Joanna

Technical Profile

• Name Meaning: Greek form of Hebrew Yôḥānān (“Yahweh is gracious”)
• Period/Era: Second Temple Period (Roman Imperial Context)
• Main References: Luke 8:1–3; Luke 24:1–11
• Key Connections: Jesus; “the Twelve”; Chuza (Herod Antipas’s household manager); Mary Magdalene and other women disciples

Who was Joanna?

Joanna was a woman disciple of Jesus named among those who traveled with him and the apostles.
She is identified as the wife of Chuza, a steward in Herod Antipas’s household, indicating social proximity to the Herodian administration.
Luke presents her as one who provided material support for Jesus’s ministry.
She is also listed among the women who reported the resurrection to the apostles.

Key Events & Achievements

• Event 1: Traveled with Jesus and the Twelve as part of a group of women disciples (Luke 8:1–3).
• Event 2: Supported Jesus’s ministry from her resources (Luke 8:3).
• Event 3: Reported the empty tomb and the angels’ message to the apostles (Luke 24:1–11).

Life Lesson & Legacy

Joanna exemplifies discipleship expressed through practical support of Jesus’s mission and faithful testimony to the resurrection.

Key Verse

"Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household, Susanna, and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means." — Luke 8:3, NIV