Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Holy Books Named after Women

I think I heard a Muslim claim, in passing, that there are no books in the Bible named after women, unlike the Quran, which has the book of Maryam.  This was in the context of a discussion of Women's rights. Actually there are at least two books in the Bible named after women, namely Ruth and Esther.
Also, in the Old Testament, there is the deuterocanonical book of Judith.  There is really not a problem with mentioning apocryphal or deuterocanonical books with Muslims, as they have exactly the same problem as anyone else as to their status.  Just because they have a simple solution (reject them all), that does not mean they are right.
Furthermore, on a similar topic, I believe there are extremely few women mentioned in the Quran.  The only woman mentioned by  name is Mary.

See this article:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Female_figures_in_the_Quran

The Old Testament also mentions the female prophet Deborah:

Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, she judged Israel at that time.
--Judges 4:4

As well as the female prophet Huldah:


So Hilkiah, and they whom the king [had commanded], went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tokhath, the son of Hasrah
--2 Chronicles 34:22


The New Testament mentions four more ladies who prophesied:

We entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him. Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied.
--Acts 21:8

Women in The Bible:

http://youtu.be/uZ-vB2ePzmU

The video above points out that Jesus actually had female followers who provided for Jesus and the  disciples.  These women stayed with Jesus even when many of his male disciples fled:

 Soon afterward he went on through cities and villages, preaching and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their means.
--Luke 8:1-3

Many women were there looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee while ministering to Him.
Among them was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee
--Matthew 27:55-56

Therefore the soldiers did these things. But standing by the cross of Jesus were His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.
--John 19:25

Now the women who had come with Him out of Galilee followed, and saw the tomb and how His body was laid.
Then they returned and prepared spices and perfumes. And on the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.
--Luke 23

This is only a small sample of women in ministry in the Bible.
There is a lot more if you read the book "The Woman Question" by Kenneth E. Hagin.


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