Douglas Jacoby Podcast

NT Characters: Joanna

Episode Summary

Douglas continues his series on New Testament Characters today looking at Joanna. Douglas shares what we learn from her life and how we see God working through her story.

Episode Notes

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.

Name, marriage, means

• Joanna = "God is gracious"
• Wife of Chuza
  • Chuza was steward (financial controller) of Herod Antipas, son of the Herod (the Great) who'd tried to dispatch Jesus c.6-4 BC.
  • Herod Antipas reigned 4 BC - 39 AD. He had John the Baptist decapitated, and also was part of the process that condemned Jesus.
• She may be the Junia of Rom 16:7, if New Testament scholars Ben Witherington and Richard Bauckham are on the right track.
• Wealthier -- upper class. Many such women were attracted to Christianity, as we read about in Luke-Acts.

Scriptures

• Luke 8:3
• Luke 24:10
• Romans 16:7
• Titus 3:3-5, 2:11-14

Impact of Jesus on her life
 

• She was set free, either healed of a medical situation or freed from an evil spirit. Either way, her life was transformed by the Lord.
• She traveled with the apostolic band.
  • Older?
  • "Empty nest"?
• Became a supporter of the ministry, providing
  • homes?
  • food?
  • funding?
  • The women of Luke 8:3 were probably flexible because they didn't have to stay home with their children.
  • Joanna chose to put her allowance to good use.
• She formed friendships with fellow believers. (Recall the comments from the podcast on Mary, the mother of Jesus, who continued to build friendships even later in life.)

Thought questions

• Joanna was loyal emotionally and even financially, because Jesus had touched her life, and she was grateful. Do I ever forget that I too have been touched by the Lord? That I have been redeemed from a life of uncertainty, darkness, secrecy, sin, anxiety, and alienation? See Titus 2-3.
• If I am a person of means, how am I using my fortune to advance God's work?
• The fact that such a person as Joanna was drawn into the ministry tells us something about the Christian faith -- what it is and what it is not. How does the story of Joanna address charges of Christianity being "chauvinistic"?
• If I am a parent, do I look forward to time when I will be freer to travel for the sake of the ministry?
• Do I tend to rush past the "minor" characters of the Bible?