Joanna: Gospel patron for Jesus

Joanna is little-known as a follower of Jesus. 

However, thanks to Luke’s inclusion of her in his Gospel account, there’s plenty that we can learn about our identity and how we can each use our position in life to play a part in God’s Kingdom purposes.

Most Christians are well aware of Jesus’ twelve disciples; how they were chosen and called, how they laid down their lives to follow Jesus and learn from him. But Luke includes Jesus’ women followers in his account of Jesus’ life and there is so much to learn from them.

They’re introduced in Luke 8:1-3 (NIV): 

"After this, Jesus travelled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means."  

Included in His Kingdom

Luke is the only Gentile author (that is non-Jewish) in the Bible. This is significant because Luke's worldview impacts his message.

Luke's emphasis in his writings is on the fact that Jesus came to bring Good News to all people – including the Gentiles – and focuses on including those who may have been marginalised or feel forgotten. Therefore, it’s not surprising that Luke includes Jesus' women disciples in his account.

Perhaps we take it for granted that women are mentioned here, as we are so used to this being a norm in our society. Why would we bat an eyelid? But in the Greco-Roman world, which is the setting for this text and Jesus' time on earth, this degree of identification and participation by women with a Rabbi (teacher) would have been extraordinary. Not only are they travelling with Jesus, but they are also identified and named by Luke. That is a radical move on Luke's part. 

Let this be an encouragement that it doesn't matter what your gender, ethnicity, background, family history or past mistakes look like – Jesus does not discriminate.  

The Kingdom of God is counter-cultural. It says you are enough, chosen and adopted as a son or a daughter of the most high King. You are invited into what He is doing here on earth. You are included in His Kingdom. 

Freedom for His Kingdom

The women mentioned by Luke had all been healed from some sort of spiritual manifestation and disease. The fact that they were unwell could suggest that they had been ostracised by their communities. Yet here they are, the close companions of Jesus and part of his inner community. 

The three women ('and many others') were testament to Jesus' Good News. Jesus was sharing about the Kingdom of God, to which they were first-hand witnesses. They had experienced his transformative power for themselves. The Kingdom on earth is about bringing healing and restoration where there is brokenness and pain. When Jesus was going around proclaiming the Kingdom, he was also often working signs and wonders, because He's revealing what the Kingdom is all about: bringing order out of chaos, binding up the broken-hearted and freeing those who are captive. 

The Kingdom is here, today. It is alive and active. We are part of the Kingdom and bringing his Kingdom to earth. And in the Kingdom, there is access to freedom and healing in Jesus.  

Just like Joanna and the other women, who needed to experience God's healing so that they could be part of his ministry, we can walk into that freedom so that we can fulfil the calling God has placed on our lives. 

Uniquely positioned for His Kingdom 

The only other bit of information we find out about Joanna is that she is married to a man called Chuza, who was the manager of King Herod's household (verse 3). This isn't the same Herod who we hear about in the Christmas story, but the one responsible for the imprisonment and ultimate killing of John the Baptist, Jesus' cousin. He was also present at Jesus' crucifixion, where he mocked Jesus. So, let's just say, Herod wasn't a big Jesus fan.

Yet here we learn that his household steward – someone he trusted with his wealth and property – was intimately involved in enabling Jesus' ministry. Because of Chuza's position, Chuza and Joanna would have been people of wealth, influence and power.

Jesus chose this woman to be part of his travelling posse – and Joanna was willing to give up her luxuries for a life on the road with Jesus (at least temporarily!).

The fact that Joanna had access to wealth and power is important because we are also told in verse three that these women were supporting Jesus out of their own means.

Joanna was uniquely positioned to be part of enabling God's Kingdom coming here to earth. He set it up so perfectly that even a man who was against Jesus was still part of enabling Jesus to spread the good news of the Gospel.

We don't know whether Herod ever knew what Joanna was up to, or if Chuza was involved or onboard. But we do know that Joanna used the benefits of the position that the Lord gave her to enable the work of God to take place.

It turns out that Luke was likely only able to write this book, and the book of Acts, because of a patron called Theophilius. Luke refers to him at the beginning of the Gospel of Luke and scholars think that he likely enabled Luke to write these books by paying for him to do so. Writing was an expensive luxury back then which not everyone had access to. Theophilius probably had no idea of the impact and legacy he was going to have!

Theophilius’ generosity is what enables us to learn about Joanna and her generosity today. It says in Mark 4.25 (MSG) 'Generosity begets generosity'. In other words – generosity makes way for more generosity and creates a beautiful cycle.

Your place in God's coming Kingdom

You may not have thought before about how Jesus was able to travel to spread the Gospel, and perhaps just assumed that because He was God, He could sort himself out! But here, Luke gives us a beautiful insight into who Jesus is.

Our King and Saviour, creator of the earth, chooses to rely on the people around him, and chooses to allow women to be his supporters and patrons! They could've allowed their situations and circumstances, or their lack of social standing to limit them and their partnership with Jesus.

But instead of making excuses and turning away from what the Lord requires, the women chose to use what is in their hand to support their Lord and Saviour.

The Bible, our history, and our present day is full of examples of people who use their positions to enable God's Kingdom on earth. I’d love to encourage you today to use what God has placed in your hand, and where God has placed you, to serve others and bring His Kingdom to earth.

1 Peter 4:10 says: 'Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms.'

Let us be faithful stewards of what the Lord has given us, to enable the sharing of the Gospel and the outworking of His Kingdom.

Let us be like Joanna!