Woman in the Bible and History 1
Landmarks of the Spiritual Path
Woman in the Bible and History
God—blessed be His name—saw that woman was essential for society, so He created her.
In the story of creation, we notice a beautiful phrase:
Throughout the details of creation, a phrase is repeatedly mentioned—“And God saw that it was good” (Gen. 1:4, 12, 18, 21, 25). Yet, amid all the marvels of God’s creation, there was one thing He saw as “not good”! God said, “It is not good that man should be alone” (Gen. 2:18). Thus, He created for him “a helper comparable to him,” meaning Eve.
After Eve’s creation, the divine revelation could, for the first time, say: “And God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good” (Gen. 1:31). With Eve, the picture was complete.
We notice that the phrase “a helper comparable to him” (Gen. 2:18) means equality between man and woman—she is his counterpart. This equality is supported by another biblical text: “Nevertheless, neither is man independent of woman, nor woman independent of man, in the Lord” (1 Cor. 11:11).
The woman was “in the image and likeness of God,” just as Adam was. Scripture says, “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them” (Gen. 1:27).
In the story of the first sin, though many blame the woman, we can see noble points in her. When Adam sought to justify himself before God by blaming her, she did not protest, nor did she grow angry with him—she bore it silently and calmly. We do not know how our father Adam faced her afterward!
And though the error of temptation was attributed to Eve, men have been responsible for countless errors since.
Adam’s submission to Eve when she offered him the fruit was itself wrong, for he was the head of the woman; he should have led her, not followed her.
In human history, we see that a man like Cain was the first murderer, followed by Lamech, also a murderer and the first to practice polygamy (Gen. 4:19, 23). Women bore this.
In the Holy Bible, we see examples of God honoring women:
Some books of the Bible bear women’s names—among them, the Book of Ruth, the Book of Esther, and the Book of Judith. Not all books were named after men like Samuel or Jonah.
God also granted women the gift of prophecy. Among the prophetesses mentioned are Huldah (2 Kings 22:14), Deborah (Judg. 4:4), and Miriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron (Ex. 15:20). She led the choir after the crossing of the Red Sea and sang a beautiful hymn we chant in the Midnight Praise.
In the New Testament, too, we find examples of prophetic women: “Philip the evangelist had four virgin daughters who prophesied” (Acts 21:9).
Women also held high positions, and men acknowledged their leadership abilities.
For example, Deborah was both a prophetess and a judge (Judg. 4:4). The people came to her as she sat under the palm tree to judge them. Barak, the commander of the army, refused to go to battle without her, saying, “If you will go with me, then I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go” (Judg. 4:8). Indeed, the victory came through her!
Women also ruled as queens and showed wisdom in leadership.
A prime example is Queen Esther, who led her people in fasting and succeeded through her wisdom—and with God’s help—to save them all.
History records many great queens: Hatshepsut in Pharaonic Egypt, Cleopatra in the Ptolemaic and early Roman period, and Shajarat al-Durr in the Mamluk era. Even today, women lead many nations.
All this shows that God gave woman intellect and abilities that cannot be ignored.
In every man’s life, a woman led him in childhood—his mother. We recall the holy mothers who raised saints. The mother of Moses and Aaron raised Moses so well that though he lived only a few years with her before being handed to Pharaoh’s daughter (Ex. 2:9–10), she planted in him steadfast faith that endured among the pagan Egyptian practices until he was forty years old—and he became a leader of faith in his generation.
Also, the grandmother and mother of Saint Timothy, disciple of Saint Paul: “I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice” (2 Tim. 1:5). Saint Paul did not mention Timothy’s father or grandfather—only his mother and grandmother.
In baptism, it is customary for the mother to carry her child as his sponsor, renouncing Satan and confessing the true faith on his behalf, promising to raise him in faith. Even in civil law, custody belongs to the mother first, or to the nearest female relative if she is absent.
Among holy mothers, we remember Saint Monica, mother of Saint Augustine.
Though this article is not devoted to motherhood, it suffices to note woman’s excellence in shaping men from their earliest years.
A beautiful tribute to woman appears in God’s words to Abraham: “Whatever Sarah has said to you, listen to her voice” (Gen. 21:12). Sarah’s opinion was sound; though she respected her husband and called him “my lord,” God’s command to Abraham to heed her advice shows divine esteem for this great saint—who, in humility, once offered her handmaid to her husband that he might have a son.
Now let us speak of the holiness of women in Scripture and history.
There have been holy women in every field—martyrs, nuns, mothers, spiritual guides, and righteous women in their lives.
Some women rose above natural limits—like the saint during the era of martyrdom who, while her children were slain on her lap, encouraged each one to remain steadfast in faith and to face death joyfully to meet God. Who can reach such spiritual heights?
Among the renowned spiritual guides was Saint Macrina, who guided men—her brothers: Saint Basil the Great, Archbishop of Caesarea; Saint Gregory of Nyssa; and Saint Peter, Bishop of Sebaste. Saint Gregory wrote an eloquent eulogy for her, later translated into Arabic.
Also famous was Saint Mother Sarah the nun, whom monks from Scetis visited for counsel, revealing their weaknesses. Impressed by their humility, she said modestly, “Truly, you are men of Scetis, for you hide your virtues and ascribe to yourselves faults you do not have.”
Another spiritual guide was Saint Melania the nun, who guided Saint Evagrius to repentance and then to monastic life.
Above all stands Saint Mary the Virgin—the holiest of women and, indeed, of all humanity. The psalm says of her: “At Your right hand stands the queen” (Ps. 45). The Church calls her “the second heaven,” for she bore the Lord of glory. She is compared to the cloud (Isa. 19:1), the Ark of the Covenant, the golden censer, and Aaron’s rod. The Church celebrates many feasts in her honor, and countless books have been written about her. One of her hymns declares: “Many daughters have done well, but you excel them all.”
The phrase “many daughters have done well” shows that God granted honor to many women—like the one of whom Christ said, “Wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her” (Mark 14:9).
Among the great deeds of women were those who offered their homes as churches.
Foremost is Saint Mary, mother of Saint Mark the Apostle—her home became the first church in Christian history (Acts 12:12). Believers gathered there for prayer; it contained the upper room where the Last Supper was held and where Christ washed the disciples’ feet.
Also, Lydia’s house became a church (Acts 16:15), and the house of Priscilla and Aquila, of whom Saint Paul wrote, “Greet Priscilla and Aquila… and the church that is in their house” (Rom. 16:3, 5).
From the beginning of the Gospel ministry, women followed Christ and served Him.
Saint Luke says, “and many others who provided for Him from their substance” (Luke 8:3). Saint Matthew adds that during the Crucifixion, “many women who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him, were there looking on from afar” (Matt. 27:55).
We cannot forget the house of Mary and Martha, which the Lord often visited. Mary represented contemplation, Martha service. Christ wept with them at Lazarus’ tomb before raising him (John 11:33–35). Women continued to serve the apostles in the early Church.
Indeed, it was a woman who first proclaimed the Resurrection to the apostles. Mary Magdalene became a preacher in several regions. Likewise, the Samaritan woman, after her encounter with Christ, repented and evangelized all of Samaria.
The Church honors holy women by dedicating many churches to them.
Besides the numerous churches bearing the name of the Virgin Mary, others are dedicated to Saint Demiana (in her monastery at Barari Belqas and in Cairo’s districts of El-Waily and Shubra), Saint Dolagy in Esna, Saint Refa in Sanbat, Saint Barbara in Old Cairo and Shubra, and Saint Helena the Queen—who discovered the Cross and built churches in the 4th century.
The history of nuns is also filled with saints.
Some founded monastic movements and convents, like Saint Demiana, Saint Melania, and Saint Paula with her daughter Saint Eustochium, who established a convent in Bethlehem under Saint Jerome’s direction.
Some disguised themselves as men to live in monasteries, such as Saint Hilaria, Saint Marina, and Saint Pelagia. Others reached the highest levels of asceticism, like Saint Mary the Penitent, who became a desert wanderer—whom Saint Zosima asked to bless him!
Nuns often reached greater holiness than men for two reasons:
First, their deep emotion directed wholly toward God; second, their full dedication to worship, whereas men are often drawn into priestly and pastoral duties or other services that divide their time.
Women also served in the Church as deaconesses and ministers to widows.
Among the most famous were Saint Olympias, who was secretary to Saint John Chrysostom, Patriarch of Constantinople; Saint Anastasia, who corresponded with Saint Severus, Patriarch of Antioch; and the virgin who sheltered Saint Athanasius during his concealment.
In modern times, women’s service developed after Pope Cyril IV founded Egypt’s first girls’ school. Women have since served in education, social work, development centers, theological colleges, church councils, ecumenical movements, international conferences, and universities—as professors, authors, and translators—their influence reaching nearly all fields.
We pray for women’s continued success.
I wish to publish an encyclopedia of holy women and of women’s contributions in general, in recognition of their efforts through the ages and in our own generation.
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¹ Article by His Holiness Pope Shenouda III, published in Watani Newspaper, March 10, 1985.
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