July 19, 2021
When I began this journey with the Power of Twelve group I had heard the voice of the Lord tell me it would be "the women who would save the children, the grandchildren and thee great grandchildren." I believe this is true for the women who walked with Jesus over 2,000 years ago. Even then the women where in charge of rearing and teaching the children. These women may not have had children of their own but they were allowed to speak with other women in the communities they traveled through. Women were not allowed to do much along side of the men but they were allowed to hear the message Jesus proclaimed. In hearing the message of truth and love there were able to share this message with their sisters. They were allowed to disciple the women and share with them the message of salvation preached by Jesus.
Of course #1 is Mary mother of Jesus who knew who her son was. She knew he was the Son of God. She knew the miracle of his birth. She saw him grow into the man who was the Messiah. She followed her son, as her husband Joseph was not mentioned in scripture after they found Jesus preaching in the Jerusalem temple at age 12, therefore he most likely was no longer alive. Jesus was her son. She was his mother. They were family. In the beginning of his ministry his brothers, and possibly his sisters, were not following him. In the scripture we hear Mother Mary is at the wedding in Cana;
John 2:1-2 (NIV) On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding.
This, of course, is the story of his first miracle, turning water into wine, at the encouragement of his mother Mary. Mother Mary would be there for the rest of his ministry.
Mark 3:31-32 (NIV) Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.”
The last we hear of Mother Mary, from scripture, she is living with the apostles and her other sons.
Acts 1:14 (NIV) They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
In Luke we hear the names of #2 Mary Magdalene, #3 Joanna, #4 Susanna and many others. These are women he had healed in one way or another. They had seen and experienced his power as the Messiah and they were followers. Regarding the words "many others" we can only speculate how many but the word in Greek means, "much, many, plentiful."
Luke 8: 1-3 (NIV) After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.
Other women followers identified in scripture are #5 Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joseph, #6 the unnamed mother of the sons of Zebedee and #7 Mary the wife of Clopas. There has been speculation for centuries that Salome was Zebedee's wife and that her sons were Apostles James and John, also called the "Sons of Thunder" by Jesus in Mark 3:17.
Matthew 27:56 (NIV) Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.
John 19:25 (NIV) Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.
I will not speculate on #8 Salome, and quote the scripture she is named in.
Mark 15:40 (NIV) Some women were watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joseph, and Salome.
We also have more speculation on #9 the other Mary mentioned in the scriptures. There are bible scholars who say there are 5 separate Mary's present during the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. Mary was a very popular Hebrew name derived from Miriam (Miryam), Moses' sister.
Matthew 28:1 (NIV) After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.
The next women who called Jesus friend and teacher were #10 Mary of Bethany, sister of Lazarus and her sister #11 Martha, also sister of Lazarus.
John 11:1 (NIV) Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha.
John 11:5 (NIV) Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.
John 11:28 (NIV) After she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. “The Teacher is here,” she said, “and is asking for you.”
Lastly, I will mention #12 the sinful woman. Again, we had speculation from Catholic Pope Gregory calling her Mary Magdalene, a prostitute and sinner. This was recanted by the Catholic church in 1969 but the damage to Mary's reputation was done. When reading this whole story in context, Jesus is dining with a Pharisee named Simon and this woman comes from the town where Simon lives. This woman was a local townswoman and Jesus forgave her sins. I am sure she told everyone her story of forgiveness from then on.
Luke 7:37 (NIV) A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume.
I am going to stop at these twelve women even though we know there are many more unnamed women in the background of Jesus's ministry. There have been studies throughout time that have shown that since the beginning of Christianity there have been more women that follow Jesus than men. Women are the nurturers. The teachers of the children. The caretaker of the home. It is the way the Creator made us.
We are here to save the children, the grandchildren and the great grandchildren. It's what we have done and will continue to do until the end of time on earth.
This is why the Lord created our group, the Power of Twelve, in 2018.
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