(07/22/18) Consider The Lilies (Women wk 1)
Steve Begins a new series about women that are mentioned in LUke's Gospel
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The Women of Luke
3rd Gospel: Not a Jew or an âeye-witnessâ, a Doctor [Col 4:14], Paulâs companion [2 Tim 4:11], wrote Gospel + Acts [52 of 260 chaps], going further than Matt & Mk re: the Holy Spirit, and highlighting the Emancipation & Restoration of the Role of Women in a Patriarchal Society.
Unlike Mark [dictated by Peter to the Empire Romans] & Matt [to the Jews] both Jewish coming from Hebrew traditions & lineage, Luke recognizes âother thingsâ, from a Gentile perspective, regarding Humanity and a deeper Spiritual message: The Perfect Man.
Not Emancipation to Separation, but to Unite, become One, in the Spirit!
NT Women. There are a lot found:
In all 3 Synoptics [Matt-Luke]: Peterâs mother-in-law, the Woman who touched the hem of His garment, Herodias, etc., none of these are in John.
In 2 of the 3 Synoptics: Syrophoenician woman, the Woman who poured out the ointment in Matt 26/Mk 14, the Widowâs 2 mites [Lk 21 & Mk 12], etc.
In 2 of the 4 Gospels: Mary & Martha [not in Matt & Mk].
All four Gospels record the involvement of Women at the Cross & at the Tomb.
âExclusiveâ Women, only found in 1 Gospel: Samaritan woman of Jn 4, Woman of Jn 8, J & Jâs mother [Salome] approaching Jesus in Matt 20, etc.
LUKE has more Exclusive Women & emphasizes Women more than the others. Our series will primarily look at his âexclusiveâ women. Luke WANTS us to take notice of 2 Things:
CULTURE: Read âThe Wild Gospelâ p. 76. A return to the Garden, New Creation! Lukeâs genealogy (chap 3) goes back to Adam, âthe son of Godâ!
Luke & Paul traveled together, carried the Revelation âneither male nor femaleâ (Gal 3:26-29), âWe regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become newâ (2 Cor 5:16-17). âIt is finished!â (Jn 19:30). No coincidence Luke gets the last word: âInto Your hands I commit My Spiritâ (Lk 23:46), from Psa 31:5, a Motherâs Prayer. As John presents the Woman as the Bride, Luke presents the Spirit as our Mother & Widow.
SPIRIT: Feminine in Hebrew (Gen 1:2). Wisdom [Prov 8, et al] is a Woman. In Matt 11:19, âWisdom is justified by her childrenâ, Grk wd sophia is feminine. Yet, in 1 Cor 1-2 Jesus is referred to as the Wisdom of God. Not âfemaleâ counterpart to âmaleâ, but feminine in relationship and function to the Last Adam. Read 1 Cor 15:45-49.
LUKE 8
Letâs read vss 1-3 (coming off of last weekâs âwoman in the cityâ). KEY verses for Luke.
âcertain [38x!] womenâ: Lukeâs use of the word âcertainâ stresses âspecificityâ but also âanyâ,
implying these people are around us today, always are, always will be, âanyâbody!
MARY Magdalene: We will spend a week on her in the future. For now âŠ
Appears in all 4 Gospels, but only Luke introduces her before the Cross & Tomb.
Prostitute? Loose woman? Wealthy by association? Some suggest the Woman in Lk 7.
Magdala is called âthe city of colorâ in the Talmud, a particular district is called âthe tower of dyersâ. Dyed clothing was for prostitutes.
JOANNA, the wife of Chuza, Herodâs steward: Only mentioned in Luke. Appears again in Lk 24 at the Tomb & returning to tell the Disciples what they saw.
Sheâs married [a wife] to Chuza, Herod Antipasâ steward (a kind of business mgr), wealth & position, âeasy livingâ.
Herod Antipas: Son of Herod the Great (Matt 2), Herodias (wife of his brother), beheads John the Baptist. World of Politics, Perversion, Power of civil govât. Read Lk 13:31-32.
Joanna wouldâve known about Herodiasâ disdain for John the Baptist in Herodâs house, Herodâs âAhabâ tendencies, the plot to behead John.
Mary & Jo: From the Streets to Herodâs house (corruption, wickedness) people are following Jesus. Joanna? From Herodâs house to the Streets! Read Prov 13:22.
SUSANNA
This is the only time sheâs mentioned in the NT. Nothing âknownâ about her, a âno oneâ compared to Mary & Jo, but Luke gives her a Name. And this could be the biggest point Luke was trying to make!
âDivine Nobodiesâ, by Jim Palmer. Read p. 88.
Susanna means âlilyâ or âroseâ. Read Song of Sol 2:1, âthe Rose of the fieldâ, âLily of the valleyâ! Someone! What did Jesus say about lilies? Read Matt 6:28.
What did Jesus say about the Holy Spirit? Read Jn 16:13-14. Pneuma is neuter, neither masculine or feminine.
Conclusion
ALL 3: Minister to Jesus, Give of their Substance, all the Same yet all Different. Not just âwomenâ any more. And there were âmany othersâ.
Luke follows vss 1-3 with the Parable of the Sower where seed lands on all types of soil and conditions. But Jesus ends the parable, âHe who has ears to hear, let him hear!â The Kingdom is available to all! Matt 11:28, âCome to Me, ALL you ⊠â
âIâm too bad.â God is SO good!
âIâm a nobody.â Not to your Father!
Whatever Social Sphere youâre in or from, History & Heritage, Occupation, whatever! He is for YOU!
âDo not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdomâ (Lk 12:32-33), FREE to Be, to RECEIVE & GIVE!
NEW!!!!!
A NEW HUMANITY!
A NEW MAN!









