Women, Called and Serving in Leadership

A Woman of Belief Examples the Gospel

January 18, 2010 on 7:42 pm | In Women in Ministry | No Comments

Matthew 16:21 From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day.

Matthew 17:22-23 And while they were gathering together in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men; 23 and they will kill Him, and He will be raised on the third day.” And they were deeply grieved.

The disciples to whom Jesus plainly revealed his coming death and resurrection were not simply the twelve men who were separated by Him and called apostles. Jesus revealed what lay ahead of Him in Jerusalem to the men and women who followed Him as His disciple.

Luke 24:5-7 provides scriptural evidence that the disciples to whom Jesus spoke included women.

Luke 24:5-7 and as the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living One among the dead? 6 “He is not here, but He has risen. Remember how He spoke to you while He was still in Galilee, 7 saying that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.”

Scripture records that the overwhelming majority of His disciples heard His words with a “lack of understanding”.

Mark 9:31-32 For He was teaching His disciples and telling them, “The Son of Man is to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill Him; and when He has been killed, He will rise three days later.” 32 But they did not understand this statement, and they were afraid to ask Him.

Scripture also records one of His twelve closest associates spoke a “rebuke” in reply to His words.

Matthew 16:22 Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You.”

Scripture does not stop its record here – at lack of understanding, unbelief, and open rebuke – it continues on to give us record of a disciple who heard His words with understanding, who believed, and whose belief moved her to action.

Scripture purposely records this contrast – the unbelief and lack of understanding of the many contrasted against a simple act of belief performed by a female disciple who heard with understanding, believed, and was moved to action by her belief.

In Matthew 26 Jesus reveals to His disciples that during the Passover, just two days away, He would be handed over for crucifixion.

Matthew 26:1-2 When Jesus had finished all these words, He said to His disciples, 2 “You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man is to be handed over for crucifixion.”

A female disciple responded to His spoken revelation of His upcoming crucifixion with belief and action – her belief moved her to anoint His head with oil in preparation for burial. Scripture records this female disciples action in Matthew 26:6-13 and Mark 14:3-9.

Matthew 26:6-13 Now when Jesus was in Bethany, at the home of Simon the leper, 7 a woman came to Him with an alabaster vial of very costly perfume, and she poured it on His head as He reclined at the table. :8 But the disciples were indignant when they saw this, and said, “Why this waste? 9 “For this perfume might have been sold for a high price and the money given to the poor.” 10 But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you bother the woman? For she has done a good deed to Me. 11 “For you always have the poor with you; but you do not always have Me. 12 “For when she poured this perfume on My body, she did it to prepare Me for burial. 13 “Truly I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken of in memory of her.”

Mark 14:3-9 While He was in Bethany at the home of Simon the leper, and reclining at the table, there came a woman with an alabaster vial of very costly perfume of pure nard; and she broke the vial and poured it over His head. 4 But some were indignantly remarking to one another, “Why has this perfume been wasted? 5 “For this perfume might have been sold for over three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor.” And they were scolding her. 6 But Jesus said, “Let her alone; why do you bother her? She has done a good deed to Me. 7 “For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you wish you can do good to them; but you do not always have Me. 8 “She has done what she could; she has anointed My body beforehand for the burial. 9 “Truly I say to you, wherever the gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken of in memory of her.”

This unnamed female disciple is often thought to be Mary of Bethany, whose anointing of Jesus in preparation for burial is found in John 12:1-8 and possesses great similarities in the statements spoken by the disciples and by Jesus.

John 12:1-8 Jesus, therefore, six days before the Passover, came to Bethany where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 So they made Him a supper there, and Martha was serving; but Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with Him. 3 Mary then took a pound of very costly perfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4 But Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples, who was intending to betray Him, *said, 5 “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and given to poor people?” 6 Now he said this, not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box, he used to pilfer what was put into it. 7 Therefore Jesus said, “Let her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of My burial. 8 “For you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have Me.”

I personally believe the Bible records two separate acts of two separate female disciples who upon hearing Jesus believed and were moved to action by their belief – one who was unnamed and one who was named as being Mary of Bethany.

Although both anointing accounts took place in the city of Bethany, the unnamed female disciple’s anointing of Jesus’ head took place at the home of Simon the lepers two days before Passover. Mary’s anointing of Jesus’ feet most likely took place in their home six days before Passover.

I believe two female disciples were moved to action as they heard Jesus’ words and mixed them with belief. Their belief moved them to action – anointing Jesus in preparation for burial.

Why did Jesus say “wherever the gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken of in memory of her.”

These were not just idle words or words simply meant to hush the criticism of the other disciples and honor this unnamed female disciple. Jesus’ words always had a point – they always had a message to convey.

Jesus was announcing that the belief of this female disciple demonstrated (exampled) a picture of the gospel. She heard of His coming death and resurrection, upon hearing she believed, and upon believing her actions reflected her belief.

She is an example of the gospel and its powerful effect upon you and I. We heard the gospel – someone told us of His death upon the cross for our sakes and of His resurrection on the third day – we heard and we believed, and upon believing our actions daily reflect that belief.

Each time someone hears and believes as the gospel is spoken in the earth this female disciple’s hearing mixed with belief is retold.