The women who funded Jesus's ministry

Luke lists them by name. Mary called Magdalene... Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod's household manager, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their means. Jesus's itinerant ministry was funded by women.

Luke 8:1–3 lists three named women — and refers to many more — who traveled with Jesus and the Twelve and financially supported the whole ministry ek tōn hyparchontōn autais, "out of their own resources." Joanna's husband was Herod Antipas's palace steward; she was a woman of considerable means. The same women turn up again at the crucifixion (Luke 23:49, 55) and at the empty tomb (Luke 24:10). In an economy where women rarely had independent control of wealth, a substantial portion of the movement's income came from female disciples.