The Hidden Women of the Gospels

It’s of course something of a cliché to remind ourselves that certainly up until the present times, history has been narrated by men. Women’s stories have, generally, been domestic ones and only the most radical and historic have been remembered; still less have any stories been narrated by women.

This is as true of the Biblical narrative as it is of any other. The sentences that we have just heard from Luke’s Gospel remind us of this*. 

'Soon afterwards he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. The twelve were with him, as well as some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their resources.'

The 12 male apostles have a prominent place in the Christian faith and imagination, whilst the women are mainly marginal, hidden and /or controversial figures. I wonder what stories they would have told if they’d had the chance to include them in the Bible?

The sentences give us clues: there was not only Mary Magdalene, Joanna and Susanna, but ‘many others, who provided for them (Jesus and his disciples) out of their own resources’. These women were not only following Jesus but providing the means for his and his disciples to live. They not only followed but resourced his ministry.

What about Joanna? She must have been an incredibly brave woman, for she was the wife of Herod’s steward. There are 6 different Herod’s in the NT and they are all related. All of them powerful rulers, some with a track record of killing God’s messengers. What had Joanna given up to follow and support Jesus? How dangerous was it for her to do what she was doing?

Mary Magdalene we know a little more about, but not much. History and tradition have mis-remembered her, conflating her with other Mary’s in the Bible, and sexualising her story. She should be remembered first and foremost as the Apostle to the Apostles—the founder of the church, the teller of the good news; a woman who bravely trusted in Jesus and who was healed.

And Susanna, well we just have her name. We know nothing of her story, other than that she too was healed by, followed and supported Jesus.

The same no doubt will be true for all of us, if we are remembered at all as followers of Jesus, it will be as a name on an electoral roll, a paragraph in the minutes of a meeting. But, what is more important is that we have a story with and for God. How does your story go? Are you still waiting to construct yout story of faith? Would you be willing to tell it, even to a few who might listen, who might be able to learn from you?

Christian discipleship is about all-member participation; we might be insignificant, but God knows us, God calls us and God empowers us to do his work. Mary Magdalene should be remembered, along with the other hardly-known and hidden women of our faith tradition. We should be inspired by their stories and live to tell our own. 

  

*Reading: Luke 8:1-3

Soon afterwards he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. The twelve were with him, as well as some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their resources.