TWELVE WOMEN
EVANGELISTS
P.1678 - §5 Of all the daring things which Jesus did in
connection with his earth career, the most amazing was his sudden announcement
on the evening of January 16: "On the morrow we will set apart ten women for the
ministering work of the kingdom." At the beginning of the two weeks' period
during which the apostles and the evangelists were to be absent from Bethsaida
on their furlough, Jesus requested David to summon his parents back to their
home and to dispatch messengers calling to Bethsaida ten devout women who had
served in the administration of the former encampment and the tented infirmary.
These women had all listened to the instruction given the young evangelists.
P.1679 - §3 As the apostolic party journeyed from Bethsaida,
the women traveled in the rear. During the conference time they always sat in a
group in front and to the right of the speaker. Increasingly, women had become
believers in the gospel of the kingdom, and it had been a source of much
difficulty and no end of embarrassment when they had desired to hold personal
converse with Jesus or one of the apostles. Now all this was changed. When any
of the women believers desired to see the Master or confer with the apostles,
they went to Susanna, and in company with one of the twelve women evangelists,
they would go at once into the presence of the Master or one of his
apostles.
P.1680 - §1 It was at Magdala that the women first
demonstrated their usefulness and vindicated the wisdom of their choosing.
Andrew had imposed rather strict rules upon his associates about doing personal
work with women, especially with those of questionable character. When the party
entered Magdala, these ten women evangelists were free to enter the evil resorts
and preach the glad tidings directly to all their inmates. And when visiting the
sick, these women were able to draw very close in their ministry to their
afflicted sisters. As the result of the ministry of these ten women (afterward
known as the twelve women) at this place, Mary Magdalene was won for the
kingdom. Through a succession of misfortunes and in consequence of the attitude
of reputable society toward women who commit such errors of judgment, this woman
had found herself in one of the nefarious resorts of Magdala. It was Martha and
Rachel who made plain to Mary that the doors of the kingdom were open to even
such as she. Mary believed the good news and was baptized by Peter the next
day.
P.1680 - §2 Mary Magdalene became the most effective teacher
of the gospel among this group of twelve women evangelists. She was set apart
for such service, together with Rebecca, at Jotapata about four weeks subsequent
to her conversion. Mary and Rebecca, with the others of this group, went on
through the remainder of Jesus' life on earth, laboring faithfully and
effectively for the enlightenment and uplifting of their downtrodden sisters;
and when the last and tragic episode in the drama of Jesus' life was being
enacted, notwithstanding the apostles all fled but one, these women were all
present, and not one either denied or betrayed him.
P.1682 - §3 One evening at Shunem, after John's apostles had
returned to Hebron, and after Jesus' apostles had been sent out two and two,
when the Master was engaged in teaching a group of twelve of the younger
evangelists who were laboring under the direction of Jacob, together with the
twelve women, Rachel asked Jesus this question: "Master, what shall we answer
when women ask us, What shall I do to be saved?"
P.1683 - §4 After spending two or three days with one group
of twelve evangelists, Jesus would move on to join another group, being informed
as to the whereabouts and movements of all these workers by David's messengers.
This being their first tour, the women remained much of the time with Jesus.
Through the messenger service each of these groups was kept fully informed
concerning the progress of the tour, and the receipt of news from other groups
was always a source of encouragement to these scattered and separated
workers.
P.1688 - §2 Jesus had not fully recovered from the sorrow of
his recent rejection at Nazareth; the apostles were aware of a peculiar sadness
mingled with his usual cheerful demeanor. James and John were with him much of
the time, Peter being more than occupied with the many responsibilities having
to do with the welfare and direction of the new corps of evangelists. This time
of waiting before starting for the Passover at Jerusalem, the women spent in
visiting from house to house, teaching the gospel, and ministering to the sick
in Capernaum and the surrounding cities and villages.
P.1715 - §2 And now, on top of all of these worries, when
they reached home, Jesus refused to eat. For hours he isolated himself in one of
the upper rooms. It was almost midnight when Joab, the leader of the
evangelists, returned and reported that about one third of his associates had
deserted the cause. All through the evening loyal disciples had come and gone,
reporting that the revulsion of feeling toward the Master was general in
Capernaum. The leaders from Jerusalem were not slow to feed this feeling of
disaffection and in every way possible to seek to promote the movement away from
Jesus and his teachings. During these trying hours the twelve women were in
session over at Peter's house. They were tremendously upset, but none of them
deserted.
P.1720 - §5 At this early morning meeting Jesus imparted his farewell instructions to the assembled disciples; that is, he bade them farewell for the time being, knowing well that they would soon be dispersed from Capernaum. He directed them all to seek God for guidance and to carry on the work of the kingdom regardless of consequences. The evangelists were to labor as they saw fit until such time as they might be called. He selected twelve of the evangelists to accompany him; the twelve apostles he directed to remain with him no matter what happened. The twelve women he instructed to remain at the Zebedee house and at Peter's house until he should send for them.
These comments about the twelve women evangelists that Jesus also appointed, are from the Urantia Book.