Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. 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 19:25-27).
Jesus was made like his brethren in all things (Heb. 2:17). He lived and died under the Old Testament Law. As a man Jesus loved his own which were in the world while he was here and unto the end. (John 13:1). His blood (half) brothers did not believe in him, but he loved them anyway (Matt. 5:44-45). As a child, he knew his real Father and served Him though His earthly parents sometimes did not understand. Nevertheless, He humbly submitted to His parents and loved them (Luke 2:49-51).
Because it was his own trade, Joseph trained Jesus as a carpenter (Mark 6:3). By the time Jesus was grown Joseph was no longer in the picture. We are not told what happened to Joseph, but it is safe to assume he had gone on to his eternal reward. As the eldest son, Jesus then would have a greater responsibility toward His younger siblings, even though they did not believe in him (John 7:3-5). Nevertheless His mother understood, knew and believed He was the Christ (Luke 1:35). She knew and believed in His power to do miracles before He ever showed that power to anyone (John 2:3-5).
The fact that Jesus only addressed her as ‘woman’ sounds strange to our ears (John 2:4;19:26), but He identified her with all faithful women as being His mother, indicating He loved His mother because of her faith, not just because of the blood relationship (Matt. 12:45-50). Although He loved His family, he left His mother and siblings to fulfill the work His Heavenly Father had given Him to do (Luke 14:26). When His disciples expected Jesus to drop everything and visit with His family, Jesus reminded them of this principle (Matt. 12:47-50). Nevertheless his mother followed Him in His ministry at least some of the time. At one time His family stayed with him for some while (John 2:12).
When the end came and Jesus was being led away to be crucified, most of the disciples fled for safety. Mary was not ashamed nor afraid to be found immediately by the cross to do what she could. A few other women and John showed the same stalwart courage in the face of all danger (John 19:25). Jesus could have entrusted His mother to James or any of His other physical brethren, but He did not. He entrusted His mother to the disciple whom He loved, namely the apostle John, but it was not as though His mother was helpless and dependent on someone to care for her. She was perfectly capable to care for herself and others, and so Jesus also committed John the apostle to her care (John 19:26). What more compassionate gift could have been given to the two Jesus loved than to give them to the care of each other. Of all of the marvelous accounts of divine love in the world, these were three who fully knew its depths.
Beth Johnson