In the New Testament, we find women engaged in all kinds of work, and in many cases their issues are still issues for us today. Reading about women and their work in the Bible shows us how to honor God and find joy in the midst of our work now.
When we turn to the first chapter of the Bible, we watch God "at work" creating our cosmos and a world in which human beings can survive, even thrive. We may think of the Garden of Eden as some kind of leisure vacation setting, but God placed the first man and woman in that garden to work together, tilling it and caring for it (Gen. 2:15,18). Anyone who gardens knows that it takes constant work to maintain one, even in Eden. So from the beginning of time and throughout the Bible we see people at work, many simply to survive. Thus it comes as no surprise that women throughout the ages have always worked, often alongside men, sometimes alone but in harmony with the work that men were doing.
When we turn to the New Testament, there we also find women engaged in all kinds of work. For some it was the work of bearing and rearing children. For others it was bringing aid to folks in need. For still others it was as businesswomen engaged in profitable enterprises. And for many it was in some form of ministry for Christ and his kingdom. As you work through these studies of women at work two thousand years ago in the Middle East, you’ll find that while our lives today are radically different, some things never change. In many cases their issues are still issues for us today. How they handled their work life may give us help in managing ours in ways that bring honor to God and joy to us in the midst of our work.
These Bible studies are part of The Bible and Your Work Study Series. Each book contains Scripture references, thought-provoking questions, and prayers to help you explore what the Bible says about work and apply it to your life in positive, practical ways. The lessons in each chapter are designed for thirty-minute lunch breaks, although they can be used in other formats as well.
