The Other Disciples: It’s Not Just For Women
by Shawn Burke
Who are The Other Disciples? I’ve heard the stories of the twelve disciples from the Bible. I learned about them in Sunday school as I was growing up. I've heard many sermons over the past 50 years in which pastors have eloquently outlined and introduced us to Simon Peter, John, James, Matthew, Andrew, and the others. I learned their personalities, their likes & dislikes, even their hangups and shortcomings. There have been countless movies throughout the years that portray the men who followed Jesus in his early days of ministry. But after three years…there had to be more than 12, right?
The Other Disciples is an amazing new book written by women, about the 12 named women who knew and followed Jesus during his three years of ministry on Earth. The book takes a deep look at Mary Magdalene, Elizabeth, Salome, Mary of Nazareth, Mary & Martha of Bethany, Joanna, Susanna, Mary Cleopas, Photini (the Samaritan woman at the well), Anna the Prophetess, and a woman whom Jesus meets in a crowd of people and calls “daughter.”
While history has taught me many things, it has also passed down many inaccurate and blatantly ridiculous assumptions through the ages. Many actually believe that Jesus’ mother Mary must have had an affair to get pregnant, and I’ve heard that Jesus & Mary Magdalene were a couple. I’ve heard stories circulating about the Samaritan woman at the well being called a prostitute, and we can't forget about Mary of Bethany and the assumptions made about her as she anointed the feet of Jesus with her tears and oil, and dried them with her hair. Why do we allow these assumptions to shape our theology and what we believe? I even remember being taught some of these things as a young child in Sunday School! No wonder people today are questioning the accuracy of scripture, when even well-intentioned people in church continue to perpetuate these false teachings based on assumptions.
As I read The Bible, I always look at the context of the scripture and pray for understanding and clarity of what God has said through each writer. I truly believe that every word in the Bible is God’s Word, inspired by the Holy Spirit and passed down through 40 different writers over the generations. While some may argue that much of the true meaning is lost in translation, I would point out that studying the Greek and Aramaic/Hebrew texts will provide a deeper understanding of the written Word. The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in 1947-1956 in the caves near Qumran, Israel, has substantially confirmed and shed new light on the accuracy of the modern-day translations. I tend to use several different translations to help me gain a better understanding.
In my reading of the accounts from the Bible of each of these 12 women who followed Jesus’ ministry, there is no mention of any prostitution, sexual shenanigans, or even a hint that Jesus was involved with them other than as a rabbi and teacher. While I can see the devotion each of them had as followers of Christ, I know they were more than just friends or acquaintances… they were disciples! A disciple is a student devoted to following and learning, as well as to taking on the attributes of their teacher. So, where are these false assumptions coming from, and why are so many being deceived into believing them?
Mary Magdalene may be an easy target, so let's take a look at what scripture says about her from Luke 8:1-3 (NIV).
After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.
What does the Bible say about Mary of Bethany from John 11:1-2 (NIV):
Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.
Let's take a look at the story of Daughter from Luke 8:42-48 (NIV):
As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped.
“Who touched me?” Jesus asked.
When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.”
But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.”
Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.”
After reading The Other Disciples, I discovered a very different version of the stories from what I had been told. I read about the true identity of these devoted first-century women who followed Jesus. I found out how Jesus treated them with respect and dignity and gave them value. I learned that women have a far greater calling than we give them credit for. Even from the very beginning, in the Garden of Eden, God created Eve to be a helpmate (ezer kenegdo) to Adam.
Now the Lord God said, “It is not good (beneficial) for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper [one who balances him—a counterpart who is] suitable and complementary for him.”
-Genesis 2:18 (AMP)
The Hebrew phrase used for helper is ezer kenegdo,[1] which means warrior; strong help; man's perfect match. It's a picture of two equal-weight parts leaning against one another.
I love how John & Stasi Eldredge describe Eve in the Wild At Heart Podcast. She is the completion of Adam and God's masterpiece. Listen to the 2-minute conversation here…
The Crown of Creation | Wild At Heart[2]
Having read these scriptures and with a much better understanding of the context of how God created women, and how Jesus treated them, I am compelled to repentance. I have many times followed the culture and the worldview that women are for my pleasure, to lust after, to give birth, to raise children, and to keep a clean house. At times in my life, I have forfeited how God designed me and, in my role as a man, instead choosing to pursue whether or not a woman has validated me or made me feel a certain way. Stemming from trauma due to abandonment by my mother at a very young age, I have often sought out validation through attention, affirmation, or sex. This type of behavior has led to idolatry and even addiction. Having had discussions and counseled men and led recovery groups over the past three decades, I know that I am not the only man who has had this warped perception of women. I know there are so many more who need to hear the truth and discover the fullness that God intended for us. The truth that a woman is a complement and completes or adds to the whole of the man.
For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.
-Genesis 2:24 (NASB)
Think about your current relationships. How do you feel about or treat the opposite sex? What do you think about them? Do you have relationships that need forgiveness and healing? Have you taken on unhealthy behavior or treatment of others in your relationships? What have you done to correct it? I would encourage you to spend some time in prayer today and ask God to reveal the truth to you. What does it mean to be joined together as one flesh?
The Other Disciples is an incredible resource for reshaping our worldview and correcting how we view and treat women. Each heartfelt story, along with how Jesus treats them and addresses their issues, has helped shape me to see and treat my wife and daughter differently. It has helped me have a healthy, complete view of women and how God intended them to be seen.
Who Is It For?[3]
While The Other Disciples is a great resource for women to discover their true identity, I believe it is critical for us as men to better understand our roles and responsibilities. It will provide insight into why God gave us a perfect companion, so very different from us, to help us…to complete us.
WORKS CITED
Israel Drazin, The Words Ezer Kenegdo Reveal A Proper Marriage, (MAR 19, 2026)
https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/the-words-ezer-kenegdo-reveal-a-proper-marriage/
Wild At Heart Podcast, "The Crown of Creation", (September 18, 2023)
https://wildatheart.org/daily-readings/the-crown-of-creation/.
Who Is It For? Also Called Podcast & Jun-Oh Podcast
https://ashajuneoh.substack.com
Resources
We’ve created a free downloadable PDF to explore the article deeper. It contains discussion questions about the topic in general terms that will give you a jumping-off point for beginning a conversation.
The second page contains a way to see the topic from a biblical perspective.
And finally, to go deeper into the subject, we have chosen a few curated resources to explore from other authors’ and thinkers’ research or perspectives.
Read. Engage. Enjoy!
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
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