Chapter 13
Getting to Know the Gals of the Gospel
In This Chapter
Meeting Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist
Getting to know Martha and Mary, friends of Jesus
Witnessing the faith of two women named Mary
Observing Jesus’ miracle for the Syro-Phoenician woman
Joining the Samaritan woman and Jesus at the well
T he women of the Gospel all had a connection to Jesus of Nazareth, either directly or indirectly. They lived at the time he did (first century AD) and in the same area (ancient Palestine). Some of the women were very prominent in the personal life of Jesus, and others were later arrivals in the early Christian Church. All of these women are in the New Testament.
In this chapter, we discuss the women who make their way into four Gospel accounts. These four books of the New Testament — called the Gospel, (from the Old English “good spiel,” meaning “good news,” based on the Greek word euagelion ) — are written (and named after) “according to” Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. (Gospel writers are often referred to as evangelists, from the same Greek word for Gospel, euagelion ).
The origins of the Hail Mary
Catholic Christians use the prayer known as the Hail Mary (Ave Maria in Latin) as part of the rosary. The first part is based upon Gabriel’s words to Mary in Luke 1:28: “Hail full of grace, the Lord is with you,” from The Ignatius Bible, Catholic Edition: Revised Standard Version. When Elizabeth sees Mary, she exclaims in Luke 1:42: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.” Those two lines are joined together to form the first part of the prayer known as the Hail Mary (“Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus”).
Elizabeth: Mother of John the Baptist
Elizabeth lived during the reign of Herod the Great, during the time just before Jesus was born. She was the wife of a temple priest, Zechariah. Devoutly religious, the two lived in the hill country of Judea, in close proximity to Jerusalem, where Zechariah ministered at the Temple from Sabbath to Sabbath. Elizabeth means “God is my oath” or “a worshiper of God.” Both these meanings are entirely fitting for a woman who proved she had eternal trust in the Lord, even in the face of a major setback — the inability to conceive a child.
Experiencing a miracle
The Bible tells us that Elizabeth is a devout Jew and loyal wife. Although no one knows for certain, Elizabeth probably took care of the vestments and vessels for worship, typically the work done by a wife of a Temple priest. Their home became a center for prayer and talk for people to discuss God and worship with Zechariah. In fact, the evangelist (Gospel writer) Luke mentions that she and Zechariah are sinless and truly dedicated to God: “Both of them were righteous before God, living blamelessly according to all the commandments and regulations of the Lord” (Luke 1:6).
Socially and religiously, they’re an important family. Unfortunately, they have one major problem — Elizabeth is barren (Luke 1:7). Like Sarah (Chapter 9) many centuries before, it initially appears that Elizabeth can’t fulfill her role as mother. And in the days of patriarchal societies, in which a man’s worth was defined by passing on his lineage to sons, this is a large setback.
But Zechariah and Elizabeth don’t give up on each other or on God. Their relationship and love remain strong, and Elizabeth doesn’t succumb to grief and remains trustful in the Lord. They continue to pray for a miracle, and eventually, they get one.
Unlike today, in Elizabeth’s time the possibility of influencing the natural process of reproduction through science and medical technology didn’t exist. Nevertheless, God finally blesses Elizabeth with a child, despite the fact that she is elderly (some people estimate in her 80s). Elizabeth’s pregnancy is a true miracle — not the result of fertility drugs or medical techniques but, according to the Bible, God’s divine intervention.
An angel, Gabriel, appears to Zechariah in the Temple: “But the angel said to him, ‘Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John’” (Luke 1:13). But Zechariah still has doubts. As a result, God strikes Zechariah speechless for the duration of Elizabeth’s pregnancy.
Welcoming a visitor
Six months into her pregnancy with John the Baptist, Elizabeth experiences another significant event in her life. Mary, the soon-to-be mother of Jesus (and Elizabeth’s cousin), comes to visit. Mary herself has just learned from the Angel Gabriel that she is pregnant with Jesus, and she also learns from the angel that Elizabeth is pregnant. (For more on Mary, mother of Jesus, see Chapter 6.)
When Mary enters the room, Elizabeth’s unborn son, John the Baptist, leaps in her womb for joy. Elizabeth makes her own bold proclamation of faith when she refers to her cousin Mary as “the mother of my Lord.” (See Luke 1:39–43 for more details.)
The devout Elizabeth is so awed by Mary’s visit that she questions how the Mother of the Savior can travel and help her. Mary, who is young, is also humble, and she knows the older Elizabeth needs her help. Unlike Mary, whose mother, St. Anne, is still alive, Elizabeth probably has no one to help her through pregnancy and childbirth. Because they’re cousins, it wasn’t unusual for the younger to visit her elder cousin. (See Luke 1:43 for more information.)
What joy this family receives with the granting of two miracles: the conception of John the Baptist and the conception of Jesus.
Following God’s will
Jewish custom at the time was to perform a baby’s circumcision eight days after his birth. It was also customary to name the boy after his father or paternal grandfather. Although Elizabeth and Zechariah adhere to the first custom, they veer from tradition with the second. Elizabeth proclaims that this child’s name will be John because of the words of the Angel Gabriel. When questioned, Zechariah, who is still stricken speechless, confirms it by writing on a tablet, “His name is John.” With this show of trust in his wife’s decision and in the Angel Gabriel’s words, Zechariah’s fate suddenly changes: “Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue freed, and he began to speak, praising God” (Luke 1:64).
Thus Elizabeth and Zechariah experience another miracle. They are filled with joy and the Holy Spirit. This joy is expressed in a beautiful prayer of Elizabeth and Zechariah known as the Benedictus, from the Latin first word of the text, “blessed.” In this prophecy, found in Luke 1:68–79, Zechariah praises God for sending his son, John the Baptist, who will become a prophet and help pave the way for Jesus, the Savior.
Understanding the symbolism
The visitation of Mary and Elizabeth is heavy with symbolism. Two cousins are pregnant through divine assistance. Elizabeth is well into her 80s when she gets pregnant, so although her husband, Zechariah, fathers the child, it is God who intervenes and miraculously helps. Like the other women in the Old Testament who believed they were sterile and were eventually blessed by God (such as Sarah, discussed in Chapter 9), Elizabeth’s trust in divine providence ensures that she conceives, even in old age, “for nothing will be impossible with God” (Luke 1:37).
Mary, unlike her cousin, is pregnant without the cooperation of a man. According to the Bible, she conceives her son, who is destined to be the Savior and Redeemer of the world, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Both of the women’s sons are pivotal to salvation history: Elizabeth’s boy will herald the coming of the Messiah, while Mary’s child becomes the Messiah himself.
As soon as Mary hears the word of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, she rushes to see her. And as soon as Elizabeth hears word of Mary’s greeting, the baby in Elizabeth’s womb stirs for joy. This fetal movement of John the Baptist within his mother is the first announcement that the Son of God (Jesus) is now here on earth, even though still in the womb of his mother (Mary) for nine more months.
Remembering Elizabeth
Elizabeth’s story comes to an end as John’s story is just beginning. John’s religious fervor is developed first through the devout examples of his mother and father. And John’s humility — reflected in his recognition that Jesus is divine and greater than he — is due certainly in part to Elizabeth’s rearing. Remember, Elizabeth, the elder cousin, shows respect for Mary, who is carrying the Lord. Neither Elizabeth nor John the Baptist give any signs of jealousy. Mary stays with Elizabeth for three months until John is born and then returns home, three months pregnant with Jesus (Luke 1:56).
We hear no more of Elizabeth after the day of her son’s circumcision (see the earlier section, “Following God’s will”).
Martha and Mary: Sisters of Lazarus
Lazarus, the brother of Martha and Mary, is a good friend of Jesus, and Jesus often stops in to see him on his journeys. Martha and Mary come to know Jesus very well themselves during his visits. The four become close friends, with Jesus often visiting their home in Bethany, a suburb of Jerusalem. The two sisters, while close, are quite opposite in personality. The one thing they do share in common, however, is their faith and devotion to Jesus, which they demonstrate on numerous occasions throughout the New Testament. This faith is ultimately rewarded when Jesus raises their brother from the dead.
Setting them straight
From her descriptions in the Bible, Martha often seems obsessed with the rules and regulations of hospitality. But her sister Mary seems quite the opposite, keeping Martha humbled, as told in a New Testament story.
While Martha was definitely a type A personality by today’s standards (apparently she has more in common than just a first name with Martha Stewart), Mary was more of a type B. When Jesus comes to visit, Martha busies herself with tidying the house, sprucing up the garden, and preparing elaborate meals for the King of Kings. Meanwhile, Mary sits and attentively listens to Christ’s every word. Although Mary may have assisted her sister to some extent, her work didn’t seem to be up to Martha’s standards.
During one particular visit, Martha switches into her usual high gear. The quintessential hostess and epitome of hospitality busies herself with last-minute details. As she meticulously prepares the food in the kitchen and the dining room for the meal, she sees her sister sitting back with Jesus, apparently taking it easy. This ignited Martha’s fuse to the point that she begs Jesus to shame Mary into helping her. His response is unforgettable: “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:41–42).
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In addition, Luke may have been addressing a problem of the day with this analogy. At that time, the scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees were obsessed with minute adherence to the detail of the law, while ignoring the spirit and purpose of the law. (Scribes were men who copied the sacred writings; Pharisees were lay religious leaders who used rabbinic interpretations and ancient custom, whereas the Sadducees were temple priests who were more fundamentalist and accepted only the written text of the Scripture as authoritative.)
Jesus often rebuked all three groups for their infighting among themselves and for their obsession and preoccupation at times for emphasizing precise observance of the laws without much concern for the spirit of and rationale behind those laws. (See Matthew 5:20 and 23:4 for more details.)
The raising of Lazarus
We next meet Martha and Mary during a more somber event. Their dear and beloved brother, Lazarus, has died. Unfortunately Jesus wasn’t in town to heal Lazarus when he was sick, as he had healed many others. His absence is conspicuous — the Gospel says that when Jesus learns Lazarus is on his deathbed, he remains where he is for two more days instead of rushing to his friend’s side. Some scholars believe that Jesus purposely delayed his return so as to raise Lazarus from the dead, which could happen only if he was no longer alive.
Because the Jews didn’t embalm their dead, his family needs to bury the corpse immediately. When Jesus finally arrives in town, both sisters confront him. Both Martha and Mary separately say to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died” (John 11:21 and John 11:32).
The death of such a dear friend brings tears to Jesus’ eyes. This is one of only two occasions the Bible tells us that Jesus cried; the other is when he weeps over the future destruction of the city and Temple of Jerusalem.
When Jesus requests that the stone over Lazarus’s tomb be rolled back, Martha, always the realist attentive to detail, reminds Jesus, “Lord, already there is a stench because he has been dead four days” (John 11:39).
Nevertheless, Jesus has the tomb opened, and he literally raises Lazarus back from the dead into the land of the living. Martha herself makes a bold proclamation of faith when she unequivocally affirms to Jesus, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world” (John 11:27). The only other such dramatic profession of such faith in the Gospel is made by Peter when he answers Jesus’ question, “But who do you say that I am?” with “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16 and Mark 8:29). Yet here is Martha, a woman, neither an apostle nor a disciple, making a comparable statement of belief, along with him.
Many followers of Jesus still had their doubts, and they lacked the clarity and strength of their convictions — except Martha and Peter. Mary also shows her faith, but in other ways.
Anointing the feet
Mary makes a profound show of faith when she anoints the feet of Christ with costly perfumed oil and then wipes them with her hair. This demonstration of humility is an expression of love and affection for her Lord and Savior. Although the apostles talk a good talk before Pentecost (see the Technical Stuff info later about Pentecost), Martha and Mary are the ones who actually show fidelity and faith in Jesus. For example, Judas, the apostle who turned traitor to Jesus, objects to Mary’s display of emotion, asking, “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?” (John 12:4–5). Mary, on the other hand, displays her generosity not just by the perfume she uses, but also by how she demonstrates her love.
Although Mary and her sister, Martha, aren’t apostles, they are disciples in that they are students seeking to learn from the teacher (Jesus). The 12 apostles would be the founding fathers of the Christian Church, but their faith was still unsteady at times, at least until the Holy Spirit confirms them with grace and truth at Pentecost.
These men and women were still in spiritual training of sorts (like religious boot camp) and therefore were not proficient yet in the faith. Peter, James, John, and the gang may have been Christ’s confidants, but Martha and Mary were the ones who put their faith into practice more often than the rest. That’s not to say the apostles had no or little faith or that they faltered most of time, but they were still rookies. Mary and her sister confidently lived their faith, while the men were still testing the waters.
Martha and Mary aren’t mentioned again explicitly in the Bible even though some medieval and Renaissance artists often chose to insert one or both of them into scenes of the Crucifixion along with the women who are specifically named in scripture as being present.
A question of sisterhood
John 19:25 says there were three Marys at the crucifixion of Jesus: his mother (Mary), his mother’s “sister” (Mary, the wife of Clopas and the mother of James and Joses) and Mary Magdalene. It is unlikely, however, that the Virgin Mary’s sister would also be called Mary. The more likely explanation can be determined by using the Greek translation. The Greek word originally used to refer to Mary the wife of Clopas, is adelphe, the feminine form of adelphos. This word can be translated as “sister,” but it also can mean “cousin,” “aunt,” “niece”, or other female relative, because the ancient Hebrew, from which it was translated, also had no separate words to define extended relatives. In Hebrew, achowth was used to mean “sister” or any female relative, including aunt, niece, or cousin. So Jesus’ mother (Mary) and her “sister” Mary were probably cousins or another type of close relation.
Mary: Mother of James and Joses
Another Biblical Mary is the mother of the apostle James the Less (meaning he was chosen by Christ after James the Greater) and his brother Joses (more commonly called Joseph), a woman who proves herself through her example and devotion to Jesus by staying with him as he died on Calvary. She is also described as the wife of Clopas (also spelled Cleopas or Cleophas).
Mary makes many sacrifices for her faith in God and in Jesus. First, both her sons become disciples of Jesus, devoting their lives to him and traveling the land far and wide. Having one son leave home is hard enough, but Mary has to let both sons go. Yet she endures the hardship in the knowledge that her boys are doing the work of God. Later, Mary gives of herself by staying at Jesus’ side during his darkest hour (John 19:25). She is generous, faithful, loving, and true to the Lord. She shows that love is active, not idle.
Mary is among the faithful women from Galilee who follow Jesus to Jerusalem to witness his death on the cross. “Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee” (Matthew 27:56). Along with Mary Magdalene (see Chapter 7), she is among the first at the tomb on Easter Sunday when Jesus arose from the dead (Matthew 28:1–2; Luke 24:10).
Mary is also referred to in the Gospel of John, soon after the crucifixion of Jesus: “Meanwhile, standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene” (John 19:25).
Mary: Mother of John Mark
Yet another brave and faithful Mary shows her faith in Jesus. This Mary is the mother of Mark (the author of the second Gospel account).
During Mary’s lifetime, which spanned the life of Jesus and beyond, Christians had no specific buildings in which to worship and learn about Jesus. Because early Christianity was outlawed, groups were forced to be secretive for fear of persecution, and early worship took place in private homes. A Christian knew where to go to celebrate the Divine Liturgy by looking for a tracing of a fish in the dirt of the host location. (Divine Liturgy is the Christian worship service also known as the Breaking of the Bread, the Lord’s Supper, Eucharistic Liturgy, and more — it had several names.) Mary provided the location and space for the weekly celebration of Christian worship just as she probably provided the room for Jesus to have his Last Supper on Holy Thursday. Scholars believe that Mary probably owned the “upper room” of the place where the Last Supper took place — and where the Holy Spirit descended at Pentecost.
Mary is believed to have been a woman of means with a spacious home, which she offered so Christians could gather in the name of Jesus:
—Acts 12:12
By giving freely of her home despite some very real risks, Mary truly leads by example. She is a woman who puts her faith in action. She could have been arrested for harboring this new religion, and she also risked losing her fortune, her home, and even her life. Yet she continues worshiping the Lord and aiding this worship by allowing believers to worship in her home. She continues to be of service to Jesus in the newly developing church. She must have felt great honor to have her Risen and Glorified Savior once again present “in the breaking of the Bread,” as the early Christians first called the Eucharistic Liturgy.
Mary’s home must have been a spiritual inspiration for John Mark, who comes to know Jesus through these sacred celebrations. Mary and Mark also come to know Peter, the chief apostle and first pope, in their home. One can only assume that Mary’s example and upbringing are the perfect breeding ground for Mark’s future work: writing the Gospel as he traveled with Peter.
Mary is mentioned for the last time in the Bible when Peter returns to her house after he has escaped the clutches of Herod (see Acts 12:12). Her generosity in providing for the early Church (also known as the assembly of the faithful) sets a standard for future believers who have been blessed with material wealth. Sharing abundance with the poor is always a laudable mission for all people of means. Mary led the way, and subsequent benefactors soon followed.
A Chance Meeting with Jesus: The Syro-Phoenician Woman
The story of the Syro-Phoenician woman (also referred to as the Canaanite woman) is a story of faith and tolerance. This woman, whose name no one knows, is described only as a Phoenician. (Phoenicia was an ancient civilization to the north of Israel.) Quite wealthy because they were great seafarers and traders, the Phoenicians were the envy of the ancient world. They worshiped the false god Baal, and therefore the Jews considered them heathens. Jezebel (see Chapter 16) was another Phoenician woman — not fondly remembered — in the Old Testament.
Through the story of the Syro-Phoenician woman, you can see that the New Covenant (the sacred agreement between God and His people; the first was between God and the Hebrews, the second between Christ and the Church) was designed to include all believers — not just the Jews. The implication is that God knows no racial boundaries, and every person has the chance to be saved through Jesus.
This Syro-Phoenician woman has a daughter possessed by the devil. When she hears about the miracle worker, Jesus, and that he is traveling through her area, she seeks him out for a cure. When she encounters Jesus, she is humble and recognizes her sinfulness. Her reaction is quite striking because she has no reason to think that Jesus, a Jew, would listen to a person of her descent. It is also surprising that, with her background, this woman would have such faith in Jesus as the Savior. Nevertheless, she testifies before Christ: “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is tormented by a demon” (Matthew 15:22).
At first, Jesus appears to ignore her, but she perseveres in her pleading and kneels before him. Finally Jesus responds, and at first he sounds harsh: “It is not fair to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs” (Matthew 15:26).
The “bread” Jesus refers to is his grace, and “children” refers to the true believers in Israel. This comment is Jesus’ way of testing the woman’s faith and perseverance, and she passes with wit and spirit with this quick response: “ Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table” (Matthew 15:27).
All she asks is that a crumb may fall her way, despite her background. She isn’t offended by Jesus’ comments, and because she believes, she is determined to win Jesus’ grace.
This woman’s persistent faith brings its reward, and her daughter is cured: “Then Jesus answered her, ‘Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.’ And her daughter was healed instantly” (Matthew 15:28). As a great witness to the miraculous powers of Jesus, she would later bring many others to the faith. We don’t hear from the woman again, but her faith and perseverance, despite apparent obstacles, remain an example even today.
The trouble with dogs
Some Bible scholars point out that the Syro-Phoenician woman whose daughter was possessed by the devil uses the word kunaria (meaning dog). Phoenicians weren’t well liked by the Jews, and the feeling was mutual. In fact, many of Jesus’ followers considered any Gentile (non-Jew) as low as a dog or infidel. But there were two different Aramaic words for “dog.” Pariah were the wild, often rabid, street dogs that everyone feared and avoided, and kunaria were the cute, cuddly puppy dogs people kept in their homes. Jesus used the more familiar and friendlier term, which the woman picks up on and uses in her counterargument.
Spiritual Rebirth: The Samaritan Woman at the Well
The Samaritan woman at the well is no angel. Mixed up with a wrong crowd, this poor woman from Samaria has quite a reputation. She had been married five times and was living in sin with a man who wasn’t her husband.
Through her story comes the lesson that people shouldn’t live by carnal pleasure. The story also shows that a well of grace is ready to refresh the soul parched by sin and suffering and that Jesus comes to save the sick and to serve those who still need both physical and spiritual healing — not only the converted.
Her story is also relevant because it becomes an antecedent of Christian practices — that one may seek God’s forgiveness for wrongdoing.
The woman at the well had her sins “washed away” by Jesus. The story shows that Jesus offers divine mercy in the living water of grace, which washes away sins and cleanses souls. The woman went to the well to get a jug of water. Instead, she got much more, including a cleansed and refreshed spiritual life.
Going to the well
Because of her lowly status, the Samaritan woman goes to the well during the hottest point of the day to avoid the wagging tongues of her fellow townspeople. Most other people were taking siestas at this time; nobody in his or her right mind is out in the noonday sun. The woman of Samaria knows this and seizes the opportunity to get water for her home without being bothered.
Jews didn’t normally travel on a Samaritan road, but Jesus chose to walk this way anyway. He comes upon the well, where he meets the Samaritan woman and asks her for a drink of water. The woman, who understands her low social status in the eyes of a Jew, is astonished that this pious Jew requests water from her. (See John 4:7–9).
The rift between Jews and Samaritans
Jews didn’t look upon Samaritans very favorably. Former Jews who had wandered off in the eighth century BC during the Assyrian conquest of the northern kingdom of Israel, the Samaritans had developed their own brand of Judaism that the original Jews saw as heresy. The Samaritans even built their own temple so they wouldn’t have to travel to Jerusalem for ritual sacrifices (of lambs, goats, doves, and more), which didn’t win them any friends, either. Most Jews wouldn’t be caught dead in the company of Samaritans.
Experiencing renewed spirit
Jesus uses the water as a metaphor to teach this woman. He speaks about the living water, which gives eternal life, divine grace, or God’s life within the soul. The woman craves this type of water, because she wants to have eternal life. But first Jesus has a lengthy but candid dialogue with her. He makes her understand that she needs to confess her sins and change her life before she can obtain this life-giving water — grace. Jesus shows her that he already knows she is living with a man who is not her husband. (See John 4:10–18 for more information.)
—John 4:16–18
The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming”(who is called Christ). “When he comes, he will proclaim all things to us.” Jesus said to her, “I am he, the one who is speaking to you.”
—John 4:25–26
The Samaritan woman’s spirit is enlightened, accelerated, and illuminated by Jesus. She now realizes what it means to take freely of the water of life, which is the spiritual refreshment that comes into her soul after her encounter and confession with Jesus. Not only was she impressed that Jesus knew all her sins, but she was also given the opportunity to have those sins forgiven. She believes he is truly the Messiah, the Anointed One. She repents of her past misdeeds and goes back to tell her family, friends, and neighbors how she met Jesus and how he revealed his knowledge of her sins and his offer of live-giving water, which brings eternal life. She went on to lead many conversions in this area through her zeal and love for God (John 4:39–42).
The Samaritan woman doesn’t appear again in scripture, but for centuries afterward, numerous spiritual writers, theologians, and scholars retold and pondered her encounter with Jesus. Augustine (AD 354–430), for instance, uses the example of the woman at the well to describe the spiritual thirst the human heart has for goodness and truth and that thirst is never quenched until people are in the presence of God forever (after they die and leave this earth).