Women at the Cross

My M & M's (you know who you are!) are challenging each other to be 'intentional' about our worship this April as we move closer to Resurrection Sunday.  We are reading the 4 gospel accounts of Jesus arrest, burial, and RESURRECTION each week.   This a.m. I read Mark's account.  It is just so amazing to me, considering the customs at the time, that the gospel writers included women so highly in the accounts.  Women, who at that time and in that culture, were considered as property pretty much, are HIGHLIGHTED as those who first saw the RISEN CHRIST and the EMPTY TOMB.  If the gospel writers were going to make up a story, they surely would have done it WITHOUT women - in fact:  would they have made themselves look like cowards and made the women look much braver????

"There were also women looking on from a distance . . .When He was in Galilee, they followed Him and ministered to Him, and there were also many other women who came up with Him to Jerusalem. "  Mark 15:40 - 41


"And Joseph bought a linen shroud, and taking Him down, wrapped Him in the linen shroud and laid Him in a tomb...Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where He was laid."   Mark 15:46-47

"When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint Him.  And very early on the first day of the week when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb.  And looking up they saw the stone had been rolled back . . ."   Mark 16:1,4

"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female for you are all one in Christ Jesus."  Galatians 3:28

What do you think?