3. WOMEN OF THE NEW TESTAMENT

WOMEN OF THE NEW TESTAMENT BY WALTER F. ADENEY, M.A. professor of New Testment Exegesis New College, london author of " how to read the bible," "the theology of the new testament,’’ etc

Hontron

SERVICE PATON 5 HENRIETTA STREET

COVENT GARDEN

1899

CONTENTS CHAPTER I Mary the Mother of Jesus — Blessed among Women A Retiring Nature — Unearthly Scenes — The Human Aspect of the Annunciation — Rossetti’s Picture — The Visit to Elizabeth— The Magnificat— The Wonderful Babe— Mary pondering — The Purification — The Presentation — The Sword 1-13 CHAPTER II Mater Dolorosa — Sorrow with Blessedness The Lost Child — An Unintentional Rebuke — A Separation — At Cana — A Rebuff — An Anxious Mother — A Second Rebuff — The Sentimental Admirer — The Darkest Hour — A Gleam of Light — Fading out of View . . . 14-28 CHAPTER III The Great Miracle — A Study in Theology A Human Mother — The Miracle of Miracles — The Further Miracle of the Virgin Birth — A Fatal Confusion — The Testimony of Two Gospels — Objections — Apocryphal Gospels — Jewish Legends — Patristic Evidence — Ebionite Teaching — Docetism — The Syriac Variation . . 29-42 CHAPTER IV The Madonna — A Study in Imagination

Perpetual Virginity — History of the Dogma — The Glorification of Virginity — The Immaculate Conception — The Assumption — Virgin Worship—" The Mother of God " — Christian Art — Divine Pity ..... 43-56 CHAPTER V Elizabeth — Motherhood and Humility A High-born Woman — The Instinct of Motherhood — The Child of Old Age— The Visit— The Welcome— A Wonder of Humility— Mutual Confidences — Naming the Child — His Future 57-70 CHAPTER VI Anna — Aged and Hopeful Her long Vigils — The Life of Devotion — Energy of Prayer — The Melancholy of Old Age— Youthful Old Age— A Quickening Hope — Vitalising Prayer — The Recognition - of the Christ— The National Hope .... 71-84 CHAPTER VII The "Woman of Samaria — Thirst At the Well— The Request — Living Water— A Vivacious Mind — The Awakening— A Soul’s Unrest— The Thirst for Excitement — Conscience — The Type of the Inconstant — The Prophet — A Strange Evangelist 85-09 CHAPTER VIII The Women who Ministered to Jesus — Active Devotion

Peter’s Wife’s Mother — Inopportune Illness — The First Woman Healed — The Service of Gratitude — The Women who Ministered with their Substance — The Wealthier Status of Women Disciples — The Court Lady . . . 100-113 CHAPTER IX The Woman who Touched the Hem of Christ’s Garment — Shy Faith The Explanation of an Unusual Approach — The Child and the Woman — Desperate Need — Faith and Superstition — Healing Contact — Involuntary Power — Jesus Asking for Information — A Theological Blunder— Shyness Conquered by Gratitude— Confessing Christ — Faith Commended— The Legend of St. Veronica 114-127 CHAPTER X The Woman who Washed the Feet of Jesus with Her Tears — Forgiveness and Love The Scene at an Eastern Feast— A Natural Judgment — A New Idea — Sin not to be Denied — Forgiveness Forbids Recrimination — A Passion of Devotion — A Revelation of Character — Love the Fruit of Forgiveness — Emotion must have Expression 128-140 CHAPTER XI The Canaanite Woman — A Mother’s Persistence

Jesus in Retirement — A Primitive Passion — Christ Confessed by a Heathen— A Piteous Appeal Disregarded— The Reason— Hopeful Silence— A Harsh Proverb— The Unreported Smile— Delightful Repartee— Faith Rewarded 141-153 CHAPTER XII The Mother of Zebedee’s Children — Material Ambition

Salome, Mary’s Sister — Her Early Days — The Fisherman’s Wife — Among the Ministering Women — Her Daring Request — Maternal Ambition — Her Faith in Her Nephew — In Sight of the Cross — A Spartan Mother — FamUy Selfishness — The Earlier Position of the Two Sons — The Great Mistake — A Consolation 151-167 CHAPTER XIII The Sisters — A Contrast The Bethany Household — 1. A Family Difference — Natural Irritation — The Active and the Contemplative Lives — Expostulation — Reply — Plain Living and High Thinking — 2. At the Grave — An Earthquake Revelation — Unaccountable Delay — Jesus at Bethany — Sublime Faith — 3. The Anointing — The Accusation— The Defence 168-1S3 CHAPTER XIV The Widow with Two Mites — True Giving The Minor Incidents of the Gospel— Jesus at the Temple — The Widow — The Gift Valued by the Sacrifice — Penury. Rescued from Sordidness 184-194 CHAPTER XV Mary Magdalene — Adoration after Deliverance A Double Confusion — Vindication of the Magdalene’s Character — Her Terrible Affliction — The Phenomena of Possession — The Dogmatism of Science — Among the Attendant Women — At the Cross — The Entombment — The Empty Tomb— The Vision of Angels — The Gardener — Noli me tangere 195-208 CHAPTER XVI Dorcas and Phoebe — Woman’s Work

Women in the Apostolic Churches — 1. Dorcas — Christian Charities — Active Service — The Old-fashioned Work with the Needle— "Dorcas" Societies — 2. Phoebe—The Deaconess— The Patroness 209-220 CHAPTER XVII St. Paul’s Woman Converts — Saved to Serve The Prominent Position of Women — 1. Lydia — The First- Known Christian in Europe— Her Open Mind — 2. The Pythoness — Her Affliction — The Cure — Its Results — 3. Damans — The Athenian Audience — Rare Exceptions — 4. The Ephesian Women — Their Varied Works— 5. The Women at Philippi — An Exhortation to Harmony . . 221-235 CHAPTER XVIII Priscilla — The Woman Missionary

Roman Legends and Inscriptions — The Early History of Priscilla — The’ Teacher of Apollos — Woman’s Larger Ministry — The Woman Missionary — The Missionary’s Wife 236-246 CHAPTER XIX Women in High Places — Shame of Womanhood A Dark Background — 1. Herodias— Her Scandalous Career — 2, Salome — The Dance and the Murder — 3. Bernice — A Royal Visit— 4. Drusula — The Four Dissolute Queens — 5. Pilate’s Wife — Her Warning Dream . , . 24G-254 CHAPTER XX The Mystical Women of the Apocalypse — Woman Symbolical

Weird Symbols — 1, The Woman Jezebel — A Corrupting Influence— 2. The Locusts of the Pit — Womanly Grace with Cruel Terror — 3. The Woman Clothed with the Sun — The Jewish Church and Her Messiah — 4. The Scarlet Woman — Imperial Kome — 5. The Lamb’s Bride — The Christian Church and her Lord 255-263 CHAPTER XXI The Treatment of Woman in the New Testament — A Summary The New Testament Picture- Gallery — Jewish Freedom for Women — The Christian Advance — Christ’s Teaching on the Gentler Virtues — Our Lord’s Treatment of Women — A Doubtful Passage — Philip’s Daughters — Women Preachers— St. Paul’s Treatment of Women . . 264-276

PREFACE

ALTHOUGH this volume appears in the series “^ which contains Dr. Morton’s beautiful studies of the women of the Old Testament, 1 desire to state that it is not my aim to attempt a sequel to that delightful work. Fortunately any such ambitious design is precluded by the entire change of situation and atmosphere which comes in with the dawning of the Christian era. Those old-world stories of patriarchal times, familiar to us from our childhood, yet ever fresh and abounding in vivid details, demand a dramatic treatment and a picturesque setting. It is fortunate when they fall to the pen of a writer whose imaginative skill is adequate to the task of setting them out in their variegated hues. When we pass on to the New Testament we find that although women still play an important part in the history, the scenes among which they move, and the style of narrative in which these are described, are of an entirely different character. For the most part we have but the most meagre hints concerning the characters and doings of the women of the gospel and apostolic times. We have to grope our way among hints and allusions. On the other hand, what we miss through this deficiency of information may be amply compensated for by the fact that we are to pursue our inquiries concerning people most of whom came into direct relations with Jesus Christ — saw His face, heard His voice, felt His healing touch. What would not any of us give to possess a tithe of their experience? A halo of companionship with the Saviour encircles most of these women of the New Testament; and nearly all the others stand in the light of the afterglow that lingers throughout the apostolic period. To myself this is the fascination of the subject. I wish I could help my readers to share in it.

W. F. A.