Acts 1:14

Acts 1:14. With the women. These words are specially worthy of attention. In the Jewish temple the women were not admitted to worship God with men, but they had their own court, ‘the court of the women.' Among the silent changes which Christianity has worked in society, none is more striking than the alteration which it has brought about in the position held by women. In the old world, they occupied in every relation of life a very subordinate place. The state of perfect equality now enjoyed was only brought about by the teaching and practice of Jesus and His disciples.

In this number are included those devout women who are mentioned as following Christ, who were with Him in the last visit to Jerusalem, who looked on the cross and then watched at the sepulchre. The Gospels give the names of some of these Mary Magdalene; Mary the mother of James and Joses; Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward; Salome the mother of John, James, and Susanna; and with these was Mary the mother of Jesus, who is here mentioned for the last time in the New Testament. Ecclesiastical tradition gives her no prominent place, represents her as exercising no peculiar authority in the Church of the first days. One account tells us she died at Jerusalem, another that she accompanied St. John to Ephesus and lived to an advanced age.

And with his brethren. ‘Neither did His brethren believe in Him' (John 7:5). Changed by the resurrection, of which they were witnesses, from unbelief to perfect faith, we now find them throwing in their lot with the little faithful company who waited together till the Spirit promised their risen and glorified Master should come to them.