Female disciples of Jesus
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The New Testament identifies a number of women followers of Jesus. The four gospels differ in the number, names, and roles of such female disciples. Even greater variation is found in the noncanonical (apocryphal) gospels.
A disciple (not to be confused with an apostle) is widely held to refer to "one who follows a person's moral teachings", more commonly called a "student".
Women feature prominently in accounts of Jesus' crucifixion and in reports of his resurrection and at Pentecost. In all four gospel accounts, women were the first to receive a sign of Jesus' resurrection and to report it to others (the "Good news").
Authorship of one of the apocryphal gospels, the Gospel of Mary, is attributed to this most famous of Jesus' female apostles. In chapter 96 of the Gnostic text Pistis Sophia, Christ says: "Where I shall be, there will be also my twelve ministers. But Mary Magdalene and John, the virgin, will tower over all my disciples and over all men who shall receive the mysteries in the Ineffable. And they will be on my right and on my left. And I am they, and they are I."
Female disciples identified in the New Testament
- Mary Magdalene[1]
- Mary, mother of Jesus, and the mother of James the Just, Joses, Jude, and Simon.[2]
- Mary Salome, wife of Zebedee who was the father of James the Greater and John the Apostle. Possibly both the daughter and sister-in-law of Mary and the sister of Jesus.[3]
- Sisters Mary and Martha of Bethany, also the sisters of Lazarus[4]
- Mary of Clopas possibly Mary Salome the daughter or wife of Clopas[5]
- The Three Marys[6]
- Joanna[7]
- Susanna[8]
- Priscilla[9]
- Tabitha/Dorcas[10]
- Lydia of Thyatira[11]
- Phoebe[12]
- Junia[13]
- Tryphena of Rome and Tryphosa[14]
- Julia[15]
- Nympha[16]
- Apphia[17]
- Women receive power of the Holy Spirit at the Pentecost[18]
Probable New Testament female disciples
The following New Testament women, though not called "disciples" in scripture, were closely identified with either Jesus or his apostles.
- Unnamed women at Pentecost with Mary Mother of Christ, his brothers and the 12 Male Disciples[19]
- Unnamed sisters of Jesus, one of which might be Mary Salome[20]
- Wife of Simon Peter[21]
- Wives of apostles other than John[21]
- Wives of Jesus' brothers Joseph, James, Simon, and Jude[22]
- Mariamne sister of apostles Bartholemew and Philip
- Woman with an issue of blood[23]
- Poor widow who cast two copper coins into the temple treasury[24]
- Widow of Nain[25]
- Woman who anointed Jesus' feet[26]
- Woman bent double[27]
- Saint Photini and her five sisters: Anatole, Photo, Photis, Paraskeve, Kyriake[28]
- Woman taken in adultery[29]
See also
References
- ↑ Matthew 27:55-56,61; Matthew 28:1-11; Mark 15:40-47; Mark 16:1-9; Luke 8:1–3; Luke 23:49; Luke 24:1-13; John 19:25-27; John 20:1,10-18
- ↑ Matthew 1:16-18; Matthew 2:11,14; Matthew 12:46; Matthew 13:55-57; Matthew 27:55–56,61; Matthew 28:1-11; Mark 6:3; Mark 15:40-47; Mark 16:1-8; Luke 2:5; Luke 2:34; Luke 24:1-13; John 19:25-27; Acts 1:1-14
- ↑ Matthew 20:20; Matthew 27:55–56,61; Matthew 28:1-11; Mark 15:40-47; Mark 16:1-8; Luke 24:1-13; John 19:25-27
- ↑ Matthew 27:55–56,61; Matthew 28:1-11; Mark 15:40-47; Mark 16:1-8; Luke 10:38-39; Luke 24:1-13; John 11:1–44; John 11:28; John 20:16; John 19:25-27
- ↑ Matthew 27:55–56,61; Matthew 28:1-11; Mark 15:40-47; Mark 16:1-8; Luke 24:1-13; John 19:25-27
- ↑ Romans 16:6; John 19:25-27; Matthew 27:55-56,61; Matthew 28:1-11; Mark 16:1-8; Luke 24:1-13
- ↑ Luke 3:27; Luke 8:1-3; Luke 23:49; Luke 24:1-13
- ↑ Luke 8:1-3
- ↑ Acts 18:2,18-19,26; Romans 16:3-4; 1Corinthians 16:19; 2Timothy 4:19
- ↑ Acts 9:35-36,39-41
- ↑ Acts 16:14-15
- ↑ Romans 16:1-2
- ↑ Romans 16:7
- ↑ Romans 16:12
- ↑ Romans 16:15
- ↑ Colossians 4:15
- ↑ Philemon 1:2
- ↑ Acts 1:1-14
- ↑ Acts 1:13-14
- ↑ Matthew 13:55
- 1 2 1 Cor. 9:5
- ↑ Matthew 13:55; 1 Cor. 9:5
- ↑ Matthew 10:20
- ↑ Mark 12:41–44, Luke 21:1–4
- ↑ Luke 7:11–17
- ↑ Luke 7:47
- ↑ Luke 13:10–17
- ↑ John 4:1–4
- ↑ John 7:53–8:11
External links
- Seven Female Apostles
- The Nag Hammadi Library
- The Sophia of Jesus Christ
- The First Apocalypse of James
- Slideshow Female Apostles in History
- The Three Marys; Mary Mother of Christ, Mary Magdalene the Bride of Christ, Mary Salome the wife of Clopas and the Sister of Christ
- The relatives of Jesus
- Mary Magdalene & the other Marys
- Pistis Sophia:The Gnostic Text of Jesus, Mary, Mary Magdalene, Jesus, and His Disciples
- Mary Magdalene
- Gospel of Mary of Magdala:Jesus and the First Woman Apostle
- Mary Magdalene the Apostle of the Apostles
- Mary Magdalene, the Apostle above the Apostles
- Women of the Passion,Mary Magdalene, Apostle to the Apostles
- Saint Mary Magdalene the Apostles to the Apostles
- Hippolytus Bishop of Rome called Mary 'Apostola Apostolorum'
- of Magdala– Apostle to the Apostles
- Mary Mother of Jesus
- Mary;Defining True Greatness
- Mother Mary speaks to the assembled male and female apostles
- Blessed Virgin Mary
- Mary Mother of Jesus
- Mary of Nazareth
- Mary Mother of Jesus
- Mary Clopas
- Mary of Clopas historical citation as a daughter of Clopas
- Mary of Clopas, Jesus Knows His Women, and Some Thoughts on the Tomb of Jesus
- Pistis Sohia of the transfigured Jesus Christ
- Mary Salome
- Junia
- Women disciples and women apostles in general
- Women In Ancient Christianity: The New Discoveries
- Women in the Bible
- Women of the Bible-M
- The Apostles National Geographic
- 1st Apocalypse of James