How often are women in the gospels portrayed as models of discipleship for the Church today? In Women Who Do, Holly J. Carey, professor of biblical studies and chair of the Biblical Studies Department at Point University, argues that the stories, actions, and faithfulness of female disciples have not received their due recognition. To set the record straight, Carey aims to correct the notion that the term “disciple” refers only to the (male) Twelve and argues for a broader usage that encompasses Jesus’ female followers as well. Further, she argues that female disciples are consistently characterized by action, even while their male counterparts respond with inaction or even opposition to Jesus’ efforts. Carey is motivated to spotlight these women in order to address a “crucial gap in scholarship” (p. 9), which she believes has contributed to the ongoing lack of female leadership in the Church.

The first chapter equips readers with a basic sociocultural framework for understanding the opportunities and limitations women encountered in the first-century Greco-Roman world. While briefly addressing gendered expectations related to virtue, family, and religion, Carey ultimately draws out a dual reality: while women received fewer opportunities and held lower status than men, they still found meaningful avenues of influence within their families and their broader communities.

In the following five chapters, Carey walks through each Gospel and the book of Acts, highlighting the stories of female discipleship along the way. Beginning in Mark, she argues that Jesus’ female followers actively follow him and thus stand as a foil to the Twelve, whose inaction and failures are highlighted throughout the narrative. She commends three different types of female disciples in Mark—women who serve, women who pursue, and women who sacrifice—and provides several examples for each. Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome arrive at Jesus’ tomb as the first and only followers intending to serve Jesus by anointing his body (Mk 16:1). Meanwhile, the male disciples are nowhere to be found. Earlier in the gospel, a Syrophoenician woman pursues Jesus (who was seeking respite from the crowds) to receive healing for her daughter (Mk 7:24-25). While the Twelve demonstrated a misunderstanding of purity in the prior pericope, the Syrophoenician woman demonstrates acute spiritual understanding and defends her position before Jesus, who ultimately grants her request. Finally, the woman who anoints Jesus in Bethany makes a great economic sacrifice to do so (Mk 14:13). While others in the scene criticize the woman as “wasteful,” Jesus praises her actions and declares that she has prepared his body for burial. Carey uses these stories and several others to demonstrate that female disciples in Mark repeatedly demonstrate active faith that aligns with the coming kingdom of God.

In Matthew, several additional stories portray female disciples’ acts of faithfulness, including two women with healing faith, the woman who anoints Jesus, and the women at the cross and tomb. Carey also reflects on the women named in Jesus’ genealogy, seeing them as significant figures who help shape his story. While she continues to compare male and female disciples, she places less emphasis on their contrast in this chapter. Instead, she focuses on the presence of women among Jesus’ followers, a notable point given that Matthew almost exclusively uses the term mathētēs (“disciple”) to refer to the Twelve. Matthew 12:49–50 serves as a key example of how discipleship transcends gender and applies to Jesus’ female and male followers (p. 75).

The following two chapters cover Luke and Acts, analyzing (1) if female disciples’ actions are consistent with Lukan discipleship and (2) whether they do better than the male disciples (p. 99). Again, Carey covers the key women at the beginning of the gospel and specifically underscores Elizabeth’s faithfulness in contrast to her husband Zechariah’s unbelief. She also discusses the woman who anoints Jesus in Simon the Pharisee’s home, observing the woman’s great love for Jesus as opposed to Simon’s doubt and halfhearted hospitality. Next, she discusses the stories of Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Susanna, who followed and financially supported Jesus (Lk 8:1-3); Mary and Martha, who both served Jesus through hosting and learning (Lk 10:38-42); two women in Jesus’ parables who modeled kingdom values (Lk 15:8-10; 18:1-8); and the women at the end of the gospel who testified of Jesus’ resurrection to the remaining Eleven (Lk 23-24). Consequently, Carey concludes that such women do model discipleship through their willingness to follow, serve, and learn from their Savior.  

Given that some scholars see Acts undermining the positive portrayal of women in Luke, Carey focuses her efforts on recognizing female disciples as present, active, and significant members of the early Jesus community. While women are not set up as foils to the Twelve, they still have an important role to play. Rhoda exhibits belief in Peter’s escape from prison while the household does not. Tabitha, the only female specifically called a “disciple,” ministers to the widows in her community and is resuscitated by Peter after her death. Lydia listens carefully to the gospel and responds in faith by hosting Paul and having her household baptized. Finally, Priscilla partners with her husband in tentmaking and discipling Apollos. Thus, whether in the background or foreground of Luke-Acts, women are present among God’s people and actively serve his mission by living out the gospel.

In the book’s final chapter, Carey argues that John portrays female disciples as coming the closest to understanding Jesus’ true identity (p. 173). Mary, the mother of Jesus, fully trusts that Jesus can address the lack of wine at the wedding in Cana. The Samaritan woman testifies to her community that Jesus was the Messiah, and many of them believe. Martha offers the strongest confession of Christ’s identity in the entire gospel. Once again, Carey also observes the female disciples in juxtaposition with male followers of Jesus: the Samaritan woman displays more faith than Nicodemus (John 3-4), Mary of Bethany generously anoints Jesus while Judas selfishly criticizes her (John 12), and Mary Magdalene stays at Jesus’ tomb long enough to encounter him while Peter and John leave promptly after observing his missing body. Thus, Carey concludes with confidence that each of the four gospels portrays female disciples as models of faith who take initiative and act even when others do not (p. 185).

At the end of her survey, Carey writes that she and her readers have “unearthed a group of disciples whose stories have gone undiscovered—or, worse, been ignored—in most discussions of discipleship” (p. 185). Indeed, her book offers a compelling overview of female disciples in the Gospels and Acts, highlighting their faithful devotion to Christ and sacrificial service to his people. Even for those raised in the Church, this book serves as a fresh introduction to lesser-known stories of women who followed Jesus with boldness and conviction. As Carey notes in her introduction, if these stories were more widely known in the Church, perhaps women would experience greater freedom to serve in ministry today.

While Carey presents a wide range of evidence to support her argument, some comparisons are more persuasive than others. At times, the contrast between the faithfulness of female disciples and the failures of their male counterparts appears less convincing. For instance, Carey contrasts the active service of Peter’s mother-in-law with the perceived inaction of Simon, Andrew, James, and John, who are critiqued for merely entering the house and observing Jesus (pp. 54–55). However, this comparison may be somewhat strained, as the male disciples have just made a significant commitment by leaving their families and occupation as fishermen to follow Jesus (Mark 1:16–20). Moreover, their passive presence in this particular scene could be understood as appropriate, given that they are only beginning their journey with him.

Similarly, Mary of Bethany’s anointing of Jesus is portrayed as a positive example of action set in contrast with both Judas’ selfish critique and Lazarus’ inaction (p. 175). Certainly Mary’s contrast over against Judas is apparent. However, though Mary plays a more active role in the text than her brother Lazarus, his lesser role in this passage should render him a neutral (rather than negative) character.

Last, the treatment of misunderstanding in relation to Jesus’ identity and discipleship appears to vary depending on the gender of the disciple. When male disciples misunderstand Jesus, they are often critically compared against more perceptive female disciples. In contrast, when female disciples exhibit misunderstanding, it is often framed as a natural and necessary stage in the journey toward fuller understanding (p. 157). This difference may be partly due to the gospels’ narrative structure: female disciples often appear in only a single scene, requiring a more compact portrayal of their growth. In other instances, female disciples are portrayed as flat characters (e.g., Peter’s mother-in-law) whose brief appearances lend themselves to idealized or unambiguous depictions, in contrast to the Twelve, whose recurring presence across the narrative allows for the complexities and fluctuations of round character development.

As noted above, the limited appearances of female disciples in the Gospels have often contributed to their omission from theological reflection, sermons, and broader discussions on discipleship. Carey’s work addresses this gap by bringing together the stories of female disciples in a single, focused study. While many existing works emphasize Jesus’ interactions with women, Carey takes a distinct approach by centering on how female disciples responded to and engaged with Jesus. In doing so, she recovers these women’s often overshadowed stories and provides a compelling example of how their discipleship can inspire all Christians to more faithfully follow Jesus today.

Jael G. Shumaker
MDiv Student
Denver Seminary
April 2025