Women in the Ministry of Jesus – Hit the Mark
Jesus is the champion of women – and women need a champion!
Image © Lars Justinen from GoodSalt.com
I’ve often imagined how she must have felt that day. I’ve had my share of embarrassing moments; times when I wish I could have disappeared. Humiliation on occasion happens to all. But this was different.
The story of this women, although not found in the book of Luke, is emblematic of the value Jesus had and has for women. Only found in the book of John, it is the story of the women taken in adultery.
We can only speculate about her mindset leading up to this event. It is possible that she was manipulated into this position with the sole purpose of taking down Jesus. However she found herself in this situation, this had to be the biggest mistake of her life.
We often race through the story to get to the part of Jesus stooping and writing in the sand. But before Jesus stooped and wrote in the dirt, this nameless woman was literally dragged through the dirt, and that had to be horrifying.
Stop a moment and consider that certainly many knew who she was. From her childhood up, she was a real person with real emotions. Certainly she was loved by her family and friends. There had to be times of social engagements, potlucks and gatherings where she fit in and was considered a valued member of society. But that all changed that day.
Picturing the scene, I get a sense of the overwhelming fear coupled with shame that must have gripped her. Violently grabbed by a group of men from whom she could not escape, she was the object of scorn and derision. Her mind had to whirling and the seconds must have felt like hours.
Through the busy streets they dragged her. Onlookers saw the scene and joined the mob. Children and the aged watched as this disgraced women was deposited at the feet of Jesus. The shouts of accusations rang out clear for all to hear. She is an adulterer – and adulterers should die.
What must she have been thinking? Perhaps, if she had children, she was thinking that she would never see them again. If her parents were alive she may have been thinking about the shame she had brought to them and how the last event in her life was to be stoned for her sin. Surely at that moment she simply wanted to die.
This must have pained the heart of Jesus. Not so much that someone had sinned and been caught. But rather, the heartlessness of her accusers. It must have pained Him to see in action how men will use anything and anyone to accomplish their devious goals. To her accusers, she was only an object, a means to an end. To them she was disposable. To Jesus she was redeemable.
Luke gives us the words to describe the position that Jesus took that day. It’s consistent with all of His interactions with women. It signals the care and concern He has for women.
Luke is writing about what seems like a chance encounter as Jesus was entering the city of Nain, but we know nothing is mere chance with Jesus. A funeral procession on its way to burial was passing by. Another woman, who we call the widow of Nain, was in tears as she made that final painful journey with her son.
Historians tell us the role that children played in the lives of their parents in that economy. They cared for and supported their parents as they aged. They were the retirement plan and the life insurance. The circle of life worked by children burying their parents and not the other way around.
But beyond the loss of support, Jesus saw a woman with a broken heart. Her tears were caused by the loss of someone she loved very much. And no one could remove the pain from her heart … no one but Jesus.
Speaking to her, we hear Jesus speaking to women of every generation. To the women who find themselves dragged through the dirt of life, these words of Jesus apply. To the women who are viewed as second-class citizens, no matter what they bring to the table, the words of Jesus apply. To the women who have sacrificed all for the sake of love, Jesus speaks to you.
When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” Luke 7:13
Here are a few Hit the Mark questions for this week’s lesson discussion:
- What does the word ministry mean to you?
- Is it true that men should as much as possible lead out in ministry? Why yes or no?
- Is it true that men are more indispensable to ministry than are women? Why yes or no?
- What, if anything, do women uniquely add to ministry?
- Is it true that we know all there is to know from the Bible about the role of women? Why yes or no?
- Is the following statement True, Mostly True, Somewhat True or Not True: Because of Eve’s sin, women are no longer equals of men. Explain your answer.
We close this week with another example of Jesus’ defense of women. It’s taken from the story of the dinner at Simon’s house. Very insightful.
Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.” Luke 7:44-47
Until next week, let’s all continue to Hit the Mark in Sabbath School!
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