Submissive Majority: Women in Biblical History

Submissive majority. The two words almost caused me to wreck the first time I heard them in August 2020 while riding down the road, listening to the book My Own Words the autobiography of Ruth Bader Ginsburg.  As I heard the words “submissive majority” from her autobiography, I had an “aha” moment. I don’t recall what she was discussing or any of the details, but those two words seem to scream at me to be heard above all else. There were finally words to my feelings of being female growing up in church. 

A Book Idea is Born

The “submissive majority”. Those words perfectly summed up how I felt as a Christian woman in a male-led and -dominated Church world. As I looked around me, I saw a lot of women in church, probably the majority of faces were female, yet women were not represented in church leadership. This would ultimately be part of the reason I wrote my book, Equal Protection Under God, and became a chapter in that book. But, when I thought about the women of the Bible, my thought was, “What’s so submissive?”

What’s So Submissive?

Women throughout Biblical history have shown strength and the ability to lead. Though the story of the woman as strong, warrior, leader, courageous, revolutionary, that is seen throughout the Bible has not been out front and shouted from the rooftops, we can’t mistake quiet for non-existent or submissive. We may not have heard these stories told in these ways during our Sunday mornings in church, these stories exist and is God’s assurance that women matter and are not inferior.

Deborah

Deborah is the only female judge and the only judge to also be called a prophet. For a woman to lead in this way and be so effective that the Israelites enjoyed 40 years of peace, is phenomenal and not to be overlooked. Deborah is a leader in her own right — not because of who her husband or her brother or her father was — but because she loved and served God. She was a political leader in her time as well as a military war hero. In fact, the male general whom she called upon to lead them into war refused to go unless she went with him. Deborah told the male military leader that it would be a women who would bring victory, and indeed it was. The true hero of that battle was the woman, Jael, who was the political assassin.

Jael

Jael was cunning, smart, and dangerous. She belonged to a people group that was neutral between the Israelites and Canaanites, yet, when she had the opportunity to assassinate the Canaanite king, she didn’t hesitate. There’s much speculation as to why she did it, but there’s no speculation as to the manner of her assassination. She used what was readily available to her – a tent peg and hammer. (See Judges 4:21)

Proverbs 31 Woman

Every Mother’s Day at church we hear about the “Proverbs 31 woman”. But, have you really read the description of the Proverbs 31 woman? Some of the characteristics that I’ve never heard talked about in all my years going to church is that she’s strong, perceptive, business savvy, hardworking, and good with money. Go back and read Proverbs 31:10-28. Though the focus is generally on verse 28, there are 17 verses preceding that one that gives the full description of the woman of noble character.

Woman With the Alabaster Jar

This woman had guts. This woman in Luke 7:36-50, was apparently a woman with a past or a woman of “ill repute”. Nevertheless, she busted up into a house and a meal that was all men, and men who she knew would judge her, chastise her, point fingers, jeer, and talk about her. She didn’t care. She was on a mission and would be undeterred. Her mission was to bless the feet of Jesus. Yes, His feet. She walked into this den of lions to clean Jesus’ feet and pour her perfume on them. She didn’t know how Jesus or His disciples would receive her. This woman had guts and demonstrated tremendous courage and fortitude. 

The Women at the Cross

When Jesus hung on the cross, when He took His last breaths, His disciples were not there. The men who had been with Him day in and day out, the ones who professed their love for Him, were not with Him at the time He needed them most. The disciple “whom Jesus loved” is the only one named as being present at Jesus’ death. Instead, it was the women. 

The women stood firm in their devotion to Jesus. At the risk of jeers, taunts, physical harm, and further ostracization, the women stood by to watch after Jesus; they were loyal to Him. They stood by to care for Him, support Him, and ensure He didn’t die alone. It was the women He last saw, and whose love He saw, as He took His last breath on earth as a man.

Conclusion

There are so many women in the Bible, many more than mentioned in this short blog, who exhibited strength in the face of adversity. These women exemplify what it means to be a woman of faith, perseverance, hope, and strength. 

Take time this week to read some of these stories. Share with me some of the women of strength in the Bible whom you admire. 

Photo courtesy of #KathySmithImages