In the time of Jesus’s ministry, women were usually regarded as
subordinate and inferior in virtually every area of life. They
were to remain at home, to be good wives and mothers, and to
take no part in public discourse or education. Josephus, a
Jewish historian, said: “The woman, says the Law, is in all
things inferior to the man. Let her accordingly be submissive.”
It was also said: “Better is the wickedness of a man than a
woman who does good” (Sirach). Jesus, however, by his teaching
and actions, affirmed the worth and value of women as persons to
be included along with men within God’s love and service. Jesus
challenged “sexual put-downs” of women. In Jesus’s setting, the
prerogative of divorce belonged almost exclusively with men, and
virtually any reason could be used to justify divorce. Jesus
tolerated no such “male chauvinism.” He recalled the “one flesh”
concept (Genesis 2:24) of mutual partnership and God’s intention
for marriage (Matthew 19:3–9). Although women were held
responsible, in Jesus’s t