Those Astonishing Women

There is a pattern woven throughout Scripture that is easy to miss.God moves.And often, it is women who recognize it first.

On the day of the resurrection, two disciples walk from Jerusalem to a village called Emmaus. At one point they remark that “some women of our group have astounded us” (Lk 24:22). It is a small comment, but it reveals something significant. Again and again in Scripture, God’s work is first seen, spoken, and trusted by women, while others struggle to understand.

At the beginning of the Gospel, Mary receives the message from an angel (Luke 1:26–38). Her response is practical. She asks, “How can this be?” When the truth is made clear, she responds with quiet courage. “Let it be done to me according to your word.” In that quiet moment, Mary holds a mystery no one else on earth yet knows. The promised Messiah is present within her.

Soon after, Mary visits Elizabeth (Luke 1:39–45). Filled with the Holy Spirit, Elizabeth recognizes the presence of the Lord before it is visible to others. She proclaims a truth still hidden from most. Again, we see the pattern. A heart attentive to God perceives what others have not yet seen.

In the Gospel of John, the disciples are astonished to find Jesus speaking with a Samaritan woman, and she herself is hesitant, since “Jews use nothing in common with Samaritans” (Jn 4:9b). The Samaritans expected the Messiah to be a prophet like Moses, not a political king, who would restore worship on Mount Gerizim. They called him the Taheb, or “Restorer,” believing he would teach the truth, explain all things, and lead people back to God.

This is exactly what Jesus was offering the woman: teaching the truth, explaining all things and leading her back to God. As he spoke, her understanding expanded. She began to see beyond long-held divisions and recognize that this Jewish prophet might truly be the Messiah. She opened up to the idea that salvation may not be limited to her people alone. Even as Jesus says, “salvation is from the Jews” (John 4:22), her insight points toward a larger truth, which the Gospel will reveal: the Messiah has come for all. It is this Samaritan woman who is the first to recognize and share that truth.

At Bethany, in Mark’s Gospel (Mk 14:3-9), a woman anoints Jesus with quiet certainty. While others measure the cost, she senses what is unfolding before anyone else dares to name it. Her act is not wasteful. It is a response of love, offered at just the right moment, as if she already understands what lies ahead.

At the Resurrection, the pattern continues.

In the Gospel of Luke (Luke 24:1–11), the women go to the tomb at dawn. They expect to mourn. Instead, they find the tomb empty and hear that Christ is risen. They go and tell the apostles, but their words are dismissed. It sounds like too much, too soon, too impossible.

This is what the Emmaus disciples meant when they said they were “astounded” by what the women in Luke were reporting. It is not only surprise, but hesitation.  It is the struggle to accept that God may already be doing something beyond their understanding. 

The pattern invites us to pause and reflect. These women do not see everything all at once, but they are ready to receive what is given. They listen. They respond. And in doing so, they become the first witnesses to whatever God is unfolding at the time.

Perhaps this is the invitation before us.

To listen more closely.

To remain open.

And to trust that God may already be at work in ways we have not yet recognized.