Frailty, thy name is woman - says the famous dramatist Shakespeare. But five in the Bible have disproved this statement.
Women, who are considered fragile and were looked down upon, are appreciated much by their Creator. God treats everyone equally regardless of who they are. When women were treated with contempt, the Savior of humankind, Jesus, gives a special place for women. Yes, He looks only at the heart of His creations.
But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." 1 Samuel 16: 7
An Important Place for Women in the Genealogy of Jesus
Women have a very special place in God's heart. Contrary to Jewish tradition, some women have been given importance in the genealogy of Jesus. Along with men in Jesus' genealogy, these women are given a special mention for their faith and firm stand which they took in the time of adversity.
The reference to five women in the genealogy of Jesus has doubly raised the importance and position of women in Jewish society.
Five Women in the First Chapter of Matthew's Gospel
We meet five women in the first chapter of Matthew's Gospel in the New Testament. There were thousands of women in the genealogy of Jesus but only five have been mentioned. All these five women, namely, Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba the wife of Uriah, and Mary the mother of Jesus share many things in common which make them shining stars in the genealogy of Jesus. The mention of these five women in the first page of New Testament is something special and amazing.
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Shanthi Nehemiah, M.A., M.Phil.
Department of English
Karunya University
Karunya Nagar
Coimbatore
Tamilnadu, India
Women and Spiritual Warfare | Leah's Legacy - Overcoming Rejection | A Biblical Study on the Heart of God the Father | My Christian Faith - Much More Than a Silver Lining! | My Jesus Came! | Africa's Redemptive Gifts | A Critique of Mormonism | Women in Jesus Genealogy | Ministry to the Disabled | HOME PAGE of January 2010 Issue | HOME PAGE | CONTACT EDITOR
