The Women Who Followed Our Lord

Ancient times were marked by antiquated issues - one of which was the preferential treatment of men over women. A Biblical example of this is John 8:1-11, where a woman caught in adultery is brought before Jesus as a test from the Pharisees. Have you ever wondered, "Where is the man?" Adultery isn’t an act that brings guilt to just one party; it takes two to tango. I look back at a far more shattered system to ask this: Could anything make your life harder in Israel during the first century? I thought about leperous women. I thought about religiously unclean women. I thought about lascivious women. And yet, I rested upon the women who followed Christ. These women were viewed with disdain, not merely for their biology, but for their belief in Christ.

Luke 8:1-3 makes a small note about the women who followed Jesus. First, Mary called Magdalene—could you imagine the rumors that circulated about her? “She went from unclean to more unclean.” “She is still a lunatic.” Second, Joanna, the wife of Chuza. Her husband was Herod’s household manager. In many ways, that made her thrice despised: a woman, a follower of Jesus, and a sympathizer of Rome. Third, Susanna, not much is said about her that distinguishes her from others than the great distinction: her Lord was Jesus. And, it was not these women alone, but “many others.”

These women performed a very noble act: They provided for the Lord and the twelve out of their means. You know, many people in our country claim to be under the Lord’s kingship but require a serious arm-twisting to supply from their means; meanwhile, these women gave willingly.

Something alarming is the downward trend in the spiritual interest of the current young adult generation. While an interest in religion is more prominent and growing among Gen Z than in recent generations, it has been a trend dominated by men. While we can rejoice in the news of people craving truth, it is alarming because it has always appeared that women had the most ardent appetite for God. Think even to when the Lord was buried, men hid, and the women went to show their respect. Can we have more women like that today? So we don't lose sight of the point because of gender, I will ask, can we have more people like these women today, who showed an immovable connection with their Lord?