And by the cross of Jesus stood his mother, and the sister of his mother, Mary the [wife] of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala.
Commentary for this verse has not been generated yet.
Jesus therefore, seeing his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, says to his mother, Woman, behold thy son.
In the middle of the work of redemption, the dying Saviour turned His attention to His mother. His words from the cross raise three questions. Why did He say "Woman" instead of "mother"? Why John, and not her other sons? And why does Scripture say almost nothing about her after this?
Notice the contrast of scale. The One the whole universe depended on stopped to arrange a family matter.
On the cross is the eternal Son of God, the perfect Man, the King of the Jews. He is carrying out the work of redemption which God's purposes had decreed from all eternity. The whole universe depended on Him, yet as Man He was enduring every possible suffering. At such a moment we see Him giving close attention to one small detail. Nothing will make Him forget the love and respect He always had for His mother.
The word can sound cold to modern ears. Writers point out that it was His normal way of addressing her, and that He used it elsewhere with clear warmth.
He spoke that way to the Syrophoenician woman when He praised her faith (Matt. 15:28). The angels spoke that way to Mary at the tomb: "Woman, why are you weeping?" So did the Lord Himself on that occasion (John 20:13, 15)... Would anyone think He ought to have called her mother? Do we have a single instance of His ever addressing her that way? He spoke of her as His mother, but never, as far as we remember, addressed her so.
There is a second detail in the wording. The writer of the Gospel calls her "His mother," while the Lord calls her "Woman."
Mary was the mother of Jesus, and this favour from God led Gabriel to greet her as blessed among women. But, as we have seen, natural family ties could make no claim on a life of complete and perfect separation to God. And now that the Lord's death was near, even this tender and close tie was about to end... This teaches, beyond all contradiction, that nothing will ever take away, in its own sphere, the honour God gave Mary.
Earlier He had not recognised her as His mother. At the cross that changes, and one writer explains why.
During His service here on earth, He did not recognise His mother. His human relationships were really not in question. He was the bearer of the divine word in this world, the expression of that word in His Person, and nothing else. He was set apart from everything for this. Now that His divine ministry has ended, He recognises this relationship. Not as a link with the Jews — that was over — but as human affection... Now that His service is finished, His affection is free, and He shows it.
This cuts against the idea that holiness means suppressing natural feeling.
There they stood by the cross in the time of His rejection. There the Lord shows how far strict self-denial falls short of the truth... Yet eternal interests, taken up like this, do not erase or dishonour nature or its relationships according to God. The Lord marks that here in the most solemn and touching way: He commends John to His mother as her son, and Mary to John as his mother — a loving trust honoured from that hour.
Mary had other sons. One writer points to why John was chosen instead: "John 7:5 tells us, 'For not even his brothers believed in him.' How much stronger is the spiritual relationship than the natural!" (L. M. Grant). Another writer looks at what John's presence meant to the Lord.
Who can tell the comfort it must have been to Him in that dark hour to see John there!... The Lord was able to trust John now, and could commit a precious legacy to him. John was faithful to the trust. And He wants to trust us too, to have us as friends He can rely on... Imagine the Lord saying to you, "I want you to care for some who are precious to Me. I want you to look after My interests on earth while I am away."
After this scene, Scripture says almost nothing more about Mary.
Here, apart from one mention in the first chapter of Acts, we part with Mary. She is not named in the later books, and in all the teaching of the letters she has no place. She remains for us in the word of God a simple woman rejoicing in God her Saviour — a stone in the temple to His praise, and with no temple of her own.
- Love that notices. While He accomplished redemption, He gave close attention to His mother. Nothing made Him forget her.
- Love that speaks with care. "Woman" was His usual way of addressing her, and He used it elsewhere with warmth. The Gospel writer, not the Lord, uses the word "mother."
- Love that is free at last. During His service, natural ties made no claim on Him. With that service finished, His affection is free, and He shows it.
- Love that entrusts. John stood by the cross, and the Lord gave him a precious legacy. He still looks for friends He can trust with what is precious to Him.
- Love that keeps its place. God honours Mary in her own sphere, and then Scripture falls silent about her: a stone in the temple to His praise, with no temple of her own.