We continue our study of the Gospel of John. We pick up at verse 25, of Chapter 19 where we find John describing events of the crucifixion of Jesus. He writes:
“Near the cross of Jesus stood His mother, His mother’s sister, the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw His mother there, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to her,
‘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
John was the only disciple that was at the cross. All of the other disciples had run into hiding for fear of being arrested and ultimately crucified with Jesus. All of those who had welcomed Him with palm leaves, and personal cloaks spread across His path as He rode into Jerusalem on the colt were nowhere to be found either. This scene is prophesied in Psalm 22 when it says, “He was scorned and despised by the people. They shake their heads and hurl insults.” They say, “He trusts in the Lord, let the Lord rescue Him. Let Him deliver Him since He delights in Him.” This came to pass when He was crucified. The Word says In Matthew 27:41, “The Chief Priests, and Teachers of the law mocked Him, and among many things said, ‘Let Him come down from the cross, and we will believe in HIm. He trusts in God. Let God rescue Him now if He wants Him… ‘ All of these things and so much more were penned by David a thousand years before and were exactly fulfilled to help us believe in the Word.
Jesus was dying on the cross as our substitute and our propitiation as per the plan of salvation. He had told His disciples this would happen as they were en-route to Jerusalem, as we see in Matthew 26:1, but they could not handle it when it happened. This left only Mary, His Mom, His Mother’s sister, and Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene, and John at the cross.. As usual, this scene was by design. Jesus wanted us to see that Family is always to be looked after in all cases. Provision is always to be made for the needy in the family. He was very specific to both Mary, and John. He wanted Mary to be a part of John’s Family, and for John to look after Mary. The Word says, “From this time on, this disciple took her into his home.”
Another reason, and we are not told this from the Scripture, but since we see how James, and other members of Mary’s family came to believe in Christ their half-brother after His resurrection, we can see how the Lord wanted Mary with John to spread the Good News starting at the angel visiting Mary. He of course knew she could go home to be with her children of the flesh, but He wanted HIs Mom to be a part of the sharing of the Good News with John. He wanted the world to hear it from those who had been personally involved. The Lord always has a reason for every move He makes. So it was then – so it is Now. How blessed we are to know that, and to remember why we are here. We are here because it is our time to live in, and to share, the Good News after we become personally involved. May others see Him, and the Good News in us.