"Unnamed but Not Unknown" Study Series

9 Bible Studies on Unnamed Women of the Bible

This 9-lesson study guide was written by Debbie Schmidt. It has been used by The Network of Presbyterian Women in Leadership NPWL also produces other study materials that can be purchased at their site, as well as other good information for women's ministry.

The download is temporarily unavailable (6/2005)
Contact Debbie Schmidt directly for a copy.

The study is available as a PDF file, which you can download and print.

Study Introduction

As I began to prepare for this study and started looking through the Bible for unnamed women, I thought I would have a wealth of choices. Instead, I was surprised to find how many names we are given, even for very minor characters. From the midwives of Egypt in the book of Exodus to the servant girl who answers the door for Peter in the book of Acts, the smallest players are often still mentioned by name. I should not have been surprised. God is a God who values individuals. He made each one of us unique and He knows each of us by name.

Yet there are women in the Bible who remain nameless to us. We know many of them well because we have heard their stories over and over again: the woman who met Jesus at the well or the woman who was healed when she touched the hem of His robe. Other women, such as the wise woman of Abel or Samson's mother, may be completely unknown to us. Whether we know them by name or not, the stories of these women have been preserved for us. The God who is at work in our lives was working in theirs, and the things they learned about His love and care for them are still instructive for us today.

This study guide looks at the stories of women from both the Old and New Testaments. Most of the passages are narratives, stories about women and their experiences of God. While they often are entertaining, a problem can arise in doing Bible study about a narrative passage, especially in the Old Testament. Sometimes the narrator gives us ethical judgments about what is happening in the story; other times we are left to draw our own conclusions. Sometimes God, in His mercy, allows a situation to resolve well, even though the person in the story has made morally questionable choices. Thus the modern reader must be wary about drawing universal principals from a single episode.

The lessons from narrative passages can be ambiguous, so other Scripture references are included at the end of each chapter for personal study. These references support the conclusions of the lesson. It is very important to let Scripture interpret Scripture by also looking at direct teaching on important issues. For groups that meet more than once a month, this section may be used for further study on the theme of the lesson. Several books are suggested at the end of each lesson as well. It is by no means an exhaustive list of resources, but it is a place to begin.

Each lesson is followed by "Putting it into Practice," a biography of a women whose story in some way parallels that of the women in the Bible lesson. It is inspiring to see how women have lived out biblical truths. We can learn from their successes and struggles.

The studies are designed for group discussion, with the discussion leader asking the questions and keeping the group focused on the passages. Guidelines for leaders are included after Chapter 9. It may be helpful for each member of the group to have her own book to prepare ahead for the lesson.

It is my prayer that God will speak through these stories and through the insights you share with each other as you discuss His Word. God has blessed us with a "great cloud of witnesses" (Hebrews 12:1) - from the Bible, from church history, and from your own circle of friends. Let these witnesses share their experiences of God and encourage you in your own spiritual journey.

Debbie Schmidt
June 2003

These study materials were written by Debbie Schmidt.
They are meant to be freely used, but please contact her if you would like
to distribute them from somewhere other than our website (or NWPL).
© 2003, Debbie I. Schmidt