JoannaJesus’ disciple

Joannainsider at Herod’s court

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Joanna’s story has 3 parts:
1 A noblewoman at King Herod’s court.
2 Joannadisciple of Jesus of Nazareth: How did she meet Jesus? How did she help him? Luke 8:1-3
3 Joanna was among the first to see the miracle of the Resurrection. Luke 24:1-12

Who was Joanna?

Joanna was an upper-class Jewish woman in 1st century Palestine.
She married Chuzaan influential member of the staff of Herod Antipasthe Roman-appointed ruler of Galilee.
She knew Jesus at least as well as any of the apostles didand was committed to his mission.

She was marriedprobably at a young ageto Chuzawho oversaw the complicated household of Herod Antipasrulerof Galilee (not king; his father had the title of kingbut Antipas did not).

Herod’s main place of residence was in Galileenot far from Nazareth where Jesus grew up. This is probably where Joanna heard aboutand later metJesus.

Who was Herod Antipas?

Antipas was one of the surviving sons of the legendary King Herod whose paranoia led him to murder anyone who might even remotely threaten his grip on power. King Herod murdered his wifehis two sonshis mother- and brother-in-lawand the innocent children of Bethlehem who were massacred at about the time Jesus was born.

Herod AntipasKing Herod’s son and Chuza’s masteronly survived by being conspicuously under-achievingand therefore no real threat to anyone.

Antipas made laziness into an art formbut he was also cunning and possibly licentiouswith a complicated family structure. Running Herod Antipas’ household was fraught with danger: Chuza must have been a competentdedicated and discreet servant to his master.

Life at Herod’s court

We do not know how closely Joanna’s life was intertwined with the royal householdbut she would certainly have known everything that went on: servants know everythingand their master Chuza would have known everything as well.

Much of the inside information about Jesus’ trial and torture may have come from Joanna. She had access to buildings and people the Galileans did not.

Joanna becomes a disciple of Jesus

See Luke 8:1-3 at the end of this section

Jesus takes a woman by the hand to raise her

At some stage in Joanna’s life Jesus of Nazareth cured her of an unspecified illness. Luke’s gospel mentions ‘evil spirits’ and ‘infirmities’which means that Joanna’s illness could have been almost anything.

The Roman world might not know about bacteriabut they knew that illness could be caused by something malevolent from outside entering your body.

When they suspected that this had occurredor when they simply had no explanation for an illnessthey ascribed it to an ‘evil spirit’.

Whatever Joanna’s illness wasJesus cured it. She saw his power at first hand and needed no further convincing.

She became a disciplefollowing him wherever he went. Because she was influentialwell-connected and wealthyshe was able to smooth the way for Jesus – provide for him financially and protect him in various subtle ways.

He needed protecting. He was forthrightblunt in his criticism of the rich and the powerful. This made him many enemies. Joanna and the other two women mentioned in Luke 8:1-3Mary Magdalene and Susannadid everything they could to help him.

Without backers like herJesus would not have been able to travel as far or speak to as many people as he did. Joanna was instrumental in his mission.

Joanna at the Resurrection of Jesus

See Luke 24:1-12 at the end of this section

The Dead ChristAnnabale Carracci

Like Mary MagdaleneJoanna stayed with Jesus to the end – and beyond. Luke names her as one of the three women who visited the tomb early on Easter morningfinding it empty.

Why were they there? They had gone there to finish a terrible task: washing his battered body and wiping away the body fluids that had congealed after he died.

Cleaning the dead body of a relative was a normal task for 1st century Jewish women. Since there were no family members present in Jerusalem (Luke does not mention Mary the mother of Jesus)Mary MagdaleneJoanna and Mary the mother of James took over the responsibility.

The task was not completed on the Friday evening after Jesus’ deathso they returned (after Saturdaythe Sabbath) at first dawn on Sunday morning.

What did the women find at Jesus’ tomb?

To their horror they saw that the tomb was not sealed as they had left itbut open.

Reconstruction of the interior of the tomb of Jesuswith the discarded shroud

When they enteredthey found it empty. There was no body lying on the stone slab. All that remained were the linen clothes in which they had wrapped Jesus’ body.

To make matters even more terrifyingthey had a strange experience that is not easily explained. They saw something that the gospels called ‘angels’ (see What are angels? What does ‘angel’ mean?).

These dazzling beings asked the women why they were looking for Jesus in a tomba place reserved for the dead? They said that Jesus was not here because he was livingnot dead.

What did the women do?

Dazed with shockthey left the tomb and ran back to find the male disciples. They told them what had happened. The men did not believe them.

But when they insistedPeter decided to go and check for himself. He found that they had been telling the truth. The body of Jesus was gone and only the linen clothes used to wrap his body remained.

Joanna was among the first – perhaps the very first – to bring news of the Resurrection to a waiting world.

What are the main ideas in Joanna’s story?

Look for true values. Joanna was the wife of a rich and powerful man and could have had an easy lifebut she recognised Jesus as the long-awaited Messiahand followed him.
Stay faithful to Jesus. Joanna was with Jesus when the crowds flocked around himbut she stayed faithful when all seemed lost.
Use what you’ve got to help others. Much of the inside information about Jesus’ trial and torture may have come from Joannawho had access to buildings and people the other Galileans did not.
She was among the first to know that Jesus had risen from the dead. She took the news back to the apostlesand in doing so became an apostle herself – ‘go and tell’ is apostellein in Greek.

Luke 8:1-3

1 Soon afterward he went on through cities and villagespreaching and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him2 and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Marycalled Mag’dalenefrom whom seven demons had gone out3 and Joan’nathe wife of ChuzaHerod’s steward, and Susannaand many otherswho provided for them out of their means.

Luke 24:1-12

Angels at the entrance of the tomb of JesusJames Tissot

1 But on the first day of the weekat early dawnthey went to the tombtaking the spices which they had prepared. 2 And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb3 but when they went in they did not find the body. 4 While they were perplexed about thisbeholdtwo men stood by them in dazzling apparel; 5 and as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the groundthe men said to them“Why do you seek the living among the dead? 6 Remember how he told youwhile he was still in Galilee7 that the Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful menand be crucifiedand on the third day rise.” 8 And they remembered his words9 and returning from the tomb they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. 10 Now it was Mary Mag’dalene and Jo-an’na and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told this to the apostles; 11 but these words seemed to them an idle taleand they did not believe them. 12 But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking inhe saw the linen cloths by themselves; then he went homeamazed at what had happened.