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 WHY WEREN'T THERE ANY WOMEN DISCIPLES? There were. If a disciple was someone who followed Jesus, listened to his teaching and accompanied him in his mission, he had plenty of women disciples, and many appear by name in the Gospels, some quite prominently. This was unusual in Jesus's culture, but he emphatically welcomed women as his followers. Having said that, there was an inner group of followers known as "the Twelve". They were a group of disciples whom Jesus called specially. None of the Gospels explain what they were set apart for, or on what basis Jesus chose them. Presumably they were expected to represent him, lead his other followers (especially after his death), and to preach an authoritative version of his message. Why were they all men? Jesus never explained why. But then no one would have asked. They would only have asked why (or rather "what?!") if he had appointed women. The fact is that the society Jesus was living and working in was an extremely patriarchal society. His attitude to women was radically liberating and affirming, but it's unreasonable to expect him to act exactly as if he was living in the 21st-century West. More questions about Jesus' life |
Picture: carvings showing the story of Christ on the west front of Chartres Cathedral, France. |
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