PEREMPUAN-PEREMPUAN YANG PENUH KARUNIA: URAIAN SINGKAT TENTANG KISAH PEREMPUAN MANDUL DAN PERAWAN DALAM INJIL LUKAS 1

Abstract

How does the New Testament view role of women in Christian community? The answers to that questions can be found in a number of books in the New Testament. Of these, one that stands out is the Gospel of Luke. In this article we argues that Luke presents the story of the gospel by highlighting minorities, especially women. This is proven from many sections in the Gospel of Luke, for example: Luke 1. We explore three stories in Luke 1 namely: the birth of John the Baptist foretold (vv. 5-25), the birth of Jesus foretold (vv. 26-38) , and Mary visits Elizabeth (vv. 39-45). All three stories show the significance of Mary and Elizabeth's role as women who receive gifts from God. To this gift they show an appropriate faith response. Mary is told as a woman who is obedient and ready to carry out God's message through the angel Gabriel. Elizabeth is told as a woman who is barren but has integrity, and shows faith in the movement of the Holy Spirit within her. Both have an important role in the birth of Jesus Christ, the Messiah and the Savior. Both figures show that women can be used by the Holy Spirit. Through empowerment by the Holy Spirit women have gifts that can be used for the common good in the Christian community. The New Testament never ruled out the role of women in the Christian community.