Lesson 6:

Date: May 10, 2015

Women who helped Jesus

GOLDEN TEXT
"And also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities [...] and many
others who ministered unto him of their farms" (Luke 8.2,3).
PRACTICE TRUTH
The woman has always had an important role in expanding the Kingdom of God.
BIBLE READING IN CLASS
Luke 8.1-3.
1 - And it came after that, who walked from town to town and from village to village,
preaching and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom of God; and the twelve were with him,
2 - and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called
Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils,
3rd - and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod, and Susanna, and many others who ministered
unto him of their farms.
COMMENT
INTRODUCTION
Over the centuries, in many places, women were treated as objects and were on the fringes
of society. Women are still, in some cultures considered inferior beings and so are broken
down. In Eastern culture, which belonged to Jesus of Nazareth, it was so that women could
see.
One of the facts that is directly reflected in the Gospel of Luke that Jesus is the treatment
dispensed to women. These women forgotten, broken and battered found in the Master the
manifestation of God's love. The way they have found to repay was follow him and serve him
with their goods. An example to all those who also want to please God.
I. JESUS, JUDAISM AND WOMEN
1. The presence of women in the ministry of Jesus. The New Testament gives ample
emphasis on the female presence in the ministry of Jesus. The third Gospel puts this reality in
relief. The list is long: Mary, mother of Jesus; Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist; Anna, a
prophetess; the widow of Nain; the sinner in Simon's house; Martha and Mary of Bethany;
Mary Magdalene; the mother of Peter; the wife of blood flow; the bent woman; Joanna the wife
of Cuza, and Suzana. Some of these women were healed, delivered from other demons and
still others become followers of Jesus with the Twelve.
2. Jesus valued women. Is impressive when we make a contrast between the treatment of
women in the New Testament and that it was practiced in Judaism of Jesus' time. In Judaism of
the first century, women did not participate in public life. Not even it was allowed to appear in
public discovery, and thus impossible to see your face. I had no voice or face. The woman was
therefore taken as an object, a thing that could be used and discarded. Unlike this, Jesus did

not treat women as a thing or object. He treated them as people! Jesus showed that the
woman was a special being to God and made them feel that way. There are few New
Testament passages that give prominence to women, and the Gospel of Luke is no exception
to this rule (Luke 1.13,42; 7.48; 8.2,43; 13.12; 16.18; 23.27).

II. WOMEN WITH PROVISION TO OBEY

1. Mary, the mother of the Savior. The Catholic doctrine of the person of Mary is based on
tradition and lacks biblical support. It is grounded in the Gospels, but in apocryphal tradition
that began circulating around the second century of our era. Beliefs such as the perpetual
virginity of Mary, Immaculate Conception and her rise are not part of the New Testament
canon. That is one side of the story. The other is the rejection of the person of Mary that
prevails among many Protestants by anti-Catholicism account. What Scripture shows the fact
is that Mary was a person graced by God to be part directly from the Plan of Salvation. Their
willingness to accept and believe in God's plan is demonstrated in his words: "Behold the
handmaid of the Lord; Let it be to me according to your word [...] "(Luke 1:38).
2. Elizabeth, the mother of the precursor. Isabel, wife of the priest Zechariah, appears in
the biblical story as a person also graced by God. She was chosen to be the mother of John
the Baptist, the last prophet of the Old Covenant (Luke 1.8-24; 16:16). The revelation of John's
birth was given to her husband Zechariah, who initially did not believe. Luke's account that
Elizabeth "was filled with the Holy Spirit" when she was visited by Mary, also makes clear its
willingness to believe and accept God's plan for her (Luke 1.41-43). Like Mary, Elizabeth was
an obedient wife and their obedience was rewarded.
III. WOMEN WITH PROVISION TO SERVE
1. Women servants. Shortly after being healed by Jesus from a very high fever, Peter's
mother got up and went to serve him (Lk 4:39). The verb "serve" is the translation of the
Greek word diakoneo. Women often appear in Luke's Gospel at the service of the Master. Mary
Magdalene stood out from the rest. She was the first woman mentioned in Luke 8.1-3 and
appears prominently in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and John She was one of the women
who later witnessed the crucifixion (Matthew 27.55,56; Mark 15:40; John 19:25).; They saw
where Jesus' body was placed (Mt 27.61; Mk 15:47; Lk 23:55); and left at dawn Sunday to
anoint the body of the Lord (Matthew 28.1; Mark 16.1; Luke 24.10). In addition, it would be the
first person to whom the risen Christ appear (John 20.1-18).
2. Women selfless. The Gospel of Luke reveals that Jesus had in his ministry to help selfsacrificing women (Luke 7.36-50). The evangelist shows Jesus being anointed by a woman
regarded as sinful in the house of Simon, one of the Pharisees. This woman, visibly moved,
used the ointment that took in an alabaster to anoint Jesus as he kissed his feet. The Gospel
of John shows a similar event occurred with Mary of Bethany, which should not be confused
with Luke's account (John 12.1-8). In John, it is noted that Mary of Bethany also preferred to
pour the feet of Jesus perfume vase to use it to their advantage. That his gesture suffered
harsh criticism of Judas Iscariot, who was eyeing the three hundred pence, and have this
ointment could yield. She considered much more valuable forgiveness that the Savior gave
him than the gains that this perfume could bring you.
IV. WOMEN WITH PROVISION FOR GIVING
1. The rabbinic work. Luke records that Jesus "walked from town to town and from village to
village, preaching and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom of God; and the twelve were
with him "(Luke 8.1). The dedication of Jesus and his twelve disciples to the ministry of the

word was exclusive. How was then maintaining this ministry? Jesus instructed his disciples
when they were on a mission that "stay in the same house, eating and drinking such things as
they give, for the laborer is worthy of his hire. Do not move from house to house "(Luke 10.7).
The laborer was worthy of his hire. A rabbi could not receive payment for what he taught, but
the Hebrew culture considered an obligation and a privilege to support a rabbi. There is a
valid principle here - the worker must not have material values as the motivation of his
ministry. On the other hand, those who benefit from this ministry should help you in your
maintenance.
2. female support. In the Jewish culture of Jesus' time, women's participation in public life
was very limited. Women, for example, could not study and could not teach. But no longer,
taking part of the Master's ministry. Luke says that they served the Lord with their farms, that
is, with their goods (Luke 8.3). While Jesus and his twelve apostles dedicated themselves to
the ministry of the Word, these women gave them financial and material support. Behind
large ministries, there is always someone giving support, whether financial, is spiritual. We
can not deny that today women have played an important role in the Lord's work. Many have
dedicated themselves to prayer, social service, the contribution to missionary work, etc. Much
of missionary work is done by women. There are thousands of servants who dedicate their
lives to harvest the Lord. The service of God is for all who love the Lord, regardless of gender.
CONCLUSION
In Judaism of Jesus' time, talk to a woman was considered a shameful act (John 4:27). But
Jesus spoke, taught, healed, delivered and valued women as any man ever did. Luke shows us
that women had a significant participation in the implementation of the Kingdom of God.
Thank God for the work of women in the Lord's Seara.