Women providers for Jesus? (Luke 8:1-3)

We have been studying the book of Luke and so far our studies have come from chapters 7 and 8^th. Moving forward from the parable of the sower, the women from the beginning of chapter 8 would not let me continue without stopping and seeing what they had done. As we strive to clarify our roles as women, I think they deserve some attention. Our reading comes from Luke 8:1-3

Luke tells us that Jesus was doing Ministry. Think about Billy Graham Crusades? Jesus invented them. He got them started! Imagine a place where hope was being offered and not only hope but you could be healed of any disease. If you were blind you came out seeing, if you were lame you could leap and walk! Demon possessed? Released!!Who wouldn’t want to be there? Most importantly, Jesus was teaching them about God’s plan of Salvation and redemption! They were hungry and thirsty for change and Jesus brought it!

Jesus was not alone on these early Ministry times. Even though Jesus is the Savior; the Son of the Living God, He relied on people. He was able to feed thousands and make wine out of water but He did not do this for himself. Remember how Satan wanted to convert the stones into bread as we are told in Matthew 4:3? Jesus would not do it. And throughout His ministry, we do not hear of him depending on himself. Perhaps because He knew we needed to look at everything he did for our learning purposes. And we certainly have to rely on each other.

As Jesus relied on people for support, He did not differentiate between men and women. In this passage, Jesus was bringing the message but women were a key factor as they were contributing out of their own private means. This tells us that these woman were not representatives of the typical image we have of this time period. They were out on the field supporting The Messenger! It would be good for us to know other details about them such as their kind of life and the type of responsibilities they had but we are not given that. We do not know all their individual stories but this story is here to show their involvement and Jesus’s response to them.

Luke tell us some of their names and the fact that they had been healed of evil spirits. Mary who was called Magdalene from whom seven demons had gone out was the first one to be named. When I first studied this passage, it made sense to me that this was the woman that inspired me to write this blog. The woman that cried and wiped Jesus’s feet with her hair and tears back in Luke 7:37. It made sense to me that she had been released of such trauma, such slavery, such death that now she could feel freedom! As I checked resources, I found no clear answers.

He also mentions Johanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s Steward, and Susanna, and many others who were contributors. These women paint a picture of our Savior and His relationship to people as he showed no partiality. I don’t know about you but this gives me comfort and allows me to not limit myself to the so called “designated roles” The giver of life has entrusted us with so many gifts and I believe He desires for us to use them for the sake of the Gospel.