The Role of Women in the Church: Jesus Christ and Women
Pastor Tan Thai · May 1, 2023
This sermon explores how Jesus Christ treated women in the context of Jewish, Greek, and Roman societies that viewed women as inferior. Jesus not only honored women's dignity but also chose them as disciples, witnesses, and messengers of the Gospel, breaking down the social and religious barriers of His time.
The opening section presents the historical context of women's status in New Testament society, when Jewish women were viewed as inferior, denied rights comparable to men, and excluded from worship and learning of God's Word. Greco-Roman culture similarly regarded women as inferior to men, with philosophers like Socrates teaching that being born female was divine punishment. This section clearly illustrates the profound social barriers that women faced in that era.
The second section develops Jesus Christ's attitude and conduct toward women, which stood in stark contrast to tradition. Jesus taught women, spoke publicly with them, including foreign women such as the Samaritan woman (John 4), and called them daughters of Abraham (Luke 13:16), using language of equality with men. Jesus also showed special concern for women marginalized by society, such as those guilty of adultery or possessed by demons. Women followed Jesus as disciples, served Him with their possessions, and were the first witnesses to His resurrection (Matthew 28:9-10, John 20:17-18).
The third section applies the message to real life by identifying specific women in Scripture whom Jesus honored and used. These include five women in Jesus' genealogy (Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba, Mary) and numerous unnamed women such as Simon's mother-in-law, the woman with the bleeding disorder, the poor widow who gave two coins, and the woman who anointed Jesus with perfume. All these cases demonstrate that Jesus perceived the inner worth and faith of women, regardless of their social status or past.
The fourth section emphasizes how the author Luke deliberately arranged stories to place men and women side by side, illustrating that they are equal in honor, grace, and responsibility in God's mission. The conclusion is that only the gospel of grace can break down barriers between men and women, between those considered righteous and sinners, because in God's sight, everyone needs His grace, regardless of who they are.