Jesus Christ of Nazareth was a teacher and more of a traveling evangelist during His earthly ministry. As a teacher, apart from His twelve disciples, He had many other disciples, including women, who admired Him and came around to engross themselves in His teachings. As a traveling evangelist, many people followed Him, including women, from one place to another.
According to the gospel writer Matthew in Matthew 14:13-21 and Matthew 15:32-39, women followed Jesus even as far as the wilderness, where He fed 5,000 people with five loaves and two fish and 4,000 people with seven loaves and a few fish. He reports that women and children were part of those who were fed. This is evidence that whenever the Bible talks about multitudes coming to Jesus, women and even children are part of that multitude.
The Gospel writer Luke reports that at the time Jesus told the parable of the sower, there were many of His disciples with Him. Apart from the twelve, there were many others, including women. Among them are these three women: Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Susanna (Luke 8:1-3).
Mary Magdalene was from Magdala, a town near the Sea of Galilee. Jesus cast seven demons out of her to free her from torment (Luke 8:2). Out of gratitude for her deliverance, Mary became a devoted follower of Jesus and accompanied Him throughout His ministry.
Joanna was the wife of Chuza, a steward in the household of Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee. She appears to be an affluent woman. Joanna, too, had been healed by Jesus and became one of His followers. She used her resources to support His ministry, providing financial aid and practical assistance to sustain Jesus and His disciples.
Not much was said about Susanna—her family or where she came from. Like Mary and Joanna, she was healed by Jesus and responded with gratitude by dedicating her life and resources to Him. We see that their devotion to Christ was founded on gratitude.
Aside from Joanna, Susanna, and Mary Magdalene, Martha and Mary, sisters of Lazarus, were also good women and disciples of Jesus. They lived in Bethany, and their home became a place of refuge and rest for Jesus during His ministry (Luke 10:38-42; John 11:1-5). The siblings loved Jesus and welcomed Him into their house.
Whenever Jesus visited, Martha led in serving Him and His disciples. She showed her love through service. Mary, rather, liked sitting at Jesus’ feet to listen to His teachings, and Jesus commended her for anointing His feet with perfume (John 12:3). Their good deeds were rewarded when Jesus raised their brother Lazarus from the dead (John 11:43-44).
Mary, the mother of Jesus, was also a disciple of Jesus, especially after His resurrection from the dead. According to some Christian traditions, Mary was at the ascension of Jesus on Mount Olive. Also according to Acts 1:14, Mary, the other siblings of Jesus, and the other female disciples came to live with the twelve apostles in Jerusalem.
When Jesus was hanging on the cross, dying, His disciples stood at a distance watching. Mark reported that His female disciples Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the less, and Salome (Mr 15:40) were part of those watching. Mary the mother of James the Less is also called Mary the mother of James the Less and Joseph. That was all the description given about this faithful woman and disciple of Jesus.
Also among the female disciples who were watching Jesus die on the cross was Salome. Three days later on the day of Jesus’ resurrection, these same women Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the Less, and Salome came to Jesus’ tomb with spice to preserve Him (Mr 16:1). These female followers of Jesus were faithful to Him even while He was dead.
Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Susanna, Martha, Mary the sister of Lazarus, Mary the mother of Jesus, Mary the mother of James the less, and Salome were the only female disciples mentioned in the Gospels.
In the book of Acts, other notable Christian women, such as Dorcas (Tabitha), were mentioned. Dorcas was famous in the church for her generosity and other good works. She was well-praised in the church to the extent that the believers did not give up on her when she died. They sent for Peter to come and resurrect her (Acts 9:36-42).
We also have Mary, the mother of John Mark, who was a prominent woman and a devotee. She is known for her hospitality and faithfulness, as her home served as a meeting place for early Christians. When Peter was miraculously freed from prison, he sought refuge in Mary’s house, where many believers had gathered to pray for him (Acts 12:12).
Through Paul’s missionary expeditions, he converted Lydia in Philippi at the riverside (Acts 16:13-15). She was a god-fearing wealthy businesswoman who dealt in fine purple cloth. Following her conversion, she showed generosity by inviting Paul and his companions to stay at her home. When Paul and Silas were released from prison, they were received again into her house (Acts 16:40). Her home likely became a meeting place for the early believers in Philippi.
Priscilla was the wife of Aquila. She was good and dedicated to the Christian faith. She and her husband opened their home to Paul, providing him with lodging and a workspace for his tent-making trade (Acts 18:1-3). They supported Paul’s missionary work and even traveled with him to Ephesus. In Ephesus, the couple met Apollos, an eloquent teacher who had a limited understanding of the gospel. They invited him to their home and taught him the way of God more adequately (Acts 18:24-26). Their impact made Apollos a better Christian teacher.
Apart from all those mentioned above, Apostle Paul mentioned several other women, such as Phoebe, Junia, Priscilla, Tryphena, Tryphosa, Persis, Mary of Rome, Lois, and Eunice (Romans 16:1-7; 2 Timothy 1:5). Though it is likely they never met Christ in person, they were faithful to the Christian faith and, in one way or another, supported Paul’s mission and the advancement of the Christian faith.