Chuza

Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament

CHUZA ( Χουζᾶς).—The ἐπίτροπος or house-steward of Herod the tetrarch, and husband of Joanna one of the women who, having been healed either of a sickness or of an evil spirit, attached themselves to Jesus and ‘ministered unto him of their substance’ ( Luke 8:3). Chuza is identified by Mr. Stanley Cook ( Glossary of Aramaic Inscriptions , Cambr. 1898) with the father of one Hayyân whose family erected a rock-cut tomb at el-Hegr in Arabia, with the inscription: לחיןבדבוזאאחדה ‘To Hayyân, son of Kûzâ, his posterity (erected this tomb).’ The monument is probably of the 1st cent. b.c. or a.d. Blass (of the Gospels), on the authority of , a 7th cent. MS of the Vulgate, identifies the name with the Greek Κυδἰας; but this seems more than doubtful. Chuza may have been of a Nabataean family, married to a Jewish wife. Joanna is also mentioned ( Luke 24:10) as one of the women who came early to the sepulchre to anoint the Lord’s body (See Joanna).

Chuzas is preferred by the American Committee of Revisers as the more proper spelling of Chuza.

Literature.—Expositor, v. ix. [1899] 118 ff.; Edersheim, Life and Times , i. 429, 572.

R. Macpherson.

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

Herod's house steward, husband of Joanna, who ministered to the Lord of her substance ( Luke 8:3). Subsequently, she was one of the women who, on the morning of the resurrection, brought spices to complete the Lord's burial ( Luke 24:10), and who came and told the eleven and all the rest of His being no longer in the tomb, and of their having seen angels. We read in  Matthew 14:1, "Herod heard of the fame of Jesus, and said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist, who is risen from the dead."

The reason does not in Matthew appear why Herod addressed his servants about Christ; but we infer it from Luke's incidental mention of Joanna, wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, as among the women ministering to Christ. Also from the margin of  Acts 13:1, where "Manaen, Herod's foster brother," appears among the Christian "prophets." How naturally, since Christ had followers among Herod's household, did that prince turn to his servants for information about Christ. The undesigned coincidence is a proof of the gospel veracity.

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

CHUZA (Amer. RV [Note: Revised Version.] Chuzas ). The steward of Herod Antipas. His wife Joanna (wh. see) was one of the women who ministered to our Lord and His disciples (  Luke 8:3 ).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Chu'za. Properly Chu'Zas. (The Seer). The house-steward of Herod Antipas.  Luke 8:3.

Holman Bible Dictionary

 Luke 8:3Joanna

Morrish Bible Dictionary

Steward of Herod Antipas, and husband of Joanna.  Luke 8:3 .

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

See Joanna .

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

[pron. Cuza] (rather Chuzas, Χουζάς , for Chald. חוּוָא , i.e. אֲחוּוָא , Possession ) , the "steward" ( Ἐπιτροπος ) of Herod (Antipas), whose wife Joanna (q.v.), having been cured by our Lord either of possession by an evil spirit or of a disease, became attached to that body of women who accompanied him (A.D. 27) on his journeyings ( Luke 8:3); and, together with Mary Magdalen and "Mary the mother of James," having come early to the sepulcher on the morning of the resurrection (A.D. 29), to bring spices and ointments to complete the burial, brought word to the apostles that the Lord was risen ( Luke 24:10). These circumstances would seem to imply that she was at this time a widow.

Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature

Chu´za, steward of Herod Antipas, whose wife Joanna was one of those who employed their means in contributing to the wants of Christ and his apostles .