"The Women: Brave & Loyal Disciples"

 

Matthew 27:55-56: And many women who followed jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him, were there looking on from afar, among whom were mary magdalene, mary the mother of james and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's sons.

Art history can be a fascinating topic, and if you know Renaissance art a favorite topic was the prominence of Mary, the mother of Jesus, who is often pictured swooning or suffering in some form next to the Cross. Based on the verse--a sword shall pierce thy side also--artists have assumed that Mary at the Cross becomes a co-redemptrix. Certainly there was suffering for the human mother of Jesus, but that did not have a redemptive quality. All of the people whom God used throughout history to fulfill His purposes suffered in various ways. From Job who lost everything except his wife to Hosea who lost only his wife we have suffering, yet it was not of a redemptive value for us. Only Christ the God Man could bring us redemption.

Now look at the list of names of women in verse 56. Who is missing? Mary, the mother of Jesus! Where was she? Jesus from the Cross had commanded John to take Mary to his home and treat her as his mother. Mary had left the gruesome scene at Jesus' own request.The point is made that John took her from that hour.

Present at a distance from the Cross were the faithful women who bravely and loyally watched the crucifixion. They could have run like the disciples, but they stayed. Three days later it would be the women who would first witness the validity of the resurrection.

Those present included Mary Magdalene, of whom Luke 8:2 mentions that she possessed seven demons. Mary the wife of Clopas was the mother of the apostle known as James the Less (Mark 15:40). James and John, the Son's of Thunder, had their mother present also (wife of Zebedee's children). They could not bear to leave the dying Savior, and we thank the Lord for their faithfulness. Where would you have been that day?