Luke 8:1-3 (NIV) – 1 After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, 2 and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; 3 Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.
A shallow reading of scripture will make you think and believe that Jesus had only twelve disciples. If you don’t read the Bible for yourself and you depend on what you hear from others, you will claim that Jesus had only male disciples. A repeated lie eventually is defended and presented as truth, but in reality it remains a lie.
Jesus had more than twelve disciples. The Bible records that He sent out more than twelve disciples in several occasions. More than twelve disciples followed Jesus wherever He went.
Luke 10:1 (NIV) – After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go.
It is recorded in the Bible that Jesus appointed twelve disciples. It is also recorded in the same Bible that Jesus appointed another seventy two disciples. All of the were appointed by Jesus. We don’t have all their names, but they are all disciples of Jesus!
Acts 1:15 (NIV) – In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty)
Before ascending to heaven, Jesus asked His disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the power of the Holy Spirit. Therefore we expect that only the eleven disciples will meet, since the twelfth one Judas Iscariot was dead. Yet the Bible records that a hundred and twenty disciples met and they all received the power of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. The a hundred and twenty were not all male, they included women!
Acts 1:13-14 (NIV) – 13 When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. 14 They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
Disciples were more than twelve. Disciples included women. The great commission was to all of them. They all spoke in tongues. The twelve were an inner circle core team, just like the three, Peter, James, and John were an inner circle core team. Being in an inner circle core team doesn’t mean you are the only team members!
Luke 8:1-3 (NIV) – 1 After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, 2 and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; 3 Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.
The Bible tells us the women and many others were with Jesus as He moved around preaching. It wasn’t only the twelve and it wasn’t only the male. Some women are even listed as being part of His regular crew, both the single and married. These women and extra disciples were not excess useless baggage around Jesus. These female disciples played a critical role.
Luke 8:3 (NIV) – Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.
“These women were helping to support THEM out of their OWN means.” These women were not idlers hanging around Jesus for free lunch. They were civil servants working in Herod’s house. They were rich enough to support Jesus and everyone around Jesus. They were not fundraisers, they did not go around soliciting money for Jesus. They supported Jesus and everyone around Jesus using their own money!
The ministry of Jesus on earth needed money as they moved around preaching. That money came from disciples. That money came from female disciples. That money came from volunteers who gladly supported that ministry using their own money!
The disciples were not opportunists who were hanging around Jesus to make a living from money being spent around Jesus. Disciples don’t come to Jesus to make money from purchases and spending. Those are thieves. Disciples come to gladly spend their own money and time to support the ministry of Jesus Christ.
Are you a disciple of Jesus? Are you bringing money to support the ministry or are you taking money for yourself from the ministry? What is your contribution to the ministry of Jesus Christ?
Jesus lived in a society that despised women. Unfortunately some of us despise women because the society at Jesus’s time despised women. The society that Jesus lived in tolerated slavery. Should we also tolerate slavery or liberate them? Should we also treat women us being less human than men or treat them as equals?
The despised women became the financial supporters of Jesus Christ. The despised became crucial to the ministry. Without them a lot wouldn’t go well. The despised gave money that supported the ministry of Jesus. The female disciples sponsored the ministry of Jesus.
May God grant us an eye that reads scripture intently to discover hidden gems. May God help us to end the intolerance of Bible times. We should not treat women and slaves as they were treated in Bible times. May God grant us means so that like female disciples of Jesus, we support this ministry financially. May God frustrate and kick out everyone who is in the ministry to make money instead of contributing money. In Jesus’s name, Amen!
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Amen🙏
Amen!
Amen!
Been studying the History of Religion from Noah’s time, now focusing on the gospels.
How profound to read this article by Prof Kesis, stamps evem more indepth knowledge of how God wants us to live as Christians/Believers
Hallelujah! God bless your study
Amen,Praise God!
Amen!
hosanna in the highest!
Hallelujah!