“When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home,” John 19:26-27.
A WONDERFUL EXAMPLE, Pt 1.
It was said by the angel to Mary when the birth of her Son was foretold: “Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women,” Luke 1:28. However, she also knew many troubles, never more so than at the cross.
Simeon told Mary when he met her in the temple: “Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,” Luke 2:35.
What heartbreak she must have experienced as she watched her Son dying on the cross, surrounded by mocking and jeering rejection!
- Notice that Mary is an example to all mothers.
- She stood by her Son in the midst of His troubles. She must have been close to the cross that she could be spoken to in this fashion. She and others had been at distance from the cross at the first. Too close may have been dangerous for women amongst the rough soldiers. See Matt 27:55-56. The Prodigal’s father portrayed a like faithfulness to his son, Luke 15:20.
- She must have felt great suffering. Not the sufferings that Christ was enduring for His were the sufferings of the ‘atoning sacrificial Lamb’. However, she felt a ‘sword’ piercing through her soul as foretold by Simeon, Luke 2:35.
- Note her dignified, holy and courageous silence. No hysterics etc. It was born of faith. Had not God told her “thou shalt . . . . bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end,” Luke 1:31-33. She believed that the cross was not the end for her Son! We likewise must believe that God’s plans will not be thwarted by men.