FALLIBLE FOLLOWERS:

WOMEN AND KlEN IN THE GOSPEL OF MARK

Elizabeth Struthers Malbon

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University1

ABSTRACT

Literary analysis of the Gospel of Mark reveals that the

Markan portrait of the followers of Jesus is both complex and
composite: complex in portraying both the success and the falli-
bility of followers; composite in including not only the twelve
disciples but also the crowd, certain exceptional individuals like
Bartimaeus and Jairus, and women. This study focuses on two
questions concerning the latter group: t l ) how do the women
characters shed light on what it means to follow Jesus?, and
^2) why are women characters especially appropriate for the role
of illuminating followership? Attention is given especially to the
hemorrhaging woman and the Syrophoenician woman, the poor
widow and the anointing woman, and the women present at the
cross and the tomb. It is concluded that by providing a complex
and composite image of followers—fallible followers, women and
men—the author of the Markan gospel is able to communicate
clearly and powerfully to the reader a twofold message: anyone
can be a follower, no one finds it easy.

Discipleship—that is, following Jesus—has been recognized as a cen-

tral theme or motif in the Gospel of Mark. Understandably enough, the
portrayal of the disciples in Mark has often been the focus of scholarly
investigation of the theme of discipleship. Ernest Best's study, Following
Jesus: Discipleship in the Gospel of Mark,2 serves as an excellent exam-
ple. Best also exemplifies a certain over-schematization of the Markan

1
I am pleased to acknowledge the support of the Center for Programs in the Humani-
ties at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University for research conducted during
Summer 1982 and reflected here.
2
JSNTSS 4; Sheffield: JSOT Press, 1981. See also "The Role of the Disciples in Mark,"
NTS 23 (1977) 377-401, and "Mark's Use of the Twelve," ZNW 69 (1978) 11-35.
30 Semeia

relation of disciples and discipleship. "If a writer wishes to talk about

discipleship using men as examples," proposes Best, "there are two obvi-
ous approaches."
He may either set forward a series of examples of good disciple-
ship with the implication that these examples should be followed
(so Daniel 1-6, 2 Maccabees, 4 Maccabees) or he may instruct
through the failures of his examples (so many of the stories about
the patriarchs and David) Mark chose the latter course 3
I agree with Best, against Weeden, 4 that the "failure" of the disciples
contributes to a characterization of discipleship rather than to a polemic
against the historical opponents of the author of Mark's gospel. Yet I
disagree with Best on two important points. I affirm that: (1) what Mark
has to say about discipleship is understood not only from the failure of
the disciples but also from their success, and especially from the tension
between their success and failure; and (2) what Mark has to say about
discipleship is understood in reference not only to the disciples but also
to other Markan characters who meet the demands of following Jesus.
Followers and followership might be better keys to our investigation
than disciples and discipleship.

Fallible Followers
Certainly the disciples are chief among the followers of the Markan
Jesus. And, equally certainly, the disciples are fallible followers. The
reason for this portrayal is to be sought in the author's approach to the
reader, as both Robert Tannehill and Joanna Dewey have persuasively
argued According to Tannehill:
a reader will identify most easily and immediately with characters
who seem to share the reader's situation [The author] com-
posed his story so as to make use of this initial tendency to identify
with the disciples in order to speak indirectly to the reader through
the disciples' story In doing so, he first reinforces the positive view
of the disciples which he anticipates from his readers, thus strength-
ening the tendency to identify with them Then he reveals the
inadequacy of the disciples' response to Jesus [which] requires
the reader to distance himself from them and their behavior But
something of the initial identification remains, for there are
similarities between the problems of the disciples and problems
which the first readers faced This tension between identification
and repulsion can lead the sensitive reader beyond a naively
3
Following Jesus, 12 But see Best (Following Jesus, 205-6) on the role of "the
Twelve," according to Best, a group to be distinguished from the disciples
4
Theodore J Weeden, "The Heresy that Necessitated Mark's Gospel," ZNW 59 (1968)
145-58, Mark—Traditions in Conflict (Philadelphia Fortress, 1971)
 Malbon: Fallible Followers 31

positive view of himself to self-criticism and repentance. The

composition of Mark strongly suggests that the author, by the way
in which he tells the disciples' story, intended to awaken his readers
to their failures as disciples and call them to repentance.5
Dewey adds to this view by noting that the implied reader identifies
both with the disciples and with Jesus: the implied reader's situation is
that of the disciples, but his or her values are those of Jesus; "both the
disciples and the implied reader are to live according to the behavior
demanded by Jesus."6 The ups and downs of the Markan disciples, then,
suggest the demands of discipleship. Followership is not easy.
Nor is followership exclusive. The disciples are not the only Markan
characters who follow Jesus. Throughout the narrative, exceptional indi-
viduals believe in Jesus (Jairus, 5:22-24a,35-43), follow Jesus (Bartimaeus,
10:46-52), agree with Jesus (one of the scribes, 12:28-34), recognize Jesus
(centurion, 15:39), honor Jesus (Joseph of Arimathea, 15:42-46)—and thus
exemplify to the reader, in at least one special action, what following Jesus
entails.7 In his response to Jesus, the centurion is the exceptional soldier,
Jairus the exceptional synagogue ruler, Joseph the exceptional council
member, and the scribe who is "not far from the kingdom of God" (12:34;
contrast 12:38-40) the exceptional scribe. Perhaps Bartimaeus, whose only
group membership seems to be the crowd, is less exceptional in this sense.
The crowd, I have argued elsewhere,8 is portrayed in the Gospel of
Mark—as the disciples are portrayed—in both positive and negative
ways in relation to Jesus; and the crowd serves to complement the disci-
ples in a composite portrait of the followers of Jesus. Jesus calls to him-
self both the disciples and the crowd (disciples: 1:16-20; 3:13-19; 6:7;
8:1,34; 9:35; 10:42; 12:43; crowd: 7:14; 8:34). And both the disciples and
the crowd follow Jesus (disciples: 1:18,20; 6:1; 10:28; crowd: 2:15; 3:7;
5:24; 10:32?; 11:9). Jesus teaches and feeds both the disciples and the
crowd (teaching disciples: esp. 8:31; 9:31; teaching crowd: esp. 2:13; 4:1-
2; 6:34; 10:1; feeding disciples: 14:22-25; feeding crowd: 6:39,41,42;
8:2,6)—and also heals the crowd (esp. 1:33-34; 3:10; 6:56). And both the
disciples and the crowd are amazed or astonished at Jesus (disciples:
4:41; 6:50,51; 9:6,32; 10:24,26,32; crowd: 1:22,27; 2:12; 5:15,20; 6:2; 7:37;

5
"The Disciples in Mark: The Function of a Narrative Role," JR 57 (1977) 392-93.
6
"Point of View and the Disciples in Mark," 1982 Seminar Papers (SBLASP 18; Society
of Biblical Literature, 1982) 103.
7
Tannehill also makes note of characters such as these in relation to Jesus and the disci-
ples, but in Tannehill's interpretation these characters "replace the disciples in the roles
which they fail to fill"; they "point the way which contrasts with the disciples' failure"
(405).
8
"Disciples/Crowds/Whoever: A Markan Narrative Pattern" (paper circulated for the
Literary Aspects of the Gospels and Acts Group of the SBL, 1982). The citations given
below are but a partial listing of the references discussed in "Disciples/Crowds/Whoever."
32 Semeia

9:15; 10:32?; 11:18). Again and again the crowd comes to Jesus, time
after time the disciples go with Jesus. Jesus spends more time with the
disciples and asks more assistance from them—in teaching (3:14; 6:12,
30), healing (3:15; 6:7,13), feeding (6:41; 8:6), and other tasks (1:17;
3:9,14-15; 6:7,37,41,45; 8:6; 11:1; 14:13,32,33-41). Yet the crowd crowds
Jesus (2:4; 3:9,20; 6:31), and the disciples misunderstand discipleship
(e.g., 9:33-37,38-41; 10:35-45). Although both the disciples and the
crowd find themselves in opposition to Jewish leaders because they fol-
low Jesus (disciples: 2:15-17,18,23-27; 7:1-13; 8:15; 9:14; crowd: 11:18,
32; 12:12; 14:2), in the end both abandon Jesus, who must then face the
opposition of Jewish leaders alone (disciples: 14:10,43,50, 66-72; crowd:
14:43,56?; 15:8,11,15). Both the disciples and the crowd are fallible
followers.
The Gospel of Mark is not an allegory in which a group of characters in
the story may be equated with a group of persons beyond the narrative.
The disciples are equivalent to neither Mark's supposed opponents nor
Mark's imagined readers. The Gospel of Mark, however, is metaphoric and
imagistic, and the disciples and the crowd—especially taken together—do
evoke a composite image of the followers, the fallible followers, of Jesus.
Were only the disciples depicted as followers, the demands of discipleship
would be clear, but discipleship might appear restrictive. Were only the
crowd depicted as followers, the outreach entailed in following Jesus would
be clear, but followership might appear permissive. With both disciples
and the crowd depicted as fallible followers, the Markan narrative message
is plain: discipleship is both open-ended and demanding; followership is
neither exclusive nor easy.
Besides the disciples and the crowd in general and a handful of
individuals (such as Jairus, Bartimaeus, and Joseph) in particular, are
there other followers of Jesus in the Gospel of Mark? Are there other
Markan characters whose actions and whose relations to Jesus present to
the readers an image of followership? I believe the women of the
Markan gospel are just such characters.

Women as Fallible Followers

Other commentators have suggested that the women characters of
Mark are to be viewed as models of discipleship, but these suggestions
are linked with views of the overall pattern of characterization in Mark
that I find untenable. On the one hand, both Maria Schierling 9 and John

9
"Women as Leaders in the Marcan Communities," Listening 15 (1980) 250-56. See
also "Women, Cult, and Miracle Recital: Mark 5:24-34" (Ph.D. diss., Saint Louis Univer-
sity, 1980), esp. chaps. 2 and 5.
 Malbon: Fallible Followers 33

10
Schmitt posit that the women characters provide a positive model of
discipleship over against the negative model presented by the twelve
male disciples. On the other hand, Winsome Munro argues that, al­
though a strong and positive image of women as disciples is alluded to
or presupposed by the Markan text, the Markan author has suppressed
this image as much as possible—its probable historical reality posing an
11
insurmountable obstacle to its total suppression. Furthermore, Munro
suggests, the Markan author's "suppression" of a more positive image of
women as disciples parallels his negative portrayal of the disciples (and
the family of Jesus)—not as θείος avép advocates à la Weeden, but as
representatives of the Jerusalem church hierarchy à la Schreiber and
Tyson. 12 Thus, while Schierling and Schmitt and Munro disagree on
whether or not Mark evidences a positive attitude toward the women
characters, they agree that Mark depicts the disciples negatively. This
latter view, I have suggested above, is a half-truth—with all the dangers
thereof.
The entire Markan pattern of characterization is, I believe, more
complex. The disciples are not simply the "bad guys"; and the women do
not simply oppose them or parallel them. Rather, the women characters
(along with the crowd and several exceptional male characters) supple-
ment and complement the Markan portrayal of the disciples, together
forming, as it were, a composite portrait of the fallible followers of Jesus.
Thus, two questions will be central to our consideration of the women
characters in Mark: (1) how do the women characters shed light on what
it means to follow Jesus?, and (2) why are women characters especially
appropriate for the role of illuminating followership?
A quantitative analysis of the Markan women characters establishes
a useful baseline for comparing Mark with the other gospels. Winsome
Munro enumerates the female and male characters in each of the gospel
sources—"excluding genealogies, lists of authorities, undifferentiated
groups, and characters in parabolic and other teaching material"—and
concludes that Mark and John include about the same proportion of
women characters (roughly one-fourth), while "L," the material unique
to Luke, features the greatest proportion (three-eighths), and "M," the
material unique to Matthew, and "Q," the material shared by Matthew
and Luke, include the smallest—and nearly negligible—proportion. In

,()
"Women in Mark's Gospel: An Early Christian View of Woman's Role," The Bible
Today 19 (1981) 228-33.
11
"Women Disciples in Mark?," CBQ 44 (1982) 225-41.
12
Munro, 237-41. As Munro notes (238 n. 28), J. Schreiber ("Die Christologie des
Markus-evangeliums," ZTK 58 [1961] 175-83) sees the family of Jesus as the focus of the
Markan polemic, whereas J. B. Tyson ("The Blindness of the Disciples in Mark," JBL 80
[1961] 261-68) sees the focus of this polemic as Peter, James, and John, represented by the
disciples.
34 Semeia

addition, Munro notes that "more actual women appear in Markan mate-
rial than in any other source, though this is to be expected since Mark
contains more narration than any other."13
A quantitative analysis has its limits, of course; and a qualitative
analysis of the passages enumerated is more essential to our under-
standing of them in their Markan context, as Munro recognizes.14 In her
analysis Munro makes a distinction between the Markan women charac-
ters before 15:40 and those in 15:40-16:8. Although I do not agree with
Munro's conclusions, I share with her (and also with Schmitt) the desire
to investigate a possible pattern in the Markan presentation of women
characters.
Munro seems to underestimate the importance of the women charac-
ters prior to Mark 15:40, yet she is surely correct in observing that not all
references to women characters are equally significant within the Markan
narrative. Munro also correctly notes that "the anonymity and relative
invisibility of women in Mark is due in part to the androcentric bias of his
culture which viewed women only in terms of their relations to men,
usually as their mothers, wives, or daughters, except in instances of
extraordinary importance."15 I would add that those women or girls who
are visible in the Markan narrative as daughters, mothers, or mothers-in-
law seem almost incidental to it.16
The Markan Jesus heals the daughter of a Jewish father (5:22-24,
35-43),17 the daughter of a Gentile mother (7:24-30), and the mother-
in-law of a-disciple (1:30-31). The healings of females naturally suggest
that Jesus did not limit his healing power to one sex; however, the two
healed daughters contribute little else to the narrative. (The same cannot
be said, of course, of the healed daughter's mother, the Syrophoenician
woman.) Upon being healed, Simon's mother-in-law does contribute
!i
* Munro, 226. Leonard Swidler calculates not the women characters but all the passages
"that deal with one or more women, or with the feminine" (Biblical Affirmations of
Women [Philadelphia; Westminster, 1979] 224) and concludes (234) that: "Mark's gospel
has the least number of passages dealing with women of the three Synoptic Gospels (20 to
Matthew's 36 and Luke's 42) and the smallest number of verses concerning women of all
four Gospels (114 to John's 119, Matthew's 180, and Luke's 220)."
14
And, I suppose, as Swidler recognizes. Swidler's qualitative analysis, however, involves
only commenting on each Markan passage involving women or the feminine in the order
of its occurrence in the gospel, and his comments are not particularly helpful. His goal
seems to be a simple (or simplistic? see the review by Wayne A. Meeks, JBL 100 [1981]
466-67) rating: positive, ambivalent, or negative toward women.
15
Munro, 226.
16
No wives are present as characters in Mark, although Jesus discusses wives and hus-
bands on two occasions: (1) a discussion about divorce, first with Pharisees and then with
his disciples (10:2-12); and (2) a discussion with Sadducees about marriage bonds in the
resurrection (12:18-27). In both cases Jesus responds by quoting Torah. Jesus also quotes
Torah concerning mothers and fathers (7:9; 10:19).
17
The child's "father and mother" are mentioned together in 5:40.
 Malbon: Fallible Followers 35

to the narrative and to Jesus and his first four disciples—in serving
(οιηκόνςι, 1:31) them, although it is not clear at this early point in the
narrative whether her service, her ministry, shares—and foreshadows—
the theological connotations that the ministry of Mary Magdalene, Mary
the mother of James and Joses, and Salome manifests later (οίηκόνονν,
15:41).
The presence and action of Jesus' mother (and brothers) elicits not a
healing but an important saying from Jesus (3:31-35). In fact, Jesus'
mother and brothers seem to appear in the narrative—not by name (for
which see 6:3) but as "mother" and "brothers"—for the sake of saying: 18
"Whoever does the will of God is my brother, and sister, and mother"
(3:35) 1 9 It is generally argued that Jesus' mother is implicitly included
among oi τταρ^αντον at 3:21, and that—since 3:21 and 3:31-35 frame
the Beelzebul argument of Jesus and the scribes—Jesus' family is linked
with the scribes in misunderstanding Jesus.20 While this seems reason­
able in a text so fond of framing and intercalation, Jesus' mother is no
more central to the action than Jesus' brothers, and no more—or less—
fleshed out as a character. Yet the saying elicited by the presence of
Jesus' mother and brothers is central to the breakdown of status cri­
teria for followers of Jesus (family membership, selection as one of the
twelve disciples, etc.) and the insistence upon action criteria ("whoever
does ."). 21 Women characters who are more involved in the Markan
narrative than Jesus' mother continue to be involved in this shift of crite­
ria for followership.
Jesus' mother Mary provides the occasion for Jesus' designation of his
family as "whoever does the will of God." Two other Marys and Salome
(15.40) observe the occasion on which Jesus most clearly embodies doing
the will of God (see 14:36). Between the appearance of Jesus' mother at
3.31-35 and the appearance of the women at the crucifixion at 15:40-41,
two women characters are the beneficiaries of Jesus' healing power (one
for herself and one for her daughter) by virtue of their bold and active
faith; and two women characters are examples of the self-denying
service following Jesus entails. Furthermore, in each of the four cases the
woman initiates the action in a striking way; Jesus responds or observes.

18
Rudolf Bultmann, History of the Synoptic Tradition (rev ed , New York Harper &
Row, 1963) 29-30
19
Although the Markan narrative later refers to the sisters of Jesus (6 3), no sisters
appear as characters in 3 31-35 The inclusion of "sister" in the saying at 3 35 serves to
broaden its metaphorical application (cf 10 29-30)
2 0
E g , John Dominic Crossan, "Mark and the Relatives of Jesus," NovT 15 (1973) 85-
87
21
Munro's conclusion concerning 3 31-35 seems overdrawn "The question of women
among his [Jesus'] following is not only beside the point for Mark, but even something
which he perhaps seeks to avoid" (228)
36 Semeia

Bold and Faithful Women

The hemorrhaging woman emerges from the great crowd that fol­
lowed Jesus (όχλος, 5:24,27,30,31), giving evidence of the presence of
women in the crowd, a presence generally "obscured by the androcentric
nature of the language which uses masculine forms for common gen­
22
der." Yet by her emerging, the hemorrhaging woman distinguishes
herself from the other women and men of the crowd; she is bold, for her
faith is strong. The account of the hemorrhaging woman emerges from
the account of Jairus and his daughter; the woman's faith is a model for
the faith Jairus will need. In addition, the intercalated healings of
Jairus's daughter and the hemorrhaging woman (both Jews) seem paired
with the immediately prior healing of the Gerasene demoniac (a Gen­
tile). 23 All three are severe cases: the illnesses of the Gerasene and the
woman have proven intractable (5:2-5,25-26); Jairus's daughter dies
before Jesus arrives (5:35).
The healing of the hemorrhaging woman is unique in the Markan
gospel, however, in taking place solely at the woman's initiative (5:28-
29). Jesus feels his flow of power that stops her flow of blood (5:30) and
confirms what she has already experienced: "Daughter, your faith has
made you well; go in peace . . ." (5:34; cf. 10:52, to Bartimaeus). As
Schierling points out, the hemorrhaging woman has suffered as Jesus:
"Only here and in relation to Jesus is the word 'suffering' [πάσχω, 5:26;
8:31; 9.12] ever mentioned. . . . Mark recognizes the suffering of this
woman in society as similar to that which Jesus experienced before his
death." 24 Moreover, the Markan Jesus brings an end to the hemorrhag­
ing woman's physical and social suffering with no reference to ritual
"contamination" from her touch (see Lev 5:3); 25 bold faith, not bodily
purity, is a criterion of followership.
Bold faith characterizes the Syrophoenician woman as well. The
hemorrhaging woman reasoned within herself that Jesus' power was such
that touching his garments would provide healing (5:28); she proved to
be right. The Syrophoenician woman reasons with Jesus (metaphorically)
that Gentiles can be served with no loss to Jews (7:28); the Markan Jesus
decides that she too is right The healings these daring women seek are
dramatic the healing of the hemorrhaging woman is the only Markan
healing that occurs without the expressed intent of Jesus; the healing of
the Syrophoenician woman's daughter is the only Markan healing that

22
Munro, 226
23
For a list of narrative contrasts see Frank Kermode, The Genesis of Secrecy On the
Interpretation of Narrative (Cambridge Harvard University Press, 1979) 135
24
"Women as Leaders," 254
25
See Maria J (Schierling) Selvidge, "A Reaction to Oppressive Purity Regulations
Mark 5 24-34 and Leviticus," JBL, forthcoming
 Malbon: Fallible Followers 37

occurs at a distance from Jesus. And, as the intercalated healings of

Jairus's daughter and the hemorrhaging woman are paired with the
immediately preceding healing of the Gerasene demoniac, so the healing
of the Syrophoenician woman's daughter is paired with the immediately
26
succeeding healing of the deaf mute in the Decapolis. Perhaps Luke
was not the only evangelist to establish male/female pairings.
The focal point of the encounter between Jesus and the Syrophoeni­
cian woman, however, is the question of the scope of Jesus' healing
power: is it to be offered to Gentiles as well as Jews, to outsiders as well
as insiders? Although at this point in the narrative the Markan Jesus has
already healed the (Gentile) Gerasene demoniac, and although Jesus'
presence in the Gentile region of Tyre (7:24) undermines his statement
that "it is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs"
(7:27), 27 the Syrophoenician woman's clever reply to Jesus' saying is
presented as convincing him to change his mind (7:29). The Syrophoeni­
cian woman, an outsider as a Gentile and an outsider as a woman,
achieves her goal because of her "saying" (λόγος, 7:29), not because of
her faith alone or her reasoning alone, but because of her speaking up
and speaking out—because of her action.
Active faith characterizes both the Syrophoenician woman and the
hemorrhaging woman and involves them both in the life-giving power
manifest in Jesus. Active faith is a signal of followership (e.g., 11:22-24),
life-giving power a sign (e.g., 10:29-31). Self-denying service is a further
signal of followership (e.g., 8:34); a further sign is death-defying life
(e g , 8:35-37). Self-denying service characterizes both the poor widow
and the anointing woman who appear near the close of the Markan
Jesus' death-defying life.

Self-denying, Serving Women

The poor widow who gives away her last two coins does not encoun­
ter Jesus; Jesus observes her. And Jesus calls her action to the attention of
his disciples as his final act in the temple. The Markan Jesus' initial act
in the temple was the driving out of those who bought and sold there
(11:15-19), an account intercalated with the cursing and withering of
the fig tree (11:12-14,20-26). The episode of the poor widow's gift
might well be understood as an enacted parable parallel to the fig tree
incident 28 or parallel to the intercalated fig tree/temple incident as a

26
These parallel pairings are disguised by the intriguing, if somewhat problematic, out­
line of the compositional structure of 4 1-8 26 presented by Norman Petersen ("The Com­
position of Mark 4 1-8 26," HTR 73 [1980] 185-217)
27
See Paul J Achtemeier, "Toward the Isolation of Pre-Markan Miracle Catenae," JBL
89 (1970) 287
28
L Simon, "Le sou de la veuve Marc 12/41-44," ETR 44 (1969) 115-26
38 Semeia

whole. The fig tree episode introduces a series of controversies between

Jesus and Jewish religious authorities in the temple; the account of the poor
widow's gift closes the series. As the withering of the fig tree alludes to the
destruction of the temple cult and the temple itself (see chap. 13), so the
widow's gift of "her whole living" (όλον τον βίον αυτής, 12:44) alludes to
Jesus' gift of his life (see chaps. 14-15). And Jesus' death is related to the
temple's downfall (see 15:37-38).
The poor widow who gives all (12:41-44) is in striking contrast to
the scribes who take all (12:38-40), who "devour widows' houses"
(12:40), that is, their means of living. From beginning to end Jesus' min­
istry is in striking contrast to the scribes' activities and attitudes (1:22;
2:6,16; 3:22; 7:1,5; 8:31; 9:11,14; 10:33; 11:18,27; [12:28,32 refer to the
exceptional scribe]; 12:35,38; 14:1,43,53; 15:1,31). Thus Jesus is unlike the
self-centered scribes and like the self-denying widow in being one who
gives. Addison Wright's argument to the contrary seems more ingenious
than convincing. Stressing the immediate context of the account of the
widow's gift (esp. 12:40 and 13:2), Wright concludes that one must

see Jesus' attitude to the widow's gift as a downright disapproval

and not as an approbation. The story does not provide a pious
contrast to the conduct of the scribes in the preceding section (as is
the customary view); rather it provides a further illustration of the
ills of official devotion. . . . She has been taught and encouraged by
religious leaders to donate as she does, and Jesus condemns the
value system that motivates her action, and he condemns the
people who conditioned her to do it. 2 9
Wright correctly insists that we must not ignore the context of the
account of the widow's gift, yet that context includes the episode's place
in a whole series of events. As Jesus' first action in the temple, the
driving out of buyers and sellers, points to the temple's end, so Jesus'
final action in the temple, or rather his reaction to the poor widow's
action, points to his own end. Moreover, the temple's end and Jesus' end
are carefully interrelated in the Markan gospel, not only in the jux­
taposition of Jesus' death on the cross (15:37) and the rending of the
temple curtain (15:38), but also in the intercalation (admittedly in the
broadest sense) of the accounts of the passion of Jesus (chaps. 11-12,
30
chaps. 14-16) and the passion of the community (chap. 13). The crises

29
"The Widow's Mites: Praise or Lament?," CBQ 44 (1982) 262. Strangely enough, the
moralizing (and unconvincing) interpretation of 12:41-44 offered by Ernest Best (Follow­
ing Jesus, 155-56), while the very type of thing against which Wright argues, is based not
on a link back to 12:40 (widow's houses) but on "a better link forwards" to 13:2 (and chap.
13 as a whole), the very thing for which Wright argues.
3 0
The phrase "the passion of Jesus and the passion of the community" comes from John
Donahue (lectures given at the Vanderbilt Divinity School, Fall 1977). But see Norman
 Malbon: Fallible Followers 39

the community of Jesus' future followers (Mark's readers; see 13:14) will
face are to be interpreted in light of the crises Jesus does face in
Jerusalem.31
Even though the frame and middle of this large-scale intercalation
are to be interpreted together, one can skip from 12:44 to 14:1 with no
noticeable gap in the story line Chapter 13, the eschatological discourse,
is intrusive And the intrusion is framed by two stories about exemplary
women in contrast to villainous men Jesus' condemnation of the scribes'
typical actions and his commendation of the poor widow's exceptional
action immediately precede chapter 13; the accounts of the chief priests'
and scribes' plot against Jesus and the woman's anointing of Jesus imme-
diately succeed chapter 13. 32 One woman gives what little she has, two
copper coins; the other woman gives a great deal, ointment of pure nard
worth 300 denarii, but each gift represents self-denial.
It is perhaps ironic that the poor widow's gift occurs in the doomed
temple,33 it is surely ironic that the anointing of Jesus Christ, Jesus Mes-
siah, Jesus the anointed one, takes place not in the temple but in a leper's
house (14 3), and not at the hands of the high priest but at the hands of
an unnamed woman Munro considers "the seclusion of the home" sim-
ply the characteristic place of appearance of the women characters in

Perrin, The New Testament An Introduction (New York Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich,
1974) 148, 159 The positions of Perrin and Donahue represent developments, based on
more detailed literary analysis, of the more historically oriented positions of Etienne
Trocmé and Rudolf Pesch My designation of 11-12/13/14-16 as an intercalation is in
line with the literary analysis of Perrin and Donahue and does not judge the issue of the
historical creation of the Gospel of Mark Kermode also recognizes chapter 13 as "the
largest of his [Mark's] intercalations," but in Kermode's view the insertion is not between
11-12 and 14-16 but between 1-12, Jesus' ministry, and 14-16, Jesus' passion (The Gene-
sis of Secrecy, 127-28)
31
See also Tannehill, 404, and R H Lightfoot, The Gospel Message of St Mark
(Oxford Clarendon, 1950) 48-59 Kermode's further expansion of the concept of interca-
lation is well taken "Should we think of the whole gospel as an intercalated story ? It
stands at the moment of transition between the main body of history and the end of his-
tory, and what it says has a powerful effect on both" (133-34)
32
Interestingly enough, if the three criteria John Donahue established for a Markan
insertion (Are You the Christ? The Trial Narrative m the Gospel of Mark [SBLDS 10,
Missoula, Montana Scholars Press, 1973] 241) were to be expanded from the phrastic level
to the narrative level, at least two of the three would be met in the case of chapters 11-
12/13/14-16 First, "close verbal agreement" would become "close narrative agreement"
and would be satisfied by the two stories about self-denying women, each following a
reference to devious and self-centered men in official religious positions Second, "synoptic
alteration" at the narrative level is clear both Matthew and Luke parallel Mark 13, but
Matthew drops the preceding account of the poor widow, and Luke drops (or moves and
significantly alters) the succeeding account of the anointing woman
33
Wright's argument (263, 264) that the destruction of the temple (foretold at 13 2)
indicates the absurdity of the poor widow's gift serves, ironically, to call attention to this
irony
40 Semeia

Mark's gospel, since for Mark "women do not seem properly to belong in
34
the public ministry of Jesus." This interpretation misses the irony of
the anointing scene—and the significant connotation of the house as the
place of gathering of Jesus' followers as opposed to the synagogue and
35
the temple. A further irony is manifest in the juxtaposition of the
unnamed woman, who gives up money for Jesus and enters the house to
honor him (14:3-9), and Judas, the man who gives up Jesus for money
and leaves the house to betray him (14:10-11).
Whatever the woman's reason for the bold yet gracious anointing
she initiates, Jesus graciously accepts it as an anointing "beforehand for
burying" (14:8). To this interpretation Jesus adds an equally significant
comment: "And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is preached in
the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her"
(14:9, RSV). This woman's gracious self-denial is forever linked with the
good news of Jesus' gracious self-denial. No other Markan character is
given this distinction. Whoever would follow Jesus must deny himself or
herself (8:34). The anointing woman, like the poor widow, embodies the
self-denial of followership. The Markan Jesus presents the demand for
self-denial in a striking statement (8:34); two Markan women characters
enact the demand in equally striking actions. Thus their actions are to be
followed by those who would follow Jesus' words and follow Jesus.

Women as Followers from Beginning to End

At 15:40-41 we learn that not only do women characters exemplify
(or even symbolize) followership, but women characters have been fol­
lowers of Jesus throughout his ministry, from its beginning in Galilee to
its end in Jerusalem. After Jesus' death on the cross (15:37), after the
rending of the temple curtain (15:38), after the centurion's "confession"
of Jesus as "Son of God" (15:39), the narrator informs the reader that
"there were also women looking on from afar, among whom were Mary
Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and
Salome, who, when he was in Galilee, followed him, and ministered to
him; and also many other women who came up with him to Jerusalem"
(15:40-41, RSV). Although, in my view, Munro distinguishes too sharply
between the Markan women characters prior to and subsequent to
15:40-41, she is surely right in observing a significant shift at this point.
While there may be "little preparation for the women who appear at the
death and burial of Jesus and at the empty t o m b " 3 6 in the sense of literal
and straightforward narrative anticipation, the same cannot be said in

34
Munro, 227
3 5
Elizabeth Struthers Malbon, "Tfj Οικία Αντον Mark 2 15 in Context," NTS, forth­
coming See also Best, Following Jesus, 226-29
36
Munro, 230
 Malbon: Fallible Followers 41

37
terms of metaphorical and allusive narrative dimensions. Individual
women characters have previously exhibited in particular actions the
active faith and self-denying service of followership, but at 15:40-41 we
learn that many women (ττολλαί, 15:41), and especially three named
women (Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and
Salome, 15:40), have continuously followed (ήκολονθονν, 15:41) Jesus
and ministered to (οιηκόνονν, 15:41) him.
Munro argues persuasively and on several grounds that these women
are to be identified as disciples: (1) the verb ακολονθέω (cf. 1:18; 2:14)
"always denotes commitment to some degree and never mere physical
38
following when it is applied to Jesus"; (2) the parallel verb διακονώ
(cf. [and contrast?] 1:31; cf. 1:13; 10:45) must be related to Jesus' saying
at 10:45 where οιακονεω is "of the essence of the messianic ministry in
which disciples are called upon to participate—which is to say, it is of
39
the essence of discipleship"; and especially (3) the pattern of "a nucleus
40
of three within an inner circle or crowd" links the πολλαι with the
disciples and Mary, Mary, and Salome with Peter, James, and John. Yet
the fact that the narrator has delayed this reference to women as
disciples until nearly the end of the gospel, together with "the overall
invisibility of women in the Second Gospel,"41 suggests to Munro that
"Mark is aware of a female presence in Jesus' ministry but obscures it." 42
It suggests a different reading to me.
In terms of the narrative theory of Gérard Genette, 15:40-41 is a
repeating analepsis, an "analepsis on paralipses," that is, a retrospective
section that fills in an earlier missing element (or paralipsis).43 The miss-
ing element that a repeating analepsis fills in, however, is "created not
by the elision of a diachronic section but by the omission of one of the
constituent elements of a situation in a period that the narrative does
generally cover."44 Something that happened earlier is told only later—
and perhaps not to obscure but to clarify.45 That 15:40-41 appears to be
the only repeating analepsis in the gospel increases its significance; its
narrative role and content, however, are not without parallel. It is fre-
quently argued that the Markan narrator delays the recognition of Jesus
37
Cf Maria J Selvidge, "Mark and Woman Reflections on Serving," Explorations 1
(1982) 23-32
38
Munro, 231
W Ibid, 234
40
Ibid , 231
41
Ibid, 241
42
Ibid , 234
43
Narrative Discourse An Essay in Method (Ithaca Cornell, 1980) 51-54
44
Ibid , 51-52
45
Cf Schmitt, 232 "That Mark leaves these women for this late moment in his narra-
tive might show that he was careless, or more probably, it indicates a deliberate plan to
save them for the culminating irony "
42 Semeia

as "Son of God" by a human character (not the narrator [1:1] or unclean

spirits [3:11]) until that moment when the true meaning of Jesus' sonship
can be understood—the moment of Jesus' death on the cross (15:37,39).
Could it not also be argued that the Markan narrator delays explicit
reference to the women disciples or followers until that moment when
the true meaning of discipleship, followership, can be understood—
again, the moment of Jesus' death on the cross?
The effect of this delay with regard to women disciples/followers only
is to compound the surprising reality of Jesus' crucifixion with the sur-
prising reality of the women's discipleship. Within the Markan story,
only the women follow Jesus to the end. At Gethsemane one of the twelve
betrays Jesus (14:43-45) and the remaining eleven forsake him (14:50). The
women, on the other hand, witness the crucifixion—though "from afar"
(15:40-41)—and the empty tomb (16:1-8). Experience of the crucifixion
and resurrection is central to followership. Again, it is frequently argued
that the fact that it is a Roman centurion who recognizes the crucified Jesus
as "Son of God" suggests the surprising openness of the Christian faith to
the Gentile world. Could it not also be argued that the fact that it is the
women disciples/followers who follow to the end suggests the surprising
openness of Christian discipleship/f ollowership to all people? 46
From the first-century Jewish and Jewish-Christian point of view, one
could hardly be more of an outsider to the central dramas of religious faith
and practice than a Roman centurion—or a woman! But the reversal of
outsiders and insiders is basic to the good news of Jesus according to the
good news of Mark. For example, being family (expected insider status)
does not necessarily make one a follower (true insider status; see 3:31-35);
instead, being a follower makes one family (see 10:28-31). And, for
example, "many that are first will be last, and the last first" (10:31). In the
first-century Jewish world, Roman centurions were surely among "the
last"; and in the first-century Jewish, Christian, and Roman worlds, women
were surely among "the last."47 But "the beginning of the gospel of Jesus
Christ, the Son of God" (1:1) is, according to Mark, the beginning of the
end of that old order
Munro sees Mark as so caught up in the old order that he suppresses—
narratively—the discipleship of women that was part—historically—of the
new order inaugurated by Jesus' ministry and the early Christian response
to it 4 8 By contrast, I find Mark's gospel permeated—narratively—by the
46
Munro (235-36) argues against a similar view
47
See Krister Stendahl, The Bible and the Role of Women (FBBS 15, Philadelphia For-
tress, 1966) 25-28
48
Munro, 234-41 Apparently, Munro would argue that women characters are virtually
invisible before 15 40 because they are "embarrassing" or "problematic" (235) as women,
whereas after 15 40 women characters are suppressed or discredited because they "represent
a reality in the ecclesiastical politics of Mark's time" (239)
 Malbon Fallible Followers 43

reversal of expectations—historically conditioned expectations 4 9 It would

seem that the historical reality of women's lower status and the historical
reality of women's discipleship50 together support in Mark's gospel the
surprising narrative reality of women characters who exemplify the de­
mands of followership How do the women characters shed light on
on what it means to follow Jesus? By following and ministering, by bold
and active faith and self-denying service Why are women characters
especially appropriate for the role of illuminating followership? Perhaps
because in the community of the author women were in a position to
bear most poignantly the message that among followers the "first will be
last, and the last first "
At 15 40-41 women characters are most clearly depicted as followers
of Jesus Many women follow even when the twelve disciples flee I have
argued that fleeing indicates that the disciples are fallible, not that they
are non-followers Are the women followers fallible as well? Certainly
the fact that the women followers at Jesus' crucifixion looked on "at a
distance" (αττο μακρόθεν, 15 40) reminds the reader that upon Jesus'
arrest Peter followed "at a distance" (αττο μακρόθεν, 14 54) 5 1 Presum­
ably a stronger disciple or stronger followers would have drawn nearer
to Jesus at these critical moments of trial and crucifixion To be present
at all is a mark of followership, but remaining "at a distance" is a mark
of fallibility—for Peter and for the women
After Jesus' death only Joseph of Arimathea and Mary Magdalene,
Mary the mother of James and Joses, and Salome are present When Joseph
lays Jesus' body in the tomb just before the sabbath, the two Marys are there
to observe (15 47), and just after the sabbath the two Marys and Salome
(16 l ) 5 2 go there to anoint Jesus' body 5 3 Some interpreters fault the three
49
For an independent critique of Munro's thesis see Maria J Selvidge, "'And Those Who
Followed Feared,'" CBQ, forthcoming For a discussion of the reversal of expectations
concerning Galilee and Jerusalem, see my "Galilee and Jerusalem History and Literature in
Marcan Interpretation," CBQ 44 (1982) 242-55 See also TannehilPs "The Disciples m Mark"
and especially Tannehill's reference (395) to Wolfgang Iser's discussion of the role of
negation' in the novel
50
See Constance F Parvey, "The Theology and Leadership of Women m the New Testa­
ment, in Religion and Sexism (ed Rosemary Radford Ruether, New York Simon and
Schuster, 1974) 117-49
51
Munro, 235 "The phrase αττο μακρόθεν has even stronger impact if Mark intends an
allusion to the innocent sufferer of the psalms from whom friends, companions, and kinsfolk
stand aloof and far off (Ps 38 11, 88 8), which is quite explicit in Luke 23 4 9 " On the
contrary, Selvidge ("'And Those Who Followed Feared'") suggests translating 15 40 not as
"women watching from afar" but "women from afar watching," stressing not the spatial and
psychological distance of the women but their geographical origin
52
I am assuming that the second Mary named at 15 40,15 47, and 16 1 is the same person
and that the references to her in 15 47 and 16 1 are shortened versions of the reference in
15 40 Cf Munro, 226 η 1
5<
* The narrative rhythm of women/Joseph/women at 15 40-41/15 42-46/15 47-16 8
44 Semeia

women characters for this move; the women should have known, they
argue, that Jesus would be resurrected, that Jesus' anointing for burial
had already taken place at the hands of the unnamed woman in the
house of Simon the leper. 5 4 But the Markan narrative makes no mention
of the presence of the women followers at Simon the leper's house and
explicitly states that the predictions of Jesus' passion and resurrection are
presented to the disciples, the twelve (8:31; 9:31; 10:33-34; cf. 9:9; con­
trast Luke 24:5-8). Those at Simon the leper's house do not understand
the implications of the anointing (14:4-5; τινςς at 14:4 is ambiguous),
and the twelve do not understand the reference to the resurrection (9:32;
cf. 9:10). It seems unlikely, then, that the Markan narrator and implied
reader would expect the women followers to anticipate or understand
the resurrection with no forewarning.
More often, however, the three women are faulted not for coming to
the tomb with the intention of anointing Jesus' body but for going out
from the tomb in silence. Some interpreters emphasize that the women's
presence at the tomb at all is a positive sign of their followership in con­
trast to the disciples' absence as a sign of their fallibility or failure. 5 5 Yet
other interpreters focus on the women's silence—either as an element
that seals the disciples' failure (the disciples never hear the news) 5 6 or as
a parallel to the disciples' fallibility (the women never tell the news). 5 7 I
find convincing David Catchpole's argument concerning 16:8b. Based on
the analysis of the redactional context of 16:8b (especially the silence)
and of the textual parallels to fear in Mark, the Pauline corpus, and
Jewish tradition, Catchpole concludes "that Mark 16:8b can be inter­
preted within an established and continuing tradition. The fear and
silence of the women belong to the structure of epiphany." 5 8 Thus the
women's fear and silence are as much signs of the limits of humanity in
the presence of divinity as signs of fallibility as followers in the usual

might be compared and contrasted with the narrative rhythm of Jairus/woman/Jairus at

5:21-24/5:25-34/5:35-43.
54
Munro's argument is related: "Even the intended role of anointers of Jesus' body for his
burial is denied them, for contrary to their expectation they find the tomb empty. The one
they seek eludes them, but even so their task is redundant for it has been performed
beforehand by the anointing woman of Mark 14:39 (see v. 8)" (239).
55
Schierling, "Women as Leaders," 251-53; Schmitt, 232-33.
56
Munro, 237-38; Weeden, Mark—Traditions in Conflict, 50, 117; John Dominic Cros-
san, "Empty Tomb and Absent Lord (Mark 16:1-8)," in The Passion in Mark (ed.
Werner H. Kelber; Philadelphia: Fortress, 1976) 135-52, esp. 149.
57
Joanna Dewey, Disciples of the Way: Mark on Discipleship (Women's Division, Board
of Global Ministries, The United Methodist Church, 1976) 134. See also, but in quite a
different sense from Dewey, Munro, 238-39. In my terminology, Dewey's reading suggests
that Mark portrays both the disciples and the women as fallible followers, whereas Munro's
reading suggests that Mark discredits both the disciples and the women as opponents.
58
"The Fearful Silence of the Women at the Tomb: A Study in Markan Theology," Journal
of Theology for Southern Africa 18 (1977) 9.
 Malbon: Fallible Followers 45

sense. Yet the fear and silence are sure signs of distinction between the
silent followers and the one they follow, and all followers are fallible in
this sense.
Perhaps one's initial impression is of a certain irony to the women's
silence: throughout the narrative Jesus asks various characters to be silent
and they rarely are; here the young man who speaks for Jesus asks the
women not to be silent and they are. But the closest Markan comparison
with ovbevi ovbtv α.τταν at 16:8 is μηοενι μηοζν €ΐτττ)ς at 1:44, and the
earlier passage may help clarify the later one. At 1:44 Jesus charges the
healed leper to "say nothing to any one (μηο*ν\ μηο*ν eiVfls); but go,
show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses
commanded, for a proof to the people" (RSV). Surely in showing himself
to the priest the former leper would say something to the priest; the
priest, however, would not be just any one, but the very one the leper
was instructed to inform. At the close of Mark, the disciples and Peter
are not just "any one," but the very ones the women are instructed to
tell. Thus ovbevi ovÒ€V ¿ιτταν, like μ€Οεν\ μηδέν εΐττης, may mean "said
nothing to any one else" or "to any one in general." 5 9 Who but a disci­
ple, a follower, of Jesus would be able to accept and understand the
women's story? And the story of Jesus' resurrection, like the story of
Jesus' healing of the leper (1:45), does seem to have gotten out.
As Tannehill and Dewey have sought the reason for the mixed por­
trayal of the twelve disciples in the author's approach to the reader, 6 0 so
I suggest that the significance of the women's silence is to be found in
the outward movement of the text from author to reader. It would
appear that the narrator assumes that the hearer/reader assumes that the
women did tell the disciples about the resurrection, because later some­
one surely told the narrator who now tells the hearer/reader! In addi­
tion, at the close of the Markan gospel the narrator's story and that of his
characters comes to an end—it reaches the point of silence, but the
hearer/reader's story is at a new beginning—it is the hearer/reader's
turn to speak now. 6 1 The women characters follow Jesus after the disci­
ples flee; the narrator tells Jesus' story after the women's silence; it
remains for the hearer/reader to continue this line of followers.
Thus, although women characters are portrayed as followers in the
Markan gospel, minimal emphasis is placed on their fallibility as follow­
ers in comparison with the crowd and especially the disciples. In inter­
preting this observation we do well to remember the tendency of the
Markan gospel to overturn expectations. Apparently Mark's implied

59
Cf Catchpole, 6
6 0
Seepp 30-31 above
61
Cf Tannehill, 404 "The Gospel is open ended, for the outcome of the story depends on
decisions which the church, including the reader, must still make "
46 Semeia

reader expects disciples to be exemplary; their fallibility is surprising.

The implied reader expects little from the crowd—and even less from
women; their followership is surprising. Perhaps the Markan accenting
of both the fallibility of the twelve male disciples and the followership of
the women serves to counter the stereotyping of the followers and poten-
tial followers of Jesus. It would be a sad irony to respond to Mark's
refusal to absolutize the twelve as models of discipleship by absolutizing
the women as disciples.
Women characters of Mark are "good" or "positive" because they are
followers or exemplify followership—not because they are women.
Women can be villains as well as heroes in the Gospel of Mark. Herodias
instigates actions that result in the death of John the Baptist by using a
person of lower status and authority than herself, her daughter, to
influence a person of higher status and authority than herself, her
husband, King Herod (6:17-29). 62 Similarly the chief priests instigate
actions that result in the death of Jesus by using the lower status crowd
to influence the higher status Pilate (15:6-15). In an additional parallel
of male and female opponents of Jesus, the high priest's maid twice
questions Peter (14:66-72) as the high priest twice questions Jesus
(14:53-65), marking Peter's denial in the courtyard as an ironic transfor-
mation of Jesus' trial in the house. The high priest and the chief priests
are the archenemies of the Markan Jesus, and two women characters
function in comparable roles in relation to John the Baptist who comes
before Jesus and Peter who follows after him.
Thus not all women in Mark are followers of Jesus, just as not all
followers of Jesus in Mark are women. Women characters are not as
numerous as men in Mark, nor are their names as frequently given, 63 but
their connotative value, like that of the men, is determined not by their sex
or their numbers but by their relation to Jesus and their actions—either
toward Jesus himself or in light of Jesus' demands for followership. No one
is excluded from followership; no one is protected from fallibility.
The Markan portrait of fallible followers is a composite one; it
includes the disciples, the crowd, women, certain exceptional individuals
like Bartimaeus and Joseph of Arimathea, whoever takes up his or her
cross, whoever does the will of God. Only by such a composite and com-
plex image of followers is the author of the Markan gospel able to com-
municate clearly and powerfully to the reader the twofold message:
anyone can be a follower, no one finds it easy.

ß2
Munro (226) notes that Herodias "receives more attention than any other particular
woman in the Gospel."
63
Munro (226) records five named and eight anonymous female characters to twenty-five
named and sixteen anonymous male characters in Mark.
 Malbon Fallible Followers 47

Postscript
My observations about women and men in the Gospel of Mark have
been literary But one might well ask what are the implications of these
literary observations for historical reconstructions of the relations of
Christian women and men in the first century and for ethical guidelines
for Christian women and men in the twentieth century? How is one to
relate the Markan narrative to early church history and to contemporary
church policy? Weeden, for example, interprets the Markan disciples of
Jesus as representatives of the historical opponents of Mark, and Munro
understands the Markan women followers in a similar way An increas-
ing number of articles and books for laity suggest correlations between
Jesus' relation to women and men as portrayed in Mark and other bibli-
cal texts and appropriate responses of churchwomen and men today 6 4
And yet, even though both the relation of the Markan narrative to
early Christianity and its relation to contemporary Christianity represent
valid movements outward from the text, neither is given directly and
unambiguously within the text A danger common to movement out-
ward in either temporal direction is allegorization of the Markan text in
terms of something beyond the text equating, for example, the disciples
(and/or the women) with the opponents of Mark's church, or the women
followers of Jesus with ordained clergy women 6 5 Without doubt the
Gospel of Mark is not simply a literal narrative, it moves and means by
metaphors, but it is not an allegory By its internal subtlety and complex-
ity the text defies fragmentation and resists allegorization Women and
men, disciples and crowds, all contribute to the development of a com-
posite and complex image of what it means to be a follower of Jesus
The women characters themselves are presented in an interwoven pat-
tern that resists reduction to "what the women stand for " Perhaps the
complex relations of characters within the text should prepare us for the
complex relations of the text to realities beyond it 6 6 Perhaps Markan

64
In addition to Dewey (Disciples of the Way), Schierling ("Women as Leaders"), Schmitt,
Stendali, and Swidler cited above, see Bruce Chilton, "The Gospel of Jesus and the Ministry
of Women/ The Modern Churchman 22 (1978-1979) 18-21, Elizabeth E Platt, "The
Ministry of Mary of Bethany," Theology Today 34 (1977) 29-39, Letty M Russell, ed , The
Liberating Word A Guide to Nonsexist Interpretation of the Bible (Philadelphia
Westminster, 1976), Leonard Swidler, "Jesus Was a Feminist," Catholic World 212 (1971)
177-83, Rachel Conrad Wahlberg, Jesus According to a Woman (New York Pauhst Press,
1975) and Jesus and the Freed Woman (New York Pauhst Press, 1978) Concern for early
church history and contemporary church life may be combined, of course, Schierhng's
Women as Leaders in the Marcan Communities" serves as a good example
65
Schierling s easy movement from "women within the Marcan complex" to "woman"
seems problematic at this point ("Women as Leaders")
06
Frank Kermode's discussion of history and history-likeness, of truth and meaning (101-
23) is interesting at this point
48 Semeia

fallible followers have something to say to Markan historians and herme-

neuts: interpretation, like followership, is never easy, and never perfect,
and never ending.
 ^ s
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