by Dee Ann Loving-Tackitt

So they hurried away from the tomb in fear and great joy, and ran to tell His disciples. Suddenly, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” They came to Him, grasped His feet, and worshipped Him. “Do not be afraid,” said Jesus. “Go and tell My brothers to go to Galilee. There they will see Me.” Matthew 28:8-10( BSB)

At its heart, the story of Jesus is a story of transformation—of individuals, communities, and the world. Yet one of the most countercultural transformations in the Gospels is the central role given to women as witnesses, recipients of healing, and agents of God’s work. A closer look at both the New and Old Testaments reveals compelling patterns: women are not only present but integral to the biblical narrative, often acting with initiative and courage, even when culture discounted their testimony and agency.

All four Gospels record that women were the first witnesses of the resurrection. Mary Magdalene is named as the first to see the risen Lord, earning her the title “apostle to the apostles.” This historical detail is striking: in a world where women’s testimony was not legally admissible, the Gospel writers nevertheless present women as the primary witnesses to Christianity’s central event. The most plausible reason for this? Because it happened that way.

Jesus’ post-resurrection appearances to groups of women, and the inclusion of women as witnesses in various locations and at different times, speak volumes. Despite the cultural script that declared women’s words inadmissible, the Gospels value historical truth over social credibility.

Jesus’ interactions with women in the Gospels heal to restore, bless to affirm, and send to witness and serve. The woman with the issue of blood was excluded from society for twelve years. Yet she was healed and restored to her community, and Jesus did not allow her healing to remain private. This public blessing restored her dignity and status (Luke 8). Jesus repeatedly blessed women publicly, which affirmed their faith and value. Jesus told the sinful woman who anointed him, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” Even those on the social margins, like the Samaritan woman at the well or the widow and prophetess Anna, received Jesus’ affirmation and were given a voice in the Gospel story.

The pattern extends to commissioning. Healed women often became witnesses and supporters of Jesus’ ministry. After liberation from seven demons, Mary Magdalene helped support Jesus and his disciples. At the resurrection, women were sent to tell the disciples what they had seen—an act of commissioning that confers agency and responsibility.

Yet the inclusion of women as witnesses met skepticism, especially from the male disciples. The Gospels record the Eleven initially rejecting the women’s report of the resurrection (Luke 24:11). In the Jewish world of the time, women could not testify in court; their words were considered unreliable. Rabbinic tradition and writers like Josephus even claimed women were “not qualified” to bear witness, citing “levity and boldness” of their sex.

The Gospel writers do not gloss over this tension. Jesus himself rebukes the disciples for not believing the women’s testimony. In this way, the Gospel underscores the reliability and importance of the women’s witness, even when it was inconvenient or countercultural.

As a Christian woman, empowered by the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8), I seek to witness for Christ. By letting my light shine before others (Matthew 5:16), encouraging believers (Colossians 3:16), using the gifts God has given me (1 Peter 4:10), and following the example of women such as Priscilla, who helped teach others in the faith (Acts 18:26), Shalom.