"I have not come to abolish them (the Law), but to fulfill them."

The "Law" was built on racism, misogyny, religious bigotry, hypocrisy, and sectism.

Christ was hated because he challenged the system, from within.

How Christ had a revolution:



Pharisaic Judaism (led by Pharisees) was the progenitor of today's Rabbinic Judaism (led by Rabbis).

Many views remain shared, particularly on women, for example;

A popular rabbi claimed that a "woman cannot be a part of the resurrection from the dead, only men can."


That assertion was recent, so you can imagine the attitude towards women in the time of Christ.

Tractate Sanhedrin 11: "Woe to him whose children are females."

Midrash Genesis Rabbah 17: "Once Eve was created, Satan was created with her."


Some rabbis posited that the female was irrelevant in creation; merely a leech clinging to the main thing.

Others noted that women were created to serve.

Some texts from the Middle Ages suggested remanding wives to the corners of their houses, and kept from going outside.


One of the greatest Jewish scholars of all time, the Rambam, said that the testimonies of women in trial cases, was invalid.

In sharp contrast, Christ highly regarded the testimony of women; when he revealed himself first to 2 of them, and chose them to spread the word.

Rabbis also warned that men should stay away from conversing with women, as they only talked about sexual obscenities.

But we remember when Christ invited his female friends, Mary and Martha, to leave their house chores and join him to study the Word.


We also have the apostle, Paul, who recommended a woman as a deacon in the early Church.

The New Testament speaks highly of a woman named Tabitha from Jaffa, who contributed to the Gospel's spread.

In this way, Christ's movement dislodged the misogyny inherent in the Law.


While the rabbis forbade physical contact between unmarried men and women, Jesus did the opposite.

He personally went to lay his hands on sick women. He let sick women touch him to receive healing.

He loved women, respected them as God's creation, and refused to objectify them.


The Rambam said that wives who refused to do their chores, could be beaten and forced to do them.

Another Rabbi added that they (wives) could be starved into submission.

Yet, the New Testament commands men to love their wives, and even give up their lives for them, if necessary


In the name of God, harmful social, cultural and religious norms occurred. But when Christ began his ministry, he stood against them in words and acts.

At a point, it would have been deemed radical:

He didn't let an adulteress be stoned.

He let a prostitute into his fold.


To crown the absurdity of his religious revolution, he broke down three walls at once, when he spoke with a Samaritan woman.

The Samaritans were formerly Jews who had broken away from the flock, over religious disparities, ethnic separations due to foreign conquests, etc.


The Jews viewed them as false worshippers of God, and denounced Samaritans and Samaritanism.

Contact with them was heavily frowned on, but there was the stubborn son of Joseph publicly speaking with one of them, no less a woman.


Today's Gospel tackles three barriers Christ dismantled at the well, with the Samaritan woman.

First was that of gender discrimination, which was a recurring quality of his revolution.

Second was racism, while third was religious bigotry.


These were the aspects of early Christianity which inspired dread in the hearts of even the Romans, centuries after Christ left.

A society devoid of misogyny, racism and religious bigotry was a utopia, not thought possible in the age and time.


Yet, the apostles, and their disciples did the best they could to keep the revolution going.

Unfortunately, as with all things, humanity still poisoned Christianity over the millennium. But it doesn't change the true message of Christ.


And the whole affair gives more meaning to Christ's words:

"...and no one knows the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him."

Most of our interpretations of the laws, teachings and perceptions of God have been moved by human emotions; greed, fear, pride, lust, hatred, ignorance, etc.

Being a good Christian is tricky, as the human nature, sometimes, can overcome the divine will of God in our hearts.

Regardless, it is a conscious effort to fight every form of bigotry that lurks within.


Culled from:::



https://www.oneforisrael.org/bible-based-teaching-from-israel/attitudes-to-women-the-rabbis-vs-jesus/