Luke 24:10

Posted by DJL on Apr 4, 2013 in Daily Bread | 0 comments

Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles.

This isn’t just one or two women but a whole company who come to the empty tomb and then share the news of what they’ve seen and heard.

This is one of those interesting variations among the evangelists. Mark mentions three women, Matthew just two, and John only one. Luke names three – with at least one difference from Mark – but then also says that the other women who had accompanied and supported Jesus, watched his crucifixion, and prepared spices for Sunday morning all came along.

Luke, as we’ve seen, features through his gospel the role women played in Jesus’ ministry, and their roles of both support and leadership will only increase in his companion volume, Acts. But I think he mentions this company of women not only to recognize these early and faithful disciples, but also to set up the next seen. Because those disciples also designated as apostles will be no better at remembering their Lord’s promises than these women first were.

Indeed, they will discount the testimony of the women completely. And it’s not just one woman they discount, or two, or even three, but a whole company. Which, as we’ll see, isn’t simply about the denseness of the apostles but about the incredible nature of the good news this company of women bear.

Prayer: Dear God, thank you for the women who supported Jesus throughout his ministry, bore first witness to the news of the resurrection, persevered in their testimony even when it was discounted, and in this and many other ways provided faithful leadership in the early church. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

 

Post image: Icon of “The Women at the Tomb” from St. Elizabeth the Wonderworker Iconography Studio.