women in mark's gospel

8/6/2019 Women in Mark's Gospel

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WOMEN IN MARKS GOSPEL

1. THE ROLE OF JEWISH WOMEN AT JESUS TIME

Jewish women were not allowed to participate in public life: Whenleaving the house, they had to cover their heads with a long veil inorder to avoid being recognized by people passing by. If a woman didnot cover her face, the husband could divorce her without paying theamount of money agreed at the time of marriage. It was also forbiddenfor a man to talk to a woman alone, to look at a married woman, or togreet a woman on the streets. In the country side, their customs werenot so strict especially because women had to help their husbands inmany matters.

The situation of Jewish women in the house: They were taught to be agood housewife by taking good care of the husband: cooking, cleaning,washing, weaving, and looking after the small brothers and sistersThey did not receive any part of the inheritance of the family, unlessthe family had no sons.

The daughters of the family belonged to the father until the age ofmarriage (twelve and a half years old): they have no rights and thefather makes the decisions for them. He can arrange their marriagewith whoever he wants or he can sell them to be slaves.

Women were the servants of the husbands family: Whatever theyhave or earn belongs to their husband. They had to obey the husbandin everything, like their owner. The children of the family had to showmore respect for their father than for their mother. In a dangeroussituation, the husband had to be saved first.

Women depended completely on their husbands:

a) Polygamy was allowed: Wives had to accept and share theirhusbands with other women.

b) Only men could divorce their wives, not the other way around.It was very easy to get divorced at that time.

c) A widow depended on the husbands family if he died withoutchildren (Levirate law: Deuteronomy 25:5-10): she had tomarry one of her husbands brothers to give him descendants;if they did not want to marry her, then she could leave thefamily and marry someone else.

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Girls did not go to school, only boys. Women could not mix with men inthe Temple; they had to stay in the court of the women or of thegentiles. In the synagogues they had a special place for women aswell. It was forbidden to teach a woman. At home, women could notsay the blessing after meals. Women could not be witnesses in a trial;

their testimony was only accepted in special circumstances. The birthof a boy was an occasion for joy; the birth of a girl was a reason forindifference or sadness.

However, if we pay attention to the Old Testament, there are somewomen who did great things for Israel:

1. Deborah (Judges 4-5): She was a prophetess and the onlyfemale judge (administrator of justice) of Israel before themonarchy.

2. Judith: She was a widow who used her charms to become a

close friend of Holofernes, the commander of the Assyrianarmy, and behead him in order to save Israel from beingdestroyed.

3. Esther: She was a Jewish queen of the Persian king Ahasueruswho saved the Jews living in that country from beingexterminated by one of the kings governors.

In order to understand Jesus view of women, we need to take inconsideration all the things we have said in this chapter.

2. WOMEN IN MARKS GOSPEL

The term woman (gyn) appears 16 times in Marks gospel. In othertexts this term does not appear, but it refers to women anyway. Let usmake a list of the most important passages connected with women.

1. The healing of Simons mother-in-Law (1:29-31)2. Jesus new family (3:20-21.31-35)3. The healing of a woman with a hemorrhage (5:25-34)4. The raising of Jairus daughter (5:21-24.35-43)

5. Jesus family in Nazareth (6:1-6)6. Herodias and her daughter (6:14-29)7. The Syrophoenician woman and her daughter (7:24-30)8. Marriage and divorce (10:1-12)9. Resurrection and marriage (12:18-27)10. The poor widow (12:41-44)11. The woman who anointed Jesus (14:3-9)

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12. Women at the crucifixion and the burial of Jesus (15:40-41.47)

13. Women at the tomb (16:1-8)

3. WOMEN AS MODELS OF DISCIPLESHIP

3.1. JESUS CALLS WOMEN TO DISCIPLESHIP

In Marks gospel we observe that Jesus calls to discipleship not onlymen, but also women. Even though the gospel only narrates thevocation and election of men to become Jesus disciples, we still knowthat Jesus invitation was opened to both men and women. Lets seesome passages that confirm this idea:

- The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is close at hand.

Repent, and believe the gospel (1:15).

- The disciples said: Everybody is looking for you (1:37).

- Anyone who does the will of God, that person is my brotherand sister and mother (3:35).

- When he was alone, the Twelve, together with the otherswho formed his company, asked what the parables meant(4:10).

- If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renouncehimself and take up his cross and follow me (8:34).

- Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and othersgreenery which they had cut in the fields. And those whowent in front and those who followed were all shouting:Hosanna! Blessed is he who is coming in the name of theLord! (11:8-9).

When talking about the crowds that follow Jesus and receive histeachings, Mark is also thinking about all the women included in that

group of people. These women may not have names, but still are reallyimportant to Jesus.

3.2. JESUS HEALS WOMEN

A. Jesus heals Simons mother-in-Law (1:31): He went in to her,took her by the hand and helped her up. And the fever left her and shebegan to serve them.

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She is the first woman that appears in Marks gospel and the firstwoman to be healed by Jesus.

She shows her gratefulness by serving (diakoneo) Jesus and theother disciples. Therefore, she became also the first woman

disciple in Jesus community: a model of service. The essence ofChristian discipleship is the attitude of service:- If anyone wants to be first, he must make himself last of all

and servant of all (9:35; 10:43-44).- For the Son of man himself came not to be served but to

serve, and give his life as a ransom for many (10:45).B. Jesus heals a woman with a hemorrhage (5:25-34): If I canjust touch his clothes, I shall be saved Who touched my clothes? Shefell at his feet and told him the whole truth. My daughter, he said, yourfaith has restored you to health; go in peace and be free of your

complaint.

This woman is a model of faith: She spent all her money indoctors and medicines with negative results: her sickness isincurable. Now, she puts her faith and trust in Jesus, her lasthope, and she is cured. At this point, her faith is still fearful ormagical because she touches Jesus from behind.

This woman is a model of truth: By telling the truth about herhealing openly, in front of everyone, she also reveals her faithand Jesus confirms its authenticity. Then, personal faith in Jesuscannot be hidden or fearful, it must be proclaimed publicly for

the crowds to hear.

C. The raising of Jairus daughter (5:21-24.35-43): And takingthe child by the hand he said to her: Little girl, I tell you to get up. Thelittle girl got up at once and began to walk about, for she was twelveyears old, and told them to give her something to eat.

Jairus, the father of the little girl, is a model of faith thatintercedes for other peoples needs: He is aware of the seriouscondition of his daughter (dangerous sickness and small in age)and begs Jesus for her life (he fell at his feet): Jesus is his onlyhope. However, Jairus faith will be tested in three different ways:a) Jesus stops to solve the problem of the woman who touchedhis cloak (delay of healing); b) the news of his daughters death(believe that Jesus can bring her back to life); c) Jesus beinglaughed at by the people at his house (mockery or ridicule). Heovercame this faith crisis by trusting Jesus and he got the miraclehe wished for.

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D. The Syrophoenician woman and her daughter (7:24-30): Atonce a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spiritheard abouthim and came and fell at his feet. Now this woman was a gentile, bybirth a Syro-Phoenician, and she begged him to drive the devil out of

her daughter. And he said to her: The children should be fed first,because it is not fair to take the children's food and throw it to littledogs. But she spoke up: Ah yes, sir, she replied, but little dogs underthe table eat the scraps from the children. And he said to her: Forsaying this you may go home happy; the devil has gone out of yourdaughter. So she went off home and found the child lying on the bedand the devil gone.

Jesus enters in a house in gentile territory (the region of Tyre). Awoman came and begged him (fell at his feet) to drive out anunclean spirit from her (only?) daughter. They have been the

enemies of Israel for centuries and fought many wars againstthem.

Jesus opens a dialogue: The children should be fed first,because it is not fair to take the children's food and throw it tolittle dogs. The woman thinks that Jesus is rejecting her petitionbecause she is a gentile. That is not correct! Jesus says thatGods salvation (food) must be offered to the Jews first (Godsholy people) and later to the gentiles. The Bible often talks aboutthe Jews as children or sons of God; therefore, the expressionlittle dogs refers to the gentiles who are not part of Godsfamily.

The reaction of the woman: Ah yes, sir, but little dogs under thetable eat the scraps from the children. She accepts Jesuswords, but finds a clever way to solve the question: At Godstable there is plenty of bread for everybody: children and littledogs. There is no need to wait until the people of Israel arecompletely satisfied; the gentiles can also benefit from it rightnow if they show their faith in him, just like the dogs eat thescraps that fall from the table of the children.

Jesus response: For saying this you may go home happy; thedevil has gone out of your daughter. The woman showed agreat faith in Jesus power to save her daughter and because ofthat faith without doubt her daughter has been freed from theunclean spirit.

This gentile woman becomes the model of faith of the gentileswho accept and welcome the gospel of Jesus, while the Jews, thesons of God, reject its message and the person of Jesus as theMessiah as well.

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3.3. WOMEN AS MODELS OF SACRIFICE

A. The poor widow (12:41-44): He sat down opposite the treasuryand watched the people putting money into the treasury, and many ofthe rich put in a great deal. A poor widow came and put in two small

coins, the equivalent of a penny. Then he called his disciples and saidto them, In truth I tell you, this poorwidow has put more in than allwho have contributed to the treasury; for they have all put in moneythey could spare, but she in herpoverty has put in everything shepossessed, all she had to live on.

The poor widow is the representative of the poor in Marksgospel. She is the model of trust and confidence in Godsprotection and providence. Her attitude towards God should beimitated by the rich and the disciples.

When everybody looks at the rich, Jesus looks at the poor widow.

She is the true model of discipleship because she does not giveGod the leftovers, but everything she had. What a faith!

B. The woman who anointed Jesus (14:3-9): He was atBethanyin the house of Simon, a man who had suffered from a virulent skin-disease; he was at table when a woman came in with an alabasterjarof very costly ointment, pure nard. She broke the jar and poured theointment on his head Leave her alone. Why are you upsetting her?What she has done for me is a good work she has anointed my bodybeforehand for its burial. In truth I tell you, wherever throughout all theworld the gospel is proclaimed, what she has done will be told as well,

in remembrance of her.

This woman brought an expensive perfume of pure nard (over300 denarii = the yearly salary of a normal person) and poured iton Jesus head. She probably thinks that Jesus is the King-Messiah they are waiting for (see 1 Samuel 10:1; 16:13).

Some people criticized the woman for wasting the perfume: thebest choice was to sell it and give the money to the poor.However, for Jesus, she has done a good action and made theright choice: it predicts the coming death of Jesus and anticipatesthe anointment of his body at the time of his burial.

Because of her sacrifice for Jesus (expensive perfume), heraction (anointing of his body before the burial) will beremembered everywhere.

3.4. WOMEN AT THE PASSION AND RESURRECTION

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A. Women at the crucifixion (15:40-41.47): There were somewomen watching from a distance. Among them were Maryof Magdala,Mary who was the mother ofJames the younger and Joset, andSalome. These used to follow him and look after him when he was inGalilee. And many other women were there who had come up to

Jerusalem with him Mary ofMagdala and Mary the mother of Josettook note of where he was laid.

At the crucifixion, Jesus is not alone: some women have believedin him, served him, and followed him to Jerusalem. Where thedisciples have failed (sold him for money, denied him, andabandoned him), the women have succeeded: they are the signof the true Church formed by those who follow and serve Jesusthrough the way to the cross. They are the big surprise of Marksgospel. They never appeared before in the gospel, but now theydo it to show who the true disciples of Jesus are.

Mark tells us the name of three women who are therepresentative of all the women who came from Galilee: a) Maryof Magdala; b) Mary, the mother of James the younger and Joset;c) Salome (probably the mother of the Zebedees sons, Jamesand John).

Why are they the models of discipleship? For three reasons: a)they followed Jesus: they listened to his call and followed him allthe way to the cross, not like the other disciples and the twelve;b) They served Jesus: they have fulfilled the essence ofdiscipleship: service; they have served him always and now theyare willing to offer him their last service: the anointing of his

dead body; c) They came up to Jerusalem with Jesus: they haveremained faithful to the end, not like the male disciples; they arehis new family.

B. Women at the tomb (16:1-8): When the Sabbath was over,Mary of Magdala, Mary the mother of James, and Salome, boughtspices with which to go and anoint him And the women came outand ran away from the tomb because they were frightened out of theirwits; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

Only the three women mentioned at the crucifixion went to thetomb to anoint Jesus body with perfume; they want to performthe last act of love and service of family members for the deadperson. They want the body to smell good and pray for him. Inthis way, they behave like the true family of Jesus and show theirlove and faithfulness to him.

The disciples, on the other hand, are still hidden somewhere inJerusalem or going back to their previous life in Galilee. They do

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not appear in the crucifixion and they do not appear in the tomb;they are too scared of the Jews and probably also disappointedthat Jesus was not the Messiah they were expecting. They thinkeverything is over, it was a good dream, but now it is time to gohome.

These women were thinking about finding Jesus dead body inthe tomb, but instead they found the stone removed and theJesus body gone. The only person in the tomb is a young manwearing a white robe (an angel?) who announces them that Jesusis risen; they must bring a message to Peter and the otherdisciples: Jesus is risen and is going to Galilee where they will seehim alive again (v. 7). These women, since they have beenfaithful to Jesus until his death on the cross, are now the firstwitnesses of his resurrection; they also became the messengersof the good news about Jesus resurrection and his reappearancein Galilee where all his disciples will see him alive again. Galilee

was the place where he began to preach the gospel; Jerusalemwas the place of his death; now, Galilee represents the newbeginning for Jesus and for his disciples. From Galilee thedisciples will be sent to the whole world to preach the gospel ofJesus.

Womens response to the words of the angel: a) they ran awayfrom the tomb; b) they did not say anything to anyone; c) theydid all this because they were filled with fear or completelyfrightened. These words show that the faith of these women isstill weak and small: they are incapable to communicate thegood news of the resurrection of Jesus. However, the final verse

of the gospel (16:8) is also the way used by Mark to tell hisreaders that they have to make their own decision: Believe in Jesus resurrection and become his followers or reject it andabandon Jesus.

4. WOMEN AS NEGATIVE EXAMPLES OF DISCIPLESHIPHerodias and her daughter (6:14-29)

Herodias was Philips wife. She left him and married Herod, Philipsbrother and the tetrarch of Galilee and Perea. John the Baptist was putin prison for accusing Herod of breaking the Jewish law [adultery andincest (his brothers wife should be like Herods sister) see Leviticus18:16; 20:21] by marrying Herodias, his brothers wife.

Herodias desires this marriage with Herod, but she will not becompletely safe until the accuser, John the Baptist, is dead. Her hatredand resentment is so strong that she will do anything to kill John.Herod is the only obstacle in her way: he protects John and likesconversing with him.

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Herods birthday was the perfect occasion for getting rid of John.Herodias sent her little daughter to dance for him and he was sopleased with her performance that he promised to give her even half ofhis kingdom. The girl, after talking with her mother, asked for the head

of John the Baptist on a plate.

Herod could not break his promise in front of his guests and thereforehe asked the soldiers to bring the head of John the Baptist. WhenHerodias saw the head of John, he felt safe and the winner of thequarrel. He will not bother her and Herod anymore about the legality oftheir marriage. Herodias represents all the women who are willing todo everything in the power to fulfill their evil plans: the killing of theinnocent and the righteous.

5. MARY AND THE FAMILY OF JESUS

Marks gospel tells us very little about Mary and the family of Jesus:Jesus new family (3:20-21.31-35) and Jesus family in Nazareth (6:1-6).The gospel begins when Jesus is already an adult, so we do not knowanything his birth, childhood, and youth (the opposite of Matthew andLuke).

A. The new family of Jesus (3:21.31-35): When his relations heardof this, they set out to take charge of him; they said: He is out of hismind Now his mother and his brothers arrived and, standing outside,sent in a message asking for him. A crowd was sitting round him at the

time the message was passed to him: Look, your mother and brothersand sisters are outside asking for you. He replied: Who are my motherand my brothers? And looking at those sitting in a circle round him, hesaid: Here are my mother and my brothers. Anyone who does the willof God, thatperson is my brother and sister and mother.

Jesus is in Capernaum (Simons house). His relatives (his mother,his brothers, and his sisters in 3:31) want to take him homebecause they think he is crazy or out of his mind: heals peopleon the Sabbath day; eats with sinners and forgives their sins;touches lepers; exorcisms of people with unclean spirits; no

fasting Furthermore, the religious leaders also believed that heis possessed by the devil and acts with his evil power (3:22.30).For that reason, his close family came to take him home: with hiswords and actions, he is destroying the good name of the family.

Here, Mark talks about the mother of Jesus without using hername. She arrived with the family to the house where Jesus waswith the crowd, but stayed outside and sent people to call him.

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Here we can see clearly the differences between the crowd andthe family of Jesus:

- The crowd is inside the house, sitting around Jesus andlistening to his preaching: this is the attitude of the truefollower of Jesus.

- The family is outside and sends a messenger to informJesus of their presence outside the house: they do not wantto listen to Jesus teachings and reject his activity. Theyjust want to stop his activity and bring him home: he bringsshame to the family.

Because his natural family is against him and rejects his activity,now Jesus will give birth to a new family: those who do the will ofGod are his mother, his brothers, and his sisters.

B. The family of Jesus in Nazareth (6:1-6): Leaving that district,he went to his home town, and his disciples accompanied him. With

the coming of the Sabbath he began teaching in the synagogue, andmost of them were astonished when they heard him. They said, Wheredid the man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been grantedhim, and these miracles that are worked through him? This is thecarpenter, surely, the son of Mary, the brother ofJames and Joset andJude and Simon? His sisters, too, are they not here with us? And theywould not accept him. AndJesus said to them: Aprophet is despisedonly in his own country, among his own relations and in his ownhouse.

This is the only place in the gospel where the name of Mary

appears; she does not play an important role in the episode,she is just one of the people of Nazareth.

The people of Nazareth do not call Jesus by name, but they usethe word this which has a negative meaning. They call himthe son of Mary (not his fathers name) and refuse to accepthim because they question the authenticity of his words andactions.

In this situation, Jesus gives them a final response: he callshimself a prophet and identify three groups that reject him andhis message:

- The people of Nazareth: they know who he is from hischildhood and refuse to believe his words and actions.

- His relatives: the large family of Jesus (cousins, uncles, aunts,nephews, nieces).

- His house (oika = family; home): it means his close family(mother, father, brothers, and sisters).

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This is all the information we have in Marks gospel about Mary and thefamily of Jesus. Mary does not appear at the last moments of his life:passion, death, and resurrection. Mary is not one of the women whosee the crucifixion from the distance or go to the tomb to anoint hisbody.

6. FAMILY: MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE

A. Marriage and divorce (10:1-12): Some Pharisees asked him: Isit lawful for a man to divorce his wife? They were putting him to thetest.

Moses allowed them to divorce (Deuteronomy 24:1) because ofthe hardness of their hearts (mans power and dominion overwoman), but in Gods original project, at the time of creation, itwas forbidden to divorce (Genesis 2:23-24 = freedom and

love). Jesus goes even further: to divorce is forbidden; if anyone

divorces and marries again, commits adultery. Therefore, menand women are equal and their relationship should be based onlove.

B. Resurrection and marriage (12:18-27): Then some Sadducees who deny that there is resurrection came to him and they put thisquestion to him: Master, Moses prescribed for us that if a mansbrother dies leaving a wife but no child, the man must marry thewidow to raise up children for his brother. There were seven brothers

none of them left any children. Last of all, the woman herself died.Now at the resurrection, when they rise again, whose wife will she be,since she had been married to all the seven?

The Sadducees pretend to ridicule the idea of the resurrectionby using the Law of Moses about the levirate marriage(Deuteronomy 25:5-10): the brother of a deceased man isobliged to marry his brothers widow in order to give himdescendants.

Jesus accuses them of ignoring the meaning of the Scripturesas well as the power of God. In the resurrection, there is notmarriage, they will be like angels in heaven; furthermore, Godsaid to Moses that he is the God of the living, not of the dead:Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob have died, but they live with Godforever (Ex 3:6). In other words, they do not know anythingabout the resurrection.

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