Gospel of Luke and Jesus
Jesus and the Dignity of Women From the beginning of Christ’s mission, women show to him and to his mystery a special sensitivity which is characteristic of their femininity. It must also be said that this is especially confirmed...not only at the Cross but also at the dawn of the Resurrection. The women are the first at the tomb. They are the first to find it empty. They are the first to hear: “He is not here. He has risen, as he said”… They are also the first to be called to announce this truth to the Apostles.
Mark reports that at the time of the crucifixion of Jesus all his male disciples had fled. But there were some women watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdala, Mary who was the mother of James the younger and Joses, and Salome. These used to follow him and look after him when he was in Galilee. And many other women were there who had come up to Jerusalem with him (Mark 15: 40).
Here Mark uses the same expression for “following” Jesus as he does in the case of the disciples. Women were disciples in the same way as men. That was new for the world of the time. In the circle of Jesus’ disciples women were on the same footing. What moved Jesus to gather women around him in the same way as men? Evidently as a man he had no fears about coming into contact with women. All the Gospels report that it was the women who had persevered by Jesus’ cross.
The woman “who had a flow of blood” (cf. Mk 5:25-34), who could not touch anyone because it was believed that her touch would make a person “impure”. Each of them was healed, and the last-mentioned – the one with a flow of blood, who touched Jesus’ garment “in the crowd” (Mk 5:27) – was praised by him for her great faith: “Your faith has made you well” (Mk 5:34).
The Gospel of St. Luke pays special attention to Jesus’ relationship with women. He tells how Jesus on his wanderings was accompanied not only by the twelve but also by” certain women whom he had cured of evil spirits and ailments: Mary
Mark reports that at the time of the crucifixion of Jesus all his male disciples had fled. But there were some women watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdala, Mary who was the mother of James the younger and Joses, and Salome. These used to follow him and look after him when he was in Galilee. And many other women were there who had come up to Jerusalem with him (Mark 15: 40).
Here Mark uses the same expression for “following” Jesus as he does in the case of the disciples. Women were disciples in the same way as men. That was new for the world of the time. In the circle of Jesus’ disciples women were on the same footing. What moved Jesus to gather women around him in the same way as men? Evidently as a man he had no fears about coming into contact with women. All the Gospels report that it was the women who had persevered by Jesus’ cross.
The woman “who had a flow of blood” (cf. Mk 5:25-34), who could not touch anyone because it was believed that her touch would make a person “impure”. Each of them was healed, and the last-mentioned – the one with a flow of blood, who touched Jesus’ garment “in the crowd” (Mk 5:27) – was praised by him for her great faith: “Your faith has made you well” (Mk 5:34).
The Gospel of St. Luke pays special attention to Jesus’ relationship with women. He tells how Jesus on his wanderings was accompanied not only by the twelve but also by” certain women whom he had cured of evil spirits and ailments: Mary