In Women in the Biblical World: New Testament, Dr. Mark Chavalas provides a historical survey of the status of women in the Graeco-Roman world, from the advent of alphabetic texts in the eastern Mediterranean and Aegean regions during the late eighth century BC, to the first century AD. He looks at Greek and Roman documents as well as classical-period documents from Egypt and other regions of the Near East. Dr. Chavalas presents a rich historical context for understanding how women were treated in the New Testament, and closes the course by evaluating many of the New Testament passages concerning women.

Contents:

Introduction

• Introducing the Speaker and the Course

• Unit 1: Male Depictions of Women

Introduction: The Classical World

• The Ideal Classical Male: Virtus

• The Ideal Classical Male: Horatio as an Example

• The Ideal Classical Female: Lucretia’s Story; a Snake in the Palace

• The Ideal Classical Female: Lucretia Dishonored

• The Ideal Classical Female: Lucretia’s Story; A Suicide Sparks a Revolution

• A Female Poet: Sappho

• Women in Homer

• Women in Hesiod: The Origin of Women

• Women in Hesiod: How to Pick a Wife

Unit 2: Depictions of Women by Philosophers and Physicians

• Greek and Roman Inscriptions and Funerary Texts

• Women and Philosophers: Aristotle, Men Are to Rule

• Women and Philosophers: Aristotle, Biological Basis of Male Superiority

• Women and Philosophers: Plato

• Women and Physicians: Galen

• Women and Physicians: Hippocrates

• A Case Study on Diagnosing the Cause of a Woman’s Insomnia

Unit 3: Women in Greek and Roman Law

• References to Women in Greek Law: The Murder of Eratosthenes

• References to Women in Greek Law: Euphiletus’ Defense at Trial

• Women in Roman Law: Laws Attributed to Romulus

• Women in Roman Law: The Twelve Tables

• Women in Roman Law: Husband’s Punishment of Wives in Early Rome

• Women in Roman Law: Aulus Gellius

• Women as Philosophers: Phintys

• Women in Philosophy: Hipparchia

Unit 4: Women in Classical Graeco-Roman Society

• Woman and Marriage: Plutarch, Marriage Advice, Part 1

• Woman and Marriage: Plutarch, Marriage Advice, Part 2

• Women and the Home: A Socratic Dialogue

• Women and the Home: The Husband Trains the Wife

• Women and the Home: Division of Labor Based on Perceived Gender Characteristics

• Women and the Home: Natural Appearance

• Women in Religion: Selection of Vestal Virgins

• Women in Religion: Service of Vestal Virgins

• Women and Drinking

• Women in Drama: Greek Dramatists

• Women in Drama: Euripides’ Medea

• Women in Comedy: Lysistrata, A Plan to End the War

• Women in Comedy: Lysistrata, Standoff at the Acropolis

• Women in Comedy: Lysistrata, Resolution and Reconciliation

• Women in Comedy: Thesmophoriazusae

• Reflections on Women in Classical Graeco-Roman Society

Unit 5: Women in Hellenistic and Roman Egypt

• Introduction to Women in Greek and Roman Egypt

• Women in Egypt according to Classical Sources

• Women and Mystery Religions: Funeral Arrangements

• Women and Mystery Religions: Worker Guilds; Associations

• Women and Mystery Religions: Proof of Devotion; Mystery

• Women, Oracles, and Spells: Procedures

• Women, Oracles, and Spells: An Example

• Women and the Gnostic Gospels

• Women and Petitions: Birth Registration; Injured Servant

• Women and Petitions: Defrauded of Her Inheritance

• Family Archives

• Paniskos/Ploutogenia, Personal Letters: Paniskos to Ploutogenia

• Paniskos/Ploutogenia, Personal Letters: Paniskos Confronts Ploutogenia

• Paniskos/Ploutogenia, Personal Letters: Ploutogenia to Her Mother

• Women and Marriage Contracts

• Widow Asks for a Guardian

• Husband Deserts Wife

• Woman Scalded by Bath Attendant

• Wife Deserts Husband and Child

• Father Wants to End Daughter’s Marriage

• Violent Husbands

• Women and Charms: An Odd Marriage Agreement

Unit 6: Women in the Jewish Tradition

• Women in the Wisdom of Sirach: Women, Wives

• Women in the Wisdom of Sirach: Wives, Daughters

• Women and the Temple

• Women and the Talmud, Part 1

• Women and the Talmud, Part 2

• Women in Judaism: Non-Rabbinic Texts on Daily Life

• Women in Judaism, Babatha: Marriage Contract and Loan Document

• Women in Judaism, Babatha: Lawsuits

• Women and the Synagogue and Early Church

Unit 7: Women in the Gospels

• Galatians 3:28: What’s Paul’s Point?

• Different Gospels; Different Audiences

• Social Context of Jesus: From the Wrong Side of the Tracks

• Social Context of Jesus: Reputedly Illegitimate

• Social Context of Jesus: Associated with Sinners

• Women in Matthew: Adultery and Divorce

• Women in Mark: Woman with an Issue of Blood

• Mark: The Syrophoenician Woman

• Matthew: The Canaanite Woman

• The Sinful Woman in Luke, Part 1

• The Sinful Woman in Luke, Part 2

• John 4, The Samaritan Woman: A Scandalous Encounter

• John 4, The Samaritan Woman: Some Samaritans Come to Faith

• John 8: The Adulterous Woman

Unit 8: Women in New Testament Epistles

• Introducing Women in the Pauline Epistles

• Women in 1 Corinthians 7: Celibacy and Monogamy

• Women in 1 Corinthians 7: Mutuality in Marriage; Singleness Also Good

• Women in 1 Corinthians 7: Marriage and Divorce

• Ethics: Classical and Biblical

• Women in 1 Corinthians 11: Headship Based on Chronology

• Women in 1 Corinthians 11: Literal and Figurative Uses of Head

• Women in 1 Corinthians 11: Head Coverings

• Women in 1 Timothy 2: Adorn Yourself with Character

• Women in 1 Timothy 2: Teaching and Authority

• Women in Titus

• Women in 1 Corinthians 14

• Women in Ephesians 5: “Be Subject” Means “Voluntary Submission”

• Women in Ephesians 5: “One Flesh” Provides the Rationale

• Women in 1 Peter 3

Conclusion

• Restoring the Status of Women