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Las mujeres que caminaron con Jesús (SPA Jesus through the eyes of women)
Si las mujeres que siguieron a Jesús pudieran decirnos cómo era Él, ¿qué dirían?
El trato de Jesús hacia las mujeres fue revolucionario, por eso ellas le seguían. A dondequiera que Él iba, le buscaban. Las mujeres se sentaron a Sus pies y tiraron de Su manto. Iban a Él en busca de sanidad, perdón y respuestas. Así que, ¿qué fue lo que estas mujeres vieron en este Rabí judío del primer siglo y qué podemos aprender al ver a través de sus ojos hoy en día?
En Las mujeres que caminaron con Jesús , Rebecca McLaughlin explora los relatos transformadores de las mujeres que conocieron al Señor. Al entrar a los relatos de las mujeres mencionadas y no mencionadas en los evangelios, este libro ofrece a los lectores un lente único para ver a Jesús como estas mujeres lo vieron y maravillarse de cómo Él las amó.
If the women who followed Jesus could tell you what he was like, what would they say?
Jesus's treatment of women was revolutionary. That's why they flocked to him. Wherever he went, they sought him out. Women sat at his feet and tugged at his robes. They came to him for healing, for forgiveness, and for answers. So what did women see in this first-century Jewish rabbi and what can we learn as we look through their eyes today?
In Jesus through the Eyes of Women, Rebecca McLaughlin explores the life-changing accounts of women who met the Lord. By entering the stories of the named and unnamed women in the Gospels, this book gives readers a unique lens to see Jesus as these women did and marvel at how he loved them in return.
El trato de Jesús hacia las mujeres fue revolucionario, por eso ellas le seguían. A dondequiera que Él iba, le buscaban. Las mujeres se sentaron a Sus pies y tiraron de Su manto. Iban a Él en busca de sanidad, perdón y respuestas. Así que, ¿qué fue lo que estas mujeres vieron en este Rabí judío del primer siglo y qué podemos aprender al ver a través de sus ojos hoy en día?
En Las mujeres que caminaron con Jesús , Rebecca McLaughlin explora los relatos transformadores de las mujeres que conocieron al Señor. Al entrar a los relatos de las mujeres mencionadas y no mencionadas en los evangelios, este libro ofrece a los lectores un lente único para ver a Jesús como estas mujeres lo vieron y maravillarse de cómo Él las amó.
If the women who followed Jesus could tell you what he was like, what would they say?
Jesus's treatment of women was revolutionary. That's why they flocked to him. Wherever he went, they sought him out. Women sat at his feet and tugged at his robes. They came to him for healing, for forgiveness, and for answers. So what did women see in this first-century Jewish rabbi and what can we learn as we look through their eyes today?
In Jesus through the Eyes of Women, Rebecca McLaughlin explores the life-changing accounts of women who met the Lord. By entering the stories of the named and unnamed women in the Gospels, this book gives readers a unique lens to see Jesus as these women did and marvel at how he loved them in return.
208 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2022
444 people are currently reading
7572 people want to read
About the author
Rebecca McLaughlin
43 books531 followersRebecca McLaughlin (PhD, Cambridge University) is the cofounder of Vocable Communications, a communications consulting and training firm. She is also a regular contributor to the Gospel Coalition and previously spent nine years working with top academics at the Veritas Forum, which hosts forums on college campuses with conversations that pursue answers to life's hardest questions.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 431 reviews
September 29, 2022
All the stars for this I insightful and inspiring look at Jesus through the eyes of the women in the gospels. Ponder this: a woman (Elizabeth) gives us the first prophecy since Malachi in Luke 1 and a woman (Mary Magdalene) is the person Jesus tasks with telling the disciples that He is alive in John 20. That is just a glimpse into the impactful chapters of this little book spanning the gospels in topics like Prophecy, Discipleship, Nourishment, Healing, Forgiveness, and Life. This book is for everyone--not just women. Would make an excellent book for small group study as each chapter I includes Discussion Questions.
May 14, 2023
A wonderful book. It helped me read my Bible better, love Jesus more, be a better father and husband, and be a better pastor.
August 6, 2022
Compelling. I learned a lot, as I always do from Rebecca McLaughlin. Here were my favorite 20 quotes: https://bit.ly/3dchf0r
March 11, 2024
"In a culture where women were often silenced, Jesus commissions a female disciple to announce his resurrection to his [notably absent] male apostles. Strikingly, Mary Magdalene is also the first person in John's Gospel [referring to] Jesus as 'the Lord.'" -- on page 165
A informative and compelling scholarly book that provides some food - five loaves and two fish, anyone?😉 - for thought on the numerous women who interacted with Jesus Christ throughout the four Gospels of the New Testament, as well as their importance to His life. I enjoyed author McLaughlin's crisp writing style - she moves at a matter-of-fact yet detailed pace; I'd recommend having a Bible on standby for reference - but I also appreciated the mentions of the people in her personal life (her curious young children; a friend who has a terminal illness) and how they inspire and affect her own personal faith. This was an unexpected but perfectly timed read for Lent.
A informative and compelling scholarly book that provides some food - five loaves and two fish, anyone?😉 - for thought on the numerous women who interacted with Jesus Christ throughout the four Gospels of the New Testament, as well as their importance to His life. I enjoyed author McLaughlin's crisp writing style - she moves at a matter-of-fact yet detailed pace; I'd recommend having a Bible on standby for reference - but I also appreciated the mentions of the people in her personal life (her curious young children; a friend who has a terminal illness) and how they inspire and affect her own personal faith. This was an unexpected but perfectly timed read for Lent.
October 12, 2022
“Through each of these women’s eyes, we see Jesus as the one who brings healing to the sick, life to the dead, welcome to the outcasts, and honor to the scorned.”
Rebecca McLaughlin is the author of several books including The Secular Creed and Confronting Christianity. Most of her books tackle controversial issues or questions that the general public bring against Christianity.
This book is no different.
“Some see Christianity as, at heart, misogynistic: silencing, sidelining, and trampling on women.”
This is a popular belief. But it is unfounded.
McLaughlin has written this book to show us that the way Jesus treated women was revolutionary and counter-cultural. A true reading of Scripture reflects Jesus’ care, love, and respect of women.
“The way that Jesus treated women tore up the belief that women are innately inferior to men: a belief that was pervasive in the ancient world. We should not be surprised, therefore, that women have been flocking to Jesus ever since.”
McLaughlin takes us through many interactions between Jesus and women: Mary (his mother), Mary Magdalene, Mary and Martha (Mary was the most common name during that time if you haven’t noticed), Elizabeth, the Samaritan woman at the well, Joanna, the woman who had been bleeding for 12 years, and more.
And when we try to see Jesus from their perspective we see a deeper picture of the heart of Jesus.
One of the first things McLaughlin does is talk about the reliability of Scripture. If we’re looking at eyewitness testimony, can we trust the source we are basing our belief on? She compares the Bible to the Gospel of Mary, and gives other evidence for why we can believe these biblical accounts. (For further reading on this aspect, check out Taking God at His Word or Surviving Religion 101.)
A theme we see as we go through these accounts is that God has used women in a fundamental way for his kingdom. And I say ‘use’ not in way that denotes ‘takes advantage of’ but in a sense of respect; women were valuable and vital in God’s plan for his Son and his Gospel message.
McLaughlin points out some things I had never realized:
“Hannah is the first to prophesy directly about the Lord’s anointed King. Mary is the first to find out his identity.”
“Anna is the first person in the Bible officially called a prophet since the death of the last Old Testament prophet, Malachi, some four centuries before. “
“In a culture where women were often silenced, Jesus commissions a female disciple to announce his resurrection to his male disciples. Strikingly, Mary Magdalene is the first person in John’s Gospel to call Jesus ‘the Lord.’"
Jesus could have first shown his resurrected self to Peter who came to the tomb, but instead he came to Mary.
Jesus’s life and resurrection on earth are book-ended with women!
“Much of what we know about Jesus’s conception, infancy, and childhood we only know because the women who surrounded him passed on their testimony.”
Something that is important to touch on in this discussion is ‘sexual freedom'. This is one of the main tenets of the most recent wave of feminism. Many view the Bible’s teachings on sex as unfair or stifling. But when you look at the sexual climate during these ancient times, you will see that the laws God made around sex were to protect women and children, not harm them.
Women were extremely vulnerable and easily exploited.
“The sexual revolution that was triggered by the rise of Christianity within the Roman Empire cut out men’s sexual freedom and called them to the kind of faithfulness in marriage that had previously only been expected of wives. This meant that women could no longer be seen as expendable objects of male lust.”
Boundaries are necessary for human flourishing. The Bible’s boundaries surrounding sex and limiting it to a male and female within the covenant of marriage protects all parties and creates a safe and healthy environment for everyone to thrive. Among many other benefits, it creates financial, emotional, and physical stability.
(For more on the discussion of sex, purity, and how the church can do better at communicating these things in a clear and right way, read Talking Back to Purity Culture or What God Has to Say About Our Bodies)
If we want to talk about sexual freedom in regards to bearing children, that’s a topic for another time.
McLaughlin does caution this:
“When it comes to women’s unique ability to bear children, it’s easy to make one of two mistakes: to overvalue childbearing, as if it’s the primary reason why women exist, or to undervalue it, as if creating new life doesn’t matter.”
And I’ll just add one thing— God chose women to bring life into the world— that is pretty significant and honoring. God creates life inside our bodies! That’s incredible to me. Even though it comes with pain, I am thankful to be part of that amazing process.
Each chapter highlights characteristics of Jesus. We see prophecy, discipleship, nourishment, healing, forgiveness, and life.
We see a God whose concept of power and worth counters cultures at large. We see a God who defends, who knows all but still loves us, forgives us, and offers us refuge. We see a God of redemption who transforms lives. A God who suffers with us, who is near to us and wants to spend time with us. A God who defends a woman’s right to learn. A God who gives us identity, mercy, affirmation, and hope.
If you’ve been told the Bible is anti-women, or you’ve experienced inferiority as a woman from a Christian or church, this book is for you. This book will set the record straight.
If you stand secure in your biblical womanhood, this book will affirm that you are in a safe place. Jesus is for us and teaches love, dignity, and respect for us. It will also help you see these events through new eyes.
As usual, Rebecca McLaughlin brings the truth, and I would highly recommend this book!
“How do we see Jesus through these women’s eyes? We see him as the one who heals our hurts and meets our needs. We see him as the one who takes our sin upon himself and welcomes us with unimaginable love. We see him as the one who sees us, even when others turn away, and as the one who welcomes us to learn from him and pour our meager love out at his feet. We see him as the one who is the Savior of the world and yet knows us each by name— even if we answer to the most common name in town. We see him as the one who gathers up our broken hearts and bodies in his arms, and as the only who who has the power to make us whole.”
If you want further reading on women’s role in the church and an exegetical look at what specific verses mean, I would recommend Evangelical Feminism by Wayne Grudem or Men and Women in the Church by Kevin DeYoung.
If you want further reading on biblical womanhood as it relates to feminism, I would check out Radical Womanhood by Carolyn McCulley or Eve in Exile by Rebekah Merkle.
More Quotes:
“As we look at Jesus through his mother’s eyes, we see how God grabs ordinary folk to be his chosen agents in this world. When you and I let Jesus in, our humdrum lives become the buzzing center of a miracle— however little it may feel that way at times.”
“As we look through Mary’s eyes, we also see the cost of letting Jesus in. Birth itself is intensely costly. Nursing an infant day and night is an ongoing act of sacrifice love… Mary risked much more with Jesus than she would have with another child. She risked her reputation, her marriage prospects, her community, even her life when she replied to Gabriel, ‘Behold, I am the servant of the Lord: let it be to me according to your word.”
“So often in our modern life, we see service and freedom as opposites… We humans thrive when serving with a grateful heart, while endlessly self-realizing ‘freedom’ makes us miserable.”
“If you have been a Christian for a while, my guess is you can think of times when you’ve cried to God for help and felt like you got nothing back. You’ve prayed for healing and it hasn’t come. You’ve sent for Jesus and felt quite alone. But when, at long last, Jesus comes to Mary, he sheds tears with her. He hadn’t stayed away because he didn’t care. He stayed away because he did care. The best thing he could give these siblings, whom he profoundly loved, was not immediate answer to their prayers, but revelation of himself.”
Shelf Reflection Book Review Blog
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Rebecca McLaughlin is the author of several books including The Secular Creed and Confronting Christianity. Most of her books tackle controversial issues or questions that the general public bring against Christianity.
This book is no different.
“Some see Christianity as, at heart, misogynistic: silencing, sidelining, and trampling on women.”
This is a popular belief. But it is unfounded.
McLaughlin has written this book to show us that the way Jesus treated women was revolutionary and counter-cultural. A true reading of Scripture reflects Jesus’ care, love, and respect of women.
“The way that Jesus treated women tore up the belief that women are innately inferior to men: a belief that was pervasive in the ancient world. We should not be surprised, therefore, that women have been flocking to Jesus ever since.”
McLaughlin takes us through many interactions between Jesus and women: Mary (his mother), Mary Magdalene, Mary and Martha (Mary was the most common name during that time if you haven’t noticed), Elizabeth, the Samaritan woman at the well, Joanna, the woman who had been bleeding for 12 years, and more.
And when we try to see Jesus from their perspective we see a deeper picture of the heart of Jesus.
One of the first things McLaughlin does is talk about the reliability of Scripture. If we’re looking at eyewitness testimony, can we trust the source we are basing our belief on? She compares the Bible to the Gospel of Mary, and gives other evidence for why we can believe these biblical accounts. (For further reading on this aspect, check out Taking God at His Word or Surviving Religion 101.)
A theme we see as we go through these accounts is that God has used women in a fundamental way for his kingdom. And I say ‘use’ not in way that denotes ‘takes advantage of’ but in a sense of respect; women were valuable and vital in God’s plan for his Son and his Gospel message.
McLaughlin points out some things I had never realized:
“Hannah is the first to prophesy directly about the Lord’s anointed King. Mary is the first to find out his identity.”
“Anna is the first person in the Bible officially called a prophet since the death of the last Old Testament prophet, Malachi, some four centuries before. “
“In a culture where women were often silenced, Jesus commissions a female disciple to announce his resurrection to his male disciples. Strikingly, Mary Magdalene is the first person in John’s Gospel to call Jesus ‘the Lord.’"
Jesus could have first shown his resurrected self to Peter who came to the tomb, but instead he came to Mary.
Jesus’s life and resurrection on earth are book-ended with women!
“Much of what we know about Jesus’s conception, infancy, and childhood we only know because the women who surrounded him passed on their testimony.”
Something that is important to touch on in this discussion is ‘sexual freedom'. This is one of the main tenets of the most recent wave of feminism. Many view the Bible’s teachings on sex as unfair or stifling. But when you look at the sexual climate during these ancient times, you will see that the laws God made around sex were to protect women and children, not harm them.
Women were extremely vulnerable and easily exploited.
“The sexual revolution that was triggered by the rise of Christianity within the Roman Empire cut out men’s sexual freedom and called them to the kind of faithfulness in marriage that had previously only been expected of wives. This meant that women could no longer be seen as expendable objects of male lust.”
Boundaries are necessary for human flourishing. The Bible’s boundaries surrounding sex and limiting it to a male and female within the covenant of marriage protects all parties and creates a safe and healthy environment for everyone to thrive. Among many other benefits, it creates financial, emotional, and physical stability.
(For more on the discussion of sex, purity, and how the church can do better at communicating these things in a clear and right way, read Talking Back to Purity Culture or What God Has to Say About Our Bodies)
If we want to talk about sexual freedom in regards to bearing children, that’s a topic for another time.
McLaughlin does caution this:
“When it comes to women’s unique ability to bear children, it’s easy to make one of two mistakes: to overvalue childbearing, as if it’s the primary reason why women exist, or to undervalue it, as if creating new life doesn’t matter.”
And I’ll just add one thing— God chose women to bring life into the world— that is pretty significant and honoring. God creates life inside our bodies! That’s incredible to me. Even though it comes with pain, I am thankful to be part of that amazing process.
Each chapter highlights characteristics of Jesus. We see prophecy, discipleship, nourishment, healing, forgiveness, and life.
We see a God whose concept of power and worth counters cultures at large. We see a God who defends, who knows all but still loves us, forgives us, and offers us refuge. We see a God of redemption who transforms lives. A God who suffers with us, who is near to us and wants to spend time with us. A God who defends a woman’s right to learn. A God who gives us identity, mercy, affirmation, and hope.
If you’ve been told the Bible is anti-women, or you’ve experienced inferiority as a woman from a Christian or church, this book is for you. This book will set the record straight.
If you stand secure in your biblical womanhood, this book will affirm that you are in a safe place. Jesus is for us and teaches love, dignity, and respect for us. It will also help you see these events through new eyes.
As usual, Rebecca McLaughlin brings the truth, and I would highly recommend this book!
“How do we see Jesus through these women’s eyes? We see him as the one who heals our hurts and meets our needs. We see him as the one who takes our sin upon himself and welcomes us with unimaginable love. We see him as the one who sees us, even when others turn away, and as the one who welcomes us to learn from him and pour our meager love out at his feet. We see him as the one who is the Savior of the world and yet knows us each by name— even if we answer to the most common name in town. We see him as the one who gathers up our broken hearts and bodies in his arms, and as the only who who has the power to make us whole.”
If you want further reading on women’s role in the church and an exegetical look at what specific verses mean, I would recommend Evangelical Feminism by Wayne Grudem or Men and Women in the Church by Kevin DeYoung.
If you want further reading on biblical womanhood as it relates to feminism, I would check out Radical Womanhood by Carolyn McCulley or Eve in Exile by Rebekah Merkle.
More Quotes:
“As we look at Jesus through his mother’s eyes, we see how God grabs ordinary folk to be his chosen agents in this world. When you and I let Jesus in, our humdrum lives become the buzzing center of a miracle— however little it may feel that way at times.”
“As we look through Mary’s eyes, we also see the cost of letting Jesus in. Birth itself is intensely costly. Nursing an infant day and night is an ongoing act of sacrifice love… Mary risked much more with Jesus than she would have with another child. She risked her reputation, her marriage prospects, her community, even her life when she replied to Gabriel, ‘Behold, I am the servant of the Lord: let it be to me according to your word.”
“So often in our modern life, we see service and freedom as opposites… We humans thrive when serving with a grateful heart, while endlessly self-realizing ‘freedom’ makes us miserable.”
“If you have been a Christian for a while, my guess is you can think of times when you’ve cried to God for help and felt like you got nothing back. You’ve prayed for healing and it hasn’t come. You’ve sent for Jesus and felt quite alone. But when, at long last, Jesus comes to Mary, he sheds tears with her. He hadn’t stayed away because he didn’t care. He stayed away because he did care. The best thing he could give these siblings, whom he profoundly loved, was not immediate answer to their prayers, but revelation of himself.”
Shelf Reflection Book Review Blog
Book Review Blog | Facebook | Pinterest
February 9, 2023
Absolute heater.
March 28, 2024
“To look at Jesus through the eyes of women may seem at first like an innately modern project. But when it comes to Jesus’ death and resurrection, it’s precisely what the gospel authors invite us to do. What we see through their eyes is not an alternative Jesus, but rather the authentic Jesus, who welcomes both men and women as his disciples…The testimony of women is not just tacked on to the end of the gospels. It’s also woven in.”
September 7, 2022
Solid.
As a not-woman I surely miss some of the depth of the radically dignifying and beautiful ways Jesus relates to women, but Rebecca nonetheless paints a wonderful picture of our remarkable Jesus; good news for women AND for me.
As a not-woman I surely miss some of the depth of the radically dignifying and beautiful ways Jesus relates to women, but Rebecca nonetheless paints a wonderful picture of our remarkable Jesus; good news for women AND for me.
December 3, 2022
“To look at Jesus through the eyes of women may seem at first like an innately modern project. But . . . it’s precisely what the Gospel authors invite us to do.”
April 5, 2024
Beautiful, compelling, condensed writing!
Engaging narration, moving portrayals, convincing and well-measured arguments.
First of all, the book does a great job to sheds more glory on the beauty, the tender fierceness of the historical Jesus who loved women in such an honoring, redemptive way. But, also, on a secondary plan, I think it’s a great reconciler, helping both sexes (to their joint benefit) embrace womanhood in an empowering & responsibilizing way.
I’ve read somewhere that the flourishing & advancement of a society corresponds to the degree to which it values, respects, educates its women.
In Christ’s lead, God’s Kingdom on earth is as flourishing as the heaven. Should the Church and her families better understand His example, it would be more consistently that light and city on a hill.
Engaging narration, moving portrayals, convincing and well-measured arguments.
First of all, the book does a great job to sheds more glory on the beauty, the tender fierceness of the historical Jesus who loved women in such an honoring, redemptive way. But, also, on a secondary plan, I think it’s a great reconciler, helping both sexes (to their joint benefit) embrace womanhood in an empowering & responsibilizing way.
I’ve read somewhere that the flourishing & advancement of a society corresponds to the degree to which it values, respects, educates its women.
In Christ’s lead, God’s Kingdom on earth is as flourishing as the heaven. Should the Church and her families better understand His example, it would be more consistently that light and city on a hill.
March 16, 2023
I really enjoyed this!! It's full of scripture and Biblical, and I liked the writing style as well. I would love to go back through it and journal the discussion questions at the end of the chapters. :)
November 23, 2025
I’m honestly surprised at how high of a rating this book has considering it barely scratches the surface of what could have been a deep theological exploration of Jesus interaction with women in the Gospels.
I could recommend this to new Christians who don’t know the Bible as well, but for seasoned Christians I feel like you could get this same exact information from just reading the scriptures themselves.
I could recommend this to new Christians who don’t know the Bible as well, but for seasoned Christians I feel like you could get this same exact information from just reading the scriptures themselves.
November 13, 2024
Jesus 🤝🏻 women
March 24, 2024
IMPORTANT!! This is not just a book for women okay!! I feel strongly that this is a quick but valuable read for any guy in the church, especially those who teach the Bible, as much as it is for women. I'm confident this book will deepen anyone's affection for Christ and improve your reading of the Gospels.
Now that that's out of the way - I read this one for book club and it was truly a joy to discuss. Rebecca McLaughlin does a great job of bringing high-level theology down to earth in a way that is moving, intimate, and impactful. McLaughlin takes the vantage point of the women in the Gospels to highlight Christ's love for his people. I walked away from this book with a deeper love for Jesus and a greater understanding of the very real people he interacted with while on earth. Tbh this book has what I imagine to be the same effect as The Chosen does of coloring in the women found in the Bible except in book form and without any artistic liberties taken.
Now that that's out of the way - I read this one for book club and it was truly a joy to discuss. Rebecca McLaughlin does a great job of bringing high-level theology down to earth in a way that is moving, intimate, and impactful. McLaughlin takes the vantage point of the women in the Gospels to highlight Christ's love for his people. I walked away from this book with a deeper love for Jesus and a greater understanding of the very real people he interacted with while on earth. Tbh this book has what I imagine to be the same effect as The Chosen does of coloring in the women found in the Bible except in book form and without any artistic liberties taken.
March 28, 2023
Loved every bit of this. What a precious reminder of the character of Jesus, the man who welcomes women with open arms, who knows them intimately and still loves them, who forgives and teaches and heals and gives life. Highly recommend!
January 11, 2026
Rebecca McLaughlin does an amazing job at doing exactly what the title says. seeing JESUS through the eyes of women. This was such a worshipful experience for me to not only see Jesus’ genuine and real relationship with his female disciples but to really see so much of who he is. This book is gold. Please go read it.
“To look at Jesus through the eyes of women may seem at first like an innately modern project. But when it comes to Jesus’ death and resurrection, it’s precisely what the Gospel authors invite us to do. What we see through their eyes is not an alternative Jesus, but rather the authentic Jesus, who welcomes both men and women as his disciples.” Pg. 173
“To look at Jesus through the eyes of women may seem at first like an innately modern project. But when it comes to Jesus’ death and resurrection, it’s precisely what the Gospel authors invite us to do. What we see through their eyes is not an alternative Jesus, but rather the authentic Jesus, who welcomes both men and women as his disciples.” Pg. 173
February 9, 2023
I was deeply encouraged by this book. Rebecca beautifully unpacks the interactions between Jesus and Women in the Gospels. Jesus did the unexpected in so many ways, but in particular how he interacted with women. He moved towards them when no one else was — provided healing and forgiveness but also empowered them to go and be His disciples. I highly recommend picking up a copy and giving this book a read!
July 6, 2025
4⭐️
I went into this book with much apprehension. I was worried that this would be steeped in modernized culture. Downplaying the men of the Bible and over emphasizing the women. I was cautious that it might not be the most biblical of reads, leaning more on what we WANT the Bible to say vs. what the Bible ACTUALLY says.
I'm glad my fears were completely unfounded!
This is a beautiful testimony of the women who truly loved Jesus, whom he loved back.
Every chapter focuses on a different part of Jesus's life and the women who were there during it. Every chapter has new insights and offers new outlooks on women who often go overlooked. These women were and still are important. They give other women a sense of belonging. They give men a sense of the importance of the feminine touch. They give give readers a sense of hope. They gave so much in life and continued to give long after they have gone.
"Jesus didn't come only to give his life FOR us. He also came to share his life WITH us"
I went into this book with much apprehension. I was worried that this would be steeped in modernized culture. Downplaying the men of the Bible and over emphasizing the women. I was cautious that it might not be the most biblical of reads, leaning more on what we WANT the Bible to say vs. what the Bible ACTUALLY says.
I'm glad my fears were completely unfounded!
This is a beautiful testimony of the women who truly loved Jesus, whom he loved back.
Every chapter focuses on a different part of Jesus's life and the women who were there during it. Every chapter has new insights and offers new outlooks on women who often go overlooked. These women were and still are important. They give other women a sense of belonging. They give men a sense of the importance of the feminine touch. They give give readers a sense of hope. They gave so much in life and continued to give long after they have gone.
"Jesus didn't come only to give his life FOR us. He also came to share his life WITH us"
December 21, 2024
Wow I learned so much from this! It includes some really detailed accounts about women in the Gospels that have really changed the way I view the way they were written. It’s amazing to go through all the stories and notice how much of the Gospel story was witnessed solely by women, even to the point where people have used their accounts as a reason to discredit the resurrection. Lots to take away and some rereading to do!
A few quotes I pulled that really hit me >>>
“This story (Jesus healing the women who had bled for 12 years) whispers down the centuries to us that the aspect of femaleness women work hardest to hide is not repulsive to our Savior.”
“Jesus welcomes prostitutes into God’s kingdom while the self-appointed gatekeepers look on in horror.”
A few quotes I pulled that really hit me >>>
“This story (Jesus healing the women who had bled for 12 years) whispers down the centuries to us that the aspect of femaleness women work hardest to hide is not repulsive to our Savior.”
“Jesus welcomes prostitutes into God’s kingdom while the self-appointed gatekeepers look on in horror.”
October 5, 2022
This was so good! Such a thought provoking read about the central role of women in the Gospels and how we see Jesus through their eyes.
July 23, 2024
A crystal clear window into who Jesus is. I loved reading this book because I found that the ideas were well set out and illuminating but the writing style was still easy to read. A combo that I have not experienced in many other Christian books, which made me love the book even more!
July 17, 2023
5+
A new favorite for me.
This book was nourishment for my soul.
I grew up in a cult that silenced women. If a woman was being physically abused, everyone looked the other way. If a husband cheated, it was her fault. And if she was sexually abused, she asked for it.
Some might equate Jesus with those actions, too. But the Bible tells a drastically different story. Women were pivotal in Jesus’ minestry. “If we cut the things (out of the Bible) that only women witnessed, we’d lose our first glimpse of Jesus as he took on human flesh and our first glimpse of his resurrected body.”
Women were seen as less-than in the Greco-Roman world, but Jesus made them a central part of his ministry.
What I loved ♥️:
•The way the chapters were laid out
•The way the women were brought to life. It became easy (and breathtaking) to see Jesus through their eyes.
•The discussion questions at the end of each chapter - perfect for a group study!
What I didn’t love:
Nothing. This book will be a highly recommended one for me and a reread in the near future.
A new favorite for me.
This book was nourishment for my soul.
I grew up in a cult that silenced women. If a woman was being physically abused, everyone looked the other way. If a husband cheated, it was her fault. And if she was sexually abused, she asked for it.
Some might equate Jesus with those actions, too. But the Bible tells a drastically different story. Women were pivotal in Jesus’ minestry. “If we cut the things (out of the Bible) that only women witnessed, we’d lose our first glimpse of Jesus as he took on human flesh and our first glimpse of his resurrected body.”
Women were seen as less-than in the Greco-Roman world, but Jesus made them a central part of his ministry.
What I loved ♥️:
•The way the chapters were laid out
•The way the women were brought to life. It became easy (and breathtaking) to see Jesus through their eyes.
•The discussion questions at the end of each chapter - perfect for a group study!
What I didn’t love:
Nothing. This book will be a highly recommended one for me and a reread in the near future.
September 13, 2023
Summary ➡️”Jesus' treatment of women was revolutionary. That's why they flocked to him. Wherever he went, they sought him out. Women sat at his feet and tugged at his robes. They came to him for healing, for forgiveness, and for answers. So what did women see in this first-century Jewish rabbi, and what can we learn as we look through their eyes today?”
This was a wonderful book. If you haven’t read anything by Rebecca McLaughlin, I highly suggest you do! And if you can listen to her books on audio, even better!
In this book, Rebecca takes a look at several life changing accounts of different women in the Bible who encountered Jesus. Reading about the different backgrounds of each woman was fascinating and very thought provoking. The way that Jesus treated these women was very countercultural and revolutionary. Jesus showed his compassion, love, tenderness, and respect of women. We see a God of redemption who transforms lives.
At the end of each chapter there are discussion questions and questions where you could go even deeper. I learned so much in this book and even was moved to tears by the great love that Jesus had for us. I would highly recommend this book!
“How do we see Jesus through these women’s eyes? We see him as the one who heals our hurts and meets our needs. We see him as the one who takes our sin upon himself and welcomes us with unimaginable love. We see him as the one who sees us, even when others turn away, and as the one who welcomes us to learn from him and pour our meager love at his feet. We see him as the one who is the Saviour of the world, and yet knows us each by name - even if we answer to the most common name in town. We see him as the one who gathers up our broken hearts and bodies in His arms, and as the only one who has the power to make us whole.” - Rebecca McLaughlin
December 29, 2023
Is Christianity misogynistic? Is our faith harmful or fair to women?
McLaughlin tackles what the Bible has to say about women by looking at Jesus. This isn’t the book that some critics will want it to be. She doesn’t look at how Christianity has historically treated women, or look at Old Testament law about women, or Pauline writing concerning gender roles.
McLaughlin, instead, simply looks at Jesus. Specifically through the eyes of the women who encountered Him. As a result, this book is all the more compelling.
In fact, this book is truly less about women than it is about Jesus, and one gets the impression that this is how the women we meet would want it to be.
This would be an amazing study for those (men and women) who are interested in Jesus and His way. McLaughlin engages questions about the reliability of Biblical texts, textual criticism, and confusion about things like the seemingly conflicting resurrection Sunday narratives in ways that help skeptics to stay their eyes on Jesus.
The women we meet teach us the gospel in compelling ways. Every one of them helps us savor Jesus a little bit more. They stir up affection for familiar truths while McLaughlin helps make connections that are novel for readers who are older in the faith.
A great read, would be a great seeker study book.
McLaughlin tackles what the Bible has to say about women by looking at Jesus. This isn’t the book that some critics will want it to be. She doesn’t look at how Christianity has historically treated women, or look at Old Testament law about women, or Pauline writing concerning gender roles.
McLaughlin, instead, simply looks at Jesus. Specifically through the eyes of the women who encountered Him. As a result, this book is all the more compelling.
In fact, this book is truly less about women than it is about Jesus, and one gets the impression that this is how the women we meet would want it to be.
This would be an amazing study for those (men and women) who are interested in Jesus and His way. McLaughlin engages questions about the reliability of Biblical texts, textual criticism, and confusion about things like the seemingly conflicting resurrection Sunday narratives in ways that help skeptics to stay their eyes on Jesus.
The women we meet teach us the gospel in compelling ways. Every one of them helps us savor Jesus a little bit more. They stir up affection for familiar truths while McLaughlin helps make connections that are novel for readers who are older in the faith.
A great read, would be a great seeker study book.
September 20, 2024
Uma desconstrução do machismo por trás de interpretações distorcidas da Bíblia e a Rebecca expõe uma visão maravilhosa de como Jesus enxergou e continua enxergando as mulheres. Ele nos Deus a sua vida! Ele nos deu voz ! Ele nos deu esperança e poder!
“Na realidade, a mensagem mais autêntica de Maria chegou a nós pelo documento do primeiro século conhecido como o Evangelho de João, e é esta: “Vi o Senhor!” (Jo 20.18).
Vamos olhar para Jesus pelos olhos dela hoje. Nenhuma visão é mais bela.”
É um livro para todos, não apenas para mulheres. Excelente pra ser trabalho em células ou pequenos grupos. Tem questões para discussões no final de cada capítulo.
“Na realidade, a mensagem mais autêntica de Maria chegou a nós pelo documento do primeiro século conhecido como o Evangelho de João, e é esta: “Vi o Senhor!” (Jo 20.18).
Vamos olhar para Jesus pelos olhos dela hoje. Nenhuma visão é mais bela.”
É um livro para todos, não apenas para mulheres. Excelente pra ser trabalho em células ou pequenos grupos. Tem questões para discussões no final de cada capítulo.
April 28, 2023
I read this book for a Christian book group, and while I found the discussion surrounding the book interesting, I found the book itself lacking. While it did do a good job of consolidating the stories of the women who interact with Jesus, I found it did not do much more than that. I did not gain many new insights beyond "the woman whom Jesus healed saw Jesus as a healer," and other similarly (to me at least!) obvious observations.
February 25, 2023
This is simply a superb little book. Working through the Biblical accounts of women’s interactions with Jesus, McLaughlin marvellously weaves together the truth of Christ in all His beauty. Thoroughly recommended.
August 24, 2022
Many of Jesus’s followers, and even disciples, were women. The writers of the gospels were men, but much of the content was related by eyewitnesses who were women. McLaughlin focuses on these eyewitnesses and shows why Jesus’s message was (and still should be) so appealing to women.
I wouldn’t say it’s light, but it’s fairly brief, and thus stimulates my interest for a more in-depth study such as Gospel Women by Richard Bauckham.
I’m going to drop in some quotes:
“To look at Jesus through the eyes of women may seem at first like an innately modern project. But when it comes to Jesus‘s death and resurrection, it’s precisely what the gospel authors invite us to do. What we see through their eyes is not an alternative Jesus, but rather the authentic Jesus, who welcomes both men and women as his disciples, and who is best seen from below.”
“Jesus’s teaching introduced to two tectonic shifts. First, he loved and valued women – including prostitutes. Second, against the norms of the empire, he upheld faithful marriage as the only context for sex. This started a sexual revolution more daring than the revolution of the 1960s, but in the opposite direction. The modern sexual revolution offered women the right to commitment-free sex: a right that many men had been assuming over the centuries. But the sexual revolution that was triggered by the rise of Christianity within the Roman empire cut out men’s sexual freedom and called them to the kind of faithfulness in marriage that had previously only been expected of wives. This meant that women could no longer be seen as expendable objects of male lust. Rather, sex only belonged in marriage – the permanent, God-given, one-flesh union of a man and a woman— and Christian husbands were to love their wives with the same kind of sacrificial love that Christ has for his church. It’s obvious why such a change would be good news for women who would previously have been the victims of coercive sex... there is a growing body of evidence to suggest that commitment-free sex does measurable harm to women’s happiness and health even when it is freely chosen. Jesus’s sexual ethics truly lead to human flourishing. But while Jesus defined all sex outside of marriage as sinful, he also welcomed even the most notorious sexual sinners who put their trust in him.”
I wouldn’t say it’s light, but it’s fairly brief, and thus stimulates my interest for a more in-depth study such as Gospel Women by Richard Bauckham.
I’m going to drop in some quotes:
“To look at Jesus through the eyes of women may seem at first like an innately modern project. But when it comes to Jesus‘s death and resurrection, it’s precisely what the gospel authors invite us to do. What we see through their eyes is not an alternative Jesus, but rather the authentic Jesus, who welcomes both men and women as his disciples, and who is best seen from below.”
“Jesus’s teaching introduced to two tectonic shifts. First, he loved and valued women – including prostitutes. Second, against the norms of the empire, he upheld faithful marriage as the only context for sex. This started a sexual revolution more daring than the revolution of the 1960s, but in the opposite direction. The modern sexual revolution offered women the right to commitment-free sex: a right that many men had been assuming over the centuries. But the sexual revolution that was triggered by the rise of Christianity within the Roman empire cut out men’s sexual freedom and called them to the kind of faithfulness in marriage that had previously only been expected of wives. This meant that women could no longer be seen as expendable objects of male lust. Rather, sex only belonged in marriage – the permanent, God-given, one-flesh union of a man and a woman— and Christian husbands were to love their wives with the same kind of sacrificial love that Christ has for his church. It’s obvious why such a change would be good news for women who would previously have been the victims of coercive sex... there is a growing body of evidence to suggest that commitment-free sex does measurable harm to women’s happiness and health even when it is freely chosen. Jesus’s sexual ethics truly lead to human flourishing. But while Jesus defined all sex outside of marriage as sinful, he also welcomed even the most notorious sexual sinners who put their trust in him.”
April 22, 2023
I read this in community with some other women in leadership at my church and really enjoyed it. Her premise is that though women might be tempted to think that the unofficial and unorthodox gospel of Mary might offer more hope for them and be more in line with their experiences, that the inspired Scriptures themselves offers indefatigable proof of Jesus' love and care for women. In the gospel of Mary, Mary discloses to Peter that she has had a special revelation from Jesus. Peter accuses her of lying because he did not believe Jesus would reveal himself to a woman. Rebecca's subsequent walk through the four canonical gospels' eyewitness accounts of women whom Jesus loved makes for an exhorting and encouraging read and portrays a beautiful picture of Jesus through the eyes of his women followers. It will make one grateful to stand on the shoulders of all the women Jesus has loved and who have loved him in return throughout history and to joyfully take one's stand as yet another female disciple of Christ.
March 28, 2025
In awe of the brotherly love Jesus showed on his women disciples, for them to see and know he is the Christ, and that they would give up everything for this platonic love. Jesus fully satisfies and meets all our needs!
“Luke often focuses our eyes on the poor and marginalized. But here (in Luke 8:1-3) we get a glimpse of the rich women who were drawn to Jesus— so captivated by him that they left their homes and followed him wherever he went.” p.55
“How do we see Jesus through Mary of Bethany’s eyes? We see him as the one who merits all of her extravagant love, the one on whom nothing can be wasted.”
(Reference John 12:4-8)
“Luke often focuses our eyes on the poor and marginalized. But here (in Luke 8:1-3) we get a glimpse of the rich women who were drawn to Jesus— so captivated by him that they left their homes and followed him wherever he went.” p.55
“How do we see Jesus through Mary of Bethany’s eyes? We see him as the one who merits all of her extravagant love, the one on whom nothing can be wasted.”
(Reference John 12:4-8)
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