Encounters with Jesus: Within the Circle – Joanna

Luke 8:1-3: 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.

Luke 24:9-10: When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles.

Women have a strong desire for inclusion. All humans are relational beings and we all desire community, but I think women desire it in a different (possibly stronger) way than men. Women, in general, being the more emotion-oriented of the sexes, are more sensitive to both feeling left out and working to include those who we feel are being left out. Even before the advent of social media and FOMO (fear of missing out), women might overhear conversations in the workplace or family gathering and realize there was something they’d missed out on because no one invited them. We can then get ourselves into a tailspin if we wonder if it was intentional or an honest mistake, but either way we still weren’t included and that hurts.

The fact that Jesus called and traveled with 12 (male) apostles is well known even if you’ve been in the church only a short time. However, do you know that there were women who traveled with them too? Luke 8:2-3 names Susanna, Mary Magdelene, and Joanna as well as “many others” as being included in this traveling ministry party. The mention is so short and sandwiched between the more blockbuster stories of an anointing and The Parable of the Sower that we can easily breeze through it. But sitting in these few verses is a lot of hope for those of us who may be feeling a bit left out.

Joanna was a woman of wealth and status in Galilee. She was married to Chuza who was a high-ranking servant/employee in Herod’s household. (Fortunately, not the Herod that tried to kill Jesus as a baby, but his son.) She was also cured of some ailment or demon possession by Jesus after his ministry started. This understandably had a significant impact on her and, at some point, she started participating in the day-to-day operations and travels of Jesus’ ministry. Her wealth allowed her to offer financial support to Jesus and the twelve apostles. Her status and connections were likely beneficial for the travelers as well. That said, given the unpopularity of Jesus with educated and well-to-do types, it also might have resulted in her having to give up some of the perks of her position.

The inclusion of Joanna and other women is so complete that they take on the family task of preparing Jesus’ body for burial after his death. Luke 24 details women taking spices to the tomb to complete the burial rituals they were not able to do immediately due to the Sabbath. These women are the first to discover the empty tomb, the first to be told of the resurrection, and the first to tell others about the resurrection. There is also speculation that Joanna is one in the same as Junia that Paul describes in Romans 16:7 as an early apostle who had been imprisoned with him. Which means that she continued to tell people about Jesus!

While the social status of women in Jesus’ day was typically low, Jesus included these women because he knew their true worth and value. And while I know nothing about how to be a traveling ministerial group in 1st century Palestine, I do know that traveling with men and women is more complicated than traveling with just men. But those inconveniences and complications were worth it to Jesus and his ministry. Because women are worth it to Jesus and his ministry. Because you are worth it to Jesus and his ministry.

As much as we are loved by our friends and community, they are human and we will be left out at times. Satan will also work to convince us that we are being left out, even if we aren’t. Or that Friend A likes Friend B more than she likes you. Or that God doesn’t want you included in His ministry. Or that you’ve got too many problems to be used by God. If you’re struggling with any of these lies, think of Joanna. She was sick/possessed and her husband’s employer’s father tried to kill Jesus, but Jesus thought enough of her to bring her so far into his circle that she takes on the responsibility of cleansing and anointing His dead body after the crucifixion.

Jesus offers you this same gift of complete, encompassing inclusion. He wants you to accept it. It will make your heart lighter and feel most loved. And He will teach you how valuable you can be for His kingdom.