Who was Joanna in the Bible?
Joanna was a faithful follower of Jesus Christ mentioned in the Gospel of Luke. Though little is known about her, the Bible reveals some key details about her life and character:
1. Joanna was the wife of Chuza, who was a steward in King Herod’s court (Luke 8:3). As the wife of a royal official, Joanna herself likely held a position of wealth and influence. Yet she left all this behind to follow Jesus.
2. Joanna financially supported Jesus’ ministry (Luke 8:3). Along with other women, she contributed her own resources to provide for the material needs of Jesus and his disciples as they traveled and preached the gospel. Her giving reflects her devotion to Christ.
3. Joanna witnessed Jesus’ crucifixion (Luke 23:49). She bravely stood by the cross while Jesus was mocked, beaten, and killed—even as most of his disciples fled in fear. Her courage points to her faith in Christ.
4. Joanna discovered Jesus’ empty tomb after his resurrection (Luke 24:10). She was among the myrrh-bearing women who came to Jesus’ grave on the Sunday morning after his death, only to find that he had risen from the dead. Her presence at the empty tomb indicates she believed in Jesus’ power over death.
5. Joanna was present with the disciples after Jesus’ ascension (Acts 1:14). Along with Jesus’ mother and brothers, she devoted herself to prayer as the early church awaited the promised Holy Spirit. Her unity with the other believers shows her commitment to the faith.
In summary, though Joanna occupies only a minor role in the biblical story, her actions reveal a woman of keen spiritual perception, selfless service, and steadfast devotion. She gave up a life of affluence to follow the Lord. She supported the Son of God with her own means. She risked her safety and reputation to watch her Savior die. She clung to the hope of resurrection on that first Easter morning. And she remained in step with Jesus’ disciples after his ascension.
Joanna models what it means to be a true follower of Christ across time, culture, and gender. Her brief mentions in Scripture offer vivid glimpses of faith, courage, generosity, and perseverance even in the face of persecution and sorrow. Though she held no leadership position or teaching role, she contributed mightily to the advance of God’s kingdom through her support of Jesus.
Joanna’s story offers encouragement for all believers, especially women, who likewise devote their lives to furthering Christ’s mission in quiet, behind-the-scenes ways. Though the world may overlook them, their self-sacrifice and service does not go unnoticed by the Lord. He sees each person’s contribution, great or small. And in his eternal kingdom, he promises to reward those who give up everything to follow him (Luke 18:29-30).
So in the end, who was Joanna? A courageous, big-hearted woman of faith. A disciple worthy of honor for her integral part in the gospel story. A reminder that all believers, whether prominent leaders or unknown supporters, are equally precious in God’s sight when they walk in obedience to Jesus Christ.
Luke 8:3 ESV — and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s household manager, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their means.
Luke 23:49 ESV — And all his acquaintances and the women who had followed him from Galilee stood at a distance watching these things.
Luke 24:10 ESV — Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles,
Acts 1:14 ESV — All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.
Joanna’s Identity:
Joanna was the wife of Chuza, who held an important role in King Herod Antipas’ court. As Chuza’s wife, Joanna likely also held a high social position and adequate financial means. Yet she chose to leave this life of affluence behind in order to follow Jesus.
Joanna’s story reminds us that following Christ requires sacrifice. Just as Jesus called his first disciples to leave their careers as fishermen to come after him (Luke 5:11), so Joanna was willing to give up status and security to become his disciple. Her example challenges all believers not to let possessions, position, or comfort prevent wholehearted obedience to God’s call. Joanna valued her relationship with Jesus above all else.
Joanna’s Financial Support:
Joanna contributed her own resources to provide for Jesus and his disciples during his earthly ministry. Her financial backing enabled Jesus to devote himself fully to preaching, teaching, and healing those in need.
Joanna’s giving reflects the biblical principle that all good things ultimately come from God, who is Provider of every blessing (James 1:17). When believers generously share their material resources with God’s work on earth, as Joanna did, they store up eternal rewards in heaven (Matthew 6:19-21).
Joanna’s courageous generosity in supporting Jesus’ ministry sets an example for Christians today. Our time, talents, and treasures should be freely invested in advancing the Lord’s kingdom work, trusting that God will supply all our needs according to his riches (Philippians 4:19).
Joanna at the Cross:
Joanna displayed remarkable devotion as she watched Jesus’ crucifixion from a distance. The brutal public execution of Jesus seemed like the end of hope for his followers. Yet Luke specifically mentions Joanna as being present at the cross, even as most of Jesus’ disciples had abandoned him (Luke 23:49).
Despite the danger and despair of that day, Joanna did not flee. She refused to deny the Lord she had followed over miles of Judean landscape. Her courageous loyalty echoes Peter’s insistence that even if all others fall away, “I will not” (Mark 14:29).
Joanna could have left quietly, retaining her dignity and social standing. But she chose to identify with the rejected Messiah—a convict falsely condemned to a criminal’s death. Just as Mary Magdalene stood weeping before the cross, so Joanna watched in grief as Jesus suffered (John 19:25). Their steadfast faith under pressure puts to shame the cowardice of the disciples who fled to preserve their own lives.
Joanna at the Empty Tomb:
Joanna is named as one of the women who discovered Jesus’ empty tomb after his resurrection. She and the other myrrh-bearing women came early Sunday morning to anoint Jesus’ body, only to find the stone rolled away and the grave clothes neatly folded (Luke 24:1-3). Joanna and her companions promptly reported the astonishing news to the eleven disciples (Luke 24:9-10).
The fact that Joanna went to the tomb after Jesus’ crucifixion shows she still clung to hope beyond reason. Like Peter and John who raced to investigate the women’s report, Joanna longed for the resurrection to be true, even when it seemed impossible. When the risen Jesus appeared to her and the other women, asking them to tell his disciples he would meet them in Galilee, Joanna’s flicker of faith blazed into joyful conviction (Matthew 28:5-10).
Joanna’s eager embrace of the resurrection, despite all evidence to the contrary, challenges believers today to hold fast to biblical truth regardless of surrounding circumstances or culture. Things are not always as they seem. What the world says is impossible, God can make a reality.
Joanna Among the Believers:
Joanna continued among Jesus’ followers even after his ascension, joining the other disciples to devote herself to prayer (Acts 1:12-14). Her unity with the other believers launched the growth of the early church after Pentecost.
Joanna’s faithfulness in gathering with Jesus’ “family” of disciples after his departure shows she possessed the kind of stalwart commitment Jesus requires from anyone who would follow him:
“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:26)
Though Joanna was wife to an important man, she prioritized devotion to her Lord beyond all earthly ties. Forsaking status, security, and family bonds, she courageously aligned herself with a persecuted minority clinging to the promise that Jesus’ kingdom was not of this world.
Joanna: A Model Disciple
Considering the few details Scripture provides about Joanna, we can draw some conclusions regarding her admirable character as a disciple of Christ:
Humility – She gave up a position of prestige to follow Jesus.
Self-sacrifice – She supported Jesus’ work from her own means.
Courage – She risked her life witnessing Jesus’ crucifixion.
Perseverance – She braved danger and sorrow to serve Jesus’ body.
Hope – She anticipated resurrection on that first Easter morning.
Loyalty – She gathered with Jesus’ disciples until the coming of the Spirit.
Though Joanna receives little direct attention in the biblical text, her exemplary actions paint a vivid portrait of authentic faith in action. In her service, generosity, courage under fire, and consistent devotion to her Lord, Joanna models what it means to follow Jesus with boldness, joy, and an unshakeable confidence in God’s faithfulness.
Relevance for Women
Joanna’s story holds particular relevance for women seeking examples of godly femininity in Scripture. She stands out as one of the few faithful women followers of Jesus named in the New Testament narrative.
In a time and culture where women held little authority or status apart from their husbands, Joanna forged her own identity as a disciple of Jesus. She gave freely of her resources to advance the gospel, disregarding traditional gender roles. Her courageous presence at the cross and empty tomb, while most of Jesus’ male disciples hid in fear, further shows her boldness.
Joanna aligned herself fully with Jesus’ band of unlikely followers, both women and men. Her partnership with Mary Magdalene, Susanna, Mary the mother of James, and others (Luke 8:1-3) provided mutual support as they encountered skepticism for ministering publicly alongside Jesus. Joanna’s devotion reflects a fervent love for her Messiah that overcame all earthly limitations.
For Christian women in any generation who likewise feel sidelined or silenced in proclaiming the gospel, Joanna stands as a shining example of quiet strength, dignity, and resolute commitment to Christ. Though the Bible contains few named narratives of women, the stories it does preserve—like Joanna’s—offer profound inspiration. They serve as subtle but forceful reminders that women’s voices and women’s work have always advanced God’s kingdom, and always will.
Biblical Women: Hidden Contributors
Joanna’s veiled story prompts reflection on how many other unnamed women may have played vital supporting roles in the background of the biblical narrative.
Consider the woman who housed the prophet Elisha, welcoming him into her home though she was a widow in the midst of famine (2 Kings 4:8-10). Or the despondent young Israelite slave girl whose bold and compassionate testimony led her captor Naaman to be healed of leprosy (2 Kings 5:2-3).
In the New Testament, think of the Samaritan woman Jesus met at the well, who ran to tell her neighbors that she had found the Messiah (John 4:28-30, 39). And what of Phebe, the early church’s patron, who delivered the Book of Romans to the Christians in Rome? (Romans 16:1-2)
Scripture contains many briefly mentioned, often unnamed women whose actions and contributions advanced God’s purposes. They sheltered the men of God. They spoke messages of truth. They supported fledgling churches. They raised the next generation in the faith.
For every Ruth, Esther, Mary, and Martha whose stories we know well, there are a hundred others whose lives and labors fueled the kingdom’s growth from behind the scenes. Like Joanna, they may not have held positions of prominence—yet God used them mightily nonetheless. The whole biblical drama could not have unfolded without such women’s quiet devotion in the supporting roles.
Their important place in God’s sovereign plan brings honor to daughters of faith in every age. Though the world overlooks their significance, the Lord notices each woman’s loving service to his body and counts her indispensable (1 Corinthians 12:12-26). However humble her occupation and obscure her name, a woman who walks faithfully with Christ links arms with a great cloud of untold witnesses who have answered God’s call throughout the generations (Hebrews 12:1).
Called to Follow Christ
The stories of biblical women like Joanna encourage modern believers to live out their unique callings with boldness. God uses each of his children, regardless of gender, age, or background, when they make themselves available to him.
Joanna gave no thought to fame or recognition when she chose to align her life wholly with Christ’s purposes. She simply used her resources, abilities, and opportunities—as limited as they likely were in the 1st century patriarchal context—to serve God as fully as she could.
The Lord will work similarly through any who offer themselves readily for his use. As Paul wrote, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:1-2)
No matter one’s gender, age, background, or sphere of influence, the Lord has purpose for every life submitted daily to him. Joanna’s humble but crucial part in the gospel story encourages each believer to declare along with Mary when she learned she would bear the Christ child, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38)
The faithful service of Joanna and all the lesser known biblical women stand as shining reminders that God will work powerfully through anyone willing to trust in him completely, to the glory of Christ in his eternal kingdom.