Wall Paper

If we had the compassion of Jesus, it would change our families, churches, and neighborhoods for the better. It would allow us to give to others what all of us wants for ourselves. It would enable us to fulfill the purpose for which we leave our footprints and fingerprints on this planet.

Jesus' Compassion for Women

Not only was Jesus compassionate toward children, He was also uniquely compassionate toward women. Indeed, His attitude toward them and His relationship with them were revolutionary. Israel was a patriarchal society in which women occupied a subordinate position and were in many ways treated as social and spiritual inferiors to men.

It's difficult, though, to generalize, because the rabbis differed among themselves on this issue. Fathers too differed in the upbringing of their daughters. And husbands differed in how controlling and restrictive they were with their wives. Love and personality differences made for great differences in the experiences of Hebrew women.

Yet it is undeniable that generally a woman's lot in that patriarchal society was hard. The prevalent belief in female inferiority found terse expression in the prayer offered by Jewish males: "God, I thank Thee that I was not born a dog. I thank Thee that I was not born a Gentile. I thank Thee that I was not born a woman."

In their younger years, daughters were often treated with suspicion. They were closely supervised in order to prevent anything that might be viewed as unchastely.

When she began her menstrual cycle, a woman was unclean and needed purification (Leviticus 15:19-30). To touch a menstruating woman was to undergo defilement that required ritual purification. Incidentally, a man was not to touch any woman except his wife, not even if she was his cousin and the touch accidental.

When a girl reached a marriageable age, she was bartered by her father. After marriage she could be bartered by her husband.

The female role was that of housekeeper, with none of the conveniences we take for granted today. Her other role was that of childbearing with frequent pregnancies--the more she bore, the higher a wife was held in esteem. After childbirth, a woman was regarded as unclean and in need of purification (Leviticus 12).

If a wife displeased her husband, he could divorce her, but a wife was not granted the same right (Deuteronomy 24:1-4). If she was suspected of adultery, a wife could be subjected to the frightful water ordeal (Numbers 5:11-31), but no such provision was made for testing a suspected husband.

A woman had no property rights. She could not serve as a witness. She could not share equally in worship. Singing and chanting were done by men exclusively while women listened in their own synagogue compartments. As a rule they were not taught the Torah as boys were. Some rabbis went so far as to declare, "Let the words of the law be burned rather than committed to women. . . . If a man teaches his daughter the Law, it is as though he taught her lechery." Ten men had to be present for a service to be held. Nine men plus one woman would not do!

Jesus, however, was sensitive to the needs of all people whether male or female. He exhibited an all-inclusive compassion that broke through the traditional gender restrictions and taboos. In order to heal, He allowed Himself to be touched by a woman without a shuddering reaction and without following the prescribed routine for cleansing.

Luke told about a woman who for 12 years had an issue of blood (evidently some menstrual dysfunction). She stretched out her fingers and brushed the fringe of Jesus' garment. Instead of condemning her for such a male-contaminating act, Jesus gently led her to understand the difference between a belief in a kind of magical contact and a saving faith in divine grace (Luke 8:42-48).

Another woman, in this case a defiled prostitute, poured precious ointment on the Savior's feet and washed them with her tears while Jesus was eating in a Pharisee's house. Compassionately, our Lord, who knew her penitence and faith, defended that bold, extravagant action and sent her away with a benediction of peace (Luke 7:36-50).

Jesus again disclosed His compassionate attitude toward women, and particularly those who were marginalized by their own sin, when He refused to engage in the stoning of an adulteress caught in the very act. Leaving aside the question of why her accusers didn't drag the male offender as well to the feet of Jesus, we watch our Lord, who with pitying tactfulness handled this sordid situation righteously yet forgivingly. He absolved this transgressor of her guilt, warned her against future temptation, and sent her away to live a changed life (John 8:1-11). He didn't condone sin. Not in the least! Yet lovingly He offered pardon and hope to those women whom society pushed aside as moral refuse.

Widows especially elicited our Savior's compassionate help. The Old Testament laid down specific commands that widows were to be treated with kindness and respect (Deuteronomy 14:28-29; Deuteronomy 24:19-21 ; Deuteronomy 26:12-13 ; Isaiah 1:17 ; Zechariah 7:10). In all likelihood, then as now, some families may have nevertheless neglected to provide sufficient companionship and care for these second-class women. Often, then as now, they may have moved to the outskirts of the family orbit.

A typical example of our Lord's attitude toward these marginalized women was His encounter with a funeral procession outside the city of Nain. A young man had died. He was the only child of his grief-stricken mother. She was facing loneliness and in all probability destitution. When Jesus saw the funeral procession and heard the mother sobbing, He was moved with compassion. "His heart went out to her" (Lk. 7:13). He didn't wait for any appeal. He acted. He touched the coffin, risking ritual contamination, and He commanded the corpse to arise. Miraculously, the son obeyed as life returned to his body. Imagine the mother's gratitude as uncontrollable joy replaced inconsolable sorrow! (vv.11-17).

In Jesus' sermon in Nazareth as He inaugurated His public ministry, He referred to a widow (an alien from pagan Sidon) as an object of God's saving grace. That reference, made intentionally not casually, contradicted the prejudices of His audience (Luke 4:25-2). The Sidon widow was not the only bereft widow whom Jesus used as an example to challenge His contemporaries and present-day readers of the Gospels.

In Jesus' day, men had only a meager knowledge of God and a superficial fellowship with Him. The plight of women was far worse. Therefore Jesus, in defiance of tradition, allowed them to be among His followers and actually engage in the service and support of His itinerant mission (Luke 8:1-3). Women together with men were being taught about God's grace that rules out gender distinction. With compassion, our Lord told women, individually as well as collectively, the truth about God and His kingdom. He took time to instruct Mary of Bethany (Luke 10:39). Significantly, He gently rebuked Martha the sister of Mary, counseling her that it was better for a woman to learn about God than to be preoccupied with household chores like preparing a meal. In so saying, He was turning the traditional role of women upside down.

Once again, at Jacob's well, He gave a brief course in basic theology to a Samaritan woman. No wonder His tradition-bound companions were astonished. He was talking to a woman in public! He was talking to her alone! He was talking to a despised Samaritan woman, someone of a race that pious Jews viewed as heretics! (John 4:1-30).

What motivated such behavior by Christ? Compassion. He saw people in the whole gamut of their need. He saw people not in abstract categories such as males and females, Jews and Gentiles, aliens and citizens, adults and children. Jesus saw people as individuals, each made in God's image, each a member of God's human family and a potential member of God's spiritual family.