Jesus Gives His Mother to John

Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary 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

How amazing that even in this agony, Jesus is still caring for others.  This moment gives us such insight into the relationship of Jesus and Mary.

It would be easy to think that as Jesus grew into manhood, that He became dominant over His mother.  After all . . . He's God!  He's the King, the Ruler, the Alpha, the Omega! 

Yet, with all that being true, He still showed the compassion of a loving son to His terrified mother.  We believe that His father, Joseph, was dead by this time (which would explain why Mary is never mentioned with Joseph as Jesus entered into His ministry), and as Jesus was the eldest son, it would have been His job to take care of her.

Isn't it interesting that as He hung on that cross, dying for HER sins as well as everyone else's, He was taking care of her?  Wasn't He taking care of her eternally? 

Yet He stopped, to offer not just a redemption for her sins, but a plan for her earthly life, a way to be taken care of and protected.  He offered protection for eternity, and protection for now.

It's an excellent example of how we should not just strive to meet people's eternal needs, but their earthly needs as well.  When someone is hungry, don't tell them about Jesus.  Feed them - feed their stomach.  Then feed their soul. 

I can't wait to meet Mary someday.  I can't wait to see the relationship that she has with Jesus - boy, and God too!  I can't wait to see the dynamics of that whole thing.

But in this small passage of scripture, we get a short glimpse.  We see their love for each other - the earthly love, and the eternal love. 

As a mother, I cannot imagine watching my son be tortured and killed.  This morning when he got out of the van at school he smacked his head on the door, and he just laughed it off.  But I know it hurt, and I wanted so much to go after him, to have him cry on my shoulder like he used to, to kiss it and make it better.

Is that how Mary felt on that day?  She knew that He was the Messiah, but did she long to hold Him, to take back the last few days, the last few years, to keep Him safe?  Did she long to kiss Him, to make it better? 

You probably guessed it - let's look at the lyrics to "Mary Did You Know?"  She entered into quite an adventure when she used her life to honor God.  And she was honored, too, as the mother of Jesus.  But did she really know how this was all going to turn out?

Here are the lyrics:

Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy would one day walk on water?
Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy would save our sons and daughters?
Did you know
that your Baby Boy has come to make you new?
This Child that you delivered will soon deliver you.

Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy will give sight to a blind man?
Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy will calm the storm with His hand?
Did you know
that your Baby Boy has walked where angels trod?
When you kiss your little Baby you kissed the face of God?

Mary did you know..

The blind will see.
The deaf will hear.
The dead will live again.
The lame will leap.
The dumb will speak
The praises of The Lamb.

Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy is Lord of all creation?
Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy would one day rule the nations?
Did you know
that your Baby Boy is heaven's perfect Lamb?
The sleeping Child you're holding is the Great, I Am.

[by Mark Lowry and Buddy Green]