Jesus, The Traveling Twelve...and The Women of Means!

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, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; 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.

Luke 8v1-3

Jesus and the Twelve get lots of attention.  But Luke pays attention to details - and he makes sure we know that some key women made the traveling ministry possible.  

Often times Peter, James and John are the best known of the Twelve, and Luke lets us know that Mary of Magdala, Joanna wife of Chuza, and Susanna were the primary supporters who used their resources to help Jesus, and the Twelve.

Mary of Magdala had seven demons cast out of her by Jesus.  Her life was irrevocably changed by the ministry of Jesus - no wonder she spent the rest of her days and resources supporting Jesus. Joanna's husband Chuza was the manager of Herod's household - she came from royal places, with prestige, power, connections, and confidence.  Jesus and Herod were two very different kings, and Joanna took great risk to funnel royal finances to a very subversive ministry.  Susanna was likely healed of a debilitating disease, and with her healed up body she used it to serve and care for her Healer.

Jesus called Twelve Men to follow him, men that - as far as we know - didn't follow Jesus because of something he did for them.  The women served and supported Jesus out of deep gratitude, the sacrificed out of love.  The men were called by Jesus, challenged by Jesus to leave one life behind and courageously choose another Way.  These men often doubted Jesus, questioned Jesus, were bewildered by Jesus' teachings and choices, denied Jesus, fled from Jesus.  But the women stayed by Jesus.  

The Twelve Men, a metaphor for the Twelve Tribes, reacted to Jesus much like they reacted to YHWH.  The women, unlike Israel, expressed the gratefulness and compassion that the Prophets plead with the nation to extend - to the poor, the enslaved, the crippled, the foreigners, the widow and orphan, the oppressed.  The women live out what God envisioned for his bride Israel, and his bride the Church - to support the work of Jesus in the world out of our own means, with our whole lives.

What was Jesus' work that the women supported?  The proclamation (word and deed) of the good news (Gospel) of the kingdom of God.