In John’s Gospel we are told of a group of women
who are near the cross of Jesus but there is no reference there to the fact
that they had followed Jesus during his ministry. (19:25) Only in the closing stages of their Gospels
do Mark and Matthew mention that a number of women had followed Jesus in
Galilee and had accompanied him to Jerusalem
(Mark 14:50 and Matthew 26:56) It
is only when the male disciples have deserted Jesus and fled are we told by
Mark and Matthew of the women followers – how they had followed Jesus in
Galilee and went with him to Jerusalem and were witnesses of his crucifixion
and had seen the Risen Lord.
Luke’s approach is different. Early in his gospel we are told ‘Jesus went
through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing 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
...and many others, who provided for him out of their resources’ (8:1-3) This short passage speaks of a circle of
women, Mary from the village of Magdala, Johanna, Susanna and many others. These set out with him, leaving home, family,
relations, their village, their everyday life.
They followed him, listening, speaking, travelling, offering goods and
services and in the end following him to the Cross where, they, the only
faithful witnesses, were to see him die.
In John we are told that Mary as well as ‘the disciple whom he loved’
were among the women standing near the Cross of Jesus where the Mother of Jesus
becomes also the Mother of the new community of believers.
It is obvious that Jesus wanted the sizeable and
privileged circle that lived with him as he went from village to village to
include a group of women. There were
many restrictions imposed on women by the culture of that time and place. For example, a worship service could not be
conducted unless at least ten men were present, no matter how many women
attended. The testimony of a woman in
court had no value. The Torah (the first
five books of the Jewish scriptures) could not be taught to women. When dealing with women Jesus clearly had no
time for discrimination. He engages in lengthy
biblical discussions with non-Jewish women like the Syro-Phoenician and
Samaritan women. (Mark 7:24-39 and John
4:7-26)
We must never forget that it was women who were
first to spread the message of Easter.
They rushed to the apostles, who had fled and were lying low, and passed
on the greatest message of all – ‘He is alive’.
Luke especially emphasises this: ‘On the first day of the week, at early
dawn, they came to the tomb taking the spices that they had prepared. They found the stone rolled away from the
tomb, but when they went in, they did not find the body. While they were perplexed about this,
suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. The women were terrified and bowed their
faces to the ground, but the men said to them, ‘Why do you look for the living
among the dead? He is not here, but has
risen. Remember how he told you, while
he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners,
and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.’ Then they remembered his words and returning
from the tomb, they told this to the eleven and to all the rest.’ Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the
mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the
apostles. But these words seemed to them
an idle tale, and they did not believe.
But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw
the linen cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had
happened.’ (24:1-12)
Luke tells us that women are among the faithful at
Pentecost (Acts 1:12- 2:4). After the
Ascension the apostles returned to the upper room (or room upstairs) where they
had been staying and were ‘constantly devoting themselves to prayer together
with certain women including Mary the mother of Jesus as well as his
brothers. It goes on ‘When the day of
Pentecost had come they were all together in one place...All of them were filled
with the Holy Spirit.’ We often picture the
coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost as something that the Apostles only
experienced. Luke suggests otherwise. If Jesus is opposed to discrimination, so is
the Holy Spirit!
Thank you Luke for emphasising that it was the
women disciples who told the good news to the apostles. We have much to learn from it with God’s help
