Jesus being a feminist may look like a huge oxymoron. Many people see the Bible as a gay-bashing, woman-hating text. But in reality, Jesus shows nothing but love to women and those around Him.
(The verses used are from the New International Version of the Holy Bible)
1. Luke 8:3
Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.
Society told women back then that they had to run the household and take care of the children. Jesus had a different plan for these women, a plan that involved them making their own decisions. They decided to follow Jesus and be His follower instead of doing what society expects them to. Many think that being a Christian is easy, being a “good person” all the time. But back then and today, being a Christian means rebelling against what society is expecting you to do. This is what feminism is about: breaking those expectations and being your own person. Jesus urged His followers to do the same.
2. John 8:7
When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”
Jesus meets a woman that many in our society would turn away from. She is an adulterer, provoking many in that day to stone her. She made the decision to be an adulterer and she was going to pay the price, but Jesus had a different plan. Jesus calls out the double-standard of sin and demands the confession of ones without sin. He saves her life instead of condemning her. Many men in that society would immediately judge her, yet Jesus shows compassion and treats her with respect. He does not ask for an explanation or even any confession: she is already forgiven. Jesus forgives regardless of gender or what they have done.
3. Luke 7:37 & 38
A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.
A sinful woman anoints Jesus and treats Him with respect. A Pharisee sees this and condemns her and warns Jesus of her ways. Instead of dismissing her, he corrects the Pharisee and sees her for her present actions, not her past actions. Her love and faith is what Jesus sees and chooses to focus on. Sinful women were seen has inferior, and to this day many are still seen like that. Jesus forgives her and respects her for the faithful woman she proves to be and does not reduce Himself to the judging ways of the Pharisees.
4. John 4:9
The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)
The love Jesus has for those who are outcasts is highlighted in this story. Not only do Jews not associate themselves with Samaritans, but it was seen as inappropriate for an unmarried woman and man to be alone together talking. This Samaritan woman does not expect this man to talk to her, yet Jesus offers her salvation and love. She is in an unwedded relationship and has five previous husbands. That fact that she is a Samaritan woman makes her an outcast and would be a warning to Jesus to not talk to her. Yet Jesus does the unthinkable and looks past all of these facts: her faith, adultery, and sordid past. He sees her as someone with potential and great faith. The Samaritan woman is a story that shows others that despite gender, faith, where you come from, or what you are running from, Jesus will always be there to welcome you with open arms.
5. Luke 10:41 & 42
“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things,but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
Society expects women to be like Martha: a woman who prepares the food, does the work around the house, and is always on her feet. Jesus sees the faith her sister, Mary, has and praises her. The stress and anxiety that Martha has is not needed, only her faith in Jesus is. Instead of condemning Mary like her sister does, Jesus shows her that all the preparations for His visits are unnecessary. All He needs is their faith and understanding. Society expects women to be taking care of men and to always putting their needs in front of their own. But Jesus does not expect or want this, He just wants the women to come as they are and follow Him.
6. Luke 15:8-10
“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
In the Parable of the Lost Coin, God is compared to and seen as a woman. Throughout the previous stories as well as in many occurrences in the Bible, Jesus stresses the equality between woman and man. This parable solidifies that theory by showing that God is not only a man, but also can be praised as a woman. In Psalm 131:2, God is shown as a mother. He is not only a father but also a mother to all of creation. Jesus sees this equality between man and woman because He understands that God is not reduced to one gender. God is everything: man, woman, both, and neither.
7. Luke 11:27 & 28
As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, “Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you.”He replied,“Blessed rather are those who hear the word of Godand obey it.”
Women are expected in almost every culture to have children. Many societies see women as “baby-making machines” that are only valuable because of this ability. As a woman submits to this misconception, Jesus corrects her. He wants her and all His other followers to know that women are not to be reduced to being only mothers.
Women are followers, leaders, teachers, role models, and human beings. Jesus sees the potential in these women and knows that He can change the path for these women. They rebel against their society expectations, much like millennial feminists, so they can be their own person. They gain freedom by having faith in such a radical person. Jesus was controversial, and instead of running, these women stood up and were behind the movement of spreading Christianity. Jesus helps these women and women today realize their purpose and to find their freedom. Marie Shear once said that “feminism is the radical notion that women are people,” and Jesus has always been a part of the movement.
