SEV Biblia, Chapter 8:3
y Juana, mujer de Chuza, procurador de Herodes, y Susana, y otras muchas que le servían de sus haciendas.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Luke 8:3
Verse 3. Herod's steward] Though the original word, epitropov, signifies sometimes the inspector or overseer of a province, and sometimes a tutor of children, yet here it seems to signify the overseer of Herod's domestic affairs: the steward of his household. Steward of the household was an office in the king's palace by s. 24, of Hen. VIII. The person is now entitled lord steward of the king's household, and the office is, I believe, more honourable and of more importance than when it was first created. Junius derives the word from the Islandic stivardur, which is compounded of stia, work, and vardur, a keeper, or overseer: hence our words, warder, warden, ward, guard, guardian, &c. The Greek word in Hebrew letters is frequent in the rabbinical writings, wpwdfypa , and signifies among them the deputy ruler of a province. See on chap. xvi. 1. In the Islandic version, it is forsionarmanns. Unto him] Instead of autw, to him, meaning Christ, many of the best MSS. and versions have autoiv, to them, meaning both our Lord and the twelve apostles, see ver. 1. This is unquestionably the true meaning.
Christ receives these assistances and ministrations, says pious Quesnel,-1.
To honour poverty by subjecting himself to it.
2. To humble himself in receiving from his creatures.
3. That he may teach the ministers of the Gospel to depend on the providence of their heavenly Father.
4. To make way for the gratitude of those he had healed. And, 5. That he might not be burthensome to the poor to whom he went to preach.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 3. And Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward , etc.] Joanna, or Juchan, as the Syriac version calls her, was a name, among the Jews, for a woman, as Jochanan, or John, was for a man. In the Talmud we read of one Jochani, or Joanni, the daughter of Retibi, the same name with this.
Her husband's name was Chuza. Dr. Lightfoot observes, from a Talmudic treatise f318 , such a name in the genealogy of Haman, who is called the son of Chuza; and Haman being an Edomite, and this man being in the family of Herod, who was of that race, suggests it to be an Idumean name. But in my edition of that treatise, Haman is not called the son of Chuza, but azyk rb , the son of Ciza; and besides, Chuza is a Jewish name, and the name of a family of note among the Jews: hence we read of R. Broka the Chuzite; where the gloss is, for he was, yazwj ybm , of the family of Chuzai. And elsewhere mention is made of two sons of Chuzai; and both the gloss, and Piske Harosh upon the place, say, they were Jews: so Abimi is said to be of the family of Chuzai, or the Chuzites f321 ; and the same is said of R. Acha f322 . This man, here mentioned, was Herod's steward; a steward of Herod the tetrarch, of Galilee. The Arabic version calls him his treasurer; and the Vulgate Latin, and the Ethiopic versions, his procurator; and some have thought him to be a deputy governor of the province under him; but he seems rather to be a governor, or chief of his house, as the Syriac version renders it: he was one that presided in his family, and managed his domestic affairs; was an overseer of them, as Joseph was in Potiphar's house; and the same Greek word that is here used, is adopted by the Jews into their language, and used of Joseph f323 : and who moreover say f324 , let not a man appoint a steward in his house; for if Potiphar had not appointed Joseph, swpwrjwpa , a steward in his house, he had not come into that matter, of calumny and reproach. It was common for kings, princes, and great men, to have such an officer in their families. We read of a steward of king Agrippa's, who was of this same family. The Persic version is very foreign to the purpose, making Chuza to be of the family of Herod. This man might be either dead, as some have conjectured; or, if living, might be secretly a friend of Christ, and so willing that his wife should follow him; or, if an enemy, such was her zeal for Christ, that she cheerfully exposed herself to all his resentments; and chose rather meanness, contempt, and persecution with Christ, and for his sake, than to enjoy all the pleasures of Herod's court without him. And Susannah ; this also was a name for a woman with the, Jews, as appears from the history of one of this name with them, which stands among the apocryphal writings. She, as well as Joanna, and perhaps also Mary Magdalene, were rich, and persons of substance, as well as note, as should seem by what follows: and many others; that is, many other women; for the words, are of the feminine gender: which ministered unto him of their substance ; four ancient copies of Beza's, and five of Stephens's, and the Syriac version read, which ministered unto them; that is, to Christ, and his disciples, as the Persic version expresses it. This shows the gratitude of these women, who having received favours from Christ, both for their souls and bodies, make returns to him out of their worldly substance, in a way of thankfulness; and also the low estate of Christ, and his disciples, who stood in need of such ministrations; and may be an instruction to the churches of Christ to take care of their ministers, and to communicate in all good things to them, of whose spiritual things they partake; and may be a direction to them to minister to them of what is their own substance, and not another's; and to minister a proper part, and not the whole, as these women ministered to Christ, and his apostles, of substance which was their own, and that not all of it, but out of it.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-3 - We are here told what Christ made the constant business of his life, it was teaching the gospel. Tidings of the kingdom of God are gla tidings, and what Christ came to bring. Certain women attended upon his who ministered to him of their substance. It showed the mean conditio to which the Saviour humbled himself, that he needed their kindness and his great humility, that he accepted it. Though rich, yet for ou sakes he became poor.
Greek Textus Receptus
και 2532 CONJ ιωαννα 2489 N-GSF γυνη 1135 N-NSF χουζα 5529 N-GSM επιτροπου 2012 N-GSM ηρωδου 2264 N-GSM και 2532 CONJ σουσαννα 4677 N-NSF και 2532 CONJ ετεραι 2087 A-NPF πολλαι 4183 A-NPF αιτινες 3748 R-NPF διηκονουν 1247 5707 V-IAI-3P αυτω 846 P-DSM απο 575 PREP των 3588 T-GPN υπαρχοντων 5224 5723 V-PAP-GPN αυταις 846 P-DPF
Vincent's NT Word Studies
3. Steward (epitropou). From ejpitrepw, to turn toward; thence to turn over to, transfer, and so commit or intrust to. The word thus literally means, one to whom the management of affairs is turned over.4-18. Compare Matt. xiii. 1-23; Mark iv. 1-25.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
8:3 {Joanna} (iwana). Her husband cuza, steward (epitropou) of Herod, is held by some to be the nobleman (basilikos) of #Joh 4:46-53 who believed and all his house. At any rate Christ had a follower from the household of Herod Antipas who had such curiosity to see and hear him. One may recall also Manaen (#Ac 13:1), Herod's foster brother. Joanna is mentioned again with Mary Magdalene in #Lu 24:10. {Who ministered unto them} (haitines diekonoun autois). Imperfect active of diakonew, common verb, but note augment as if from dia and akonew, but from diakonos and that from dia and konis (dust). The very fact that Jesus now had twelve men going with him called for help from others and the women of means responded to the demand. {Of their substance} (ek twn huparcontwn autais). From the things belonging to them. this is the first woman's missionary society for the support of missionaries of the Gospel. They had difficulties in their way, but they overcame these, so great was their gratitude and zeal.
