For example, a study of patriarchal customs shows that for people in Bible times, to be born a male was far more significant than to be born a female. Boys had more privileges and freedom than girls, a higher status that continued through adulthood. Knowing this we can see that Jesus treated women in a revolutionary way, considering the customs of the times.
We begin to understand why Jesus' disciples were so amazed that he "talked with the woman" other than a relative (John 4:27), to say nothing of discussing important spiritual issues with her. We also understand what a shock it must have been that, in a culture which did not recognize a woman's testimony in a court of law, God allowed women to be the first witnesses of Jesus' resurrection (Luke 24: 1-12; cf. Acts 2: 17-18).
Marriage, a relationship that by Christian times had become a sacrament, was originally a binding exchange of vows between bride and groom as a result of negotiation by their parents. Many Israelite men married only one wife; others in Old Testament times had two wives (Deut. 21:15) or one or more concubines. David had more than one wife; Solomon had 700 (II Sam. 5:13; I Kings 11:3; Song of Sol. 6: 8-9). Herod the Great had nine wives.
Marriages were frequently arranged with near relatives or members of the clan or tribe. As the bride was to be become a member of her husband's family, it was important for the groom's parents to know whether she was suitable and likely to be compatible with her relatives. The consent of the bride and groom was sometimes obtained, but was not required. Although marriage was expected to be for life, a wife could be divorced by a simple statement to that effect by her husband; she could not divorce him. Jewish law later required a written document for divorce, but in any case divorce was rare in Old Testament times.
The betrothal, which occurred about a year before the marriage, was a formal binding agreement (Matt. 1:18; Luke 1:27; Luke 2:5). After it, the betrothed woman was considered to belong to her future husband, and he was then regarded as a son-in-law by the bride's family. In the interests of establishing proper family relationships, the man was exempt from military service during the first year after the formal marriage ceremony (Deut. 24:5). The bride-price was one reason for the frequency of monogamy. Few men could afford to provide such a substantial sum more than once. The bride-price was a purchase price paid to the bride's father to compensate him for the loss of his daughter's work in the home or fields. The price was sometimes paid in the form of work, as when Jacob served Laban for fourteen years to obtain Leah and Rachel (Gen. 29: 15-28). Some of the dowry was customarily given to the bride herself, often in the form of jewelry that she wore as part of her adornment at the wedding.
The groom was lavishly attired for the wedding in sumptuous scented garments and with a garland of flowers on his head. Preparations for the bride included bringing a translucent quality to her skin and braiding her hair, if possible with gold and pearls. Her adornment included the finest clothing, along with a veil. Thus prepared, she and her bridesmaids awaited the arrival at her parents' home of the bridegroom's procession. As it wound its way through the village or town, the torchlight wedding procession of the groom and his friends was the setting for music (Jer. 7:34) and merriment. The procession then returned with the bride and her entourage to the home of the groom's family where wedding feasts often continued for seven days, sometimes even for fourteen. A specially prepared bridal chamber awaited the young couple. The young bride immediately began hoping to fulfill her special duty, namely, the provision of sons.
The young woman's role was to be responsible for the household cooking, cleaning, spinning, weaving, sewing, and also provide occasional help in the fields or vineyards. She was expected to give the early stages of education to her children (Prov. 1:8; Prov. 6:20; Prov. 31: 10-31).
As head of the household, the father made all decisions. Even a promise made by a wife was invalid without her husband's consent Num. 30. "1 And Moses spake unto the heads of the tribes concerning the children of Israel, saying, This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded. 2 If a man vow a vow unto the LORD, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth. 3 If a woman also vow a vow unto the LORD, and bind herself by a bond, being in her father's house in her youth; 4 And her father hear her vow, and her bond wherewith she hath bound her soul, and her father shall hold his peace at her: then all her vows shall stand, and every bond wherewith she hath bound her soul shall stand.
5 But if her father disallow her in the day that he heareth; not any of her vows, or of her bonds wherewith she hath bound her soul, shall stand: and the LORD shall forgive her, because her father disallowed her. 6 And if she had at all an husband, when she vowed, or uttered ought out of her lips, wherewith she bound her soul; 7 And her husband heard it, and held his peace at her in the day that he heard it: then her vows shall stand, and her bonds wherewith she bound her soul shall stand. 8 But if her husband disallowed her on the day that he heard it; then he shall make her vow which she vowed, and that which she uttered with her lips, wherewith she bound her soul, of none effect: and the LORD shall forgive her. 9 But every vow of a widow, and of her that is divorced, wherewith they have bound their souls, shall stand against her. 10 And if she vowed in her husband's house, or bound her soul by a bond with an oath;
11 And her husband heard it, and held his peace at her, and disallowed her not: then all her vows shall stand, and every bond wherewith she bound her soul shall stand. 12 But if her husband hath utterly made them void on the day he heard them; then whatsoever proceeded out of her lips concerning her vows, or concerning the bond of her soul, shall not stand: her husband hath made them void; and the LORD shall forgive her. 13 Every vow, and every binding oath to afflict the soul, her husband may establish it, or her husband may make it void. 14 But if her husband altogether hold his peace at her from day to day; then he establisheth all her vows, or all her bonds, which are upon her: he confirmeth them, because he held his peace at her in the day that he heard them. 15 But if he shall any ways make them void after that he hath heard them; then he shall bear her iniquity. 16 These are the statutes, which the LORD commanded Moses, between a man and his wife, between the father and his daughter, being yet in her youth in her father's house.
1 Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: 3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. 4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. 6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.
8 And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. 9 And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? 10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. 11 And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? 12 And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. 13 And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.
14 And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: 15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. 16 Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. 17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; 18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;
19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. 20 And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living. 21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them. 22 And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: 23 Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. 24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.
Proverbs Chapter 5:1 My son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow thine ear to my understanding: 2 That thou mayest regard discretion, and that thy lips may keep knowledge. 3 For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil: 4 But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a twoedged sword. 5 Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell. 6 Lest thou shouldest ponder the path of life, her ways are moveable, that thou canst not know them.
Chapter 5:18 Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth. 19 Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love. 20 And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?
Proverbs 6:24 To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman. 25 Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids. 26 For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life.
Proverbs 7:5 That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words.
Proverbs 7:10 And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart. 11 (She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house: 12 Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.) 13 So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him, 14 I have peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows. 15 Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee.
16 I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt. 17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. 18 Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves. 19 For the goodman is not at home, he is gone a long journey: 20 He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed. 21 With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him. 22 He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks; 23 Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life.
Proverbs 31:2 What, my son? and what, the son of my womb? and what, the son of my vows? 3 Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings.
1 Corinthians 14:34 Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. 35 And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.
1 Timothy 2:11 Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. 12 But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. 13 For Adam was first formed, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. 15 Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.
And We said; "O Adam, dwell thou and thy wife in this Garden, and eat freely thereof, both of you, whatever you wish; but do not approach this one tree, lest you become wrongdoers." But Satan caused them BOTH to stumble therein, and thus brought about the loss of their erstwhile state. And so We said: "Down with you, (and be henceforth) enemies unto one another; and on earth you shall have your abode and your livelihood for a while!" Thereupon Adam received words (of guidance) from his Sustainer, and He accepted his repentance: for, verily, He alone is the Acceptor of Repentance, the Dispenser of Grace. (For although) We did say, "Down with you all from this (state)," there shall, none the less, most certainly come unto you guidance from Me: and those who follow My guidance need have no fear, and neither shall they grieve; but those who are bent on denying the truth and giving the lie to Our messages-they are destined for the fire, and therein shall they abide.
And (as for thee), O Adam, dwell thou and thy wife in this garden, and eat, both of you, whatever you wish; but do not approach this one tree, lest you become evildoers! Thereupon Satan whispered unto the two with a view to making them conscious of their nakedness, of which (hitherto) they had been unaware; and he said; "Your Sustainer has but forbidden you this tree lest you two become (as) angels, or lest you live forever." And he swore unto them, "Verily, I am of those who wish you well indeed!" And thus he led them on with deluding thoughts. But as soon as the two had tasted (the fruit) of the tree, they became conscious of their nakedness; and they began to cover themselves with pieced-together leaves from the garden. And their Sustainer called unto them: "Did I not forbid that tree unto you and tell you, Verily, Satan is your open foe?" The two replied; "O our Sustainer! We have sinned against ourselves-and unless Thou grant us forgiveness and bestow Thy mercy upon us, we shall most certainly be lost!" Said He; :Down with you, (and be henceforth) enemies unto one another, having on earth your abode and livelihood for a while; there shall you live"-He added-"and there shall you die, and thence shall you be brought forth (on Resurrection Day)!"