Certain Women. Luke 8:1-3 An expanding ministry means there is a need to support people who are willing and able to spend their time, talents, and treasure on furthering the work of the Lord. It is very hard to just continue on the same year after year without changes because that means we have either become complacent or self-satisfied. Neither of those attitudes is good. Our Lord Jesus Christ, by the beginning of his third year of public ministry, had quite an entourage of disciples who followed Him. They would have been learning from Him all the time as well as meeting needs that arose when multitudes of people surrounded the Lord. Among those who followed Him as He traveled from place to place preaching the Gospel, were a number of women who had been healed and saved.
The dealing of the Lord Jesus Christ with women and their involvement in His ministry would have been very different from the culture of Jewish society at that time. Luke wrote of their work both in the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts. Their role was unique then and would have been likely a topic of conversation among those who were critical of the Lord and those who followed Him. The role of women in the body of Christ has been unique down through the centuries since the Lord was here. Missionary activity, dealing with other women, showing hospitality, and meeting needs that men could not meet have identified many faithful followers of Christ right until this day. Women’s role in the local assembly of believers is absolutely necessary and is very significant in the public testimony of a gathered company of believers. They still have a very important work in the outreach of the Gospel all over the world as they minister to the needs of indigenous people in ways that are adaptable to the various social mores of the nations on earth.
Three women are named at the beginning of this chapter which shows how our Lord Jesus crossed barriers that had been created which treated women as second-class citizens along with those who were despised because of their occupation or social class. Jesus had healed those women and cast out the demons that were controlling the ones who had been possessed. Jesus treated everyone with equal respect and gave them a sense of personhood that was not inferior to those who considered themselves leaders and therefore above other people.
Mary Magdalene A point of interest about Mary Magdalene is that most times we read of her in a list of other women, she heads the list of names. One notable exception is when she was at the foot of the cross of Jesus with His mother Mary and her sister. It is not uncommon, nor is it wrong when a sister in the assembly of God’s people seems to have qualities of leadership, to clarify what needs to be done and takes the lead in meeting those needs. It is important when any kind of ministry in which an assembly is engaged, that the sisters who often do the needed work, have the opportunity to make suggestions. It is up to the elders to determine the spiritual aspects of any matter that is suggested and make the final decision as to whether it should be done.
When Mary Magdalene recovered from her past, the Lord Jesus Christ accepted her desire to minister to His needs. He had cast out seven demons from her which would have made a drastic change in her that would have been obvious to all who knew her. She apparently had no home obligations and was ready and willing to do what she could to further the work of the Lord. She may have been one of the eyewitnesses that Luke got information from as the Spirit of God used him to write some of the important events those people saw. Mary Magdalene is mentioned fourteen times in the Gospels and in eight of those times, she is the first name on the list of women. Perhaps she was the one who initiated the service of those other godly women as together they made a difference in the life and work of the Lord Jesus and His disciples.
Her devotion to the Lord and gratitude for her deliverance were such that she was there when and where she was needed. When Mary, the mother of the Lord Jesus Christ was at the foot of the cross with her sister, Mary Magdalene was there to support and comfort her as they all wept together. She heard Jesus’s words from the cross, she knew the covering of darkness and felt the impact of the earthquake. All of that did not move her from her devotion to the One who had saved her from the bondage of Satan’s power.
There are many ways we can express the appreciation of our hearts to our Lord and demonstrate the value we place on Him and His forgiveness of our sins and redeeming work that fits us for heaven. Usually, the Lord Himself puts in front of us ways in which we can be a part of what He is doing in the world today. Also, taking time to look around and see what needs to be done and can be done, will open doors for each of us to share in His work. He gives us the faith to go forward and the grace to do His will with the dignity and honor any work for God deserves.
A review of Mary Magdalene’s life gives us an example to consider for ourselves. She had been in bondage to seven devils. She was severely afflicted by the power and works of the devil. When she was delivered, her heart was opened to do whatever her Savior wanted. She had been set free and saved from the power of hell. In contrast, she had been set at liberty to give her best to the Savior by the sacrifice of time and energy. Her fortitude and courage were gladly expended in her service to her Lord as she followed His leading from one place and another to do whatever she could for His glory.
She followed Him as a disciple from Galilee to Judea and back again doing whatever needed to be done quietly and effectively with efficiency and gladness of heart. It is our turn to do the same in our time and place of service for our Lord and Savior. Jesus and His disciples greatly benefitted from the presence and service of Mary Magdalene and other devoted women. We also are given the privilege and opportunity to help others to their benefit and at our expense. She had seen the trial and wept as Jesus went to Calvary bearing His cross. She had stood as near as possible to comfort His mother. His pains and suffering would have affected her as well as the other women there but she did not abandon that position until Joseph and Nicodemus had taken the body of Jesus down and placed it in the new tomb.
She and others with her sat watching as the stone was rolled across the door of the tomb seeing where and how His body was laid. Mary Magdalene was the first one to see Jesus when He rose from among the dead. His first words after His resurrection were directed to her. The way He said her name and the fact that He knew it even after death had taken place, would have assured her that life after death is real and personal. She received the first commission Jesus gave after His resurrection when He said, “Go, tell my disciples and Peter that I go before them into Galilee.”
Joanna This woman was restored to health by the Lord Jesus Christ and had given her life to Him. Her husband, Cuza, was an important man in the household of Herod. As the house steward, his role was not minor, and likely he was a nobleman of some financial means. He would have been grateful when Jesus healed his wife who had suffered from physical or emotional disease, or perhaps she had been possessed as well. We don’t know a whole lot about her but as a person who had access to some finances, she was able to contribute to meeting the temporal needs of the Lord and his disciples. Joanna’s life and testimony are described in five ways.
She was a sick woman who had been healed by the Lord Jesus Christ and was committed to doing what she could to meet His needs. The characteristics of a grateful heart and a willing mind are true of all those whom the Lord saves when they first trust Him and experience the great relief of forgiveness.
She was a witness of the Lord in Herod’s palace through the position of her husband. As the manager of Herod’s household, Cuza would be a well-known, trusted man of intelligence and Joanna would be known by other servants through him. Perhaps her testimony was one of the ways Herod heard of the miracles of Jesus. By the grace of God, some people in high places in the world have been witnessed to by believers even though they may be powerful and wicked people. Paul testified to governors and kings. Queen Victoria of England heard a clear message of salvation and the assurance of eternal life to a believer through the words of a commoner. Mark Hatfield, a professor and later a U.S. senator from Oregon heard the way of salvation from a young woman student and soon after found the Savior personally.
She was a supporter of the Lord Jesus Christ in His ministry both financially and personally. It appears that she was willing and able to substantially help with finances. This short passage emphasizes the grace of giving. It gives joy to one who gives of their substance from their heart to further the work of the Lord who had given so much for us.
She had seen the Lord Jesus die on the cross and had sat at the grave of Jesus when He was placed in the tomb. The One who had healed her body and soul was “the preciousness” to her the same as He is to those of us who believe in Him today. She had given what she had to Him in His life and wanted to show reverence and respect to Him in His death. She was one who had “prepared spices and ointments” to anoint the body of Jesus in view of going to the tomb on the first day of the week.
She was one of the first heralds of Jesus’ resurrection. She had heard the angel say, “He is not here. He is risen! Come see the place where the Lord lay.” It is important for all of us to tell what we know personally and do what we can to further the work of the kingdom of God. “Only one life will soon be passed. Only what’s done for Christ will last.”
Susanna. This woman was also one of those whom the Lord Jesus healed physically and spiritually. Her gratitude to the Lord was evident in that she joined with other more well-known women in ministering to the Lord and His disciples by giving what they had and doing what they could. That attitude is still prevalent in many of God’s chosen people today. What a blessing such people are to all of us who are saved as well as to the unsaved around us.
There are others only referred to once in the scriptures who are honored by having been associated with the Lord. Quartus is mentioned simply as being a brother. Zenus is known as “the lawyer.” Susanna accompanied the Lord and she ministered to Him of her substance. She gave of what she had to help meet His needs. What a high privilege it is for anyone to be known as associated with the Lord Jesus Christ who is the Almighty God.
Many others. Even the unnamed people are not forgotten or overlooked by the Holy Spirit in the word of God. There may not be any recognition by people as to what one does for the Lord, but He knows who each one is and what they do, so that is all that really counts. “We love Him because He first loved us.” Being behind the scenes is not visual to people, but nothing is hidden from God. Just because what a person does is not visual doesn’t make it nonessential. It is a privilege to be a steward of what God gives us, and “It is required of stewards that a man be found faithful.” When all is said and done, the only thing that matters is, “To God be the glory, great things He has done!”
BELIEVING AND HEEDING THE WORD.