From the beginning, Jewish women disciples, including
Luke 8:1–3 lists three women who followed Jesus along with the disciples: Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Susanna. Women also played a pivotal role in the early church, serving as deaconesses (Phoebe), funding missionary efforts, and opening their homes to Paul and other apostles.
Arsinoe is the only female disciple of Jesus NOT listed in the canonical gospels, however she is listed FIVE times in the extra-canonical gospels, making her third most popular next to Mary Magdalene, and Salome (who are mentioned 7 and 6 times, respectively).
These four women apostles were Mariamne, Irene, Nino, and Thecla. Relying upon the shorter recensions of texts about women in the early Jesus movements has distorted our modern imagination of the past with respect to the gendered role of women in those movements.
Book details
The name "Junia" appears in Romans 16:7, and Paul identifies her (along with Andronicus) as "prominent among the apostles." In this important work, Epp investigates the mysterious disappearance of Junia from the traditions of the church.
Easton's Bible Dictionary - Julia
a Christian woman at Rome to whom Paul sent his salutations ( Romans 16:15 ), supposed to be the wife of Philologus.
Priscilla was a woman of Jewish heritage and one of the earliest known Christian converts who lived in Rome. Her name is a Roman diminutive for Prisca which was her formal name. She is often thought to have been the first example of a female preacher or teacher in early church history.
Lydia of Thyatira (Greek: Λυδία) is a woman mentioned in the New Testament who is regarded as the first documented convert to Christianity in Europe. Several Christian denominations have designated her a saint.
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.
Phoebe was a woman entrusted by Paul to bring his letter to Rome and preach his words to the local congregation. By her reading the letter aloud, she was teaching and exhorting as a trusted and capable woman, bringing her own oral skill and preaching ability to his words.
Not only is she the one who carried God's son in her womb, she is also the one who nursed, mothered and raised Jesus into the man who changed the world; the Savior and Lord of the universe. Mary is the first disciple. God became flesh and lived among us in Mary. She trusted her life to God.
Here's the deal—as a woman who knows Jesus, you're called to disciple other women. It means that you're called to teach someone else what you know about Jesus as you continue to learn and grow. Discipleship isn't just for the experienced, seasoned woman or just for the one who gets a paycheck from a ministry job.
An apostle is a "messenger" or "one who is sent" while a disciple is a "student" or "learner." Apostles were primarily people who had met and followed Jesus during his life and were called by him to spread the gospel. Disciples were simply any of Jesus' followers who devoted themselves to learning from him.
Priscilla and Aquila were tentmakers native to Rome. After the persecution of the Jewish people under the Emperor Claudius, they made their way to Greece, where they encountered the Apostle Paul and tutored the dynamic evangelist Apollos.
Esther. Her Story: Esther was a brave and strong queen who saved the entire nation of Israel. In the time of the Exile, when the Jews were living under Persian rule, King Xerxes got upset with his queen and decided to search the land for a new queen.
Scripture is clear. Only biblically qualified men can hold the position of pastor in Christ's church.
Susanna (/suˈzænə/, Greek: Σουσαννα, Sousanna) is one of the women associated with the ministry of Jesus of Nazareth. Susanna is among the women listed in Luke 8 (8:1–3) as being one of the women who has been "cured of evil spirits and diseases" and provided for Jesus out of their resources.
Jerome (347–420), while translating the Vulgate, treated this section as a non-canonical fable. In his introduction, he indicated that Susanna was an apocryphal addition because it was not present in the Hebrew text of Daniel.
In the company of Jesus, Joanna discovered an identity beyond that of “Chuza's wife” and “wife of Herod's steward.” She discovered her own ministry — supporting Jesus! And with Mary and the other unnamed women disciples, Joanna was among the first to arrive at the empty tomb (Luke 24:1–12).
Lilies represent rebirth and hope, just as the resurrection does in the Christian faith. Lilies are mentioned or alluded to several times in the Bible. Some think that it was white lilies that sprouted in the Garden of Eden as Eve's remorseful tears fell to the ground.
Luke calls her “a dealer in purple cloth” and a God fearer or worshipper of God. Lydia was a successful businesswoman who sold luxury textiles dyed purple. It was only the wealthy who wore garments dyed purple or had purple furnishings in their homes.
Martha (Hebrew: מָרְתָא) is a biblical figure described in the Gospels of Luke and John. Together with her siblings Lazarus and Mary of Bethany, she is described as living in the village of Bethany near Jerusalem. She was witness to Jesus resurrecting her brother, Lazarus.
Abigail, the wife of Nabal of Carmel, is the only woman in the Hebrew Bible who is described as both intelligent and beautiful. After enumerating Nabal's enormous wealth in flocks (1 Sam 25:2), the narrative introduces her in contrast to him.
The Wise Woman of Abel Beth-Maacah is the second of two “wise women” portrayed in 2 Samuel lived in a fortified city in northern Israel. When David's general Joab batters the city wall where Sheba has staked a rebellion, the wise woman calls out for negotiation.
1. Miriam, the First Female Prophetess in the History of Christianity.