Courageous women

Some more thoughts from Kenneth E Bailey's book, 'Jesus through Middle Eastern eyes'.

In Chapter 19 he reflects on the parable of the widow and the judge( Luke 18:1-8). He notes that the hero of the parable is a woman of courage and persistence. He ends the chapter with a brief paragraph looking ahead towards the Cross.

"...as the cross approached, the role of the women in the band of disciples became more prominent. A woman anointed the Messiah as he approached the end. Women were faithful to the end at the cross. They had the courage to follow Joseph of Arimathea as he made his way to Pilate. It was the women who brought the spices to the tomb to anoint the body of Jesus.... who heard the glorious and yet frightening words of the angels. They took the news to the absent disciples.
In like manner in this parable the hero is a woman, a woman with persistence and courage – the very virtues that his female disciples so nobly exhibited all through Holy Week. To them.......the church remains forever in debt."

This week will include daily Holy Week Prayer breakfasts at Harrogate Baptist. I always look forward to this week and to the opportunity to lead the short meditation each morning, even if it means a slightly earlier start to the day!