Joanna

One of Jesus' disciples who travelled with him as he "went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God" (Lk 8:1-3). In this passage Joanna is listed together with Susanna " and many others, who provided for them out of their resources." She is described as "the wife of Herod's steward Chuza," of whom nothing is known. She is also listed as one of the first persons to witness to the resurrection of Jesus while the fact still "seemed like nonsense" to the other (male) disciples (Lk 24:10-11).

The "idea of Jewish women becoming students of a prominent rabbi or teacher was unknown and unacceptable prior to and during Jesus' era" (Ben Witherington, III). Though the number of women specially mentioned as such followers of Jesus may be counted on the fingers of our hands, that, together with the fact that they were made the earliest witness to Jesus' resurrection, point to the revolutionary consequences of Jesus' preaching of the kingdom of God.