Salome Mother Of James And John. Series

Salome mother of James and John.

Matt. 20:2-21, Mark 15:40-41

There are two women named Salome in the New Testament, but only one is mentioned by that name. One Salome was righteous; we read of the other Salome in Mark 6 - the daughter of Herodias who danced at Herod's party. was unrighteous and is not mentioned by name in the gospels. John the Baptist’s fate was decided when Herodias’s daughter danced for Herod at his birthday banquet. Pleased with the girl’s performance, Herod offered her a rash promise. Salome went to Herodias to ask her advice on what the gift should be, and Herodias told her to ask for the head of John the Baptist on a platter. Salome obediently asked Herod for this gift, and, though the Bible says Herod was grieved, he honored his promise. John was beheaded in prison, and his head given to Herodias’s daughter who took it to her mother (Mark 6:21–28). Though Salome is not mentioned by name in the biblical record, the historian Josephus tells us her name.

The righteous Salome was the wife of Zebedee (Matthew 27:56), the mother of the disciples James and John, and was a female follower of Jesus. Salome and her husband Zebedee and their family lived in Capernaum. Peter was also from there. Salome was one of the group of women that contributed to the support of Jesus and His apostles - Luke 8:1-3

This Salome was the one who came to Jesus with the request that her sons sit in places of honor in the kingdom (Matthew 20:20–21). She was also one of the women “looking on from a distance” when Jesus was being crucified—with her were Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses and James the Less (Mark 15:40). These same women were together on the third day after that, bringing spices to Jesus’ tomb to anoint Him. When they encountered the angel, -who told them that Jesus was risen- they ran to tell the disciples the good news (Mark 16:1–8). Mark’s Gospel is the only one that mentions Salome by name as one of the women who was at the tomb on Resurrection day.

Salome was a mother who gave a huge contribution to our Christian faith – the apostles James and John

We have only three recorded accounts of her life –

(1) Matthew 20:20-24; 27:56 when she asks Jesus to let her sons sit on his right and left side in the coming kingdom.

(2) Mark 15:40-41 – when she was present at the crucifixion with the ladies who followed and ministered to him.

(3) Mark 16:1-2 – when she is with the ladies who discover the tomb is empty and are visited by the angel.

We can, however, read between the lines of her life just from the few things we do know about her. We know that she was the wife of Zebedee, a wealthy fisherman - he had hired servants who helped in the fishing trade - Mark 1:19-20. We know she was a godly mother who taught her children well because they were more than willing to leave the boat and their father when Jesus called them to follow Him.

Salome was a great example of a mother who raised her children in the Lord and then released them to do what God had for them. We know from the bits and pieces of the gospel narrative that she must have agreed with their decision to follow Jesus because not only did she permit them to go, she went as well.

But we can have one thousand great shining moments and they fade into the distance in comparison to the one time that we make a mistake I feel like this is what happened to Salome. People don’t usually equate her with being a follower of Jesus, being one of those who supported financially Jesus' ministry, being at the crucifixion when it was dangerous to do so , seeing where He was laid in the tomb and even being one of the women at the tomb that was visited by the angel who announced the resurrection.

Nope, she’s remembered as the mother who just didn’t get the concept of the kingdom right and was overly ambitious for her children

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In Matthew 20:20-24 we find the most well known passage about this mother – when Salome approaches Jesus with a request. She kneels at Jesus’ feet and asks him if he will grant that her two sons will sit at his right and left side when he comes into his kingdom. The parallel passage in Mark 10:35-37 reveals that it was her sons who had engineered this request! James and John were the ones vying to get the top positions for themselves. - as they are quick to jump in with a resounding “We are able” when Jesus asks if they can drink the same cup He does. Matt:20: 22