On Saturday morning I had my last leaders meeting of the year for my men's group. We have been studying Matthew and this week was on the last chapter (28) about Jesus' resurrection. When the subject of women at the tomb came up, one of my friends and other leaders, Mickey, said "Otto knows a lot about these women".
I said a few things about them in the group and then later looked them up in my notes. I know a lot about these women but am a little rusty on having information immediately. Here's what I have on them:
Mary Magdalene:
Basically a former neurotic (seven evil spirits) released from torment by Jesus. Her name has been maligned by early leaders in the church who incorrectly tied her to the sinful woman in Luke 7:36-50.
She is from the town of Magdala, today called Mejdel. It was a prosperous city on the most western shore of the Sea of Galilee. It was on the major trade route between Egypt and Damascus.
She is probably a prosperous widow and might have had children running her deceased husbands businesses back in Magdala.
She followed Jesus, contributing support, out of gratitude and love for what he had done for her.
Whenever she is mentioned she is always listed first or right after Jesus' mother Mary. This either is because of her significant role or she is the oldest of the women listed, she might even be older than Mary.
If she was an unmarried women or a young widow she would probably be living with her parents or one of her brothers; and if she had small children she would not have been able to follow Jesus.
There is no way she is the women described in popular books, painting and movies.
Mary the Mother of James (Greek form of Jacob) and Joses (Greek form of Joseph):
We know from Matthew 10:3 that James was the son of Alphaeus. Alphaeus is from the same Arabic name as Clopas or Cleophas, (Not to be confused with Cleopas, road to Emmaus disciple).
This James is called "the less" or "the little", because of his lesser role compared to the more famous James of James and John, or this James is short in stature.
Salome, Wife of Zebedee: She is the mother of the apostles James and John. Many scholars believe there is a possibility she is Mary's sister. This would make James and John Jesus' maternal cousins. This has been disputed for centuries.
Joanna: Wife of Chuza, house-steward of Herod, probably a high paying position. Jesus healed her of sickness or an evil spirit. Out of her gratitude and love for Jesus she followed and contributed support.
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4 comments:
OK. A bit hard to follow for me, but, what I'm getting is that we have two aunts of Jesus, and two independently wealthy women (one married, one not) at the tomb. What I still don't get, Otto, is, why them?
In my own (self-centered, Westernized) view of things, I started thinking about how I would fit into it all. And that's what I love about the list--it's not simple and neat. It's a hodge-podge of messy people with messy stories.
So there would be me with my group of lady friends. And we'd have the dedicated mother with disabled children. And the recovering alcoholic. And the former circus clown. Or something like that.
A. Anjeanette (longislandexpressgirl)
Your comments ring home. Tonight I was reading Debbie Macomber's book "Knit Together, Discover God's Pattern for Your life".
It hit me in her first chapter about passion, that I don't have the passion for the subjects I am writing about. I am only using my writing about the women of the bible to accomplish my other passion goals.
It was insightful in that I would rather tell humorous stories about selling popsicles, working on my lawn or wearing a hairpiece than about historical non-fiction characters. I would also rather write about the humor derived from relationship trivia.
Using some dry wit, I will soon write more about these intriguing subjects.
The walk,
Your comments are very observant. You are correct in these are ordinary women.
The four gospels have to be true for if anyone would have made up a religion they most certainly would not have written it like Christ story is written. First off his disciples deserted him, and four women were the first to know their Savior's tomb was empty.
Your analogy, tying your friends and these women, would have improved my post immensely.
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