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| The Example of Jesus; How We May Allow Ourselves to Be Served by Women.
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Chapter XV.—The Example
of Jesus; How We May Allow Ourselves to Be Served by Women.
And, not to extend our discourse to too
great length, what shall we say concerning our Lord Jesus Christ?
Our Lord Himself was constantly with His twelve disciples when He had
come forth to the world. And not only so; but also, when
He was sending them out, He sent them out two and two together, men
with men; but women were not sent with them, and neither in the highway
nor in the house did they associate with women or with maidens:
and thus they pleased God in everything. Also, when our Lord
Jesus Christ Himself was talking with the woman of Samaria by the well
alone, “His disciples came” and found Him talking with her,
“and wondered that Jesus was standing and talking with a
woman.”500
Is He not a rule,
such as may not be set aside, an example, and a pattern to all the
tribes of men? And not only so; but also, when our Lord was risen
from the place of the dead, and Mary came to the place of sepulture,
she ran and fell at the feet of our Lord and worshipped Him, and would
have taken hold of Him. But He said to her: “Touch Me
not; for I am not yet ascended to My Father.”501
Is it not, then, matter for
astonishment, that, while our Lord did not allow Mary, the blessed
woman, to touch His feet, yet thou livest with them, and art
waited on by women and maidens, and sleepest where they sleep, and
women wash thy feet for thee, and anoint thee! Alas for this
culpable state of mind! Alas for this state of mind which is
destitute of fear! Alas for this affrontery and folly, which is
without fear of God! Dost thou not judge thine own self?
Dost thou not examine thine own self? Dost thou not know thine
own self and the measure of thy strength? These things, moreover,
are trustworthy, and these things are true and right; and these are
rules immutable for those who behave themselves uprightly in our
Lord. Many holy women, again, ministered to holy men of their
substance, as the Shunammite woman ministered to Elisha; but she did
not live with him, but the prophet lived in a house apart. And,
when her son died, she wanted to throw herself at the feet of the
prophet; but his attendant would not allow her, but restrained her.
But Elisha said to his servant: “Let her alone,
because her soul is distressed.”502
From these things, then, we ought to understand their manner of
life. To Jesus Christ our Lord women ministered of their
substance: but they did not live with him; but chastely, and
holily, and unblameably they behaved before the Lord, and finished
their course, and received the crown in503
| 503 Beelen suggests the
reading “from,” or to render the present text
“by.” | our
Lord God Almighty.
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