Luke 8:3

Luke 8:3

And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance.

a. NLT: Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s business manager; Susanna; and many others who were contributing from their own resources to support Jesus and his disciples.

b. NIV: 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.

c. YLT: and Joanna wife of Chuza, steward of Herod, and Susanna, and many others, who were ministering to him from their substance.

d. Amplified Bible: And Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s household manager; and Susanna; and many others, who ministered to and provided for ^[a]Him and them out of their property and personal belongings.

e. Worrell Translation: and Joanna wife of Chuzas Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others, who were ministering to them of their substance.

1. “And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod's steward…”

a. and [2532 * kai] [Strong: apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

b. Joanna [2489 * Ioanna] [Strong: feminine of the same as 2491; Joanna, a Christian:--Joanna.]

c. the wife [1135 * gune] [Strong: probably from the base of 1096; a woman; specially, a wife:--wife, woman.]

d. of Chuzas [5529 * Chouzas] [Strong: of uncertain origin; Chuzas, an officer of Herod:--Chuza.]

e. Herod [2264 * Herodes] [Strong: compound of heros (a "hero") and 1491; heroic; Herod, the name of four Jewish kings:--Herod.]

1). Albert Barnes Commentary: Herod Antipas, who reigned in Galilee. He was a son of Herod the Great.

f. steward [2012 * epitropos] [Strong: from 1909 and 5158 (in the sense of 2011); a commissioner, i.e. domestic manager, guardian:--steward, tutor.]

1). Albert Barnes Commentary: The word "steward" means one who has charge of the domestic affairs of a family, to provide for it. This office was generally held by a "slave" who was esteemed the most faithful, and was often conferred as a reward of fidelity.

2). Adam Clarke Commentary: Though the original word, επιτροπος, signifies sometimes the inspector or overseer of a province, and sometimes a tutor of children, yet here it seems to signify the overseer of Herod's domestic affairs: the steward of his household.

2. “…and Susanna, and many others…”

a. and [2532 * kai] [Strong: apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

b. Susanna [4677 * Sousanna] [Strong: of Hebrew origin (7799 feminine); lily; Susannah (i.e. Shoshannah), an Israelitess:--Susanna.]

c. and [2532 * kai] See “and” above.

d. many [4183 * polus] [Strong: including the forms from the alternate pollos; (singular) much (in any respect) or (plural) many; neuter (singular) as adverbial, largely; neuter (plural) as adverb or noun often, mostly, largely:--abundant, + altogether, common, + far (passed, spent), (+ be of a) great (age, deal, -ly, while), long, many, much, oft(-en (-times)), plenteous, sore, straitly.]

e. others [2087 * heteros] [Strong: of uncertain affinity; (an-, the) other or different:--altered, else, next (day), one, (an-)other, some, strange.]

1). In this verse it speaks of Joanna, Susanna and many other women who had been delivered of evil spirits and healed of infirmities, who out of gratitude toward Jesus, “ministered unto him of their substance”. As the Scriptures below reveal, these women followed the ministry team wherever they went.

a). Luke 23:49  And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things.

b). Matthew 27:55, 56 And many women were there beholding afar off, which followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him:

27:56 Among which was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedees children.

3. “…which ministered unto him of their substance.”

a. which [3748 * hostis] [Strong: including the feminine hetis hay'-tis, and the neuter ho,ti hot'-ee from 3739 and 5100; which some, i.e. any that; also (definite) which same:--X and (they), (such) as, (they) that, in that they, what(-soever), whereas ye, (they) which, who(-soever).]

b. ministered [1247 * diakoneo][Thayer: to be a servant, attendant, domestic, to serve, wait upon, to minister to one, render ministering offices to, to be served, ministered unto, to wait at a table and offer food and drink to the guests, of women preparing food, to minister i.e. supply food and necessities of life.]

c. unto him [846 * autos] [Strong: from the particle au (perhaps akin to the base of 109 through the idea of a baffling wind) (backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative 1438) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons:--her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which.]

d. of [575 * apo] [Strong: a primary particle; "off," i.e. away (from something near), in various senses (of place, time, or relation; literal or figurative):--(X here-)after, ago, at, because of, before, by (the space of), for(-th), from, in, (out) of, off, (up-)on(-ce), since, with. In composition (as a prefix) it usually denotes separation, departure, cessation, completion, reversal, etc.]

e. their [846 * autos] See “unto him” above.

f. substance [5224 * huparchonta] [Strong: neuter plural of present participle active of 5225 as noun; things extant or in hand, i.e. property or possessions:--goods, that which one has, things which (one) possesseth, substance, that hast.] [Thayer: possessions, goods, wealth, property.]

1). These women, among many others helped finance Jesus ministry. What is not mentioned is this was above their tithe. We can surmise this from the following reasons. Jesus was a minister of the circumcision, he ministered under the Old Covenant.

a). Romans 15:8 Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:

(1)  Jesus taught tithing Matthew 23:23; if Jesus would have accepted their tithe he would have advocated robbing from his Father, Malachi 3:8-10.

(2) The followers of Jesus kept the law, which included tithing, this is evident from Luke 23:55, 56, where they postponed completing the burial of Jesus in order to keep the Sabbath.