Saturday, April 14, 2012

Women of the Bible

Jesus reached across cultural norms by befriending and discipling women throughout his life. The bestselling Women of the Bible: New Testament pamphlet presents portraits of 15 women, some who encountered Jesus personally, and some who served in the early Church. Some women are known by name, like Mary and Martha, while others are known by their situation, such as the "Woman at the Well." This beautiful, 14-panel pamphlet presents key events and stories for the women, plus Scripture references, locations and insights from their stories. 
14 panels, fits inside most Bible, 8.5 x 5.5 inches unfolds to 38" long
Women of the Bible: New Testament is a concise chart that profiles women whose lives were touched by Jesus, or who served the early Church. Teachers and students alike will enjoy discovering more about the women whose lives were forever changed by Jesus. These women showed great faith and human faults; they were forgiven women, friends, disciples, and leaders in the Church.

Women of the Bible: New Testament features the following women:
  • Mary, Mother of Jesus
  • Elizabeth
  • Mary Magdalene
  • Mary and Martha
  • Five anonymous women that Jesus encountered -
    • The woman with a flow of blood
    • The bent-over woman
    • The forgiven woman
    • The Canaanite woman
    • The Samaritan woman
  • Four women of the Apostolic Church—
    • Lydia
    • Priscilla
    • Phoebe
    • Dorcas
Women of the Bible: New Testament uses a chart format to review —
  • Bible references for each woman's story
  • Date and location of the story
  • Key events in each woman's life
  • An overview of each woman's story
  • Insights from the story
Women of the Bible: New Testament also provides—
  • Cultural insights about the Samaritans and the Canaanites that made Jesus'encounters with the women from these places all the more powerful.
  • A brief summary on the Gnostic Gospels, including the Gospel of Mary
  • A definition of Gnosticism
  • Information to correct the popular idea that Jesus and Mary Magdalene were married
Here is an example from the Women of the Bible New Testament pamphlet:

MARY MAGDALENE
  • Bible references— Luke 8:1-3; Mark 15:40-47; John 19:25; 20:1-18
  • Date and location of the story—Galilee, AD 26-30
  • Key events:
    • Belonged to the larger group of Jesus' disciples
    • Healed of possession by seven demons
    • Present at the time of Jesus' death
    • First to talk to the Lord after the resurrection
    • First disciple commissioned to tell about Jesus' resurrection
Women of the Bible: New Testament makes a great women's Bible study or reference. 

Author: Benjamin Galan, MTS, ThM, PhD Candidate, Adjunct Professor of Old Testament Hebrew and Literature at Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, CA

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