Thursday, May 25, 2006
PRIVATE SUPPORT
The next woman in Luke’s list is Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward. Steward is epitropos – a word meaning commissioner, trustee, guardian, or manager. We see the word used as foreman in Matt. 20:8 “And when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, `Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last group to the first.' Vincent defines this word as the one to whom the management of affairs is turned over. This is the one who was to look over Herod’s financial interests. Chuza was a well trusted individual who Herod, no doubt, took good care of.
Joanna fell into the category of those who had been healed. Nothing but Jesus healing would do for her no matter how much wealth they could amass. She was the wife of a dignitary; a first lady but status cannot bring the healing that she was in desperate need of. Jesus took care of that matter and she forsook all and followed Him.
Susanna is only mentioned here and nothing further is known about her. Luke, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, deemed it necessary to record her name with these women who came out of Galilee to serve their Lord that all future generations might know her.
V3c. and many others who were contributing to their support out of their private means.
Mary, Joanna, and Susanna were not alone because there were many others (women) who were contributing to Jesus and the twelve in their evangelistic efforts in proclaiming the kingdom of God.
Jesus was a carpenter in Nazareth and would have to work to gain compensation. The same was true of the fishermen. These left all to follow Him and would likely have little funds to finance their efforts. Matthew may have accumulated some savings but scripture attests that the women contributed support out of their private means. In this verse we find that the true strength of a man’s mission lies in the background; the support of a godly woman. A man’s integrity is supremely shaped by no one greater that his mother and the impact he displays on the world is ultimately in the hands of his wife.
We see that these women were in need, and none other than Jesus could render them aid. Calvin writes, “To be associated with such persons might be thought dishonorable; for what could be more unworthy of the Son of God than to lead about with him women who were marked with infamy? But this enables us more clearly to perceive that the crimes, with which we were loaded before we believed, are so far from diminishing the glory of Christ, that they tend rather to raise it to a higher pitch. And, certainly it is not said that the church which he elected was found by him to be without spot and blemish, but cleansed it with his blood, and made it pure and fair.”
Joanna fell into the category of those who had been healed. Nothing but Jesus healing would do for her no matter how much wealth they could amass. She was the wife of a dignitary; a first lady but status cannot bring the healing that she was in desperate need of. Jesus took care of that matter and she forsook all and followed Him.
Susanna is only mentioned here and nothing further is known about her. Luke, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, deemed it necessary to record her name with these women who came out of Galilee to serve their Lord that all future generations might know her.
V3c. and many others who were contributing to their support out of their private means.
Mary, Joanna, and Susanna were not alone because there were many others (women) who were contributing to Jesus and the twelve in their evangelistic efforts in proclaiming the kingdom of God.
Jesus was a carpenter in Nazareth and would have to work to gain compensation. The same was true of the fishermen. These left all to follow Him and would likely have little funds to finance their efforts. Matthew may have accumulated some savings but scripture attests that the women contributed support out of their private means. In this verse we find that the true strength of a man’s mission lies in the background; the support of a godly woman. A man’s integrity is supremely shaped by no one greater that his mother and the impact he displays on the world is ultimately in the hands of his wife.
We see that these women were in need, and none other than Jesus could render them aid. Calvin writes, “To be associated with such persons might be thought dishonorable; for what could be more unworthy of the Son of God than to lead about with him women who were marked with infamy? But this enables us more clearly to perceive that the crimes, with which we were loaded before we believed, are so far from diminishing the glory of Christ, that they tend rather to raise it to a higher pitch. And, certainly it is not said that the church which he elected was found by him to be without spot and blemish, but cleansed it with his blood, and made it pure and fair.”
# posted by Castusfumus : 4:04 PM
