And Then There Were the Women
Many women were there looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee while ministering to Him. Among them was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and mother of the sons of Zebedee. Matt. 27:55, 56, NASB
Women!
Are they all that important? One would have to wonder by the record of a historic Christianity dominated overwhelmingly by males. But the Gospel writers seem to be of a different opinion. To them the women and their witness and ministry to Jesus were crucial to the story.
Matthew completes his presentation of the Crucifixion by telling us that there were "many women" there as witnesses. All four Gospels tells us that women remained at the cross until the end.
But where were the men? After Peter's repeated denial of Jesus, the only disciple Scripture mentions is John "the disciple whom he loved" (John 19:26, RSV). And John appears only in the fourth Gospel. Where are the men? Hiding most likely. After Jesus' arrest in Gethsemane they fled as fast as their legs could carry them. They had no desire at the time, apparently, to be too close to a condemned criminal.
Against that background of male failure, the courage and devotion of the women shines forth all the more brilliantly.
Matthew tells us not only that there were "many women," but that they were watching from "a distance." We don't know why they didn't come closer. It may have been that it was not safe to get too close to an execution when Jesus' enemies were in control. Perhaps it may be that it wasn't proper for women to attend a crucifixion. Or it could have been that they wanted to put some distance between themselves and the mockers.
What we do know is that they were close enough to hear when Jesus assigned His mother to John's care. But the most important thing we learn about those women is they were there at all.
In the absence of the male disciples, they provided support and a show of loyalty to the suffering Jesus when He needed it most. But this was not some new development. Matthew indicates that they had followed Him all the way from Galilee, ministering all the while to His needs. All along they had supplied the penniless Jesus what He had required for bodily survival. They had assumed the role of servant that Jesus' male followers had shunned.
May God continue to bless the ministry of the women among us.
Many women were there looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee while ministering to Him. Among them was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and mother of the sons of Zebedee. Matt. 27:55, 56, NASB
Women!
Are they all that important? One would have to wonder by the record of a historic Christianity dominated overwhelmingly by males. But the Gospel writers seem to be of a different opinion. To them the women and their witness and ministry to Jesus were crucial to the story.
Matthew completes his presentation of the Crucifixion by telling us that there were "many women" there as witnesses. All four Gospels tells us that women remained at the cross until the end.
But where were the men? After Peter's repeated denial of Jesus, the only disciple Scripture mentions is John "the disciple whom he loved" (John 19:26, RSV). And John appears only in the fourth Gospel. Where are the men? Hiding most likely. After Jesus' arrest in Gethsemane they fled as fast as their legs could carry them. They had no desire at the time, apparently, to be too close to a condemned criminal.
Against that background of male failure, the courage and devotion of the women shines forth all the more brilliantly.
Matthew tells us not only that there were "many women," but that they were watching from "a distance." We don't know why they didn't come closer. It may have been that it was not safe to get too close to an execution when Jesus' enemies were in control. Perhaps it may be that it wasn't proper for women to attend a crucifixion. Or it could have been that they wanted to put some distance between themselves and the mockers.
What we do know is that they were close enough to hear when Jesus assigned His mother to John's care. But the most important thing we learn about those women is they were there at all.
In the absence of the male disciples, they provided support and a show of loyalty to the suffering Jesus when He needed it most. But this was not some new development. Matthew indicates that they had followed Him all the way from Galilee, ministering all the while to His needs. All along they had supplied the penniless Jesus what He had required for bodily survival. They had assumed the role of servant that Jesus' male followers had shunned.
May God continue to bless the ministry of the women among us.
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