Salome was a devoted follower of Jesus. She was a witness of his crucifixion, and of the empty tomb when she went to brought spices to anoint Jesus’s body. Salome is mentioned only in Mark’s Gospel, but many more times in other early church documents.
Salome was one of several women known as myrrh bearers, but her identity is often confused with other such women. Who was she?
In this article, I explain why “the co-elect” woman in 1 Peter 5:13 (AKA “she who is in Babylon”) is most likely a woman and not a church.
When we understand “preaching” words in the way New Testament authors and understood and used these words we see that some New Testament women preached.
In Acts 9, Tabitha (AKA Dorcas) is identified as a disciple and described as a generous supporter of the poor. What did her ministries involve? What is her association with the widows of Joppa?
In this post, I look at Nympha, a Christian mentioned in Colossians 4:15. What was her association with Paul? What was her ministry? Where was her house church? Was she really a woman?
Inspired by a recent reading in Acts, I’ve taken a close look at a common Greek expression that Paul uses when addressing Euodia and Syntyche. What was Paul saying to these women in the Philippian Church?
This article looks at Junia, a Christian missionary mentioned in Romans 16:7 who was persecuted for her faith and may have known Jesus personally. Was she also known as Joanna?
Lydia of Thyatira (Acts 16:14ff), and women like her, were vital and strategic players at the forefront of the expanding Christian mission.
In this article I take a look at the text of 2 John, especially at the words the letter writer uses to identify the people he mentions, including the “chosen lady.”
Apphia was a woman greeted by Paul in his letter to Philemon. What was her role or position at Colossae? Was she Philemon’s wife? Or was she another Phoebe?
Eve, Delilah, Bathsheba, Mary Magdalene, and the Samaritan woman have often been thought of as immoral. What’s with that? This article looks at the Samaritan woman without negative prejudices.
More than a century ago, church historian Adolf Harnack was honest and approving in his appraisal of women ministers who are mentioned in the New Testament.
Chloe is a woman mentioned in 1 Corinthians 1:11? Was she a pagan or a Christian? A concerned house church leader or the quarrelsome leader of a faction?
In his Church History, Eusebius wrote, “Ethiopia even to the present day is ruled, according to ancestral custom, by a woman” (cf. Acts 8:27). Is there any truth in his statement? As it turns out, there is.
In part 4 I look at the deacons in the Philippian church, and at the development of church offices in the apostolic and post-apostolic church.
We have only two lines about Phoebe in the Bible, but Theodoret of Cyrrhus has more information about her. Did Phoebe travel to Spain with Paul? Did she deliver his letter to the Romans?
In Part 2, I look at what Romans 16:1-2 in the ancient Latin texts say about Phoebe. These indicate she was recognised as an official deacon (or deaconess).
Here I look at Paul’s introduction of Phoebe to the church at Rome. I also look at the ministry of certain women in the Gospels, and Tabitha’s ministry in Acts, and compare them with Phoebe’s ministry.
This article looks at Mary Magdalene, and especially at what “Magdalene” might mean. Does it refer to Mary’s home town? Was it her nick-name? Or does it imply that Mary was a prostitute?
I had imagined that only a few women accompanied Jesus during his ministry and only a few were with him at his crucifixion, but the Gospel writers state that there were many women with Jesus – many!
Was Paul referring to wives of apostles or colleagues of apostles in 1 Corinthians 9:5? Was their role companionship or teaching Christian doctrine?
John the Evangelist chose his words carefully when describing the ministry of certain apostolic women in his Gospel, women such as Mary Magdalene. [500 words]
Early church writers, such as Eusebius, acknowledged that Philip’s four daughters were respected, famous prophets and they associated them with apostles and bishops.
Here is a list of 25+ biblical roles of Bible women. These roles and activities were approved by God and helped God’s people in some way.
This short article looks at how the Greek word kyria (“lady”) is used in a few ancient letters and texts, and how this usage helps us to understand who the “chosen lady” is in John’s second letter.
Mary and Martha of Bethany are well-known Bible figures whose characters are often polarized in the retelling of their story. What is the background of these women, their age, marital status, level of wealth?
Mary Magdalene and some other women knew a large stone had been rolled in front of the entrance to the tomb where Jesus’ body had been laid. They went to the tomb anyway. [300 words]
In this post I look at Salome, the daughter of Herodias, who “danced” for Herod Antipas. How old was she? Did she actually dance? Was she out to deliberately seduce her step-father? What became of her?
Jezebel of Thyatira is a prophetess and teacher mentioned in Revelation 2:20ff. What does her example brings to discussions about women in ministry?
This article looks at the women Paul greeted in his letters, including ten women mentioned in Romans 16. His greetings show that Paul did not have a problem with women in ministry.
Here are links to over a dozen of my articles on women church leaders mentioned in the New Testament, women such as Phoebe, Junia, Priscilla, Lydia, Philip’s daughters, and more.
What does the Bible say about working women? Does God want women to stay out of the workforce and stay at home? What is the position that Complementarians, such as John Piper, take on the subject of work and working women?
Who were Euodia and Syntyche (Philippians 4:2-3)? Were they leaders of the Philippian church? Early Church Father John Chrysostom seemed to think so.
John addressed his second letter “to the chosen lady and to her children.” Who was this lady? Was she a mother, a church, or a house church leader?
This article looks at Priscilla and Aquila and explores Luke’s use of the Greek verb ektithēmi (“explain”) in Acts. Did Priscilla teach a man?
In this article, I show that some women church leaders in the New Testament functioned in Ephesians 4:11 ministries: apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor-teacher.
This article is about Junia—a minister mentioned by Paul in Romans 16:7—using and critiquing the ESV as a reference. Was Junia really a female apostle?
In John 4 we read about the Samaritan woman’s life-changing encounter with Jesus. She was very different from Nicodemus.
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© 2021 Marg Mowczko