WOMEN IN THE MINISTRY OF JESUS: JESUS THE LIBERATOR AND TRANSFORMER

Abstract

Centuries have gone by since Jesus came to liberate and transform men and women. The very truth that women served in the team of Jesus while he was on the earth shows that in an androcentric patriarchal world, women were welcomed. This was made possible because Jesus went against the tide of patriarchy to reach out to the downtrodden, marginalised, and oppressed women. These women were victims of socio-cultural and oral traditions set up by the Jews. Jesus allowed women to be a part of his life. Even before his birth, God prepared women of low estate to be a part of his genealogy. We see the role of women in his birth, ministry, crucifixion, death, and resurrection. Jesus liberated and transformed a woman caught in adultery, the Samaritan woman whose life was in a mess, and women in need of healing to name a few. Women were able to serve on the team of Jesus because of their transformed lives. Many churches have come forward to allow women in the church ministries and to serve God.