Trinity Fellowship Assembly of God

Jesus, the Great Equalizer

Luke 13

MAIN THOUGHT: Every believer can discern how God works by noting the ways Jesus treated women.

Jesus ignored the customs of the day that contradicted God’s Word.

Jewish View of Women (Why Not Women?,” Loren Cunningham, 102-103)

“Compared with Adam, Eve was like a monkey to a human being.”

“A man must be saved alive sooner than a woman, and his lost property must be restored sooner than hers.”

“Though a man has the exclusive right to his wife’s sexuality, the wife’s right to the husband’s sexual function is never exclusive.”

“Women are gluttonous.”

“Women are of unstable temperament.”

“Woe to him who has female children!”

“A woman is more prone to sin than man.”

“Women were held accountable not only for their own sins, but also for the lust they awakened in men.”

“Like the Greeks, the rabbis believed that women were possessions to be used or, better yet, avoided altogether.”

“If possible, one should not look at or talk to a woman.” 105

– Jesus allowed women to travel with Him. - Matthew 27:55
Matthew 27:55 NKJ “And many women who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him, were there looking on from afar,”

– Jesus taught outside the temple, or in the temple where women were allowed.

Jewish View of Women (Why Not Women?,” Loren Cunningham, 102-103)

“The rabbis decreed that a synagogue could be established wherever there was a quorum of ten men. Even though there was no basis in Scripture for this, they were sending a clear message to their women: ‘You…do not count’” 105

“Jewish women were marginalized from the worship of God. They couldn’t participate in many of the most important rituals. They were segregated into a separate court in Herod’s temple, even though this was not part of God original design for the tabernacle, nor was it the case in Solomon’s temple, nor in the temple rebuilt by the exiles returning from Babylon…with separate courts dividing the Gentiles from the Jews, then Jewish women from Jewish men.”

– Jesus taught Mary as a disciple. - Luke 10:38-42
Jewish View of Women (Why Not Women?,” Loren Cunningham, 102-103)

“…the reading of the Torah by a woman would dishonor the community.” 106

“Women were also discouraged from private study of the Torah, despite the fact that this was their closest tie to God, their highest form of worship.” 106

“Most rabbis would not think of teaching the Torah to a woman.” 106
Luke 10:38 NKJ “Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house.
39 And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word.
40 But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, ‘Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.’
41 And Jesus answered and said to her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things.
42 But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.’”

Jesus reached out to women who were in need.

– Woman in synagogue bent over - Luke 13:11-17
Luke 13:10 NKJ “Now He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath.
11 And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up.
12 But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, ‘Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity.’
13 And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.
14 But the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath; and he said to the crowd, ‘There are six days on which men ought to work; therefore come and be healed on them, and not on the Sabbath day.’
15 The Lord then answered him and said, ‘Hypocrite! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or his donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it?
16 So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound — think of it — for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?’
17 And when He said these things, all His adversaries were put to shame; and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him.”

– Woman with the issue of blood - Mark 5:24-34
Mark 5:34 NKJ And He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.’”

– Jairus’ daughter - raised from the dead - Mk. 5:21-24, 35-43

– Widow of Nain’s son - raised from the dead - Luke 7:11-15

Luke 7:11 NKJ Now it happened, the day after, that He went into a city called Nain; and many of His disciples went with Him, and a large crowd.
12 And when He came near the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother; and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the city was with her.
13 When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, ‘Do not weep.’
14 Then He came and touched the open coffin, and those who carried him stood still. And He said, ‘Young man, I say to you, arise.’
15 And he who was dead sat up and began to speak. And He presented him to his mother.”

Jesus treated men & women with equal status.

– Woman caught in act of adultery - John 8:2-11

John 8:2 NKJ “But early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them.
3 Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst,
4 they said to Him, ‘Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act.
5 Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?”
6 This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.
7 So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, ‘He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.’
8 And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground.
9 Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
10 When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, ‘Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?’
11 She said, ‘No one, Lord.’ And Jesus said to her, ‘Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.’”
John 8:11 NIV “‘No one, sir,’ she said. ‘Then neither do I condemn you,’ Jesus declared. ‘Go now and leave your life of sin.’”

Leviticus 20:10; Deuteronomy 22:22 said both man & woman caught in adultery must be stoned

What the Pharisees were setting forth was a double standard.

Principles to Discern

1. The Kingdom of God is different from any other nation or culture - not Jewish, Samaritan, African, Oriental, Latin, English, Canadian, North American…

God’s Kingdom is the alternate culture.

2. God is no respecter of persons. Acts 10:34-35; Romans 2:11 - not race, not color, not gender

God looks at the heart, not outward appearance.

3. God is just, righteous, pure. All stand guilty of sin and must give an account before God.

4. What is highly esteemed by man is many times abhorred by God.
– showing favoritism
– prejudice
– pride
– disobedience to God’s commands
– pleasing “men”
– love of money / possessions

5. God’s holy standards are much higher and better than man’s.