The Women at the Cross

The Women at the Cross - For Communion

Scripture Reading:

Matthew 27:45–56 “45 Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land. 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” 47 Some of those who stood there, when they heard that, said, “This Man is calling for Elijah!” 48 Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink. 49 The rest said, “Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to save Him.” 50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. 51 Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, 52 and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; 53 and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many. 54 So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, “Truly this was the Son of God!” 55 And many women who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him, were there looking on from afar, 56 among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.”

Matthew 27:55–56 “55 And many women who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him, were there looking on from afar, 56 among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.”

Mark 15:40–41 “40 There were also women looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the Less and of Joses, and Salome, 41 who also followed Him and ministered to Him when He was in Galilee, and many other women who came up with Him to Jerusalem.”

Luke 23:28 “28 But Jesus, turning to them, said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.”

John 19:25–27 “25 Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold your son!” 27 Then He said to the disciple, “Behold your mother!” And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.”

Desire of Ages, EGW

Not a few women are in the crowd that follow the ‘uncondemned’ to His cruel death. Their attention is fixed upon Jesus. Some of them have seen Him before. Some have carried to Him their sick and suffering ones. Some have themselves been healed. Notwithstanding the action of the maddened throng, and the angry words of the priests and rulers, these women give expression to their sympathy. As Jesus falls fainting beneath the cross, they break forth into mournful wailing.

Although full of suffering, while bearing the sins of the world, He was not indifferent to the expression of grief. He looked upon these women with tender compassion. They were not believers in Him; He knew that they were not lamenting Him as one sent from God, but were moved by feelings of human pity. He did not despise their sympathy, but it awakened in His heart a deeper sympathy for them. “Daughters of Jerusalem,” He said, “weep not for Me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.” From the scene before Him, Christ looked forward to the time of Jerusalem's destruction. In that terrible scene, many of those who were now weeping for Him were to perish with their children. p. 742-43

The mother of Jesus, supported by John the beloved disciple, had followed the steps of her Son to Calvary. She had seen Him fainting under the burden of the cross, and had longed to place a supporting hand beneath His wounded head, and to bathe that brow which had once been pillowed upon her bosom. But she was not permitted this mournful privilege. With the disciples she still cherished the hope that Jesus would manifest His power, and deliver Himself from His enemies. Again her heart would sink as she recalled the words in which He had foretold the very scenes that were then taking place. As the thieves were bound to the cross, she looked on with agonizing suspense. Would He who had given life to the dead suffer Himself to be crucified? Would the Son of God suffer Himself to be thus cruelly slain? She saw His hands stretched upon the cross; the hammer and the nails were brought, and as the spikes were driven through the tender flesh, the heart-stricken disciples bore away from the cruel scene the fainting form of the mother of Jesus. p. 744

At the foot of the cross stood His mother, supported by the disciple John. She could not endure to remain away from her Son; and John, knowing that the end was near, had brought her again to the cross. In His dying hour, Christ remembered His mother. Looking into her grief-stricken face and then upon John, He said to her, “Woman, behold thy son!” then to John, “Behold thy mother!” John understood Christ's words, and accepted the trust.

He had no money with which to provide for her comfort; but He was enshrined in the heart of John, and He gave His mother to him as a precious legacy. Thus He provided for her that which she most needed,—the tender sympathy of one who loved her because she loved Jesus. And in receiving her as a sacred trust, John was receiving a great blessing. She was a constant reminder of his beloved Master. p. 752

Who were the women at the cross?

Salome

Salome, wife of well-to-do fisherman Zebedee and mother of the "Sons of Thunder," James and John, was one of those women who stood watch during that cruel execution.

It is believed that Salome, whose name means "peaceful," and her family were friends of Jesus even before He began His public ministry at the age of thirty. When He launched out into public ministry, Salome gave up a life of relative comfort to follow Him, serving Him both in actions and financial support. She believed in Him to the point that she interceded with Him on behalf of her sons, asking for a special place for them in His future Kingdom. With Jesus hanging, beaten and bloody on the Cross, what would become of her sons? They had left all to follow this Jesus, the Christ. The son of God.

Mary Magdalene

The woman who loved much because she was forgiven much.

Mary Magdalene is clearly identified in the Scriptures as the woman from whom Jesus cast out seven demons. How grateful she must have been, and how quickly and completely she commited herself to follow her Deliverer! Mary Magdalene is not only seen at the foot of the Cross, maintaining her devotion to her Lord to the end, but following this body to the tomb to see where they lais Him. On the third day - Mary Magdalene was the first to arrive at the open tomb and to proclaim to the disciples that Jesus had risen from the dead. She is remmebered to this day as witness to the two most critical events in human history.

Mary, mother of Jesus

And then there was Mary, wife (and most likely widow by then) of Joseph the carpenter. Whose broken heart could begin to compare to that of the woman who had carried the very Son of God in her womb and brought Him forth into the world in a lowly stable in Bethlehem? This grieving mother had raised her firstborn son to adulthood, knowing that He was unique and yet anticipating the fulfilment of the prophecy that a sword would pierce her soul "and now the time had come. How could she bear to stand on that blood-soaked ground and watch the agony of her beloved Child?"

Others

Others were present, though only a handful are mentioned by name in the scriptural accounts. The "disciple whom He [Jesus] loved," believed by many to be John, the younger son of Zebedee and Salome, was there and was commissioned by Jesus Himself to care for His mother after His death. The rest of the disciples, according to the Scriptures, had fled for fear of being arrested as Christ's followers.

Me

These women who attended the cross were faithful followers of Jesus. Indeed, they were his disciples. They tended his needs during his ministry, supporting him and being instrumental in the gospel mission. Their hearts , indeed their lives were transformed by Jesus.

Mary Magdalene

How does one repay the debt of one who casts out seven demons from you? Especially to one who asks no payment of reward. Moreover, he asks that show your love to others and give your devotion to the father in heaven - he in turn will bless you abundantly, never leaving you or forsaking you.

Salome

The mother of the sons of Zebedee, Peter and James? Her son’s were am,ong Jesus’ closest followers, but we can be confident that her presence at the cross was also due to her personal devotion to Jesus.

Mary, Jesus' mother

We know no more of Joseph, her husband, but a loving mother is watching the child of her womb die an agonising death on a cross. Yet, he has committed no crime. With the assurance of the angel Gabriel, along with her own witness and impression, Jesus is more than the son of Mary and Joseph. He is Messiah, Yeshua - saviour of the world, and the only begotten of the Father. He is their present and eternal hope. They have walked with him and talked with him, fed and sheltered him. Been touched, healed, and taught by him. Yet, they are at the cross…. Profoundly broken and in despair as they witness his agonising death.

Like the apostles, and so many who had been followers of Jesus, their hope was that he was the promised Messiah-King, who would deliver them from the Roman yolk. That he would restore the Davidic throne, reestablishing Jerusalem to its former glory. No longer slaves or servants, but kings.

In their agony and confusion, they forget his words of hope and assurance, that he would rise again to newness of life – having given his life a ransom for many. That he, Jesus, is not just the deliverer of the Jewish people, but saviour of the world. Indeed, to all who would believe on his name. That this instead of a moment of sadness and loss was a time of victory. They like Daniel must drink the bitter cup, but soon they would understand the depth of his sacrifice was also His unmatched victory.

End