In early times Jewish women participated in every aspect of community life except the Temple priesthood. Women freely engaged in commerce and real estate (Prov. 31), as well as in manual labor (Ex. 35:25; Ruth 2:7; 1 Sam. 8:13). They were not excluded from Temple worship.
Women played music in the sanctuary (Ps. 68:25), prayed there (1 Sam 1:12), sang and danced with men in religious processions (2 Sam 6:19, 22) and participated in music and festivities at weddings (Song of Songs 2:7, 3:11).
Jesus’ New Testament followers continued to follow in his footsteps, including women in their gatherings (Acts 1:14) and counting them as co-laborers for Christ (Rom. 16:3). This was only fitting, for Jesus the Messiah, in his love, shattered the restricted status of women in the rabbinic times in which he lived. Because of him, all individuals, Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female, can be one in Christ and enjoy unequalled freedom as children of God.