with this woman’s take on Paul, who she designated as a misogynist. I pointed her to Paul's writing in the verse above where he makes it very clear that we are all one in Christ.
Further proof that Paul had great respect for women, and that women are always uplifted wherever the gospel is preached, is in Acts 16:11-15. These verses describe his travel to Macedonia and how he went to the riverside to talk with the women who customarily met there to pray. The Holy Spirit was already at work preparing the heart of one woman, Lydia, who would become an integral part of Paul’s ministry.
Lydia was a successful businesswoman. In Acts 16, she is described as a “seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira.” She evidently had a deep hunger for God because she met with other women each day on the banks of the river to talk about the things of God. She became Paul’s first European convert and she used her wealth to assist Paul in spreading the gospel. She was generous in her hospitality, opening her home to Christian believers. Paul also refers to women as fellow workers in the Epistles (Romans 16).
Then I gave my feminist friend what I personally believe is the ultimate proof of how God sees women. The pivotal moment in history that changed the world forever, the event the entire concept of Christianity hangs on, is the resurrection, and women were an essential part in the telling of this good news.
When Christ rose from the dead, the first people He appeared to were women. If the apostles had wanted to fabricate the story that Jesus had risen from the dead, the last people they would have used as the first witnesses would have been women. In the Hebrew culture of those days, women were second-class citizens. They were totally subject to their husbands, they were not allowed to give testimony in a court of law, and, in many cases, not treated much better than farm animals. But Jesus trusted the witness of His first appearance to the women. All four gospel writers confirm this.
Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb; So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word (Matthew 28:1; 8 NKJV).
Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons (Mark 16:9 NKJV).
Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus; Then they returned from the tomb and told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them, who told these things to the apostles (Luke 24:1-3; 9-10 NKJV).
Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb; Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary! (John 20:1; 14-16 NKJV).
This issue of women being second-class citizens came up a second time a few days later. A male co-worker took a mutual friend to church and proceeded to tell her the Bible states women are subject to men. He thought he was safe in saying this because he knew she didn’t know much scripture. However, he did not expect her to come pounding into my office to ask for clarity on the subject. With great joy, I not only rolled him under the bus, I personally drove it over him.
I showed her Ephesians 5:22-33 and pointed out the following:
It does not say women must submit to ALL men, just to their husbands.
Submission does not mean servitude and obeying a husband’s every command and whim. It is all about order. God is no respecter of persons, but in matters of role and function He has made distinctions. The best example of role and function is probably the armed forces. Without rank, it would be chaos. A colonel in the army is not necessarily a better person than the private he is commanding, but for the system to work there must be order.
The Bible makes clear husbands are to love their wives the way Christ loves His church. If my husband is going to love me and treat me the way Christ loves and treats His church, I am quite happy to be subject to him.
She was delighted with the clarification and marched off to find him. He was hiding under his desk, which I had noticed, but having already thrown him under the bus, I decided to show some mercy and not point this out to the avenging angel searching for him. Although, this should teach him not to mess about with the Word.
