Jesus and the Women in the New Testament Jesus was coming, she went to meet him; but
Jesus was coming, she went to meet him; but Mary sat2 at home. 21 Martha said to Jesus, "Lord,
Inspired by Chapter Five of Mulieris Dignitatem
2008 Version
INTRODUCTION
- The objective is to look at Jesus.
- Classifications are not absolute.
- Rocio, Christology
- 1988, MD: “Christ fully reveals man to himself: “Cannot the
"message" of Christ … say much to the Church and to humanity about
the dignity of women and their vocation? JPII suggests approaching
the Letter with a “character of a meditation”.
- 1995, Letter to Women: “It is only through the duality of the ‘masculine”
and the ‘feminine” that the ‘human” finds full realization”.
CONCRETE COMPASSION
1. The Widow of Nain (Luke 7.11-15)
5 “Soon afterward he journeyed to a city called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd
accompanied him. 12 As he drew near to the gate of the city, a man who had died was being
carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. A large crowd from the city was
with her. 13 When the Lord saw her, he was moved with pity for her and said to her, "Do not
weep." 14 He stepped forward1 and touched the coffin; at this the bearers halted, and he said,
"Young man, I tell you, arise!" 15 The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him
to his mother.
2. Peter’s Mother-in-law (Mark 1.29-31)
“On leaving the synagogue he entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John. 30
Simon's mother-in-law lay sick with a fever. They immediately told him about her. 31 He
approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up. Then the fever left her and she waited on
them.”
3. Martha and Mary (John 11)
17 When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. 18
Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, only about two miles away. 19 And many of the Jews had
come to Martha and Mary to comfort them about their brother. 20 When Martha heard that
1 Initiative
Jesus and the Women in the New Testament. Joyce Martin. Rome 2009. Teacher’s copy.
if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 (But) even now I know that whatever
you ask of God, God will give you." 23 Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise." 24 Martha said
to him, "I know he will rise, in the resurrection on the last day." 25 Jesus told her, "I am the
resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, 26 and everyone who
lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" 27 She said to him, "Yes, Lord. I
have come to believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the
world." 28 When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary secretly, saying, "The
teacher is here and is asking for you." 29 As soon as she heard this, she rose quickly3 and went to
him. 30 For Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still where Martha had met him. 31
So when the Jews who were with her in the house comforting her saw Mary get up quickly and
go out, they followed her, presuming that she was going to the tomb to weep there. 32 When
Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said to him, "Lord, if you had
been here, my brother would not have died." 33 When Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews who
had come with her weeping, he became perturbed and deeply troubled, 34 and said, "Where have
you laid him?" They said to him, "Sir, come and see." 35 And Jesus wept. 36 So the Jews said,
"See how he loved him." 37 But some of them said, "Could not the one who opened the eyes of
the blind man have done something so that this man would not have died?" 38 So Jesus,
perturbed again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay across it. 39 Jesus said, "Take
away the stone." Martha, the dead man's sister, said to him, "Lord, by now there will be a stench;
he has been dead for four days." 40 Jesus said to her, "Did I not tell you that if you believe you
will see the glory of God?" 41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus raised his eyes and said,
"Father, I thank you for hearing me. 42 I know that you always hear me; but because of the
crowd here I have said this, that they may believe that you sent me." 43 And when he had said
this, he cried out in a loud voice, 9 "Lazarus, come out!" 44 The dead man came out, tied hand
and foot with burial bands, and his face was wrapped in a cloth. So Jesus said to them, "Untie
him and let him go."
DEFENDER/ WOMAN AS AN EXAMPLE TO OTHERS
4. The widow (‘s coin) (Mark 12.41-44)
41 He sat down opposite the treasury and observed4 how the crowd put money into the treasury.
Many rich people put in large sums. 42 A poor widow also came and put in two small coins
worth a few cents. 43 Calling his disciples to himself, he said to them, "Amen, I say to you, this
poor widow put in more than all the other contributors to the treasury. 44 For they have all
2
Compare with # 11 or John 10 :39.
3 Jesus’ reaction is linked with Mary’s response. She does not “only sit down” but
actually, Mary knows when to act: when the Master is there for wherever your treasure
is, there your heart will lie. Her actions bear more fruit towards Jesus and the Jews
because her actions are linked to the will of God. At times we “act” too much without
much fruit. Efficiency vs. fruitfulness. Also: it the prayer of a Spouse; Jesus is a
gentleman who cannot resist the tears of His Bride: the prayer of intercession, as Mary
at Cana. We can “move” Jesus, as He can be surprised by the great faith of some
(Centurion) or the lack of faith of some (Nazareth) or weep over Jerusalem.
4 Bienveillance (benevolence?) vs. surveillance
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contributed from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty5, has contributed all she had,
her whole livelihood."
5. The woman who bathes Jesus' feet (Luke 7.36-49) (Mark 14.3-9)6
Luke 7.36-49
“A Pharisee invited him to dine with him, and he entered the Pharisee's house and reclined at
table. 37 Now there was a sinful woman in the city who learned that he was at table in the house
of the Pharisee. Bringing an alabaster flask of ointment, 38 she stood behind him at his feet
weeping and began to bathe his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed
them, and anointed them with the ointment. 39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this
he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would know who and what sort of woman
this is who is touching him, that she is a sinner." 40 Jesus said to him in reply, "Simon, I have
something to say to you." "Tell me, teacher," he said. 41 "Two people were in debt to a certain
creditor; one owed five hundred days' wages and the other owed fifty. 42 Since they were unable
to repay the debt, he forgave it for both. Which of them will love him more?" 43 Simon said in
reply, "The one, I suppose, whose larger debt was forgiven." He said to him, "You have judged
rightly." 44 Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? When I
entered your house, you did not give me water for my feet, but she has bathed them with her
tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You did not give me a kiss, but she has not ceased kissing
my feet since the time I entered. 46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she anointed my
feet with ointment. 47 So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; hence, she has shown
great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little." 48 He said to her, "Your sins are
forgiven." 49 The others at table said to themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?" 50
But he said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."
Mark 14.3-9 (see also John 12.1-11)
“When he was in Bethany reclining at table in the house of Simon the leper, a woman came with
an alabaster jar of perfumed oil, costly genuine spikenard. She broke the alabaster jar and poured
it on his head. 4 There were some who were indignant. "Why has there been this waste of
perfumed oil? 5 It could have been sold for more than three hundred days' wages and the money
given to the poor." They were infuriated with her. 6 Jesus said "Let her alone. Why do you make
trouble for her? She has done a good thing for me. 7 The poor you will always have with you,
and whenever you wish you can do good to them, but you will not always have me. 8 She has
done what she could. She has anticipated anointing my body for burial. 9 Amen, I say to you,
wherever the gospel is proclaimed to the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory
of her." 7
5 Jesus is used to being poor, from Bethlehem to Calvary. He is the least in the
Kingdom of Heaven. We are bothered being poor, He is not. Let us not be afraid of
giving from our poverty.
6 Imagine the scene!
7 Remark the mission of the woman linked to the Body of Jesus. Remark also the huge
desire of the woman to be “healed” because of the great risk she had to pay (being
ridiculed) and the even greater desire of God’s mercy, surpassing all that she desired.
Jesus and the Women in the New Testament. Joyce Martin. Rome 2009. Teacher’s copy.
6. The adulterous woman (John 8:3-11)
Then the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery and made
her stand in the middle8. 4 They said to him, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of
committing adultery. 5 Now in the law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do
you say?" 6 They said this to test him9, so that they could have some charge to bring against him.
Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with his finger. 7 But when they continued10
asking him, he straightened up and said to them, "Let the one among you who is without sin be
the first to throw a stone at her." 8 Again he bent down and wrote on the ground11. 9 And in
response, they went away one by one, beginning with the elders. So he was left alone with the
woman before him. 10 Then Jesus straightened up and said to her, "Woman, where are they?
Has no one condemned you?12" 11 She replied, "No one, sir." Then Jesus said, "Neither do I
condemn you. Go, (and) from now on do not sin any more."
REVEALER OF GENEROSITY
7. The Samaritan woman (John 4)
So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of land that Jacob had given to his
son Joseph. 6 Jacob's well was there13. Jesus, tired from his journey, sat down there at the well. It
was about noon. 7 A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give me a
drink."14 8 His disciples had gone into the town to buy food. 9 The Samaritan woman said to
him, "How can you, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?" (For Jews use nothing in
common with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew the gift of God and
who is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him and he would have given you
living water." 11 (The woman) said to him, "Sir, you do not even have a bucket and the cistern is
deep; where then can you get this living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob, who
gave us this cistern and drank from it himself with his children and his flocks?" 13 Jesus
answered and said to her, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again; 14 but whoever
drinks the water I shall give will never thirst; the water I shall give will become in him a spring of
water welling up to eternal life." 15 The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water, so that I
8 Like the widow and the alabaster woman.
9 They really don’t care about the woman but they were using the woman to test Him.
On the contrary, Jesus uses the examples of women to make a teaching towards his
disciples.
10 Notice the violence in this text.
11 A “new” 10 Commandments?
12 The delicateness (?) of Jesus! He simplifies everything so that she does not have to
re-justify herself or other before him; so that she should only say “no one”. Lesson on
conversion and trying to convert someone: Jesus does not convert someone in a
violent way and does not impose on him his own pace. Who am I not to be merciful to
others?
13
Spousal echo of Jacob and Rachel.
14
When you go out on a mission, do not carry bag, or sandals, or tunic …. Mission
preparation actually involves losing and detachment. Jesus starts evangelizing the
woman by needing her: “I thirst”.
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may not be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water." 16 Jesus said to her, "Go call
your husband and come back15." 17 The woman answered and said to him, "I do not have a
husband." Jesus answered her, "You are right in saying, 'I do not have a husband.' 18
For you have had five husbands, and the one you have now is not your husband. What you have
said is true." 19 The woman said to him, "Sir, I can see that you are a prophet. 20 Our ancestors
worshiped on this mountain; but you people say that the place to worship is in Jerusalem." 21
Jesus said to her, "Believe me, woman, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father
neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You people worship what you do not understand;
we worship what we understand, because salvation is from the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming,
and is now here, when true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth; and indeed the
Father seeks such people to worship him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship him must
worship in Spirit and truth." 25 The woman said to him, "I know that the Messiah is coming, the
one called the Anointed; when he comes, he will tell us everything." 26 Jesus said to her, "I am
he, the one who is speaking with you." 27 At that moment his disciples returned, and were
amazed that he was talking with a woman, but still no one said, "What are you looking for?" or
"Why are you talking with her?" 28 The woman left her water jar16 and went into the town and
said to the people, 29 "Come see a man who told me everything I have done. Could he possibly
be the Messiah?" 30 They went out of the town and came to him. … 39 Many of the Samaritans
of that town began to believe in him because of the word of the woman17 who testified, "He told
me everything I have done." 40 When the Samaritans came to him, they invited him to stay with
them; and he stayed there two days. 41 Many more began to believe in him because of his word,
42 and they said to the woman, "We no longer believe because of your word; for we have heard
for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the savior of the world."
REVEALER OF FAITH
8. The woman who was bleeding (Mark 5.25-34)
“There was a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years. 26 She had suffered greatly at
the hands of many doctors and had spent all that she had. Yet she was not helped but only grew
worse. 27 She had heard about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his
cloak. 28 She said, "If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured." 29 Immediately her flow of
blood dried up. She felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction. 30 Jesus, aware at once
that power had gone out from him, turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who has touched
my clothes?" 31 But his disciples said to him, "You see how the crowd is pressing upon you, and
yet you ask, 'Who touched18 me?'" 32 And he looked around to see who had done it. 33 The
woman, realizing what had happened to her, approached in fear and trembling. She fell down
15 The dialogue before this is in two different levels: while Jesus refers to himself as the
Living Water, the woman only sees the earthly water. From this point on, Jesus goes at
the same level with her, thus the strange break in the theme: from water, we go to the
theme of her husband! Capacity of Jesus to tell us the full weight of the truth without
crushing us: “Love and truth will meet; justice and peace will kiss” (Ps 85).
16 It reminds me of the blind man who left his cloak to call onto Jesus.
17 She became a missionary.
18 Touch: like popular faith, yet God sees their hearts. She reminds us of the Centurion.
Jesus and the Women in the New Testament. Joyce Martin. Rome 2009. Teacher’s copy.
before Jesus and told him the whole truth19. 34 He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has saved
you. Go in peace and be cured of your affliction."
9 The Canaanite’s daughter (Mark 7.24-30)20
“From that place he went off to the district of Tyre. He entered a house and wanted no one to
know about it, but he could not escape notice. 25 Soon a woman whose daughter had an unclean
spirit heard about him. She came and fell at his feet. 26 The woman was a Greek, a
Syrophoenician by birth, and she begged him to drive the demon out of her daughter. 27 He said
to her, "Let the children be fed first. For it is not right to take the food of the children and throw
it to the dogs." 28 She replied and said to him, "Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the
children's scraps." 29 Then he said to her, "For saying this, you may go. The demon has gone out
of your daughter." 30 When the woman went home, she found the child lying in bed and the
demon gone.”
10 Zebedee’s sons’ mother (Matthew 20.20-23)
20 “Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee approached him with her sons and did him
homage, wishing to ask him for something. 21 He said to her, "What do you wish?" She
answered him, "Command that these two sons of mine sit, one at your right and the other at
your left, in your kingdom." 22 Jesus said in reply, "You do not know what you are asking. Can
you drink the cup that I am going to drink?" They said to him, "We can." 23 He replied, "My cup
you will indeed drink, but to sit at my right and at my left (this) is not mine to give but is for
those for whom it has been prepared by my Father."
KNOWS THEM BY NAME
11. Martha and Mary
Luke 10.38-41
“As they continued their journey he entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha
welcomed him. 39 She had a sister named Mary (who) sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to
him speak.21 40 Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, "Lord, do you not
care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me." 41 The Lord
said to her in reply, "Martha, Martha22, you are anxious and worried about many things. 42 There
is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her."
19 In the end, Jesus wanted her to go from a “superficial” (superstitious?) faith to
knowing Him in the “whole truth”.
20 Jesus is conscious of his mission but is astonished at the woman’s great faith, like
with the Centurion.
21 The position of listening and prayer. For St. Luke, the position of the disciple (p.
215, Quesson). Contemplation is not laziness and action is not agitation. The ideal is:
“those who listen to the Word and put it into practice”.
22 Like, “Mary!” in the Resurrection scene.
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12. Mary Magdalene (John 20.11-18)23
“On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it
was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb. 2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter
and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, "They have taken the Lord from the
tomb, and we don't know where they put him."
“But Mary stayed outside the tomb weeping24. And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb 12
and saw two angels in white sitting there, one at the head and one at the feet where the body of
Jesus had been. 13 And they said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them,
"They have taken my Lord, and I don't know where they laid him." 14 When she had said this,
she turned around and saw Jesus there, but did not know it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her,
"Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?" She thought it was the gardener
and said to him, "Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you laid him, and I will take him." 16
Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to him in Hebrew, "Rabbouni," which means
Teacher. 17 Jesus said to her "Stop holding on to me, 10 for I have not yet ascended to the
Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, 'I am going to my Father and your Father, to my
God and your God.'" 18 Mary of Magdala went and announced to the disciples, "I have seen the
Lord," and what he told her.”
RESPECTFUL
13. Women of Jerusalem (Luke 23)
A large crowd of people followed Jesus, including many women who mourned and lamented
him. Jesus turned to them and said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep instead
for yourselves and for your children.
JESUS WHO WAS “CLOSE” TO WOMEN
14. Elizabeth (Luke 1.40-45)
“… She entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary's
greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, 42 cried out in
a loud voice and said, "Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your
womb. 43 And how does this happen to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44
For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped
for joy. 45 Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be
fulfilled.”
23 It was a woman who first saw Him. Like the Samaritan, she became a missionary in
the end. Vocation of the woman towards the Body of Christ. Just as Martha was
blinded by her work, Mary is blinded to the presence of Jesus because of her sorrow.
24 Spousal prayer of intercession like Mary of Bethany. Jesus saw her before going to
His father: “That is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife”
Gen. 2:24. But now she does not need to cling onto Him because “I am going to my
Father and your Father”.
Jesus and the Women in the New Testament. Joyce Martin. Rome 2009. Teacher’s copy.
15. Anna the Prophet (Luke 2.36-38)
“There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was
advanced in years, having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage, 37 and then as a
widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day with
fasting and prayer. 38 And coming forward at that very time, she gave thanks to God and spoke
about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.”
16. The women disciples (Luke 8.1-3)
“Afterward he journeyed from one town and village to another, preaching and proclaiming the
good news of the kingdom of God. Accompanying him were the Twelve 2 and some women
who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven
demons had gone out, 3 Joanna, the wife of Herod's steward Chuza, Susanna, and many others
who provided for them out of their resources.”
17. Women at the foot of the cross (John 19:25)
Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas,
and Mary of Magdala. 26 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he
said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your son." 27 Then he said to the disciple, "Behold, your
mother." And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.
18. The Virgin Mary (Luke 1.27 and all over)
In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,
27 to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin's name
was Mary. 28 And coming to her, he said, "Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you." 29 But she
was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. 30 Then
the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 Behold,
you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. 32 He will be
great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of
David his father, 33 and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there
will be no end." 34 But Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I have no relations with a
man?" 35 And the angel said to her in reply, "The holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power
of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the
Son of God. 36
And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth
month for her who was called barren; 37 for nothing will be impossible for God." 38 Mary said,
"Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word." Then
the angel departed from her.
Luke 2
And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David
that is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, 5 to be enrolled with
Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6 While they were there, the time came for her to have
her child, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and
laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. 8 Now there were
shepherds in that region living in the fields and keeping the night watch over their flock. 9 The
angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were
struck with great fear. 10 The angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to
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you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For today in the city of David a
savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you
will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger." 13 And suddenly there
was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: 14 "Glory to God
in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests." 15 When the angels went
away from them to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go, then, to Bethlehem to
see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us." 16 So they went in
haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger. 17 When they saw this,
they made known the message that had been told them about this child. 18 All who heard it were
amazed by what had been told them by the shepherds. 19 And Mary kept all these things,
reflecting on them in her heart. 20 Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for
all they had heard and seen, just as it had been told to them. 21 When eight days were completed
for his circumcision, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel before he was
conceived in the womb. 22
When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, they took
him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, 23 just as it is written in the law of the Lord,
"Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord," 24 and to offer the sacrifice
of "a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons," in accordance with the dictate in the law of the
Lord. 25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous
and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 It had been
revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Messiah
of the Lord. 27 He came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child
Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to him, 28 he took him into his arms and
blessed God, saying: 29 "Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your
word, 30 for my eyes have seen your salvation, 31 which you prepared in sight of all the peoples,
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel." 33 The child's father
and mother were amazed at what was said about him; 34 and Simeon blessed them and said to
Mary his mother, "Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a
sign that will be contradicted 35 (and you yourself a sword will pierce) so that the thoughts of
many hearts may be revealed." 36 There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel,
of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived seven years with her husband after
her marriage, 37 and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple, but
worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer. 38 And coming forward at that very time, she
gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of
Jerusalem. 39 When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord, they returned
to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. 40 The child grew and became strong, filled with
wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him. 41
Each year his parents went to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, 42 and when he was twelve
years old, they went up according to festival custom. 43 After they had completed its days, as
they were returning, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it.
44 Thinking that he was in the caravan, they journeyed for a day and looked for him among their
relatives and acquaintances, 45 but not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem to look for him.
46 After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to
them and asking them questions, 47 and all who heard him were astounded at his understanding
and his answers. 48 When his parents saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him,
"Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great
Jesus and the Women in the New Testament. Joyce Martin. Rome 2009. Teacher’s copy.
anxiety." 49 And he said to them, "Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must
be in my Father's house?" 50
But they did not understand what he said to them. 51 He went down with them and came to
Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart. 52
And Jesus advanced (in) wisdom and age and favor before God and man.
John 2
On the third day there was a wedding in Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2
Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine ran short, the mother
of Jesus said to him, "They have no wine." 4 (And) Jesus said to her, "Woman, how does your
concern affect me? My hour has not yet come." 5 His mother said to the servers, "Do whatever
he tells you." 6 Now there were six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial washings, each
holding twenty to thirty gallons. 7 Jesus told them, "Fill the jars with water." So they filled them
to the brim. 8 Then he told them, "Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter." So they
took it. 9 And when the headwaiter tasted the water that had become wine, without knowing
where it came from (although the servers who had drawn the water knew), the headwaiter called
the bridegroom 10 and said to him, "Everyone serves good wine first, and then when people
have drunk freely, an inferior one; but you have kept the good wine until now." 11 Jesus did this
as the beginning of his signs in Cana in Galilee and so revealed his glory, and his disciples began
to believe in him.
John 19
Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas,
and Mary of Magdala. 26 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he
said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your son." 27 Then he said to the disciple, "Behold, your
mother." And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.
19. Pilate’s wife (Matthew 27.19)
“While he was still seated on the bench, his wife sent him a message, "Have nothing to do with
that righteous man. I suffered much in a dream today because of him.”
SPOUSAL FIGURES
Mary at Cana
Mary of Bethany (Lazarus’ death)
Mary Magdalene at the tomb
"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, (then) I will enter his house
and dine with him, and he with me.” Rev. 3.20.
Possible questions:
1) In this teaching, what have I discovered about Christ?
2) What passage has struck me and why?
3) What have I learnt about the dignity / vocation of the woman?
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CONCLUSION
- All “types” of women can come to Jesus: widows, close friends, sinful
women, sick women, excluded women....
- In Chapter VIII. The Greatest of this is Love, of MD, JP II speaks
about the woman’s mission: “A woman's dignity is closely connected
with the love which she receives by the very reason of her femininity; it
is likewise connected with the love which she gives in
return….Woman can only hand herself by giving love to others25.
- “When a particular mission is confided to some persons, and these
persons fail to respond to its demands, it creates a grater metaphysical
disharmony than when the same failure is to be found in someone who
has not received this special calling.26”
- “The whole tragedy of contemporary feminism [according to
Ratzinger] …. Is a loss of the sense of the supernatural.” Von
Hildebrand. P. 30 + JPII: “Sentinelles de l’invisible”.
25 “an essential manner the question of women's dignity, and, subsequently, also the question of
their vocation: the dignity of women is measured by the order of love, unless we refer to this order and
primacy we cannot give a complete and adequate answer to the question about women's
dignity and vocation….”
26The Privilege of Being a Woman, Von Hildebrand, p. 84
Jesus and the Women in the New Testament. Joyce Martin. Rome 2009. Teacher’s copy.
APPENDIX
JESUS DE NAZARETH, MARIE ET LES FEMMES DANS L’EVANGILE
ET DANS LES PREMIERES COMMUNAUTES
Hanna Barbara Gerl-Falkovitz
Professeur de Philosophie et Religion à Dresde
1) Two historical introductions on the anthropology of Christ
Judaism and Christianity: mother and erotic subject, fertility and beauty. Woman is
powerful as seen as the generic bearer of life: old image of woman in the East. Man is
defined with “outside” activities as father and patriarch. He is the Subject, woman is
object; father is an Owner; he is the religious leader in philosophy, arts, anthropology…
until now, the universities have men. In most languages, there is no third word like
Mensch in German. Judaism has changed this. Gen 1, 26 ff. There was a time when
putting a sex on God was blasphemy. But in contrast, Genesis shows that both sexes
have an originally divine quality.
Main task of Jewish mothers was motherhood. But in God’s election of Israel there
were barren in women where motherhood has changed character. It became an act of
God and of faith rather than of nature. The child is no longer possessed by the mother
but given. Motherhood then becomes a personal event where children become a sign
of his grace, contra-natura. Woman and Ruah. There are judges, prophets, mothers
except prostitution. But woman is still a blueprint of the genos.
2) Women in the New Testament
When Jesus was born, he was historically under the Roman law in a Jewish
environment. Risk: to see that Jesus was “using” the woman as a biotope. (In Asian
religions, woman has to be reincarnated as a man in order to be in a higher level).
Revolutions done by Jesus:
a) From the beginning, there were women who accompanied Jesus.
b) Taboos of impurity no longer count.
c) Specific sins are no longer linked to a certain sex anymore. Ex. Adulterous
woman and the Samaritan woman, where He emphasized that the most
important is the sin of the Holy Spirit.
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 d) Image of man: Jesus washed the feet of the disciples before his death. No
comparison to other religions. There is a revolution of the concept of
hierarchy: as service.
e) Possessions: even women can leave everything for the Kingdom of God.
Suzanna (?) even took her money and left.
f) Virginity (widows also and wives who are no longer a possession of her
husband): a different lifestyle. Poverty, chastity and obedience. Monastic order
= lifestyle of Jesus.
g) Quality of women as witnesses esp. in John and Mark esp. Mary-Magdalene,
Samaritan woman, Martha. John shows Mother in Cana. In Luke, Mary is the
heir of the OT (in the Magnificat: contra-natura of giving birth).
Mary: grace and liberty
Against Greek mythology where woman is “unconscious” when she becomes fertile.
However, in the Annunciation, there is a free agreement of a woman is asked for
through a Messenger, an angel. God does not overwhelm: there is an intermediate
person. This is a principle of revelation. There is a self-forgotten presence of God.
Only the one who is really free is not bothered to be a servant. The words of the
Magnificat, there is a high theology. The one who is really free cannot tolerate those
who are not free around him.
4) 19th Century Feminist Enlightenment
Risk: to go back to the “old type” of the females especially from the Christians
themselves. But her thesis: the Church has brought the humanization of the woman
(and the humanization of man). Most modern conceptions of feminism were actually
exported from these Christian concepts.
5) The need to “re-appropriate” feminism
Feminism is an offspring of Christian tradition (in Jesus himself or in St. Paul). We are
too shy to reclaim this history. There is risk of “devilisation” of feminism. Re-
appropriation of feminism is first of all a re-appropriation of history. We have cut the
roots of our mothers, perhaps in the 19th century but the situation of the women in
the early Church was actually revolutionary.
Today, we have to define the “flesh”: we have to protect (1) incarnation and (2)
virginity.
(Personal Notes from: “Femme et Homme : L’humanum dans son entièreté ». Congrès
international, 20 ans de la Lettre Apostolique Mulieris Dignitatem. Grand Hotel
Palazzo Carpegna, Rome, 7-9 février 2008)

3) The Early Church

St. Paul was the first to formulate in Gal 3:28: there is no slave, no man, no woman,
etc. Ethnic classes are suspended. None of the old schools of philosophy had such
words as St. Paul, not even Socrates. Women were therefore set free as “slaves” used as
sexual objects, even as instruments to produce babies, without any liberty for herself.
She is not only mother or erotic object but has become to live the “liberty of the
children of God”. In the early Church, there was a huge entry of woman in the faith.
Timothy: “the woman will be saved through child-bearing”: the context was because in
the early Church, there were so many virgins.
There were many Church Fathers as well as Church Mothers. Motherhood became a
spiritual task; there were Desert Mothers.
Faithfulness has become for both sides through monogamy.
When asked how she had the courage to talk to the Pope, Catherine of Sienna said that
she would not have had the courage to address as Shepherd to a Sheep but as from a
Sheep to a fellow Sheep.

Jesus and the Women in the New Testament. Joyce Martin. Rome 2009. Teacher’s copy. 7/7