During Lent, I led a Bible Study group looking at the named women of Scripture. I had studied this topic several years ago but got distracted and not done anything with it. So, in order to make preparing some notes easier, I had my material turned into a book, using Amazon self-publishing. It is called ‘Equal but Different: What the Bible Really Says About Women’. In it, I went into some detail about Mary Magdalen from the point of view of her totally undeserved reputation as a prostitute. For the last meeting of the group, I wanted to look at her from a different angle – her role, and that of other women, in Jesus’ last few days and in the early church. As this is also relevant to the Easter season, I repeat my notes here.
We first hear of Mary Magdalen and a group of women as they accompany Jesus on his travels: ‘With him went the Twelve, as well as certain women who had been cured of evil spirits and ailments: ‘Mary surnamed the Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out … ‘ (Luke 8:2-3). Then they are standing at the foot of the cross: ‘Among them were Mary of Magdala, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedees sons’ (Matthew 27:56). Then it is Easter morning and, not surprisingly, there is chaos and confusion over exactly who was where when. Some versions have Mary Magdalen being the first to see the risen Christ, others give her name as the first of a group of women. They all agree that Jesus first showed himself to either one woman or a group of women and instructed her/them to take the news of his resurrection to the apostles. This was clearly part of Jesus’ plan, not just a case of being at the right place at the right time. I sometimes have a mental picture of Jesus hiding behind a tree while Peter and John are examining the empty tomb and only coming out when they have gone. Why was this so important? I have yet to find a convincing reason. The closest that I can come up with is that Jesus knew that the male leaders of the Church would try to downplay the role of women (as indeed happened) and was emphasising that they too qualified as apostles i.e. those who had shared in Jesus’ ministry, had seen the risen Christ and spread the Good News.
Another woman who deserves a second look is the mother of Zebedee’s sons. In Matthew 20:20-23 we read of her asking Jesus to guarantee the sons a place on either side of him in heaven. Her sons come with her, so are presumably in support of the request. Jesus used the occasion to point out that following him leads to the cross and that any rewards do not follow the normal human pattern. This mother encourages her sons’ ambition and pride. However she also gives them the opportunity to make a public commitment to their mission. We next hear of her at the foot of the cross with some other women – no mention of the sons, or indeed of any of the apostles.
One other group of women, only mentioned by Luke, who add to the emphasis on the absence of male supporters of Jesus at his last hours are the women of Jerusalem who ‘mourned and lamented’ (Luke 23:28) as Jesus carried his cross. Jesus tells them not to weep for him but for their children, as the future will be worse than the present.
A final note for those who feel that I am being a bit obsessive with my comment about the male Church leaders downplaying the role of women – Luke tells us the story of Jesus appearing to the two travelling from Jerusalem to Emmaus. When they realise who he was, they return to Jerusalem and meet the apostles, who tell them ‘The Lord has indeed risen and appeared to Simon.’ (Luke 24:34) No mention of any women!
Jane Coll Oblate of Pluscarden
