I look at all the Miriams, Marias, and Marys in the Bible (there are 7 in the NT), and at Mariamne in Josephus, and discuss what their names might mean.
There are various interpretations of “she will saved through childbearing” put forward by scholars, but in this article, I explain how I understand the phrase.
In this post, I quote a story from Theodoret of Cyrrhus’s Church History about Publia, a daring deaconess who lived in Antioch in the 360s, and her brave choir.
In Theodoret of Cyrrhus’s Church History there is an interesting story of a brave woman who was a teacher and deacon in Antioch in the early 360s.
In this blog post, I look at a papyrus letter, written between Christians in the early 300s AD, which plainly mentions a woman teacher (kyrian tēn didaskalon).
The Son’s submission to God the Father in 1 Cor. 15:28 should not inform our understanding of submission in marriage. Here’s why.
I look at the Hebrew word chayil, used in Proverbs 31:10 for an eshet chayil, and at the Greek word andreia (“courageous”), used to describe some Bible and early Christian women.
This is the 3rd post taken from my chapter in “Co-workers and Co-leaders.” I look here at some of the men and women who were involved in difficult and dangerous ministries.
This is the 2nd post taken from my chapter in “Co-workers and Co-leaders.” Paul’s letters show that he ministered alongside women. Women were among his coworkers and were deacons (diakonoi).
This is the 1st of 3 blog posts taken from my chapter in the book “Co-workers and Co-leaders: Women and Men Partnering for God’s Work.” I look here at the women who followed Jesus and the women who hosted house churches.
A short discussion on the adjective akatakalyptos and the verb katakalyptō (“cover”) used in 1 Corinthians 11:2–16.
In Daniel 11:6 it says that “the daughter of the king of the South will go to the king of the North to seal the agreement.” Who was this daughter? What do we know about her?
Rahab, Tamar, and Rizpah were in precarious social situations. They each took matters into their own hands, and the consequences of their daring, unorthodox actions were life-changing.
1 Timothy 2:12 (“I do not permit a woman to teach …”) is the only Bible verse that places a restriction on a woman teaching. It shouldn’t be used to ban women ministers.
In his book, The Bible vs. Biblical Womanhood, Philip Payne outlines 3 reasons why Paul’s concern in 1 Cor. 11:2–16 was not head coverings for women, but hairstyles.
Lately, I’ve been hearing some suggest the reason Jesus chose only men to be among the Twelve is because he knew the harsh persecution the Twelve would face. Is this reason valid?
In this article, I look at every verse where Jesus directly addresses a woman as “woman.” These verses can sound cold and even rude in English. This article was first published in Mutuality magazine.
In early Syriac texts (2nd–4th centuries), the Holy Spirit and even God are described using feminine and maternal imagery. In this article, I quote from these texts.
What did Paul mean when he said “husband of one wife”? What was Priscilla’s role in Ephesus and Rome? What is Paul’s overall theology of ministry and women?
Here is more from a talk I gave on February 11. In part 2, I look at 1 Timothy 2:12 within its immediate context and within the context of First Timothy.
This is part 1 of a talk I gave recently which looks at Paul’s overall theology on ministry and the verses often used to limit women.
Did the author of John’s Gospel break grammar rules and use masculine pronouns in John 14–16 to masculinise and personalise the Holy Spirit?
I look at how the word ezer is used in the Hebrew Bible, including how it is used in people’s names in the Bible. And I show that being an ezer is not an especially feminine role or obligation.
In part 2, I look at the two texts Troy Martin uses to support his “testicle” idea, at ancient Jewish texts that mention the Watchers, and at what Paul meant by “nature teaches” (1 Cor. 11:14).
With some trepidation, I critique Troy Martin’s idea that peribolaion means testicle in 1 Cor. 11:15 and his idea that Paul thought hair is a conduit of semen.
I look at how Paul uses the phrase “in everything” in his letters and at what it means in, “wives submit to your husbands in everything.”
Here are five of my all-time favourite blog posts (not written by me), plus a fantastic series. They all critique, in some way, attitudes held by many Christians about the supposed roles of women and men.
In this short blog post (less than 400 words), I address persistent and common misconceptions about Christian egalitarianism or mutualism.
What did the Samaritan woman mean when she told the folk of Sychar, “Come, see a man who told me ‘everything I ever did'”?
Here’s a 500-word biblical defence for Christian egalitarianism/ mutualism. Plus a link to a podcast I did with James Pruch on “Mutuality in the Garden.”
Was Martha initially missing in Papyrus 66, the oldest text of John’s Gospel? Is Mary of Bethany in John 11-12 really Mary Magdalene?
In this article, I provide an overview of how Paul uses the word kephalē (“head”) in his letters, and I give a brief note on each verse that contains the word.
Here are some first-century Greek texts that use the word kephalē (“head”). They show how the word was used in Paul’s day.
In this post, I discuss Paul’s instructions to husbands in Colossians 3:19. I look at this verse within the broader context of Colossians and I explore what “bitter” means.
Paul’s words to wives in Col. 3:18 contain a phrase that doesn’t occur elsewhere in the New Testament. What does it mean to submit “as is fitting in the Lord”?
Some are disturbed by the female figure in Revelation 17. What does she suggest about John’s attitude to women, or about women in general? Who or what is Babylon the Great?
In this somewhat technical post, I quote the 5 verses in John’s Gospel that mention “the disciple whom Jesus loved.” Is the beloved disciple a woman?
Here’s a call and response prayer that thanks God for Bible women who served God and his people with bravery and grace.
Each of the four Gospels contains an account where a woman anoints Jesus with perfume. In this article, I compare these stories. How many times was Jesus anointed?
In this blog post, I give a brief overview of the Greek and Hebrew words used in the Bible for divorce.
The Greek word adelphoi is used over 100 times in Paul’s letters. Is “brothers and sisters” or “siblings” an acceptable translation?
In Luke 13:10–17, Jesus sets free a woman who had been disabled for 18 years. Click to see Barbara Schwarz’s painting and to read the story that inspired her artwork.
Here are a few excerpts from a chapter written by Judith Gundry that are helpful in understanding Paul’s arguments and use of creation in 1 Cor. 11:2-16.
Drawing on ancient texts, I give 3 reasons why there should be a consensus on the general sense of “authentein” as bad bossy behaviour.
Rachel Speght responded to a misogynist in the early 1600s by writing a witty piece that encourages respect for women. It still entertains.
Who was Damaris? What was her social status? What does her name mean? What was her role in the church? Evidence from ancient inscriptions help to answer some of these questions.
Paul said in 1 Cor. 11:10 that a woman should have “authority on her head.” Whose authority is it?
Gen 3:16, about Eve, and Gen 4:7, about Cain, both contain the Hebrew words teshuqah (“desire”) and mashal (“rule”). Does 4:7 help us to understand 3:16?
Who are the 144,000 in Revelation 7 and 14? What do they symbolise? Are women really excluded from this group?
What if Malachi 2:16 isn’t a general statement on divorce but about a priest named Manasseh who divorced his first wife in around 350 BCE? It’s likely.
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© 2022 Marg Mowczko