Junia, also called Joanna? An exploration of the historical possibilities regarding the life and ministry of the woman greeted in Romans 16:7

Most studies about Junia so far have focussed on discussing whether she was a female apostle. Though this debate will be addressed, the purpose of this study is not to add another voice to it. Instead, this thesis seeks to explore what else could be deduced about the life and ministry of Junia.

Based on the analysis of the content and function of Romans 16:7, this thesis will construct a biographical sketch that locates Junia in Galilee during the ministry of Jesus, in Jerusalem as a witness of the resurrection, and in Rome shortly after Pentecost as a missionary among the Jews of the capital.

In a second step, this study will examine how Junia’s Latin name fits in with her proposed Palestinian origin by evaluating the approaches of Lampe, Wolters, and Bauckham. As the connection of Junia with the female disciple Joanna in Luke, suggested by Bauckham, does add a complete back-story to Junia’s biographical sketch, his thesis regarding double names and the presumed sound equivalency of Joanna/Junia will be explored further and tentative solutions for gaps in Bauckham's argument, like the absence of Junia from the Palestinian onomasticon, will be offered.

As there is at least the possibility of a link between the two women, the final chapter of this thesis will establish Joanna’s biographical sketch as a follower of Jesus throughout his ministry and as a witness of his death, burial, and resurrection based on her mentions in Luke. Finally, this study will explore whether she might have become the apostle Junia, filling in the silence about what happened to her after discovering the empty tomb.

This thesis will conclude by connecting the biographical sketches of Junia and Joanna, but not because there is definite evidence that they are the same person. Their identification remains possible but tentative. Yet, by using careful historical imagination, both sketches together can provide us with a historically possible and plausible biography of a female disciple becoming a significant figure within the mission of the early church.