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Women and the Genesis of Christianity
This study explores the role of women in New Testament times. Beginning with the woman's place in Judaism, in the Hellenistic world, and in the Roman Empire, Witherington demonstrates how Jesus broke significantly with convention in how he viewed women, offering as he did a wholly new conception of the legitimate rights of women in society.
292 pages, Paperback
First published June 29, 1990
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About the author
Ben Witherington III
129 books151 followersBen Witherington III (PhD, University of Durham) is Amos Professor of New Testament for Doctoral Studies at Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky, and is on the doctoral faculty at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. He is the author or coauthor of more than thirty books, including The Jesus Quest, The Paul Quest, and The New York Times bestseller The Brother of Jesus. He has appeared on the History Channel, NBC, ABC, CBS, and CNN.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
February 17, 2022
Even when I disagree, I appreciate Witherington for an unflinching insistence on doing real Bible study and scholarly work. So it is here.
His analysis of women in the gospels was excellent and enlightening. The household code section was also good. He dealt with the most challenging texts about women in the early church (1 Cor 11, 14, and 1 Tim 2) by arguing situational concerns that he feels are not normative. Surprisingly he does not take this tack with 1 Cor 11 specifically, but instead argues that this approves women’s participation universally while 1 Cor 14 only limits it situationally. I didn’t find this convincing, but in fairness I have never seen this issue treated in a way that satisfied all the evidence (including my own attempts).
He concludes with the “direction” argument often used about slavery (while not condemned, the NT plants seeds that later grow into full opposition). So while he contends that Paul supported full female leadership and participation in early churches, the patriarchy soon reasserted itself. But the seeds were planted and today we see female equality as the only right thing.
The book is dry but thorough. I give him credit for treating the texts and reasoning carefully
His analysis of women in the gospels was excellent and enlightening. The household code section was also good. He dealt with the most challenging texts about women in the early church (1 Cor 11, 14, and 1 Tim 2) by arguing situational concerns that he feels are not normative. Surprisingly he does not take this tack with 1 Cor 11 specifically, but instead argues that this approves women’s participation universally while 1 Cor 14 only limits it situationally. I didn’t find this convincing, but in fairness I have never seen this issue treated in a way that satisfied all the evidence (including my own attempts).
He concludes with the “direction” argument often used about slavery (while not condemned, the NT plants seeds that later grow into full opposition). So while he contends that Paul supported full female leadership and participation in early churches, the patriarchy soon reasserted itself. But the seeds were planted and today we see female equality as the only right thing.
The book is dry but thorough. I give him credit for treating the texts and reasoning carefully
October 27, 2022
I just finished "Women and the Genesis of Christianity," by Ben Witherington III, 1990.
This is a condensed version of Witherington's previous monographs "Women and the Ministry of Jesus," and "Women in the Earliest Churches."
In Jesus--
BW3 opens speaking to the freedom--or lack thereof--women experienced in a Jewish context, a Greek (Athenian, Spartan, and Corinthian) context, and a Roman one. Specifically in the religions, courts, culture and even politics. He then moves on to Jesus' interaction with women. A summary of Jesus and His teaching on women comes down to respecting what we would consider traditional family structures (no philandering on either side) while pressing the women to be more equal to men.
BW3 moves on to Jesus' use of women in His parables and judgement sayings. What we find is parables told as twins with a male/female correspondence. Women were portrayed as equal to men and shown in positive lights and at times equally positive and negative.
Now BW3 discussed stories of Jesus' help and healing. We walk away seeing Jesus reject Jewish concepts of sin and sickness leading to ritual impurity. Removing this impurity concept expresses why Jesus had women followers who had no special restrictions.
Moving into women in Jesus ministry BW3 reveals many things we may miss: His mother had to learn that the Parental relationship was over for a Kingdom one. Mary and Martha show that Jesus taught the ladies and they were followers of Him; this is also observable from who is named as those who were witnesses of the cross.
In Paul--
BW3 shifts gears and heads into Paul beginning with women and the physical family. He points out that Paul's counsel corresponds to Jesus but points out two very good things: one is that in this world divorce could easily have had horrible ramifications for the lady. When you have no where to go and maybe no skill you have one thing left to sell. Also he begins this chapter saying that we are reading half the conversation and one must be careful when reading an Epistle. Is Paul saying "it is good not to marry" or is he stating something that the Corinthians wrote him and as a preference restating what they wrote?
He moves on to how Paul speaks to the household tables (codes which outlined the relationship and responsibilities between people in a household). Paul says that husbands and wives are equal though with different responsibilities.
Next BW3 women and the family of faith. While he covers a lot of ground the best is his treatment of 1 Cor 14:33-36 where the cliff notes are "Women have tons of 'public' roles in worship, just don't go against congregational decorum if you have a question; there's a time and place for that."
Paul and his female coworkers is BW3s next stop. A big take away was that, yes, women were Paul's coworkers in ministry, further deacon and apostle were titles held by these ladies and there is nothing to suggest that women can't teach or preach in the undisputed Pauline works.
The Pastorals keep the tension we find in 1Cor 14 though they land on the more conservative side of the tension while not keeping women from teaching or preaching.
Women in the The Evangelists--
Luke-Acts is really interesting. Luke has parallel parables, one male focused and the right beside it with the same take-away a female parables. Mary, not Joseph recieved a revelation, sings the Magnificat, is said to be more crucial than Elizabeth, is directly addressed by Simeon, speaks for the Whole family, is said twice to ponder the significance of events around Jesus birth. That's not even getting into the early church and Priscilla being mentioned most of the time before her husband, Aquila, and their service. Luke wanted people to see that in the Church serving in the Kingdom, in this new age, God had the ladies working and ministering with no Barry Bonds * beside those words to make them mean "preparing the pot luck" or "assembling communion."
Mt., Mk., and Jn. Have different and less amplification of women's role in service than does Luke. These three evangelists use women as the picture of faith, male-female parallelism and role reversal similar to Luke. John reads as though his main take-away is Mary Madeline was the first witness to the resurrection and the prototypical follower.
This is an excellent dive into women in the beginning of Christianity. To be blunt, if you have been in a faith community which always ran to Paul (and a truncated reading of select Pauline passages) to show why women just cant--"my hands are tied here; scripture clearly says...."--do more than cook in service to the Lord then I found your book.
#BenWitheringtonIII #BenWitherington #Witherington #BiblicalStudies #BiblicalTheology #HeyLadies
This is a condensed version of Witherington's previous monographs "Women and the Ministry of Jesus," and "Women in the Earliest Churches."
In Jesus--
BW3 opens speaking to the freedom--or lack thereof--women experienced in a Jewish context, a Greek (Athenian, Spartan, and Corinthian) context, and a Roman one. Specifically in the religions, courts, culture and even politics. He then moves on to Jesus' interaction with women. A summary of Jesus and His teaching on women comes down to respecting what we would consider traditional family structures (no philandering on either side) while pressing the women to be more equal to men.
BW3 moves on to Jesus' use of women in His parables and judgement sayings. What we find is parables told as twins with a male/female correspondence. Women were portrayed as equal to men and shown in positive lights and at times equally positive and negative.
Now BW3 discussed stories of Jesus' help and healing. We walk away seeing Jesus reject Jewish concepts of sin and sickness leading to ritual impurity. Removing this impurity concept expresses why Jesus had women followers who had no special restrictions.
Moving into women in Jesus ministry BW3 reveals many things we may miss: His mother had to learn that the Parental relationship was over for a Kingdom one. Mary and Martha show that Jesus taught the ladies and they were followers of Him; this is also observable from who is named as those who were witnesses of the cross.
In Paul--
BW3 shifts gears and heads into Paul beginning with women and the physical family. He points out that Paul's counsel corresponds to Jesus but points out two very good things: one is that in this world divorce could easily have had horrible ramifications for the lady. When you have no where to go and maybe no skill you have one thing left to sell. Also he begins this chapter saying that we are reading half the conversation and one must be careful when reading an Epistle. Is Paul saying "it is good not to marry" or is he stating something that the Corinthians wrote him and as a preference restating what they wrote?
He moves on to how Paul speaks to the household tables (codes which outlined the relationship and responsibilities between people in a household). Paul says that husbands and wives are equal though with different responsibilities.
Next BW3 women and the family of faith. While he covers a lot of ground the best is his treatment of 1 Cor 14:33-36 where the cliff notes are "Women have tons of 'public' roles in worship, just don't go against congregational decorum if you have a question; there's a time and place for that."
Paul and his female coworkers is BW3s next stop. A big take away was that, yes, women were Paul's coworkers in ministry, further deacon and apostle were titles held by these ladies and there is nothing to suggest that women can't teach or preach in the undisputed Pauline works.
The Pastorals keep the tension we find in 1Cor 14 though they land on the more conservative side of the tension while not keeping women from teaching or preaching.
Women in the The Evangelists--
Luke-Acts is really interesting. Luke has parallel parables, one male focused and the right beside it with the same take-away a female parables. Mary, not Joseph recieved a revelation, sings the Magnificat, is said to be more crucial than Elizabeth, is directly addressed by Simeon, speaks for the Whole family, is said twice to ponder the significance of events around Jesus birth. That's not even getting into the early church and Priscilla being mentioned most of the time before her husband, Aquila, and their service. Luke wanted people to see that in the Church serving in the Kingdom, in this new age, God had the ladies working and ministering with no Barry Bonds * beside those words to make them mean "preparing the pot luck" or "assembling communion."
Mt., Mk., and Jn. Have different and less amplification of women's role in service than does Luke. These three evangelists use women as the picture of faith, male-female parallelism and role reversal similar to Luke. John reads as though his main take-away is Mary Madeline was the first witness to the resurrection and the prototypical follower.
This is an excellent dive into women in the beginning of Christianity. To be blunt, if you have been in a faith community which always ran to Paul (and a truncated reading of select Pauline passages) to show why women just cant--"my hands are tied here; scripture clearly says...."--do more than cook in service to the Lord then I found your book.
#BenWitheringtonIII #BenWitherington #Witherington #BiblicalStudies #BiblicalTheology #HeyLadies
January 6, 2026
remains one of my favorite authors... both comprehensive and thought provoking. I always enjoy Witherington's balanced approach to tough topics.
October 6, 2012
It's a thorough yet tepid teapot--I had hoped the book would display a bit more passionate and illuminating analysis. It ended well, however, so I don't feel that it was waste of time. This book might be pretty helpful for those who may think women are ignored, demeaned or disparaged in the NT.
February 19, 2011
This was a pretty healing book to read.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews