The First Witness
Jesus sent a woman first to spread the Good News of his Resurrection.
Three years ago was the first time I really paid attention to what was going on at an LCMS convention.
To be completely honest, I didn’t really care, because as a commissioned worker, I didn’t have a vote anyway. In this church body, one pastor and one lay leader each have a vote in presidential elections as well as district conventions. A representative amount of delegates attend the synodical convention on behalf of the district. Commissioned workers, like DCEs, educators, deaconesses, etc…can serve in an advisory role, but do not have a vote that counts.
As I watched many friends serve as pastoral, lay and advisory delegates, it encouraged me to pay closer attention, because they cared enough to be present and use their voices to speak to the issues within the denomination. I would pray, but if I could also listen in, that was one small way to provide support.
One particular issue was of great concern to me when I saw the docket of resolutions up for voting at the 2026 convention.
Res. 5-09A — To Address the Public Reading of Scripture pg. 325 (pg 17 in downloaded PDF).
This is a resolution that came after many voices had already shared their opinions and revised a much stricter version previously submitted as an overture.
For decades I’ve seen women participate in worship by reading the Bible passages for the day, among many other serving opportunities. Since I was a child, I’ve been in classrooms led by female Sunday school teachers, sharing the words of Scripture, pointing me to Jesus.
And for 12 years as a DCE, I myself served in worship by reading the Scripture, giving children’s messages and leading VBS, just to name a few of the many opportunities I had to teach others about Jesus! Still today, I am a member of a congregation where the worship service reader team is made up entirely of women!
I could argue about the rise of Christian nationalism, and all the partisan agendas that would make it more difficult for women to vote in the U.S, but those topics, while important, won’t advance the purpose of this article.
But God’s Word will.
“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” - Hebrews 4:12-13
My friend, Kayla, an advisory delegate, got up to speak at the mic during the debate at convention, and words on this particular resolution were powerful because they pointed to many of the women that God worked through to share His promises of redemption and salvation:
“I am appreciative of the commendation of women, especially DCEs.
But I am concerned about the spirit and implications of this resolution.
I believe it’s vitally important for us to consider the full narrative of Scripture in the study of these issues.
From the Old to New Testament, we hear how our Heavenly Father uses His daughters to bear witness to the story of salvation.
In celebration of the Red Sea crossing,
Miriam leads the Israelites in songs of praise.
Esther’s boldness speaking to the king saves an entire population.
Mary’s magnificat declares our hope from generation to generation.
The theme of this gathering is “Christ is Risen!”
Who were the first people to share this proclamation?
Women!
Women play an instrumental role in the climatic moments of the Bible, so in all our efforts, let us guard against limiting the Spirit’s work through the priesthood of all believers and give ear to the entirety of God’s Holy Word. Thank you.”
The very day these words were spoken at the mic was a celebration day in the church: The Feast of St. Mary Magdalene.
So I circle back to the passage, John 20:1-18, which highlights both Kayla’s words and the theme for the convention: “Christ is Risen!”
“Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” 3 So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. 4 Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’[a] head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9 for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. 10 Then the disciples went back to their homes.
11 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. 12 And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. 13 They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” 14 Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic,[b] “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). 17 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” 18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.
This is the only time that John, in his Gospel, calls a woman by her name. The only time.
We first meet Mary Magdalene in Luke 8:
“Soon afterward he [Jesus] went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, 2 and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, 3 and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s household manager, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them[a] out of their means.” - Luke 8:1-3
After his resurrection, the first person Jesus encounters is a woman. But not just any woman: Mary is a friend, a disciple, a leader among all his followers.
Jesus says her name because he knows her.
Jesus says her name because he healed her.
Jesus says her name because she holds value in his eyes.
Jesus says her name because he has an important message for her to share with the other disciples, and the world.
When Jesus was born in a manger, everything changed.
When Jesus walked the earth, everything changed.
When Jesus preached the sermon on the mount, everything changed.
When Jesus encountered women and children, everything changed.
When Jesus died on the cross for the sins of the world and then rose again, EVERYTHING changed.
When Jesus encountered Mary, the first witness to his resurrection, everything was now going to be different.
Jesus sent a woman first to spread the Good News of his Resurrection.
It was only a radical idea because it was not the norm in that time in history.
But we are called to live radically like Jesus, treating every one of our neighbors with love and care, and leaving our desires for power and control at the foot of the cross.
On the Feast of St. Mary Magdalene, Resolution 5-09A passed at convention, but not without many voices speaking up with the truth of God’s Word as a reminder that Jesus changed everything.
In the daily prayer on July 22, the church body that voted to carry out this resolution, simultaneously acknowledged what Jesus had done through a woman.
“Almighty God, Your Son, Jesus Christ, restored Mary Magdalene to health and called her to be the first witness of His resurrection. Heal us from all our infirmities, and call us to know You in the power of Your Son’s unending life; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.”
My hope and prayer is that we continue to live first by God’s Word and follow the example Jesus set, to all be voices of Gospel love in all that we say and do both in worship and our daily walk in this earthly life.
The two year read through the Bible allows me to continue to note the many women who have played significant and strategy rolls, in the OT, and NT. Recently I focused on Deborah. She wasn't just a prophetess, but also the person who developed a battle plan, and then led the army in to battle. And of course, there is Jaal who"sealed" the victory by putting a peg through the forehead of Sisera. Many years ago I read the book "All I Really Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten." At that time I remember saying to someone who was convinced women should not teach or read in the church, that if that the book was accurate, we really needed to do away with all the women teaching five year olds in Sunday School. There was no argument after that.