Women Disciples (Luke 8:1-3)
The New Testament sees women. When you consider ancient cultures and literature, human society has tended towards chauvinism. Christianity has changed that, even if one may think it has been a slow change. The universal nature of how sinful humanity has pressed women down is so vast that it has and continues to take a lot of time for change to happen. The New Testament, and its record of Jesus, was revolutionary. Luke in particular has a lot to say about women. In Luke-Acts, there are over 25 women or groups of women who feature prominently. Here in 8:1-3, we see that Jesus had a group of women that travelled with Him and supported His ministry. It wasn’t just Jesus and the Twelve, there were many more people who were a part of His mission and Luke points out that women were among them. Other religious leaders of the time were supported financially by women, but Jesus appears to be unique in the way that the women travelled with Him.
Luke often tells his stories to highlight things through contrast. Frequently, a story involving a woman will follow on the heals of a story about a man. Here, we get a single summary statement that talks about the Twelve AND the women. Also, as in this case, he will thematically contrast his stories. So, this account of the women who travelled with and contributed to His ministry comes right after the story of the immoral woman who had been forgiven.
Women are not just background figures. The Mary mentioned here would be present in Jesus’s ministry, but also at his burial and resurrection. Women were a part of the whole gospel account: announcement, life, ministry, death, burial, resurrection, and post-resurrection accounts all involved women prominently.
Luke often tells his stories to highlight things through contrast. Frequently, a story involving a woman will follow on the heals of a story about a man. Here, we get a single summary statement that talks about the Twelve AND the women. Also, as in this case, he will thematically contrast his stories. So, this account of the women who travelled with and contributed to His ministry comes right after the story of the immoral woman who had been forgiven.
Women are not just background figures. The Mary mentioned here would be present in Jesus’s ministry, but also at his burial and resurrection. Women were a part of the whole gospel account: announcement, life, ministry, death, burial, resurrection, and post-resurrection accounts all involved women prominently.
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