Women of the New Testament by Camille Fronk Olson

Women of the New Testament Reviews

• 
  LeeAnn

  Correction: I read (and own) the hardbound edition. Goodreads doesn't have that option available even though the bookstores do.
  
  Loving it. I'm also reading Jesus the Christ by James E. Talmage at the same time and I've found some points of disagreement with Camille Fronk in the first chapter. Specifically, she states that we do not know which offering Mary and Joseph brought to the temple when the days of her purifying were fulfilled. Luke 2:24 says turtle doves or pigeons. She also says that Luke did not mention payment for Jesus because he considered that Jesus also had Levites lineage and would therefore remain in God's service throughout his life. However, Luke 2:39 says the law required redemption and Luke reports "they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord." James Talmage repeatedly comments on how the brevity of the writers seemingly to point the reader toward the pertinent lessons rather than extraneous situations. The law required the tax to be paid to redeem the firstborn from service and they performed all required by the law. These differences are both on page 17, and I haven't noticed any others so far (I'm on page 62.) I am learning much and digging into the scriptures more than with any other book so my compliments to Camille Fronk Olson!
  
  This is a wonderful book, written by a woman, looking at the New Testament women through the eyes of history and culture, with an admiration of their essential contribution. In the concluding chapter, Camille Fronk Olson writes:
  
  "On Resurrection morning, the two angels told the women to remember what Jesus taught them concerning his gospel and how he would be crucified and rise again. "And they remembered his words . . . and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest" (Luke 24:4-9). As true disciples who hear the word of God to remember it and do it, these women inspire us to do the same today. Of equal importance, community is created when engaged women and men work together in the spread of the faith and in their joined efforts to include all members in an active, authentically lived religion. With the blessing of Christ's Atonement and renewed commitment to keep our covenants with him, we cannot fail in that quest."
  
  That sums up her aim in sharing the culture and history of the day in illuminating the stories and lessons of the New Trstament. In my opinion, many disputes could be resolved by studying the Lord's followers, including the women, of that era in this context and becoming better followers of Christ in our day after their examples. I recommend this book to both women to men but especially to women and men who seek to understand the gospel more fully and women's role in it. I loved it and will reread it in parts and pieces as I read through the entire New Testament again.
• 
  Heather

  This book is packed! Camille Fronk Olson gives you all you need to know about women in New Testament times and then dives into each of the characters that are women in the New Testament. Every single one of them. Below are some quotes that I want to remember from her book.
  
  FROM THE INTRODUCTION: "...the scriptural narrative shows that (Christ) valued women collectively and individually by the way he interacted with them.
  Jesus publicly drew attention to the sincere and faith-filled actions of women whose existence had previously been invisible in public."
  
  FROM MARY, THE MOTHER OF JESUS:
  "While the holy family was yet in the temple, an elderly woman named Anna came “in that instant” to them (Luke 2:38). Like Simeon she also recognized the Christ child and gave thanks to God for the blessing. Although the narrative does not specifically note how she received her revelation, she was called a “prophetess” (Luke 2:36). Like Miriam, Deborah, and Huldah before her, Anna had the “spirit of prophecy,” which is a testimony of Jesus (Rev. 19:10). Her title of prophetess indicates her openness to the Spirit for such revelation. This devout widow, one of perhaps a lower degree in the social order, was known and chosen by God to greet his Son and proclaim a reason to hope for all “that looked for redemption in Jerusalem” (Luke 2:37–38)."
  
  "There at the temple, Mary encountered two additional witnesses, one male and one female, who bolstered her commitment to motherhood and served as a reminder of God’s watchful eye. She would never be completely alone in the daunting assignment to rear the Son of God. We wonder how often she might have thought back on that day at the temple to remember that with God, nothing is impossible."
  
  "To his mother alone, however, Jesus offered the significant comment, “Mine hour is not yet come” (John 2:4), foreshadowing Gethsemane (John 13:1; 17:1; Mark 14:41). The miracle at Cana was not his hour, but it could help Mary understand that hour when it came. When it did, Jesus, the “true vine” (John 15:1, 5), went into Gethsemane, the garden of “the oil press” and shed his blood (Gethsemane means “oil press” in Aramaic). Then and there, Jesus gave humankind the wine of the Atonement, the very best wine, of which the Saints symbolically drink when they partake of the sacrament (Luke 22:19–20, 44).
  
  There was no other good enough
  To pay the price of sin.
  He only could unlock the gate
  Of heav’n and let us in.
  
  "In this poignant scene [With Jesus on the cross], filled with overwhelming pain, grief, and foreboding loneliness, it was Jesus who spoke first. And just as he did in Cana, Jesus addressed his mother as “Woman.” “When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home” (John 19:26–27). Even in his excruciating pain, Jesus expressed compassion for individuals and taught the importance of service. The assumption that arises when he assigned the care of his mother to a beloved disciple, presumably the author of the Gospel of John, is that James and the other biological brothers of Jesus were not yet Christians. Many interpret from this scene the Savior’s emotional, passion-filled expression of love for his mother in his final moments of mortality. Yet Jesus did not give a charge only to the beloved disciple; Mary also received a commission. He was not merely divesting himself of his family obligations as the eldest son; he was assigning Mary another son to mother in his place. “Inasmuch as ye have [shown compassion to one another], ye have done it unto me” (Matt. 25:40). In the Savior’s final moments in mortality, we see his mother and other disciples acutely aware of their need for him. He alone performed the atoning sacrifice, died, and after three days rose again to depart eventually in glory (Acts 1:9–11)."
  
  FROM WOMEN IN JEWISH SOCIETY:
  "Jesus viewed women differently from the way many men in his culture saw them. The scriptures indicate that some women bought into their role and often defined each other this way. When a woman attempted to compliment Jesus by praising his mother, “Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the [breasts] which thou hast sucked,” Jesus redirected the woman’s focus by proclaiming that what makes a woman truly praiseworthy is how she chooses to think and live: “Yea, rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it” (Luke 11:27–28). Again, Jesus did not limit women to their unique ability to bear children but reinforced God’s gift of agency to all of God’s children—male and female—and their individual opportunities to employ their hearts and minds to follow righteousness."
  
  FROM THE CHAPTER ELISABETH:
  "Steady and prolonged faith. Elisabeth’s faith in God was steadfast during circumstances that were humiliating and painful. Her patience and trust were in God’s timetable, not her own. She accepted that God was mindful of her and through her could do great things. Her advanced age underscores the strength of her faith, even though she had not been granted her heart’s desire for decades. Her assurance reflects a peaceful conviction of God’s goodness, no matter what the future held. No wonder God chose Elisabeth to prepare, support, and bless young Mary for her own divine mission. Elisabeth exemplifies one who looks to God for a reason to hope even amid long years of uncertainty and disappointment."
  
  "Like Elisabeth, many of us may discover that God’s greatest blessings come near the end of a faithful life. In that moment, he also shows us that he was responding with love to our prayers all along. Through the Spirit, Elisabeth learned that Mary’s unborn Son was not only the Lord but “my Lord” (Luke 1:43). Her example prompts each of us to profess the same truth even when the miracle is not yet evident."
  
  FROM THE CHAPTER MARTHA AND MARY:
  "One thing is needful. The answer to Martha’s conflict was recognizing that “one thing is needful” (Luke 10:42). The profound power of simplicity is implied. But “simple” means something different to each of us. In the case of Martha, scholars have long argued the meaning of the one needful thing. Some contend that Jesus is merely telling Martha to prepare one dish rather than a smorgasbord for her guests. Such a response, however, trivializes the story’s intent and ignores the underlying problem. The standard of “needful” is found not in our output but in our motives. Embracing the “one needful thing” takes into account why we serve. In the grand scope of life, only one thing is needful. Regardless of the manner in which we serve, that which is essential is accepting and following Christ with all our heart and mind."
  
  "In John’s account, Mary “took” the perfume, suggesting that she had a larger supply from which she “took” some to anoint Jesus’ feet.19 She then dried his feet with her hair, which in effect allowed her head to be anointed by Jesus.20 Raymond Brown posits that in antiquity one anointed the head of a live person and the feet of a corpse.21 In other words, this was the anointing that one would typically receive at one’s burial. Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea would perform a similar ritual immediately after Jesus’ death (John 19:38–42).
  
  Judas complained sanctimoniously about Mary’s extravagance. It is ironic that he who would betray Jesus to the Jewish leaders in the next day or so for thirty pieces of silver, estimated at 100 denarii, complained at Mary’s use of a precious perfume to reverence the Savior. “Mary thought [even this expensive ointment] not good enough to anele Christ’s sacred feet...”
  
  FROM THE CHAPTER WOMEN OF GALILEE:
  I found the chart of the different women present in the Passion Narratives interesting. "When aligning the four accounts side by side, several observations as well as questions become apparent. First, the prominent witness of Mary Magdalene is unquestionable in all but the Gospel of Luke, which records that the resurrected Christ appeared to Peter whereas the women merely reported the empty tomb (Luke 24:10, 33–34). Second, parallel listings may identify the same women, even though they may be described differently. For example, Mary the mother of James and Joses could be the same woman as Mary the mother of Jesus, who was previously reported to have had additional sons, namely “James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas” (Matt. 13:55; Mark 6:3). This difference in identification could explain the apparent absence of Jesus’ mother in the synoptic Gospels when she is so prominent in John’s account of the crucifixion (John 19:25)."
  
  FROM PETER'S MOTHER-IN-LAW:
  "The home was the site of the miracle for Peter’s mother-in-law, however, not the synagogue. By going to her rather than requiring her to come to him at the synagogue to perform the miraculous healing, he revealed his respect for the home, a location watched over by women. To him, the home can be sacred space, an appropriate location for demonstrating his power. His actions in that home underscore that the place where women were most often found could also become a holy sanctuary or a place of worship."
  
  "The doctrine of restoration promises not simply a return to the way we were before our weakness but, because of the Savior’s gift, a restoration to a better condition than we have ever experienced. In the case of Peter’s mother-in-law, the woman’s restoration to health returned to her a more liberating condition in addition to eliminating the disease. She had the ability to resume life but with new life in her. Her ministering was thereafter infused with greater purpose and power. In a way related to the parable of the woman who hides leavening in three measures of flour, Jesus spotlighted a woman’s menial work, usually invisible to the world, to teach that what he touches becomes greater and better (Matt. 13:33).
  Furthermore, the Greek verb translated “ministered” in all three instances is diakonei, the same verb used to describe what women in Galilee did for Jesus during his travels (Luke 8:2–3) and how the angels served him (Mark 1:13). Because of the healing she received through Jesus, this woman was enabled to serve like the angels and become more like the Savior. When such service is rendered by a woman, it should not then be looked down upon as subservience.
  
  FROM THE WOMAN WHO TOUCHED THE HEM OF HIS GARMENT:
  "This story also shows something of Jesus’ sensitivity to women’s fears and challenges. Suffering alone as she did for so many years and known only by a disease that men could easily ignore, the woman discovered that Jesus was more than a divine Healer. The Savior understands and is not ashamed of intimate health issues unique to women.
  
  The Savior’s Atonement extends beyond mending physical pain. He heals broken hearts and sick souls. He makes us whole, spirit and body. When we wholeheartedly come to Christ in our distress, knowing that he is our only hope, he renews, enlarges, and enhances the quality of our lives through his atoning blood."
  
  FROM THE CHAPTER MARY OF MAGDALA:
  "From the earliest interpretations of Mary of Magdala, she has been assigned polar opposite roles: at one extreme, a repentant sinner who quietly served; at the other, the apostle to the apostles.
  
  Mary was designated by her connection to her hometown rather than by her relationship to a parent or husband. She was Mary from Magdala, an identifier that suggests that she traveled and was therefore known in other geographical areas. Magdala is the Aramaic name for an impressive first-century city of some 1,000 to 1,500 inhabitants situated about four miles north of Tiberias on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee.
  Only Luke and Mark mention that she had been possessed by “seven devils” (Luke 8:2; Mark 16:9), a detail that Luke, a physician, would have noticed. Jews generally did not understand what caused diseases and often considered serious illnesses as originating from the devil.5 Early Christian commentators linked Mary and the seven devils with the seven deadly sins,6 although nowhere else in the New Testament when Jesus healed someone possessed, such as the man with a legion of evil spirits (Luke 8:26–39), the two possessed of devils (Matt. 8:28–34), and the daughter of the Syrophoenician (Matt. 15:21–28), did he consider the possession a result of sin. Others have suggested that her strong spiritual sensitivities may have become unbalanced in the face of life’s challenges, leading her to be “dispossessed of herself.”
  The number seven in scripture often connotes wholeness, a complete period of time, or totality. Mary’s ailment involving seven devils may say more about the magnitude of Christ’s power to heal than her previous spiritual, emotional, or moral health. In announcing Mary’s cure, Luke may be confirming that through the power of Christ, Mary was completely healed, she was made whole, or she was completely liberated from her illness.8 In this sense, she is a prototype of all of us: enslaved by the pull of a fallen world, only Christ can free us."
  
  FROM THE WOMAN AT THE WELL:
  "Jesus led her to learn truth through the Spirit. In leading their discussion, Jesus created an environment that enabled the woman to learn his identity. He responded with “the hour cometh, and now is” (John 4:23) to suggest both a future and present application; there is only one true way to recognize the Christ, and it is the same in every era. The apostle Paul identified that true way when he taught that no man can know that Jesus is the Lord except by the Holy Ghost (1 Cor. 12:3).2 To the woman, the Savior said, “True worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. For unto such hath God promised his Spirit. And they who worship him, must worship in spirit and in truth” (JST, John 4:23–24).
  Learning in spirit and in truth necessitates the tutelage of the Holy Ghost. His mission is not to speak of himself but to bear witness of Christ and guide us to truth (John 16:13). That is precisely what the Holy Ghost did for the woman at the well. She carefully listened to Jesus, but it was the Holy Ghost who revealed the messianic thread throughout his teachings. Once taught by the Spirit, she began to put it all together and professed, “I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things” (John 4:25).
  Then, and only then, did Jesus unequivocally declare himself the Messiah.
  Life-changing revelation came to her, revelation as profound as we find in scripture. But her conversion was not in the dramatic fashion of Alma the Younger or Saul on the road to Damascus. In a quiet and contemplative way, the Samaritan woman received a clear witness while in the midst of doing ordinary household chores."
  
  
  
  
  
  
• 
  Megan Coleman

  "Their enduring stories witness that believing women were valiant missionaries for Christ in words and deed. They remind us today that God works through his daughters and his sons to accomplish His great work for all of humankind. By studying the first- century Christian women, we better appreciate the meaning of discipleship and the strength created through community efforts where everyone's contribution is valued. Finally, these women's lives turn our hearts to Jesus Christ, the focus of all scripture."
  
  "As Elizabeth's example of piety and righteousness makes clear, her childlessness was not God's punishment for sin. Still, she anticipated that her social shame would be removed only if she bore a child. Her miraculous conception and birth of a son did much more than remove her 'reproach among men.'"
  
  Tamar concerns. "In the ancient world, a woman belonged to her father as a child, to her husband as an adult, and to her son as a widow. This was a customary law at the time: If a woman's husband died before she bore a son, she was to return to her father's household, unless her dead husband's family kept her with them under the law of the levir (levir means brother-in-law). More specifically, the widow's brother-in-law or other male in law was given to her "to raise up seed" so that the lineage of the dead man would continue and the widow would have security in her old age."
  
  "The liverate law declared that a woman was only truly a widow when her husband and father-in-law law were both dead and she had no son. The same law declared that her marital obligations to her husband's family continued for as long as her husband's brother or father-in-law lived (Middle Assyrian Law #33; Hittite Law #193). Since a woman's security in old age depended upon her sons, the law stated that a widow of child-bearing age was entitled to bear children though a male "in - law" acting as proxy for her dead husband." (being Judah)
  
  The Israelites were to destroy all that were in the city during the time of Rahab. "Archaeologist Carol Meyers argues that this was to prevent contamination from foreign societies, which had frequently been the cause of devastating plagues. Death from disease was more prevalent than from physical combat."
  
  When Ruth uncovered Boaz's feet. "In Hebrew this could mean any part of the lower body. This could mean a lot of things. However, she could just be making his feet cold so he would wake up."
• 
  Nan

  Just finished this beautiful book. I read it with five other remarkable 'women of modern day'. We learned so many things and our different backgrounds and life experiences added to our discussion.
  
  My understanding of scriptural women has experienced a major shift. The stories of Tamar and Rahab were powerful. Their stories changed from awkward and uncomfortable to remarkable and enlightening. 'The woman who loved much,' is so moving. The love of the Savior and his respect for women is taught very well.
  
  The artwork is a beautiful addition. Each piece was carefully and beautifully portrayed. I enjoyed looking for how the artist wove symbols and the story together. They added a richness to the book.
  
  At our last meeting for this book we commented how our understanding of these women has changed our understanding of ourselves.
• 
  Gail

  Fantastic book that takes the named and unnamed women of the New Testament and tells their story, gives the background as to where they were living and what they were doing. Also gives the genealogy of them and how some of those women are in the family line of the Savior. Gave great detail to me on many things that aren't in the scriptures that explain how important these women were and the example they have set. Now I need to go back and reference my notes to put in my scriptures. Highly recommend this book.
• 
  Rachel

  4.5 stars. Beautiful book. I learned a lot! It is really well written and thoroughly researched. If you are interested in the historical and cultural backgrounds of the women mentioned in the New Testament, this book is for you! While the author does occasionally mention spiritual lessons we can learn from these women, it's definitely more of a deeply researched historical book than a spiritual book.
• 
  Linda

  I loved this book, I have read parts of it in the past, but finally took the time to read the whole book.
  Camille Fronk Olson has done so much research for this book, so I can have all this information at my fingertips. It surprised me how often women are mentioned in the scriptures, I didn’t realize there were female missionaries right after Christ’s resurrection. They sacrificed and taught and supported the church.
• 
  Julie

  This reads a lot like a textbook and took me a few months of careful study to complete, but it was very valuable to me in my understanding and study of the New Testament this year. I felt that it brought to life many women in the New Testament that I may well have overlooked in my studies in the past, and is well worth any effort you might make to learn about these remarkable women.
• 
  Tiffany Dominguez

  Perfect book for this season. Camille Fronk Olson’s research is outstanding on women of the New Testament including Mary the mother of Jesus, Mary and Martha, the woman at the well and the woman with the issue of blood. She provides historical context and enlightened me on the likely circumstances and motivations of each woman. The theme is how righteous and empowered these women were. LOVED it.
• 
  Anita

  I read this book for the hpootp flourish and blots reading challenge. I used the 2023 prompt read a book that includes a group of strong females. I really enjoyed this book. It helped open my eyes to many of the hidden stories of the New Testament. I'm glad that someone has taken the time to write about this in a predomitely male world.
• 
  Stephanie

  I’m glad I read this. I learned a lot from it. I think I liked it less than Women if the Old Testament just because those stories have more depth. There are a few women in the New Testament with full stories, but many were merely mentioned in a sentence or two. The author did what she could with that. Still, I always appreciate the opportunity to focus on women’s stories and experiences.
• 
  Kaylee

  The chapter about Mary the mother of Jesus was pretty Mormon flavored. The rest of the book isn't much. I appreciated all the historical and cultural context and the efforts she put in to theorize what these women's lives were like.
• 
  Sherilyn

  Great read and increased my knowledge and testimony in the roles of women thought the scriptures. Have the privilege of having been taught and serve with this amazing teacher, sister and friend.
• 
  Jenalyn

  4.5 stars. Wonderful historical and cultural context for the women of the New Testament. Seeing the Savior through their eyes was inspiring.
• 
  Becky

  The historical and cultural information gives great context in better understanding many of the women in the New Testament. I learned a lot.
• 
  Barbara

  Beautifully written and researched with plenty of context for each woman's story. It's timeless.
• 
  Pauline

  More a reference book than one you would read cover-to-cover, which our book club did. Well written and researched, about the difficult lives of women in Biblical times.
• 
  Kim Belnap

  DNF. I thought this would be a fascinating read. But it just didn’t pull me into it. But I do appreciate the spotlight of righteous women.
• 
  Jasmine Coleman

  Camille has done so much of the work gather all the research into the time period, cultures, history, and more into one place for your devouring. I loved every aspect of this book.
• 
  Cyndi

  I really took time going through this book and enjoyed it immensely. I learned new things about the background of events that occur in the New Testament which gives the stories more meaning. I am not always good at connecting historical events and this book helped me to understand relations of people, religions, Roman rule, etc. I want to read it again and love that all women were included, even those without names or that are on the periphery. The author does not speculate but tells us what is known and when there is conflict in historical records, gives all sides.
• 
  Michelle

  I really wanted to love this, and I understand the difficulty of writing an entire book on subjects in which there is depressingly little actual material. I just felt there were a lot of inaccuracies and a lot of guesswork. I actually rated it a bit of a "pity 4 stars" because of the difficulty of finding material on a bunch of women briefly mentioned, some not even named.
• 
  Jean Pratt

  It was an enjoyable read, and it was educational. The only thing that I found wrong - A very few biblical references that were incorrect near the front. I will keep the book and use it as reference and very possibly re-read it. I am looking forward to reading Women of the Old Testament!
• 
  Ruth

  some excellent insights
• 
  Tina

  I read every page and marked it as I would a college text. It was fascinating.
  
• 
  Summer Meyers

  Excellent companion read for the New Testament. We used it in a Bible study we did focusing on Women, and I found it very helpful.
• 
  Michelle

  Excellent book. It really shows how women would have lived back then, in different cultures and social standings. It is very inspirational as well, focusing on the gospel of Jesus Christ.
• 
  Cara

  Well researched and supplemented with beautiful paintings. I gained several new insights reading this book.