What does the Bible say about being a godly woman?
Answered from the commentary of Hamilton Smith, Frank Wallace, Leslie M. Grant and 9 others
A godly woman is marked by fear of God, good works, and a meek and quiet spirit, which is of great price in God’s sight. Her adornment is not show or costly display, but modesty, discretion, and the inward character formed as she trusts in God. In marriage, she is to love her husband and children and be subject to her own husband; in the home, she is to be diligent, kind, wise, and faithful in its care. Her quiet, chaste conduct may win her husband, even if he does not obey the Word.
Her service is not small: she may care for children, show hospitality, relieve the afflicted, help the saints, and serve the gospel in many ways. Most of these passages teach that women should not teach or exercise authority over men in public or in the assembly. Some make room for women to communicate the truth privately, as Priscilla did with her husband, and for teaching women and children. The passages differ on the bounds of such service, but repeatedly commend devoted work carried out in subjection to the Word.
Verses: Proverbs 31:10, Proverbs 31:11, Proverbs 31:12, Proverbs 31:13, Proverbs 31:14, Proverbs 31:15, Proverbs 31:16, Proverbs 31:17, Proverbs 31:18, Proverbs 31:19, Proverbs 31:20, Proverbs 31:21, Proverbs 31:22, Proverbs 31:23, Proverbs 31:24, Proverbs 31:25, Proverbs 31:26, Proverbs 31:27, Proverbs 31:28, Proverbs 31:29, Proverbs 31:30, Proverbs 31:31, 1 Timothy 2:9, 1 Timothy 2:10, 1 Peter 3:3, 1 Peter 3:4, Titus 2:3, Titus 2:4, Titus 2:5, Proverbs 11:16, Proverbs 12:4, Proverbs 14:1, Proverbs 19:14, Luke 1:45, Luke 1:46, Luke 1:47, Luke 1:48, Luke 1:49, Luke 1:50, Luke 1:51, Luke 1:52, Luke 1:53, Luke 1:54, Luke 1:55, Acts 9:36, Romans 16:1, Romans 16:2, 1 Corinthians 11:11, 1 Corinthians 11:12, Galatians 3:28, Philippians 4:3, 1 Timothy 5:9, 1 Timothy 5:10, 1 Timothy 5:14, 1 Timothy 5:5, 1 Peter 3:1, 1 Peter 3:2, 1 Peter 3:5, 1 Peter 3:6
The above is AI generated summary based on the writers below.
What the commentators say
The passages the answer is drawn from, the most direct first, with the words that bear on the question marked.
Submission and obedience to her husband's rule. As the woman was the first to dishonour God by introducing disobedience into the world; so a godly woman will be the first to glorify God in the world by obedience.
A truly godly woman, who, not only with the eye of faith, sees Jesus, as her individual Saviour, "crowned with glory and honour," for his obedience unto death, even the death of the Cross, seated on the right hand of the Majesty on high, but as risen with Christ, seeks "those things which are above," where is "Christ," as the Head of the church, His body, sitting on the right hand of God, and keeps her eye, in the power of an ungrieved Spirit, fixed on His glory, and her heart on His all-beauteous person; will not fail, in her family circle, to reflect in meekness, subjection, and obedience, the character of her heavenly glorified Master, Who said, when on earth, in the days of His humiliation "Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, that ye may find rest unto your souls." Ah! that rest of heart, the absence of which is so painfully noticeable in so many a Christian Martha. And why? Because she has not, like Mary, in the submissive posture of sitting at the Master's feet, learnt and understood, that He did not utter those precious words, before He Himself first had turned to His Father, and said, in submission to His will: "Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight."
Oh! there is no sight on this sad earth so refreshing and lovely, as a Christian household, graced by a submissive and obedient wife and faithful mother, whose words and actions breathe the spirit of her gentle, heavenly Master, and who, "without words," by her chaste conversation, coupled with fear, in the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, wins hearts for Christ, and preaches Him by her daily walk, and thus adorns the doctrine and gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, a light to all that are in the house, and to the comers in. Many a husband may be a Nabal, but if his wife is a true Abigail, David's Son and Lord will know how to honour her.
In summary, the home circle is the specific sphere where the woman will serve and glorify God. She is the center and heart of the home. The motivation that enables her to accept the place God has given her is her love for the Lord and her obedience to the Word of God.
Having seen woman's position in the marriage relationship and in the home, we may now consider her service in this blessed sphere. Much of a woman's time is spent in the home performing the commonplace duties of life. A great service is thereby rendered unto God for Colossians 3:23, 24 says, "whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord . . . for ye serve the Lord Christ." In caring for the needs of her husband and children and in keeping up the home as a place of refreshment, cheer, and shelter in a world of trouble, a woman fills a very important place indeed.
Thus we observe and must declare that it is in the home circle that woman finds her special sphere in which to serve and glorify God. It is here in the more private domain of her own that she shines the brightest and exerts the most influence for good. Domestic life, which is often despised and forsaken by women today, is the place which she is best fitted to fill.
May the Lord grant, that in these latter days many more Christian households may be blessed with the quiet and salubrious influence of godly house-wives (and there are not a few of them in this highly-privileged country), true "daughters of Sarah," whose adorning is not "the outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel, but the hidden man of the heart, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price," and who thus adorn themselves "after the manner of the holy women in the old time, who trusted in God, being in subjection unto their own husbands," and "sober, loving their own husbands, loving their children, discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed." And what is more: that thus their earthly hearths may be the reflectors of the heavenly light to which they belong, as "lights in the Lord," and "children of light," "amidst a crooked and perverse generation," thus proving by their heavenly life on earth, that they are living in heaven.
Mary anointed the Lord for His burial. Martha served the Lord right well. Phebe was a servant of the church, and a succourer of many. Lydia entertained the Apostle Paul in her house. Priscilla, subject to the headship and leadership of her husband, helped Apollos to understand the way of God more perfectly. Women laboured with Paul in the Gospel. Would that the descendants of these godly women were found in every city and village in the world! Happy, blessed service! There is no room for women to repine at the divine restrictions set on their service. There is more work for them to do than they can ever overtake.
Let Christian women rise from their study of Scripture determined, by God’s grace, to carry out its instructions as to their relation to man; to illustrate by their conduct the wonderful truth of Christ and the church; to be individually a protest against the lawless spirit of the age; to glory in the wonderful and unique place which is theirs. Then will God be glorified. Then will their true usefulness be available to the full. Then will Christian men profoundly respect them, and be helped and influenced by them, and find out what that truly wonderful word, HELPMEET—which alone belongs to women—means.
The woman professing the fear of God will be marked, not by the affectation of superior spirituality, but by “good works”. Their place in Christianity is seemly and beautiful: it is found in those “good works”, many of which can alone be carried out by a woman.
We see, in the Gospels, how women ministered to Christ of their substance (Luke 8:3). Mary wrought a good work upon the Lord when she anointed His head with the precious ointment (Matthew 26:7-10). Dorcas did a good work in making garments for the poor (Acts 9:39). Mary, the mother of John Mark, opened her house for many to gather together in prayer (Acts 12:12). Lydia, whose heart the Lord opened, did a good work when she opened her house to the servants of the Lord (Acts 16:14-15). Priscilla did a good work when, with her husband, she helped Apollos to know “the way of God more perfectly” (Acts 18:26). Phoebe, of Cenchrea, was “a succourer of many” (Romans 16:2). Other Scriptures tell us that godly women can wash the saints' feet, relieve the afflicted, bring up children and guide the home. Here we read that in public the woman is to learn in silence. She is not to usurp authority over the man.
The practice of that true Christian virtue of hospitality in the home is largely made possible by the wife. This is a most valuable and needy service in the Church and certainly brings a rich reward of present and future blessings. In this way women have a real part in the work of Christ-opening their homes to the Lord's servants and to the Lord's people and also to the unsaved, that they might hear the Gospel and be saved. The account of Aquila and Priscilla who invited Apollos to their home and taught him the way of God more perfectly is an example of such service (Acts 18:26).
Verses
- Proverbs 31:10–3110Who can find a woman of worth? for her price is far above rubies. 11The heart of her husband confideth in her, and he shall have no lack of spoil. 12She doeth him good, and not evil, all the days of her life. 13She seeketh wool and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands. 14She is like the merchants' ships she bringeth her food from afar; 15And she riseth while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and the day's work to her maidens. 16She considereth a field, and acquireth it; of the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. 17She girdeth her loins with strength, and maketh strong her arms. 18She perceiveth that her earning is good; her lamp goeth not out by night. 19She putteth her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle. 20She stretcheth out her hand to the afflicted, and she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. 21She is not afraid of the snow for her household; for all her household are clothed with scarlet. 22She maketh herself coverlets; her clothing is byssus and purple. 23Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land. 24She maketh body linen and selleth it, and delivereth girdles unto the merchant. 25Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laugheth [at] the coming day. 26She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and upon her tongue is the law of kindness. 27She surveyeth the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. 28Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband [also], and he praiseth her 29Many daughters have done worthily, but thou excellest them all. 30Gracefulness is deceitful and beauty is vain; a woman [that] feareth Jehovah, she shall be praised. 31Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates.