More Facts About Acts: Women

If we were to pick up the book of Acts and look for a theme in regards to women, we’d have a few choices. Women are mentioned either directly or indirectly over 20 times in the book of Acts. Here are a couple suggested themes:

How about the theme of suffering? (we might call this women’s sufferage;-)

There are three separate times that it mentions women who were tortured for their faith:

Acts 8:3 Saul committed women to prison,

Acts 9:2 That Saul might bring women bound to prison,

Acts 22:4 Saul/Paul testifies how he had committed women to prison before his conversion.

It’s true that they suffered but it’s not exactly a consistent “theme”.

How about the theme of women behaving badly?

Acts 5:1-11 When Sapphira lied for her husband and God judged her for her part.

Acts 12:13-16 Rhoda didn´t open the gate for Peter!

Acts 13:50 The Jews stirred up the “devout and honorable” ladies who did a pretty good job of joining with men to get Paul and Barnabas tossed out.

The problem with that one is the theme of men behaving badly is much more consistent, and the men are guilty of slightly worse offenses than “not opening gates”.

But how about a theme of Women Being Faithful?

In Acts chapter 2 Peter stands up and quotes the prophet Joel:

17" 'In the last days, God says,

I will pour out my Spirit on all people.

Your sons and daughters will prophesy,

your young men will see visions,

your old men will dream dreams.

18Even on my servants, both men and women,

I will pour out my Spirit in those days,

and they will prophesy.

We see the prophet Joel’s words come true in Acts. The very first European convert is Lydia. We see faithful women in Acts 10, 12, 16, 17, and 18. Thanks to our faithful sisters at Springfield…many of whom get limited press but do much of the work. Perhaps that is the major theme that has not changed since the first century . . .

Mark