Women Disciples

Oneness

In Mark's Gospel, Jesus revealed God's original intention for marriage and His view of the male/female relationship within the marriage union. "But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let no man separate" (Mark 10:6-9 NKJV). This passage reveals that God designed male and female to have equality in value and personal worth, yet they would have a different function and role as part of His design within that sacred union. The apostle Paul also explained that regarding justification by faith in Christ, that all people equally can become God's heirs and receive His eternal promises. "For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you were baptized into Christ Jesus have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise" (Gal. 3:26-29 NKJV).

The Role of Servanthood

The first reference that Mark gives regarding a woman takes place when Jesus, along with James and John, enter the house of Simon and Andrew. "But Simon's wife's mother lay sick with a fever, and they told Him about her at once. So he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her. And she served them" (Mark 1:30, 31 NKJV). Not only was Simon Peter's mother-in-law completely healed as the recipient of Jesus' ministry, but she was also strengthened so that she also served Jesus and the disciples. The Greek word, diakoneo, which is used in this passage, means to minister or to serve.

In another instance, when Jesus and His disciples had arrived in Capernaum, He asked them, "'What is it you disputed among yourselves on the road?' But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves who would be the greatest. And he sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, 'If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all"' (Mark 9:33-35 NKJV). Jesus was presenting to His disciples a paradox; that being a lowly servant was the way to being great in God's Kingdom. It is in this context that Mark portrays Peter's mother-in-law as taking up the role of serving and of ministering to the Lord.

In another instance, while Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the Leper; "as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head. But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, 'Why was this fragrant oil wasted? For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor' And they criticized her sharply. But Jesus said, 'Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me. For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not have always. She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial. Assuredly, I say to you, whenever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her" (Mark 14:2-9 NKJV). The Gospel of John tells the same story and identifies this woman as Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus (John 12:3). Mary had deep spiritual insight when she anointed Jesus. Unlike the other disciples, she understood that Jesus was soon going to die. In preparation for His burial, Mary chose to give of herself lavishly as she poured out this costly oil as an act of worship and ministry to the Lord. As theologian Charles Ryrie noted, "…Mary's costly ointment paid highest tribute to the Master, for this was the kind of demonstration reserved for princes or persons of great distinction. It is a woman who leads the way in saying in effect 'that no tribute is rich enough to pay to Him.'" As a result of her generous and heartfelt gift, Jesus not only defended her actions, but told her that her actions would go down as a memorial to her. Mark draws a sharp contrast between the indignant non-givers and Mary's generous and giving service to the Lord.

Mark records another example of a woman of deep humility and devotion. As Jesus was teaching in the temple, He "sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans. So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more that all those who have given to the treasury; for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood" (Mark 12:41 NKJV). Just prior to His illustration of this humble widow's giving, Jesus had warned his listeners to beware of the scribes "who devour widow's houses, and for a pretense make long prayers" (Mark 12:40 NKJV). Jesus is contrasting the religious leader's false piety to the true humility and genuine devotion of the impoverished widow. He also contrasted the rich who were giving large in quantity, but out of their abundance; to the widow who gave small in quantity, but who sacrificially gave all that she had. The Lord used this occasion to teach that the true value of giving was not based on quantity, but quality. It is evident that the poor widow gave from a heart that was trusting in God for her provision. In this passage, Jesus gives tribute to this poor, humble, yet generous widow, who is the kind of person that others may see as insignificant. In contrast, Jesus sees the motives of hypocrites who do things for ostentatious display and pretense, with the world applauding their actions. For as Paul said in his letter to the Corinthians, "But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty" (1 Cor. 1:27 NKJV).

Discipleship

Mark records an occurrence of opposition that arose from Jesus' immediate family during a time that He was becoming widely known. "Then His brothers and His mother came, and standing outside they sent to Him, calling Him. And a multitude was sitting around Him; and they said to Him, 'Look, Your mother and Your brothers are outside seeking You.' But He answered them, saying, 'Who is My mother, or My brothers?' And He looked around in a circle at those who sat about Him, and said, 'Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother"' (Mark 3:31-35 NKJV). It is interesting to note that Mark uses a phrase regarding Jesus' brothers and mother, which portrays them as "standing outside." He then goes on to reveal that spiritual kinship is not determined by biological factors such as blood relations or race, but rather it is evidenced by obedience to God. In this particular instance, Jesus' mother and brothers were "standing outside" the will of God. Jesus was expressing that there is a spiritual allegiance that goes beyond our biological family membership. As disciples of Christ, we are to obey God and thereby show ourselves to be members of the Lord's spiritual family.

Directly after Jesus taught His disciples that He would be "rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again" (Mark 8:31 NKJV); He told them that they too would have to take up their cross and follow Him. "Whoever desires to come after Me, let Him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save His life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel will save it" (Mark 8:34, 35 NKJV). To deny oneself means to put aside selfish interests and worldly gain in favor of the will of God. By taking up the cross, a disciple is willing to suffer and die for the Lord's sake. To follow Christ is to follow Him to the cross. As Jesus explained, "…whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it." The Gospel of Mark unveils the purpose of Christian discipleship. In this, Jesus is portrayed as the suffering Servant of the Lord who gave His life for sinners. Christ's sacrificial life paved "the way" for the road that His disciples should follow. Jesus encouraged His disciples that spiritual rewards await those who faithfully "follow Him" on this road of discipleship. At one point, Peter told Jesus, "' See, we have left all and followed You' So Jesus answered and said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel's, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time- houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions- and in the age to come, eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first"' (Mark 10:29-31 NKJV). The life on this road of discipleship is a combination of promise and persecution as well as blessing and suffering. However, for those sacrifices which are made, God will multiply the restoration in this age and the age to come.

As Mark's Gospel gives an account of Jesus' crucifixion, he depicts several women who were true disciples of Christ. After Jesus had breathed His last breath while on the cross, Mark records, "There were also women looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the Less and of Joses, and Salome, who also followed Him and ministered to Him when He was in Galilee, and many other women who came up with Him to Jerusalem" (Mark 15:40, 41 NKJV). These women were not only followers of Christ, but they had also ministered to His needs. It is also found in the account of the resurrection that women assumed a prominent place. At one point, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses had followed the body of Jesus to his place of burial, so as to "observe where he was laid. Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome brought spices that they might come and anoint Him" (Mark 15:47; 16:1 NKJV). Again, Mark portrays this concept of faithful women disciples as "following Him" in order to "minister to Him" as they bring the spices for His burial. As they came to minister to Him in this act of service, they were honored to be the first to discover the empty tomb, as well as the first eyewitnesses of the resurrection.

Evangelism

After discovering that the stone had been rolled away, and entering the tomb, "they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. But he said to them, 'Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. But go, tell His disciples- and Peter- that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you'" (Mark 16:5-7 NKJV). These faithful women disciples were also given the distinct privilege of being the first ones to carry the good news of the risen Christ. Although these women had been chosen by God to tell of Jesus' resurrection, none had personally seen Jesus "until He first appeared to Mary Magdalene" (Mark 16:9 NKJV). Mary is described as the one from whom Jesus had cast the seven demons. This deliverance resulted in her deep love and strong devotion to the Lord. Mary then "went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept. And when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe" (Mark 16:10, 11 NKJV). Although her word was not believed immediately by the disciples, the Lord later appeared to the eleven and "rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart" (Mark 16:14 NKJV). It was to this woman of love and devotion that the Lord gave the privilege and honor of being the first eyewitness of Christ in His post-resurrection appearance, as well as the first to make the announcement to have seen the risen Lord. It is this first announcement that laid the foundation for Jesus' commandment to the eleven apostles to "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned" (Mark 16:15. 16).