The Resurrected Jesus Revealed Himself to Women First—and That’s Good News for Everyone (Let Me Tell You How my Jesus Treats Women – Part 2)

Jesus was no ordinary rabbi.

While other religious leaders avoided women in public, especially those considered unclean, sinful, or non-Jewish, Jesus had no problem talking to women. He healed women, affirmed women, and even taught women.

Photo by Bruno van der Kraan on Unsplash

Mary, the Disciple at Jesus’ Feet (Luke 10)

When Jesus’ hospitable friend Martha gets overwhelmed with kitchen duties and complains that her sister Mary should be helping her serve him, Jesus responds with a compassionate course correction,

Contrary to popular teaching, Jesus isn’t talking about the value of daily devotions here.

He’s commending Mary for taking the position of a disciple—a role which only men were allowed. Let the reader understand: disciples of rabbis didn’t learn for the fun of it, but to become teachers themselves.

Jesus’ remark to Mary means he doesn’t relegate women to the kitchen. According to Jesus, theological education and teaching roles are open to us.

The Theology Student Who Evangelized her City (John 4)

At one point, Jesus travels through Samaria—not around the region, as many devout Jews would. It’s around noon when he sits down, tired and thirsty, at Jacob’s well.

When a woman comes to draw water, he engages her in the longest of his conversations recorded in the Gospels.

To her great surprise, even though she is a woman and a disdained Samaritan, Jesus asks her for a drink of water.

He segues to the topic of living water. Then he tells her to go call her husband and come back, but she tells him honestly that she has no husband.

He replies she is correct and adds she’s had five husbands, and the man she has now is not her husband.

This story is commonly repeated with the assumption this woman led an immoral life, yet Jesus offers no rebuke and says nothing about sin. First-century women typically married in their teens, could easily be divorced by their husbands, and often were widowed. It is possible this woman’s current partner could not legally marry her. In any case, her story likely included numerous tragedies.1

The woman perceives Jesus is a prophet and wants to know how to properly worship God. Jesus takes her beyond technicalities into deeper spiritual truth.

Then she brings up the Messiah. What happens next is shocking.

Jesus reveals to a woman (of mixed race, no less!) that he is the Messiah.

Amazed and excited, the woman leaves her water jar and goes to town to tell everyone what she’s experienced.

Jesus stays two more days and many of the people place their faith in him—all because he had no problem keeping a divine appointment with a doubly marginalized woman.

Women as Eyewitnesses to the Resurrection (Matt. 28; Mark 16; Luke 24; John 20)

On the morning of the third day after his crucifixion, Jesus’ disciples cower behind closed doors in fear for their lives, their hopes dashed.

But Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, Joanna, Salome, and other women who loved Jesus make their way to Jesus’ tomb with fragrant spices to anoint his body.

To their astonishment, the stone has been rolled away, the tomb is empty, and two men in gleaming white clothes address them with a challenging reminder of Jesus’ words that he would rise on the third day.

The frightened women hurry back to the apostles to report this. Jesus himself meets them on their way and comforts them, reiterating the command to tell the others what’s happened.

John’s Gospel spotlights Mary Magdalene in this scene and how her recognition of Jesus transforms her feelings from deep sorrow to overwhelming joy.

The women arrive to tell the others the glorious news that Jesus has indeed risen from the dead. Mary Magdalene utters the profound testimony,

Jesus purposefully chose women as the first witnesses to the Resurrection—the incredible phenomenon which anchors our faith.

Women, who couldn’t give testimony in a court of law. Women, whose eyewitness report of the risen Lord seemed like nonsense to the other disciples.

Jesus picked women to announce the most important news ever.

He still picks the unlikely, the overlooked, the least sought-out.

What beautifully good news this is for every one of us!

May our hearts overflow with gratitude toward our glorious Savior this Holy Week.