THE THREE MARYS AND SALOME AT THE CROSS – Easter Devotion
There are three passages of scripture we will consider today as our primary focus. Our thoughts are going to be on the women standing at, or near the cross at the crucifixion. Here are the passages about these women –
{{Matthew 27:56 “among whom was Mary Magdalene, along with Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.”}}
{{Mark 15:39 When the centurion who was standing right in front of Him, saw the way He breathed His last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”
Mark 15:40 There were also some women looking on from a distance, among whom were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the Less and Joses, and Salome,
Mark 15:41 and when He was in Galilee, they used to follow Him and minister to Him, and there were many other women who had come up with Him to Jerusalem.”}}
{{John 19:25 “Therefore the soldiers did these things. There were standing by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.”}}
[A]. WHO WERE THE NAMED WOMEN AT THE CROSS?
According to Mark there were three women, who were Mary Magdalene, another Mary who was the mother of James and Joses, and another one called Salome.
Mark mentions “James the Less” and this term was employed to distinguish from James (the great) who was the Apostle, brother of John, mentioned often with Peter, James and John. James was beheaded by satanic Herod Agrippa I, and James the Less wrote the Epistle of James.
This description of Mary is believed to be the sister of the Lord’s mother with her two boys James and Joses. It is a little confusing when we know the Virgin Mary had boys of the same name. Mary’s other mentioned children were – {{Mark 6:3 “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother of JAMES, AND JOSES, and Judas, and Simon? Are not His sisters here with us?” and they took offence at Him.”}} Mary had a lot of children, which gives the lie to the Roman Catholic teaching that Mary was a perpetual virgin.
I find it very interesting why Mark does not mention Mary, Jesus’s mother, as John does in his account. Mark’s information largely came from Peter and I suppose at this time James and Jude were leaders in the church so it is probably why it was written that way. The third woman was Salome – {{Mark 15:40 “There were also some women looking on from a distance, among whom were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the Less and Joses, and Salome”}}
On the other hand the Apostle John mentions Jesus’ mother and Mary, sister to Mary just mentioned, and Mary Magdalene. Mary, sister of Jesus’ mother was married to Clopas.
[B]. LOOKING FURTHER INTO THESE WOMEN
I’d like to spend a little time looking at why these women would be present at such a horrifying event. We know ghouls like public executions and watching cruelty done to others. This is why the Roman circuses with all their cruelty, mangling, and death were so popular under Roman rule. It is why the French reprobates cheered on each beheading at the guillotine in the French Revolution. But then, that is France.
[1]. MARY THE MOTHER OF JESUS
I am incapable of describing the horror it was for Mary to have witnessed what was done to Jesus. The treatment was inhumane and spelled out exactly what the evil makeup of a man can do. One in Satan’s control is capable of the most extreme cruelty and greatest inhumanity.
Mary was at the cross because of love, and saw there the injustice and hate and mocking heaped upon her own Son. How can any mother see that against her own son? The savagery of those not of God is almost indescribable to the eyes and minds of Christians. Those who are God’s are watched over by the Spirit of God and such demonic behaviour is way out of their league. History is constantly littered with the barbarism of human beings against fellow humans. We only have to see this today in Islamic nations and Communism and dictatorships. Hell will be filled with the violence of men.
Mary stood there near the cross with a few close friends (women). The friends in Mary’s circle were numerous but a few were very close ones. Luke, always with the caring touch, points out a wider circle of women who assisted the Lord and His disciples in their journeying ministry – {{Luke 8:1-3 “It came about soon afterwards, that He began going about from one city and village to another, proclaiming and preaching the kingdom of God, and the twelve were with Him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and sicknesses: MARY WHO WAS CALLED MAGDALENE, from whom seven demons had gone out, and JOANNA the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, and SUSANNA, and many others who were contributing to their support out of their private means.”}}
Was Mary heartbroken? Of course she was watching her Son dying for the sins of the world. Was Mary confused and perplexed about all this? I think the answer is, “Partially so,” because she would never have forgotten a prophetic promise given to her some 33 years earlier –
{{Luke 2:25 “Behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was SIMEON and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.”}}
{{Luke 2:34-35 and Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed - AND A SWORD WILL PIERCE EVEN YOUR OWN SOUL - to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”}}
Mary would have kept those words very close in her heart, but it was at the cross the words found fulfilment. The pain and stress and sorrow watching her Son being crucified, pierced her to the heart. Such was her sorrow, but great will be her reward.
Even on the cross the Lord did not forget His mother as He handed over her care to John – {{John 19:26 When Jesus therefore saw His mother and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold, your son!”}}
[2]. MARY MAGDALENE
Over the centuries Mary has become one of the colourful characters of the New Testament. What is vile is that the devil has used Mary to sully her name making her have illicit relationships with Jesus and portraying her as an immoral woman. She is maybe the most devoted person in the New Testament. She is also the perfect example of devoted love springing from, “He who is forgiven much, loves much.” {{Luke 7:47 “For this reason I say to you, her sins which are many, have been forgiven for she loved much but he who is forgiven little, loves little,”}}
Let us go to the first reference to Mary in the bible. It is the verse in Matthew 27:56, her presence at the cross, but Mary was also at the tomb and resurrection and with the disciples. She ministered to the disciples as they travelled, such was her devotion.
Mary had been delivered out of the demonic world when the Lord cast out seven demons, and after that God had a special place for her in service for the Lord. Both Mark and Luke tell us of her wonderful deliverance. Mark 16:9, Luke 8:2.
Gratefulness is a marvellous quality and my mind goes to a poem of mine called “Ungrateful Wretches” covering the 9 lepers who were cleansed but did not return to give thanks. Mary was so grateful – by their fruits you will know them, and Mary served with all her being.
How did Mary of Magdala feel when standing in view of the cross with the other women? She owed the Lord everything and was probably devastated that the Lord was being taken from her. Her devotion saw her at the tomb early on Sunday morning. Mary is a gem of the grace of God.
[3]. MARY THE MOTHER OF JAMES THE LESS AND JOSES
It needs to be said that the separation of Marys at the cross is not an easy thing to sort and in my message, I am not going to do that because I want to focus on the cross.
Many will claim this Mary is perhaps the same Mary who was the wife of Cleophas, Clopas, or Alphæus (different forms of the same name), and I accept that. This Mary is probably the sister of the Lord’s mother. Most scholars hold to those facts/ideas.
These two disciples, sons of Mary, therefore would be Christ's first cousins. The matter is shrouded in difficulty, and cannot be decided with absolute certainty.
This Mary was at the cross and we wonder what her feelings were. She certainly knew Jesus, His godly demeanour and divine power as the Son of God; He was “family”. Mary ministered to Jesus and His disciples in Galilee so she knew the whole band very well.
She likewise had devotion similar to Jesus’s mother, Jesus being her nephew. Also she was a comfort to her sister, but it is true to say, they comforted each other. I can only think Mary was reasoning what a great loss this was, and maybe the injustice of it all. Those feelings of despair and sorrow and loss were reversed just 3 days later.
[4]. SALOME
The name “Salome” is related to the Hebrew word “shalom,” meaning “peace” or “well-being.” It is almost contradictory that Salome probably did not have peace at the cross, and her well-being was being shattered, all up in the air.
Many scholars identify Salome as the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee, and another name in this verse – {{Mark 3:17 “and James, the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James (to them He gave the name Boanerges, which means, “SONS OF THUNDER”)}}
Salome was heart stricken at the crucifixion because she knew the closeness of her sons to Jesus. Her grief was for Jesus and her own sons, for her devotion was without question. This is why Salome was at the tomb to bring spices – Mark 16:1.
[C]. THE ENDING OF THE STORY
This is not the ending of the women’s story, or that of the Lord, but the crucifixion day had ended and the women went to their homes. They may have seen some of the disciples but the sad memories met a stark reality of emptiness. In their minds they believed they would not see the Lord again. What an awful recalling of events that night would have been for them, and of course, the disciples too, especially Peter.
Three days later it all made sense as the Lord taught what His death was all about when He gathered all His beloved ones to Himself. The joy the Resurrection gave is not dissimilar to our joy at the resurrection of our bodies, and to meeting the Lord upon death.
We looked at four brave and devoted women, strong in faithfulness and purpose. I just think it will be wonderful that one day – and I don’t think it is far away – we will all be gathered together with the Lord as His precious Bride for whom He gave Himself as a ransom. Precious Jesus, Lord of heaven and earth. We will know as we are known. Come, Lord Jesus, come!
Years ago I wrote a poem called “MARYS AT THE CROSS” and those three women (three MARYS) we looked at here in this short message. I did not include Salome in the poem, just a mention. That poem is on SermonCentral but I want to paste the poem and the comments I made to end this devotion.
[D]. A POEM TO FINISH
This is an Easter poem about 4 women, precious ones in the life of the Lord during His time on earth. Some people find it confusing to work the Marys out, especially at Easter time. What the Marys speak of is total devotion and love.
The poem looks at these ladies and also their time at the foot of the cross.
{{Mark 15:40-41 “There were also some women looking on from a distance, among whom were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the Less and Joses, and Salome, and when He was in Galilee, they used to follow Him and minister to Him, and there were many other women who had come up with Him to Jerusalem.”}}
{{John 19:25 “Therefore the soldiers did these things. There were standing by the cross of Jesus HIS MOTHER, and HIS MOTHER’S SISTER, MARY the wife of Clopas, and MARY MAGDALENE.”}}
In most churches where I have been, the women outnumber the men. This is a curious thing but I sense that women are more compassionate than men who are more analytical and matter-of-fact. Women are more likely to respond to the compassionate message of the cross. I could be wrong. There can also be an arrogance among women which is why they seems to be dominating in politics and government offices, even churches, and taking jobs, and being appointed to jobs, men used to have. That is just part of the signs of the times now when gender has been overturned with feminism.
These lovely women at the cross did not just end it there. They devotedly set about – {{Luke 23:55-56 “Now the women who had come with Him out of Galilee followed after and saw the tomb and how His body was laid, and THEY RETURNED AND PREPARED SPICES AND PERFUMES and on the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.”}}
MARYS AT THE CROSS (An Easter Poem)
What anguish did those men endure!
What sorrow hung about that scene!
Three men were crucified that day.
What did the crowd about them mean?
Golgotha’s hill attracted some -
The curious and following.
But near the cross some women stood,
Heartbroken in their sorrowing.
================
What pangs of sorrow and deep pain
Descended on one woman, fair -
The earthly mother of the Lord;
The blesséd one so helpless there.
A sword was piercing through her soul,
As Simeon had once revealed.
Now here she watched her holy Son
With sympathy, and face so teared.
================
The shepherds to the Baby came -
Their message of a Saviour born
In David’s city, Christ the Lord,
Would herald man’s redemptive dawn.
The Magi came from distant parts;
Presented to Him sorrow’s myrrh.
But all these things did Mary note -
These incidents she kept with her.
================
But no fulfilment of these truths
Could ever take away her tears.
Her firstborn Son is crucified;
There, Mary knows a mother’s fears.
No mother’s heart could bear to see
A son so cruelly hurt by man.
She stands there with a broken heart.
Perhaps one wonders how she can.
================
Another Mary at the cross
Is traced through God’s historic word.
Devoted loyalty shines through;
Her silent confirmation’s heard.
This Mary, known as Magdalene,
By sin and Satan once was owned -
But when delivered by the Lord,
Her Saviour ever she enthroned.
================
She owed Him much for her release,
For seven demons reigned in her.
So now she served devotedly
With activated love the spur.
From Galilee she’d come with Christ -
To His disciples ministered.
But now distressed, she viewed the sight
Where for her sins, her Saviour bled.
================
The series of events to come,
Just then she could not comprehend.
But to the tomb on Sunday morn
With saddened heart her way she’d wend,
Before the hinting light of dawn,
With grieving spirits, and distressed.
But ‘ere she’d leave that empty tomb
Her joy revived, for she’d be blessed.
================
Another Mary stood there too,
A witness to man’s cruel hand.
This one, the wife of Cleophas,
A faithful member of that band.
As mighty Prophet, Christ she knew
In word and deed confirmed to all.
Redemption for Israel she hoped.
But now that hope was caused to fall.
================
But Mary could not know just then
The blessings she would come to know.
Just two more days, and on a road,
A Stranger set God’s word aglow.
Such blessedness! Such joy to come!
Yet here that day she understood
The depth of man’s sadistic acts
Where Christ was spiked to arms of wood.
================
Three Marys watched, Salome too -
Their courage firm unto the end.
Commendable their faithfulness,
That in Christ’s need, that four would spend
Their time, in comfort close to Him.
O what devotion! Love supreme!
But He is worth the sacrifice,
Whose love extended to redeem.
================
3 - 4 October 1999 Ron Ferguson 8 throughout
The reference to “Just two more days, and on a road, A Stranger set God’s word aglow,” is to the Emmaus Road - Luke 24:18 One of them named Cleopas, answered and said to Him, “Are You the only one visiting Jerusalem and unaware of the things which have happened here in these days?”
It is assumed the two were (Cleophas, Clopas, or Alphæus) and his wife, Mary. See above [3]. MARY THE MOTHER OF JAMES THE LESS AND JOSES
