The Heb. word 'ishshâ, "woman, wife," is thought to be derived from a root '-n-sh, "to be soft, delicate." While it is simliar to Heb. 'ish, "man," there is an intentional contrast in meaning, for 'ish seems to come from a root '-y-sh, "to be strong" [BDB, pp. 35, 61]. Heb. neqebâ, "female," is a term based on a physiological description of the sexual characteristic [from naqab, "to perforate"].
It is important to recognize that when God created mankind [Heb. 'adam], when He made human beings in His image, He created them both male and female [Gen 1:27; 5:1-2; Mt 19:4], not one or the other. Therefore the image of God appears equally in man the male and woman the female, and the perculiar personality characteristics of each sex are needed fully to mirror the nature of God. The very word 'ishshâ for "woman" suggests her special God-given sensitivities and gifts in the emotional realm. These serve to enhance mankind. Woman has a special sensitivity to human needs which enables her to understand intuitively the situations and feelings of other people.
Because the woman was formed out of the man [Gen 2:21-23] and for the man's sake, the Bible assigns headship to the man [I Cor 11:7-9]. In the divine order man's authority over his wife is based on priority of creation, not on superiority [I Tim 2:12-13]. As in the case of the Son to the Father within the triune Godhead, the woman's position of dependence indicates a difference of function, not inferiority. Woman was created to be man's partner, a "help meet" for him [Gen 2:18, 20], i.e., "a helper suitable for him." Thus "she is man's complement, essential to the perfection of his being...Man and woman are endowed for equality, and are mutually interdependent" [Dwight M. Pratt, "Woman." ISBE, V, 3100]. The husband's delegated rulership over his wife was made necessary by the fall, not creation [Gen 3:16; I Tim 2:14].
In Hebrew society the ordinary woman had a secondary position legally and was considered part of a man's property [Gen 31:14-15]; Ruth 4:5, 10]. Normally daughters received no inheritance when their father died [cf. Num 27:1-8]. Practically, however, the woman's status was one of dignity, especially as a wife and mother in the home [Ex 20:12; Lev 19:3; Deut 21:18]. Disrespect toward her was severely punished [Lev 20:9; Deut 27:16]. She also shared in the religious life of the community [Deut 12:12, 18; I sam 1:7-19, 24; 2:19].
Women participated in the arst such as in singing and dancing [Ex 15:20; Jud 21:19-21; II Chr 35:25] and in skilled weaving for the tabernacle [Ex 35:25-26]. They could take part in business such as in real estate ventures [Prov 31:16; Acts 5:1] and in the manufacture and sale of linen garments and tents [Prov 31:25; Acts 16:14; 18:2-3]. Some even played a significant role in political and military life, e.g., Deborah, Bathsheba [I Kgs 1:11 ff.], and two wise women in Israel [II Sam 14:2-20; 20:16-22]. Huldah the prophetess was consulted regarding the newly found book of the law and prophesied a message for the king [II Kgs 22:14-20].
Only the men in Israel were required to attend the three annual festivals [Ex 23:17], but this ordinance seems to have been a humane concession because of the inconveniences of childbirth and the woman's responsibility for the children in the home [cf. I Sam 1:22]. She possessed full rights of participation when she could attend [Num 6:2; Deut 16:11, 14]. She could even go without her husband to monthly [new moon] and weekly [sabbath] services [II Kgs 4:23]. Women could "publish the word" [Ps 68:11, KJV] or "proclaim the good tidings" [NASB]. Their restriction to a separate "court of women" in Herod's temple [Jos Ant. xv. 11:5; Wars v.5:2] was an intertestamental and unbiblical innovation that developed out of Judaism corrupted by contact with the Hellenistic world [J.B. Payne, The Theology of the Older Testament, Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1962, p.229]. In ancient Gr. society women were considered inferior to men, intermediate between freemen and slaves. Wives led lives of seclusion and practical slavery. "Chastity and modesty, the choice inheritance of Heb. womanhood, were foreign to the Gr. conception of morality, and disappeared from Rome when Gr. culture and frivolity entered" [ISBE, V, 3101].
The gospel of Christ brought a revolution in the status of women, God's favor to the Virgin Mary being the starting point [Lk 1:28, 30, 42, 48]. Jesus taught women [Jn 4:10-26; 11:20-27] and received their acts of kindness and financial support [Lk 8:3; 10:38-42; 23:56]. They are to be considered as spiritual equals in Christ [Gal 3:28].
After Jesus' resurrection the women united with the other disciples in prayer and full fellowship [Acts 1:14]. THerefore they evidently helped to elect Matthias [1:15-26]. They received the power and gifts of the Holy Spirit along with the men on the day of Pentecost [Acts 2:1-11, 17-18]. In the life of the early churches women were always among the first believers [Acts 5:14; 12:12; 16:14-15; 17:4, 34]. Some like Lydia, Priscilla, and Phoebe were outstanding as fellow-workers with Paul and as women in whose homes churches met [Rom 16:1-5]. While Christian women were permitted to pray and prophesy in church meetings [I Cor 11:2-16; Acts 21:9], the NT does not allow them to usurp leadership in public worship [I Tim 2:12] or to exercise authority over men in the matter of judging the prophets [I Cor 14:29-35].
Apologies if there are any typos. I typed this when I was feeling a little under the weather. I just wanted to post this in the hopes that I could put an end to misconceptions regarding women and Christianity.