Journal: Priscilla Papers
Volume: PP 21:1 (Winter 2007)
Article: The Discipleship of Women— From Jesus’ Birth to the Empty Tomb
Author: J. Lyle Story

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PP 21:1 (Winter 2007) p. 14

The Discipleship of Women—
From Jesus’ Birth to the Empty Tomb

J. Lyle Story

J. Lyle Story (Ph.D., Fuller Theological Seminary) is a Professor of New Testament and Biblical Languages of the School of Divinity of Regent University. He has taught at Regent University for the last twenty-three years, possesses special passion for the message of the four gospels, and has produced the Greek to Me Memory System (textbook, flash cards, and multimedia CD-ROM).

In recent years, much discussion has centered upon the role of women disciples as they encounter the person of Jesus. The word “disciple” (mathētēs), related to the verb “learn, study, practice” (manthanō), means “the one who directs his mind to something,”1 often in the sense of a learner, apprentice, or pupil. In the Greek philosophical world, the term designated a devotee of a philosopher, one who would continue the intellectual link with the teacher (adherent). While many argue for exclusively male disciples due to the fact that Jesus’ twelve disciples were all male, we can respond that all disciples were also Jewish. This, then, leads to the important question of implication: Does this mean that all Gentile disciples through the ages, male and female, are to be excluded from participatory discipleship? Certainly not!

The term “disciple” in first-century Judaism signifies an adherent or follower of Scripture, and, in particular, one who follows the tradition or interpretation of a rabbi. The individual disciple follows and represents the tradition espoused by a rabbi. In the more formalized Mishnah of a later era, almost every chapter includes a saying, “Rabbi X says . . . .” While great respect was accorded to the leading rabbis, discipleship was tradition- and cause-centered or perhaps school-centered (Hillel, Shammai); interest was not primarily in the teacher himself. Rengstorf notes,

He who would follow the Law in all things cannot do without the constant instruction and guidance of the rabbi. Only the rabbi, on the basis of his familiarity with the materials of religious law, can say for certain what is right in individual cases. Hence, the pious ideal is that all Jews should be occupied in the Torah and its exposition and application, so that they can and will do what is right in a given situation. The fulfillment of this ideal is expected in the Messianic Age.2

Jesus becomes the rabbi who enters most effectively into personal relationship with the disciples, male and female; relationship attracts their allegiance to him. There is something so impressive about Jesus t...

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