‘woman, Behold Your Son. Series

‘Woman, behold your son.

John 19: 26-27

" Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, 'Dear woman, here is your son,' and to the disciple, 'Here is your mother.' From that time on, this disciple took her into his home." (John 19:25-27)

Of the four gospel writers, John is the only one who records Mary's presence at the cross. It would be expected that Jesus' mother be in Jerusalem at Passover -- after all, we read, "Every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover" (Luke 2:41). Probably after Joseph's death -- presumed to have taken place before Jesus began his ministry -- Mary would come up to Jerusalem for the Feast with friends and relatives.

Now her son is in trouble - arrested, tried, condemned, crucified and now dying. Surely, Mary's place is close to her son. And so Simeon's prophecy given at Jesus' dedication comes to pass:

"And a sword will pierce your own soul too." (Luke 2:35b)

She is near him now. She is also consoled by friends.

Just who are these friends? Verse 25 seems to include Mary plus three other women. These are probably the same women who appear in the Synoptic Gospels. Matthew explains: "Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs" (Matthew 27:55; Luke 8:3).

In addition to Mary, the women at the cross seem to be: (1) Mary Magdalene (2)Mary (the wife) of Clopas seems to correspond easily to "Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses (Joseph)" (Mark 15:40; Matthew 27:56). She is probably "the other Mary" who was with Mary Magdalene at the tomb Friday night and on Sunday morning (Matthew 27:61; 28:1). (3) The third woman may well be Salome, who is the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee. Now the story unfolds further.

Who is this "disciple whom he loved"? We see this phrase only four other times --and only in John's Gospel This disciple is clearly identified as the author of the Gospel of John (John 21:24). Church tradition identifies this disciple with John the Apostle. Perhaps the Gospel writer doesn't identify himself by name out of modesty.

This disciple whom Jesus loved, John, one of three disciples closest to him, is the only male disciple who is at the foot of the cross as Jesus is dying. The others are too afraid to be so closely identified with a man condemned by the Romans, as well as by the leaders of their own people (Mark 14:50; Luke 23:49).

Jesus' Third Word from the cross to this small band of faithful friends huddled below is fascinating for all it implies.

First, Jesus addresses his mother not as "Mother," but as "woman," translated appropriately as "dear woman" by the NIV. We might sense a coldness in the term as used in our culture, but in Jesus' culture, it was perfectly proper for a man to address a woman this way -- but still strange for a son to a mother. The reason for this more formal address is probably that Jesus intends His words to be understood as a formal testamentary disposition under Jewish family law.

As Mary's firstborn, Jesus is legally responsible for her welfare, to ensure that she has a place to live and food to eat during her widowhood. Jesus entrusts his mother to John's care and John takes this commission seriously:

"From that time on, this disciple took her into his home." (John 19:27b)

As I reflect on this Third Word from the Cross, I begin to see something about the extent of Jesus' love. Here he is dying in agony, gasping for each breath. He sees his mother, the one who comforted him through all of childhood's cuts and bruises. When he was a boy he would run home to mother and instantly be wrapped in her protective, comforting mother love.

But now as he sees her at the foot of the cross, heartbroken, weeping, inconsolable, His heart goes out to her. Rather than being consumed by an understandable concern for His own welfare, he is concerned of her welfare.

She is a widow -- soon to be a widow who will be known as mother to that crucified criminal, Jesus. Life will not be easy for her.

What are we as Jesus' disciples to learn from this Word from the cross?

First, we must love our parents -- no matter what. Sometimes our parents misunderstand us or disapprove of decisions we make. Sometimes they can hurt us grievously. Jesus, too, had felt the hurt of misunderstanding from his family -- even his mother. It's apparent that during part of his ministry, his family didn't understand him.