Meaning of MOTHER

The law commanded that the mother as well as the father be honored (Ex. 20:12). A son who hurt his father or mother was to be punished with death (Ex. 21:17). The same fate befell the habitually disobedient (Deut. 21:18-21).

In almost all cases the mothers of the kings of Israel are mentioned, and not only the fathers. The wise woman who called Joab indicating that she was “a mother in Israel” was listened to with full attention (2 Sam. 20:19).

A mother naturally has a great influence on her children, whether for good or ill, as seen with the cases of Jochebed the mother of Moses and Jezebel the mother of Athaliah. The children of a virtuous woman rise up from her and call her blessed (Prov. 31:28).

Timothy had a faithful mother and grandmother (2 Tim. 1:5). There are also "mothers" in the church who have the Lord's interests in their hearts for the good of the saints, which is seen in Paul calling Rufus' mother his mother as well (Rom. 16:13).

It must be noted that "in vain we search in the Scriptures for the humiliating position that women occupy in many Eastern lands. A false conception has been created due to her current position in the East, especially under Islam.

Her position, as it appears in the Scriptures, is totally different. There women move on the same social level as men. They frequently occupy public positions (Ex. 15:20; Judges 4:4; 2 Kings 22:14)...