Jesus restored Equality of Women

 When Jesus died on the cross, the innocent Son of God suffered the ultimate injustice. Through his unjust death, Jesus took upon Himself the punishment that we deserve for our sins.

The only completely innocent man of all time died an agonising death so that all guilty men and women could be delivered from God's judgement.

With his voluntary death, Jesus began to deliver people from all curses and injustices that started with original sin.  

The first injustice was prophesied by God Himself.

To the woman He said:
“I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; In pain you shall bring forth children;
 

Your desire shall be for your husband, And he shall rule over you.” Genesis 3:16

This was not God's command that men should rule over women. 

After the original sin the character of men was corrupted. The greater physical power of men was used to dominate women, which was never God's intention.

But millions of men ruled over their women. For thousands of years women have been treated as second-class human beings.

In the Bible, Jewish women were also victims of harsh discrimination, but in Christian history, and also in our own time, we see that many Christians do not yet understand that God created us for partnership and not for the subjugation of women.

In the Bible, new beginnings are of particular importance. As his first act after his resurrection, Jesus restored the equality of women.

Mary Magdalene was chosen by Jesus as the first person to proclaim his resurrection, not Peter or John, and not even Mary, his mother.

Mary Magdalene thought Jesus was the gardener. The first gardener was Adam, and Paul teaches us that Jesus is the last Adam. This means that Jesus is the beginning of the new humanity.

And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 1. Cor 15:45

For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. 1. Cor 15:22

Adam was the first man and the father of all human beings. He was without sin until he succumbed to temptation.

Jesus came as the second man without sin, and he resisted every temptation.

Jesus came to give us all men, women and children the innocence and glory of the original creation. 

He came to create a wonderful new humanity, a humanity where men and women can fulfil their potential in equality, freedom and partnership.

When Mary Magdalene announced to the apostles that Jesus had risen from the dead, they did not believe.

Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen. Mk 16:14

But many who are first now will be last, and the last will be first.

What did Jesus want to teach us? From now on pastors and apostles must also take women seriously. The culture of domination must go.