Matthew 27:55

Matthew 27:55

And many women were there beholding afar off, which followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him:

a. NLT: And many women who had come from Galilee with Jesus to care for him were watching from a distance.

b. NIV: Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs.

c. YLT: And there were there many women beholding from afar, who did follow Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him,

d. Amplified Bible:  There were also numerous women there, looking on from a distance, who were of those who had accompanied Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him.

e. Worrell Translation: And many women were there, beholding from afar, who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him;

1. “And many women were there beholding afar off…”

a. and [1161 * de] [Strong: a primary particle (adversative or continuative); but, and, etc.:--also, and, but, moreover, now (often unexpressed in English).]

b. 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.]

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

d. were [2258 * en] [Strong: imperfect of 1510; I (thou, etc.) was (wast or were):--+ agree, be, X have (+ charge of), hold, use, was(-t), were.]

e. there [1563 * ekei] [Strong: of uncertain affinity; there; by extension, thither:--there, thither(-ward), (to) yonder (place).]

f. beholding [2334 * theoreo] [Strong: from a derivative of 2300 (perhaps by addition of 3708); to be a spectator of, i.e. discern, (literally, figuratively (experience) or intensively (acknowledge)):--behold, consider, look on, perceive, see.]

g. afar off [Compound Greek word; 575 apo & 3113 makrothen]] [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.]

1). [3113 * makrothen] [Strong:  adverb from 3117; from a distance or afar:--afar off, from far.

2). The reason for the women beholding afar off is because Jesus was naked.

2. “…which followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him:”

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. followed [190 * akoloutheo] [Strong: from 1 (as a particle of union) and keleuthos (a road); properly, to be in the same way with, i.e. to accompany (specially, as a disciple):--follow, reach.]

c. Jesus [2424 * Iesous] [Strong: of Hebrew origin (3091); Jesus (i.e. Jehoshua), the name of our Lord and two (three) other Israelites:--Jesus.]

d. from [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. Galilee [1056 * Galilaia] [Strong: of Hebrew origin (1551); Galiloea (i.e. the heathen circle), a region of Palestine:--Galilee.]

f. ministering [1247 * diakoneo] [Strong: from 1249; to be an attendant, i.e. wait upon (menially or as a host, friend, or (figuratively) teacher); technically, to act as a Christian deacon:--(ad-)minister (unto), serve, use the office of a deacon.]

g. 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.]

1). There were women who traveled with Jesus and the disciples and ministered to them.

a). Luke 8:2, 3  And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils,

8:3 And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance.

b). Matthew 27:56 Among which was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's children.

2). The ministry of Jesus was financed by others such as these women. It cost money to travel around Galilee and down into Jerusalem ministering the gospel and these people and other like them gave to Jesus ministry to finance it. The money that came in was taken care of by a treasurer by the name of Judas Iscariot.

a). John 13:29 For some of them thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of against the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor.