Christianity was born during ancient times, when women did not have the economic opportunities offered today. But the notion that women were helplessly subservient is inaccurate. Cleopatra ruled Egypt - and women were numbered among Jesus' disciples. Luke 8:1-3 reads, "Jesus went through cities, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The twelve were with him, as well as some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Herod's steward Chuza, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their resources."
The Greek syntax places the women even more prominently, not just as an afterthought ("as well as some women"), but giving them equally solid standing. Just like the twelve usual male disciples we think about, these women were "with" Jesus in his travels. They had been radically changed by him, and now they went about and provided economically for Jesus and the other disciples. In other words, these women weren't there to wash and mend clothes or cook the meals. These women owned property, and decided how it would be spent. Some women who followed probably were not affluent, but others were women of means and power...
...like Joanna. Her husband was Chuza, Herod's "steward" - meaning he was in charge of Herod's property and revenues, which would have been immense. Chuza and Joanna would have been among the social elite in Herod's capital, Tiberias. Why is she with Jesus instead of her husband? Obviously she heard Jesus; perhaps she was healed - and then she crossed an unimaginably wide social gulf. Chuza was the enemy to overtaxed Jews around the countryside, part of an elite that worshipped idols! Jesus' followers would have despised and been suspicious of her; they could not fathom why one so well-heeled would deign to mix with the rabble of Galilee. But she was "converted to the poor" (Richard Bauckham's phrase), and perhaps she saw that her financial contribution to Jesus' ministry as putting to rights some of the economic wrongs in which she had been involved as Chuza's wife.
Many of us believe that Joanna is the same as Junia, whom Paul mentions in Romans 16:7 as one of the apostles! Joanna became a disciple of Jesus, and then traveled west as a missionary, where she needed a Latinized name: Junia. She was an apostle of distinction, even landing in prison for her determination to spread the Gospel.
Because of The DaVinci Code, many wonder if Mary Magdalene became Jesus' wife, or if she should have been the first pope. There were no popes at all for more than two centuries after Jesus died! and we have not one shred of evidence that Mary Magdalene and Jesus were married. But was she a disciple? Absolutely. A "disciple" means student, follower - and beyond question Mary was part of Jesus' traveling entourage who later became witnesses to Jesus' saving death and resurrection.
James
james@mpumc.org
Coming up:
eBibleQuestions32 - How are we saved? By faith? Deeds? Grace?
eBibleQuestions33 - Are the Jews saved?
eBibleQuestions34 - When will Jesus return?
The full eBibleQuestions series may be viewed online by clicking here.
