Jesus Empowered Women

We just dropped Episode 30 of Spirit Outspoken, and honestly, this one felt big. Not just because it marks a milestone for the podcast, but because the conversation is one we’ve needed to have for a long time. In this episode, we talk about something that still makes people uncomfortable in some church circles: If Jesus so clearly empowered women, why did the institutional church spend centuries trying to silence them? 

The more we dug into it, the more obvious it became—this isn’t just a theological debate. It’s about reclaiming voices that were buried, distorted, or erased. Jesus wasn’t neutral about women. He didn’t quietly accept them on the sidelines. He brought them to the center. He taught Mary of Bethany with the men. He revealed deep spiritual truth to the woman at the well. He appeared first to Mary Magdalene after the resurrection. He let women fund His ministry, touch Him, cry at His feet, and speak boldly. None of it was accidental. And yet somehow, the church ended up reinforcing the very systems Jesus came to disrupt. 

In the episode, we look at how women were treated in ancient Jewish and Roman society—denied education, legal rights, protection, autonomy. Most weren’t even allowed to speak in public spaces. The idea that Jesus would elevate women in that kind of culture was nothing short of revolutionary. But after Jesus’ death, the early church began aligning with the Roman Empire’s values, prioritizing hierarchy and male control over spiritual inclusivity. That’s when we start seeing the silencing begin—verses like “women should be silent in church” used out of context, possibly added later, while passages like “there is no male or female, all are one in Christ” are quietly ignored. 

What struck us most, though, was how Mary Magdalene fits into all this. We were taught she was a prostitute—when Scripture never actually says that. In fact, it was a pope in 591 AD who declared it. And the label stuck for over a thousand years because it was easier to remember her as the fallen woman than as a leader and teacher. But the Gospel of Mary, one of the early Christian texts that didn’t make it into the canon, paints a completely different picture. In it, Jesus shares deep spiritual wisdom with Mary—not Peter, not John—and the other disciples get upset about it. She’s not just included in the conversation. She’s leading it. 

One of our favorite parts of this conversation was the reframe of sin that comes from Mary’s gospel. She doesn’t talk about sin as breaking rules. She talks about it as separation from God. The idea is that we fall out of alignment with our divine nature—not because we’re evil, but because we forget who we are. Sin isn’t about shame—it’s about disconnection. And that hit us hard. Especially for those of us who were raised to believe that the goal of faith was to behave. What if the real invitation of Jesus was to remember—to return to union, to love, to wholeness? 

We know this topic can bring stuff up. There’s a lot of pain around women’s roles in church. Some of us were silenced. Some of us were told to tone it down. Some of us were told our intuitive, emotional, or prophetic gifts were dangerous or unbiblical. But if women were good enough for Jesus, they’re good enough for the church. Full stop. 

This episode isn’t about burning it all down. It’s about going back to the roots of Jesus’ actual teachings and reclaiming what got lost along the way. It’s about asking better questions. Making space for the voices we were told didn’t matter. It’s about healing—not just for women, but for the entire body of Christ. 

Next week, we’re diving deep into the life of Mary Magdalene—who she really was, what her gospel teaches, and why the church was so afraid of her voice. We’ll talk about her vision of the soul’s journey, the divine feminine, and what it means to return to your true nature. 

If this episode spoke to you, come find us on Instagram @spiritoutspoken and let us know what it stirred. Or sit with it for a while. Journal it out. Ask: What voices have I silenced in myself? What would it look like to let them speak? 

We’re so grateful you’re here with us on this journey. Here’s to 30 more episodes of curiosity, healing, bold questions, and Spirit-led truth. 

With love,  

Jaisa & Rachael