Who was Susanna in the Bible?

Susanna was one of the women who followed Jesus and supported his ministry out of her own financial means. She is mentioned only once, alongside other women like Mary Magdalene and Joanna, who provided for Jesus and his disciples (Luke 8:1-3).

What is the significance of Susanna in the Gospels?

Susanna's significance lies in her practical support of Jesus's ministry, demonstrating the vital role women played as patrons and disciples. Her inclusion highlights that Jesus's followers and supporters came from diverse backgrounds, including women of means.

What do we know about Susanna's life and story?

The Bible provides no details about Susanna's personal life or background beyond her act of financial provision. Her single mention in Luke 8:3 places her among a group of devoted women who traveled with Jesus and the Twelve.

Susanna

New TestamentNew TestamentFemale

Susanna was one of the women who provided for Jesus out of her resources.

Susanna

Biography

Susanna is named in Luke 8:2–3 as one of several women who accompanied Jesus and the Twelve during his Galilean ministry, having been healed or delivered from evil spirits or infirmities. Along with Mary Magdalene and Joanna, she is described as providing for Jesus and his disciples "out of their means," indicating that she possessed sufficient personal resources to contribute materially to the itinerant ministry. Her name, of Hebrew origin meaning "lily," appears only in this single Lukan passage, yet her inclusion in this named group is significant: she was an eyewitness to Jesus's ministry and among those women who were present at key moments of his life. Early church tradition offers no further reliable details about her background or later life.

Significance

Susanna exemplifies the often-overlooked dimension of female discipleship and material patronage that sustained Jesus's public ministry. Luke's deliberate naming of women benefactors (Luke 8:2–3) reflects his consistent attention to women as full participants in the unfolding of the kingdom of God. Susanna's financial support of Jesus's ministry represents a concrete expression of gratitude for her own experience of divine healing, illustrating the pattern of grace received and grace expressed that characterizes genuine discipleship (Luke 7:47). Theologically, her presence reminds the church that the mission of God is sustained by diverse communities of supporters, men and women, named and unnamed, whose generous participation in the work of the gospel carries redemptive significance.

Verse Appearances (1)

Luke

Luke 8:3

References

Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
Wikidata contributors (n.d.) Wikidata. Available at: https://www.wikidata.org. [CC0]
Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]

View all sources & licensing →

See our editorial standards →

Content compiled from public domain scholarship, academic sources, and verified references. Editorial standards · View all sources