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Reading through the Gospels #77

Luke 8:1-3

Luke 8:1-3 WOMAN ACCOMPANYING JESUS

Jesus is traveling proclaiming (with his mouth) and bringing (with his mouth) the good news. He is the good news! I note that he has to travel to proclaim and bring the good news to others.  Not only the disciples are following Him, but also the women who had been healed.  What is the significance of these Bible verses making special mention of women? In the Jewish culture, women were not supposed to learn from Rabbis, but Jesus lifted them up to the level of men. Jesus is showing that all people are equal.

 

1. We read about Mary Magdalene who had 7 demons cast out. That is a lot!

Mary in scripture: Matthew 27:56, 61; 28:1; Mark 15:40, 47; 16:1-19; Luke 8:2; 24:10; John 19:25; 20:1-18.

She is the first witness to the resurrection of Jesus:

John 20:1-19 and Mark 16:9, "Now when he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons."

 

2.  We read about Joanna whose husband is Herod's household manager named Chuza. What was the responsibilities of a household manager? In today's world, women are often the manager of a home. They manage cleaning, cooking, calendars, laundry, children and sometimes finances. I think of a colonial home with servants and a leader and overseer to guide the servants in their tasks. This person would be really close to the home owner and, therefore, Chuza would have been very close to Herod. Herod the Great was the one who killed the male children when Jesus was born and Joseph fled with his family. This would be Herod Antipas, who is his son. Luke 23: Pilate initially handed him over to Antipas, in whose territory Jesus had been most active, but Antipas sent him back to Pilate's court. Joanna would have had status, wealth and high rank being near the high court. Herod's court would not be a place to find Christian disciples.

Joanna was also present for Jesus's resurrection; she  took spices to Jesus' tomb and found the stone rolled away:

Luke 24:10, "Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles,"

 

3. Susanna is named, but nothing is mentioned about her.