Jesus and Women

Recently another high profile Christian leader has resigned amid accusations of improper relations with women. A flagship evangelical publication has been rocked by a past history of sexual misconduct and cover up. Political leaders who profess faith have a history of exploiting women.

No wonder the unbelieving world has labeled Christians misogynistic.

But not Jesus.

Of the many interactions Jesus had with women in the four Gospels, I want to focus on the story in Luke 8:1-3:

Soon afterward he (Jesus) went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod's household manager, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their means.

Jesus, as was his pattern, was on another preaching tour. In addition to his disciples, he had gathered some women in his entourage. Unlike unscrupulous cult leaders of the first century and today, Jesus maintained healthy relationships with the women mentioned in this text. Here's how:

Jesus kept morally pure relationships with women

There's no impropriety or hint of scandal with Jesus and the women he was around.

Remember the book and movie The Da Vinci Code? Tom Hanks as the star? Among the many preposterous claims that the book and film made about Jesus was that he was married to Mary Magdalene, a woman mentioned in the Luke 8:1-3 and in each of the canonical gospels where she is an eyewitness to Jesus's crucifixion and resurrection.

If Jesus was married, so the book and film contend, then he must have blood descendants.

Unfortunately, the historical documents closest to the time of Jesus, the four canonical Gospels in our New Testament, give no hint or evidence that Jesus was married, much less that he had any unbiblical relationships with women.

Jesus, being God, knew the Scripture that says men and women are created in God's image (Gen.1:26-27). As God's image bearers, women were valued by Jesus. And he conducted himself accordingly.

Jesus met the deep needs of the women who followed and supported him

Luke 8 mentions three women by name: Mary Magdalene (whom we already mentioned briefly), Joanna (the only mention of her in the NT, but obviously a married woman of influence and means), and Susanna (again only mentioned here in the NT).

Luke mentions Jesus healed them of "evil spirits and infirmities". Who knows the stories behind these women?

Mary Magdalene is associated as being a prostitute or the unnamed woman washing Jesus's feet in the preceding passage, Luke 7:36-50. But there's no biblical evidence for those claims.

Joanna was a prominent woman in Israel. The wife of Herod's household manager no doubt gave her great influence and access to resources. Her presence with Jesus tells us that he was reaching all levels of society.

Susanna, though unknown outside of Luke 8, felt drawn to Jesus because of what he had done for her.

But all these women needed the healing, both physical and spiritual, that only Jesus could provide.

Healed from disease, yes. But also the deep spiritual healing of forgiveness that displaces the demons and evil spirits who beset them.

These women responded with tangible support of Jesus' ministry, because as women, they appreciated more deeply what Jesus meant to them

Women throughout the history of the church have been some of the most devoted disciples of Jesus. These three women exemplified that. I believe as a rule women feel more deeply and respond more sacrificially to Jesus's ministry in their lives.

Let's change the narrative of the evangelical church as a woman-hating group.

Let's be like Jesus who loved these women for who they are, God's image bearers and his followers.