I was in college the first time I heard about the marriage theme in Jesus conversation with the Samaritan woman – a topic I recently sketched out in a series of posts. It wasn’t until a few years later, however, that I began to notice how the theme doesn’t begin or end with the Samaritan woman. It’s pervasive, occurring every time Jesus engages a woman in this gospel. and in fact it unites the remarkable portrayal of women in the fourth gospel.
The Gospel of John is radically set apart from the other gospels in its presentation of women. Woman are primary actors (or I should actresses) in the Gospel of John! Of all the gospels John focus’ on the role of woman the most. Jesus conversation, for instance, with the Samaritan woman is the longest dialogue between Jesus and woman recorded in all four gospels.
The roles they play are in important scenes. They are
- The mother of Jesus at the Wedding of Cana
- The Samaritan woman by the well
- Martha and Mary at the raising of Lazarus
- The mother of Jesus at the Crucifixion
- Mary Magadlene at the Garden Tomb
Compare this list to the list from the other gospels
- Healing of Simon’s Mother-in-Law
- Concern of Jesus’ Family; Mother and brothers
- The Daughter of Jairus
- A Woman with a flow of blood
- Jesus is called “Son of Mary”
- John the Baptist death: Herodias and her daughter
- The Syrophoenican Woman’s Daughter
- On Divorce
- Jesus quotes the Decalogue; Honor YOur father and Mother
- Anointing at Bethany: Anonymous Woman
Most of the stories in the other gospels are comprised of short stories and sayings but don’t deal directly with the women, herself. If we compare John’s resurrection account for instance with the stories found in the synoptic gospels we find that while the synoptic accounts record that Mary was the first to see the empty tomb and the angel and the resurrected Jesus, it is John which records far more entail the encounter between the two. And John, like most of Jesus encounters with women, tells that Jesus and mary are alone – together.
Likewise the characters of Mary and Martha. Luke, the only other gospel that includes these sisters, introduces them in a quick comment about the two’s chacharter. John, however, shows Jesus speaking in a lengthy discussion with the Martha and expressing a profound emption at Mary’s words.
