PATERNOSTER DIGITAL LIBRARY

Woman in the Bible

An Overview of All the

Crucial Passages on Women’s Roles

Mary J. Evans

Copyright © 1983 Mary J. Evans

First published 1983

by Paternoster, PO Box 300, Carlisle, CA3 0QS, UK

This digital edition 2006

Paternoster is an imprint of Authentic Media,

9 Holdom Avenue, Bletchley,

Milton Keynes, MK1 1QR, UK

and

PO Box 1047, Waynesboro,

GA, 3080–2047, USA

The right of Mary J. Evans to be identified as the Author of this Work has been asserted in accordance with Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in an form or by an means, electric, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher or a license permitting restricted copying. In the U.K. such licenses are issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency, 90 Tottenham Court Road, London W1P 9HE

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

a Catalogue record for this book is

available from the British Library

ISBN-13: 978-1-84227-448-4

ISBN-10: 1-84227-448-1

CONTENTS

Foreword

Abbreviations

Introduction

1. OLD TESTAMENT

(1) Old Testament: Doctrine

(a) The Creation Narratives

Genesis 1

Genesis 2

Genesis 3

(b) Elsewhere in the Old Testament

Imagery used to describe God

Freedom from Oppression

Corporate Personality

The Song of Solomon

(2) Old Testament: Practice

Woman in Society and the Family

Woman in the Worship of the Covenant Community

Woman in Office

(3) Old Testament: Conclusion

2. CONTEMPORARY CULTURAL AND RELIGIOUS INFLUENCES

(1) Judaism

(2) Essenes and the Qumran Sect

(3) The Greco—Roman World

(4) Contemporary Influences: Conclusion

3. THE GOSPELS

(1) Gospels: Introduction

(2) Jesus’ Approach to Women

Women as Subjects not Objects

Women in Everyday Life

Women used in Parables

Women as Responsible People

Women as Followers and Disciples

Women in Theological Conversations

(3) Women in the Passion Narratives

(4) The Attitude of the Disciples

(5) The Gospels: Conclusion

(6) Excursus: Mary the Mother of Jesus

4. ACTS AND EPISTLES: DOCTRINAL TEACHING

(1) Paul: Woman in Relation to God

(2) Paul: Woman in relation to man (I)

Introduction

Headship, Authority and Submission

(3) Paul: Woman in Relation to her Husband

1 Corinthians 7

Ephesians 5:21–33

Colossians 3:18–19

1 Thessalonians 4:3–6

1 Timothy 5:14

Titus 2:1–6

Woman in Relation to her Husband: Conclusion

(4) Paul: Woman in Relation to the Church Community

(a) Worship

1 Corinthians 11:2–16

1 Corinthians 14:34–36

1 Timothy 2:8–15

Woman in Worship: Conclusion

(b) Leadership

(5) Paul: Woman in Relation to man (II)

(6) Paul: The Relation of Christian Women to those outside the Christian Community

(7) Other New Testament Doctrinal Teaching

Hebrews 13:4

1 Peter 3:1–7

5. ACTS AND EPISTLES: COMMUNITY PRACTICE

(1) Marriage

(2) Official Ministries

Apostles

Elders and Bishops

Deacons

Teachers

(3) In the General Life of the Churches

The Church at Jerusalem

The Church ...