tHe WOMEN wHo FOLLOWED JESUS: PART II jacqueline lloyd THE WOMEN WHO FOLLOWED JESUS: pArT II 24 Stimulus Vol 20 Is 3 v5.indd 26 1/12/13 2:33 PM Part I of this study introduced the women from the promiscuity of women (War 2.125). Ben followers of Jesus and what is known about them. Sira, writing in Palestine in the second century BCE, I demonstrated that these women were genuine states that sin originated with a woman and thanks disciples of Jesus who left their homes to travel with to her “we all die.”6 Consequently, Jewish men are him through the towns and villages of Galilee. In advised by Ben Sira not to sit down with a woman Part II I will discuss what it meant to be a disciple of (Sir 42.12). Similar advice appears in the Mishnah: Jesus in first-century Palestine, and the contribution Talk not much with womankind. (The sages) the women made to the Jesus movement. said this of a man’s own wife: how much more of his fellow’s wife… He that talks much with DISCiPLES AS STUDENTS womankind brings evil upon himself and Important to the idea of discipleship is that a neglects the study of the Law and at the last disciple is a student.1 When first introduced, these will inherit Gehenna.7 women disciples of Jesus are found hearing Jesus’ Although it may be argued that the Mishnah proclamation of the “kingdom of God” (Luke 8:1). reflects only one school of Jewish thought and Thus, Bauckham argues that at this point in Luke’s postdates the time of Jesus, at least one first century narrative, “there is actually no differentiation rabbi, Eliezer ben Hyrcanus, was supposed to have between what discipleship means for the twelve said, “Whoever teaches his daughter Torah teaches (men) and for the women.”2 Moreover, Jesus crafted her obscenity.”8 There are a few circumstances his message in order to communicate effectively to where a rabbi might be willing to teach his wife men and women,3 and the women for their part were or daughter,9 but there is no evidence that women expected to remember what they had been taught became disciples of a rabbi. Consequently, Meier (Luke 24:6–8). concludes: Being a female disciple required courage. It is safe to say that, as a rule, Jewish religious Many men in first-century Palestine would have teachers in Palestine of the [first] century [CE] considered women as unsuitable candidates for did not admit women to the circle of their discipleship, and possibly even dangerous to have male disciples undergoing instruction, to say in the company of men. Thus, Jesus was probably nothing of having married women travel in unique in welcoming women disciples.4 The Jewish the company of such teachers without the philosopher Philo, a contemporary of Jesus, believed women’s husbands being present.10 that women were inferior to men and capable of Of course, one might argue that these literary beguiling and seducing men.5 The Testament of sources are representative of educated men of a Reuben 5:5 says that women have the capacity to particular social class, and may not reflect the “deceive men’s sound minds.” The first century ideas of ordinary Galilean farmers and fishermen Jewish historian Josephus wrote that the Essenes did in first-century Palestine. But an incident in John’s not marry because they wanted to protect themselves Gospel would seem to suggest that such attitudes were widespread. John writes that when the disciples 1 Carla Ricci, Mary Magdalene and many others: Women who found Jesus talking alone with a woman, they were followed Jesus (Minneapolis: Fortress, 1994), 182. astonished but did not ask him, “What do you want?” 2 Richard Bauckham, Gospel Women: Studies of the Named Women in the Gospels (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 2002), 112. or “Why are you talking with her?” (John 4:27). 3 Kenneth E. Bailey, Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes: Cultural Bailey explains that the idiom, “What do you want?” Studies in the Gospels (Downers Grove, Ill.: IVP Academic, 2008), is common across the Middle East even today and 194–95. “in this setting it would imply, ‘Would you like us to 4 Bailey, Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes, 189; Ben Witherington 11 get rid of her for you?’” III, “On the Road with Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Susanna, and other disciples – Luke 8:1–2,” in A Feminist Companion to Luke, eds. Amy- In short, Jesus is remarkable for the way in Jill Levine with Marianne Blickenstaff (London: Sheffield Academic, which he included women among his disciples and 2002), 134. John Paul Meier states that having “unchaperoned welcomed them to accompany him on the road. women sharing the preaching tours of a celibate male teacher” would have presented a “potentially shocking picture” in first-century Nowhere do the Gospels suggest that Jesus perceived Palestine. John P. Meier, A Marginal Jew: Rethinking the Historical women to be less intelligent than men. He does not Jesus (New York: Doubleday, 2001), 3: 76. 6 Sir 25.24. Cf. 42.14; 25.26; 42.9–11. 5 Philo, QG 4.148. LCL Supp. I. Trans. Ralph Marcus (Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1961); QE 1.7. LCL Supp. II. Trans. 7 M. ‘Abot 1.5. The Mishnah. Trans. H. Danby (London: Oxford Ralph Marcus (Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1961); University Press, 1964), 446. Hypoth. 11.1–2, 14–18. LCL Vol. IX. Trans. F.H. Colson (Cambridge, 8 M. Sotah 3.4. Mass: Harvard University Press, 2001), 425. Although Philo resided 9 Witherington “On the Road with Mary Magdalene,” 135. in Alexandria, he had sufficient contact with Palestine for his ideas to be plausibly representative of some, if not all, Jewish men of his 10 Meier, A Marginal Jew, 3: 119, n. 122. social standing and education in Palestine. 11 Bailey, Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes, 212; cf. 203–205. THE WOMEN WHO FOLLOWED JESUS: pArT II 25 Stimulus Vol 20 Is 3 v5.indd 27 1/12/13 2:33 PM give them separate lessons to compensate for some their apostolic role, they were not the only disciples intellectual deficiency. Neither does he treat them as being prepared to bear witness and to proclaim the if they need extra moral guidance because of some gospel (Luke 10:1, 8–9). The women and the other innate tendency toward immorality.12 To quote James disciples journeying with Jesus and the Twelve were D. G. Dunn, “Jesus saw no deficiency in their status also witnesses to his ministry, and the expectation as women or in their innate capacity for service and of a witness is that they speak about what they have ministry.”13 seen and heard (Luke 12:8). Nolland even admits the important role of the women as witnesses to Jesus WITNESS aNd PROCLAMATION death and resurrection, and the fact that in Luke’s However, the purpose of a discipleship was not narrative they are the only ones to witness Jesus’ merely to learn but also to imitate the teacher; not burial.18 merely to “hear the word of God”, but also “to do it” It is also unfair to imply that the poor reception (Luke 8:21). Thus according to Ricci, proclamation to the women’s first “independent attempt at bearing and witnessing are also “elements” of discipleship.14 witness” somehow supports the idea that they were If Jesus had only sent out the twelve on mission to not expected to take up the role of bearing witness. proclaim the kingdom then we might be justified The women were proclaiming the resurrection of in assuming that proclamation of the kingdom of Jesus, an extraordinary message and one which God was an activity restricted exclusively to the must have seemed unbelievable. Yet despite the twelve apostles (Luke 9:1–2). However, the sending reaction of the apostles, the women were not out of the seventy-two disciples suggests that dismissed out of hand. Some of the men returned to proclamation and witness the tomb to investigate their were tasks required of all so were ProClamatioN aNd report, and Luke writes that 15 disciples (Luke 10:1, 9). witNess also exPeCted of tHe they found the tomb just as So were proclamation and womeN, aNd were aNy of tHe the women had said (Luke 19 witness also expected of womeN included among tHe 24:24). It is important to the women, and were any seveNty-two? distinguish between the of the women included response of the apostles and among the seventy-two? This is a valid question the narrator’s own position here. Within the context given that a passing comment from Josephus reads, of the narrative the women are seen to be correct. “From women let no evidence be accepted, because They were faithful witnesses of Jesus and their word of the levity and temerity of their sex” (Ant. 4.219). could be trusted. There is no explicit reference in any of the Bauckham argues that women disciples were canonical Gospels to a woman being sent out to probably included among the seventy which were preach the kingdom of God during the time of Jesus’ sent out to proclaim the good news.20 Witherington itinerant ministry. We might assume therefore that, also acknowledges the importance of the women as given their historical context, the women disciples witnesses,21 and concedes that some of them may of Jesus were not expected to bear witness to the have been “among the seventy.”22 Unfortunately, gospel.