The following article is part of the "Biblical Obscurities" blog series by Mike Velthouse, author of Journey Through the Psalms. For years, Mike has been writing articles for his church's monthly newsletter on a number of "obscurities" within the Bible. We will be reprinting many of those articles in the next few months here on the RFPA blog. Join our email list here to receive a notification in your inbox for new additions to this blog series!

Who is your favorite female character in the Bible? Is it someone who did something exciting, like Deborah, who took over for the weak Barak and led Israel to a great victory in battle over the army of Sisera (Judges 4)? Or is it Esther, who rose to become queen in Persia and bravely saved the Jews from wicked Haman's plan to kill them all?

How many of you would choose someone who was only mentioned a couple of times in the Bible by name, but who dedicated her time to serving her Lord? Let's meet Joanna, one such woman who offers a great example of a life of service.

Luke first introduces us to Joanna in chapter 8 of his gospel. She is one of several women healed by Jesus either from a disease or demon possession. We don't know which sickness she had. Still, this miracle of healing became a turning point in her life.

Joanna lived in a pagan world. She was married to a man named Chuza, a steward to the wicked ruler of Galilee, Herod Antipas. Chuza's position would be comparable to that of a chief financial officer in a modern business. He dealt with Herod's money, filling a position of prestige, wealth, property, and influence.

In this wicked environment, the gospel of Christ miraculously found root. In Mark 6:20, we read that John the Baptist had access to Herod Antipas, who "heard him gladly." It's likely that Joanna first heard of Jesus through John's visits to Herod's palace to warn Herod about the consequences of his wicked marriage to Herodias. Do you remember John's message? There would come someone mightier than he [John]: the Lamb of God, who would take away the sin of the world. This message must have swirled through the palace and planted a seed of faith in Joanna's heart. Through that, she became a light in a dark place. 

God nurtured this seed of faith, so that Joanna didn't seek healing from the palace doctors when she became ill. Instead, she asked for Jesus’ location and then went out and found Him. We don't know where this miracle occurred, but we know that her life changed forever as she afterwards became a follower of Jesus. From then on, she and several woman like her, including Mary Magdalene and Suzanna, "ministered unto [Jesus] of their substance" (Luke 8:3).

Think about what she gave up by following Christ: a life inside Herod's palace, an unlimited bank account, and a position of influence and privilege in a rich person's world. She traded all that for faith, courage, dedication, and stewardship. Her love for Christ far exceeded any fear of punishment from Herod or, more likely, from Herodias, who later had John the Baptist killed.

Joanna and the other women of Luke 8:3 provided basic necessities for Christ and his disciples. These women ensured the disciples had food, shelter, and hospitality in whatever areas they traveled to. The women made meals, arranged housing, and even mended clothes. All these activities took time and money to accomplish, and Joanna would have had the "substance" to pay for much of this.

Think of what Joanna experienced firsthand in exchange for her service: Jesus' miracles and teachings!

Joanna displayed loyalty to Christ to the end. No doubt she stood at the cross with the other women, looking up at their crucified Lord. Oh, the thoughts that must have been going through her mind: both of love and confusion! Still, she didn't leave. We read later of the women from Galilee, including Joanna, who went to the tomb early Sunday morning to care for Jesus' body and apply the spices they had prepared for his burial.

Imagine that. No disciples were yet at the tomb, just these loyal female friends.

To whom did Jesus appear first after his resurrection? Not to his disciples, but to Joanna and the other women. For "He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him" (Hebrews 11:6). The Spirit records the event of Jesus' first post-resurrection appearance for the church of all ages to see.

Joanna's story continues. Fifty days later, Acts 1 tells us that the disciples were gathered in an upper room "with the women" when Christ poured his Spirit on the church, that day we call Pentecost. No doubt the women Luke tells us about at Jesus' grave are the same women of whom he speaks here.

Is that the last we read about Joanna? Possibly, but maybe not.

The apostle Paul closes his epistle to the Romans in chapter 16 with a long list of people he commends and salutes for their labors in the Lord. In verse 7, we read of his salute to a woman and fellow prisoner named Junia. Joanna is a Hebrew name. What do you think is the Latin version of Joanna, in the language of the Romans? That's right: Junia.

Did Joanna continue her life of service with the apostles after Christ's death? It's certainly possible. She knew the apostles and would have continued serving the Lord through them, even in the face of prison or death. But we'll have to leave that to speculation for now.

No doubt you will recognize Joanna on your next encounter with her as you read the Scriptures. Hopefully, she won't be such an obscure character to you. Maybe now she even makes your list of favorite female characters of the Bible. But although we can look to Joanna as an inspiring example of how to serve the Lord and his church with dedication and time, remember that she would seek first to point us to Christ, the most excellent example for us. "For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45).

Like what you've read? Click the image below to read more from author Mike Velthouse in the thirty-day devotional Journey Through the Psalms, available now on rfpa.org and in Christian bookstores near you!