Breaking Down Barriers
These three verses tell us hardly anything about the women they speak of, but they reveal so much about our Savior. Mentioned, to our modern ears, almost as an afterthought, we are told that some women followed Jesus. Of these women, three are listed by name if not by character or deed. The first name is one we all recognize though honestly do not know: Mary called Magdalene. Through the years, this woman’s reputation has been dragged through the proverbial mud as mankind has invented stories of her life. Nowhere in scripture are we told that she was a prostitute, the love interest of Jesus, or any other details given to her by man. All of these inferences are mere fiction. The truth is that all we know about her is that she was saved by Jesus and that she witnessed his death, burial, and resurrection. The second woman we are told of us Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s household manager. This tells us she was from the upper class of Jewish life. She was wealthy and would have stood out a bit from the other men and women who traveled with Jesus. Finally, we hear of a woman named Susanna. Unfortunately, we are told nothing about this woman.
As interesting as it would be to know the life stories of these Mary, Joanna, and Susanna, the importance of their inclusion in scripture does not lie in their life, but in the mere fact they were there. According to Leon Morris, “Rabbis refused to teach women and generally assigned them a very inferior place.” Jesus was different. No respectable rabbi would allow a woman to become his pupil and Jesus invited more than one. Imagine the shock of seeing three women following – not their husbands as they learned from their master but – a man they committed to learn from. For us, this type of sexism simply doesn’t exist anymore. We owe that to our Savior who stood up to the status quo and demanded a change. In fact, the Talmud (civil and ceremonial lawbook of the Jews) expresses, “No one is to speak with a woman, even if she is his wife, in the public streets.” Yet Jesus did speak with women. He touched them to heal them. He invited them to follow him. He listened to their questions and answered them. He treated women as only men had been treated before. Because of Christ, everything changed.
God cares about His children. He loves all, not simply the men or the women. Remember, Galatians 3:28 tells us, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Men have been given a beautiful responsibility to represent Christ and his love for his church. Women have the honor of reflecting his obedience and submission to his Heavenly Father. We are unique in how we are made (I know that is not very current thinking, but I will forever claim it to be true.) We are all uniquely and equally loved and called to follow. Jesus broke the mold of his culture to live righteously. Will you and I do the same?
(Written by Keegan Harkins.)
1. Morris, Leon L. "Luke: An Introduction and Commentary" (Tyndale New Testament Commentaries) (Leicester, England: Inter-Varsity Press, 1988)
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