The Women of Easter I Come Follow Me I Handmaidens, Harems and Heroines I Lynne Hilton Wilson
Mar 23, 2026
A look at the women who shaped the final days of Jesus through devotion and service. Short vignettes explore anointing rituals, behind-the-scenes preparations, and countercultural roles women took while traveling and ministering. The narrative follows their courage at Gethsemane and the cross, their care in burial preparations, and their place as the first witnesses to the Resurrection.
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insights INSIGHT
Women Broke Cultural Norms To Follow Jesus
Women followed Jesus publicly despite cultural norms that confined them indoors and veiled.
Lynne Hilton Wilson cites Luke 8:1–3 and Mishnah context showing these women broke Pharisaic expectations by traveling and funding ministry.
insights INSIGHT
John's Gospel Preserves Holy Week Chronology
John's gospel orders events chronologically so Holy Week scenes span multiple visits to Jerusalem rather than a single telescoped week.
Wilson explains Synoptics compress three years into one Passover while John preserves chronology, affecting which stories appear.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Mary Of Bethany's Costly Anointing
Mary of Bethany anointed Jesus with expensive nard, an act Jesus honors as preparation for burial.
Wilson emphasizes real spike nard's cost and Jesus' defense: she has prepared me for my burial.
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As the Savior’s mortal ministry draws to its sacred climax, the New Testament highlights a devoted group of women whose faith and service quietly shape the final hours of Jesus Christ’s life. In the days leading up to the Crucifixion, women appear as faithful disciples who minister with courage and devotion. The Gospels describe a woman in Bethany—identified as Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus—who anoints Jesus with precious ointment, symbolically preparing Him for His burial and demonstrating profound spiritual insight. Other faithful women, including Mary the mother of Jesus and Martha of Bethany, had long served the Savior and supported His ministry. Their acts of hospitality, discipleship, and devotion reflect a pattern of covenant service—women who recognized the Savior and responded with love, generosity, and spiritual sensitivity.
At the time of the Crucifixion, when many others had fled in fear, several faithful women remained near the cross, becoming eyewitnesses of the Savior’s sacrifice. Among them were Mary the mother of Jesus, Mary Magdalene, Mary the wife of Cleopas, and Salome, along with other devoted disciples who had followed Him from Galilee and ministered to His needs. Their presence reflects remarkable courage and loyalty as they comfort one another and remain close to the Lord in His final mortal moments. These women would later play crucial roles in the sacred events surrounding His burial and Resurrection, preparing spices and returning to the tomb in loving service. From the preparation of the Last Supper to the sorrowful vigil at Golgotha, the women of the New Testament stand as powerful witnesses of Christ—models of faithful discipleship who served, mourned, and ultimately rejoiced in the triumph of their risen Redeemer.
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