Mary, Mother of Jesus, Part 2
Melanie Betters, Guest Writer
TODAY’S TREASURE
So the soldiers did these things, but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home (John 19:23-27).
This is one of the most tender moments in Scripture. Mary and several women stood by the Cross as the soldiers squabbled over her dear Son’s clothing. Her little boy, Jesus, is brutally beaten and bloodied. I picture her touching His bleeding feet and remember the many times she caressed his newborn toes and taught Him to walk and watched Him run through the streets of Galilee.
No doubt, she followed Him as He carried His Cross up rugged streets, back sliced open by the whip, blood streaming down His face. My heart aches when any of my children hurt, especially if the hurt is from the hands of someone else. I do whatever I can to alleviate their pain, I can only imagine Mary’s grief and fear. Maybe the exhortation early in His ministry, that only those who follow Him are His brothers and mother maybe that moment when she could not fix the problems she saw, maybe that was the first of many moments when she had to step back and trust her Son. Perhaps those moments helped prepare her for this horrific day. She could not fix this the way she held Him when He scraped His knees or was bullied by friends. Imagine you are standing with Mary at the Cross:
When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom, so they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be” (John 19:23-24).
This was to fulfill the Scripture, which says:
“They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots” (Psalm 22:18).
Following our Savior requires a cost. Mary was told as a young mother by Simeon in the temple that “a sword would pierce her heart.” The cross was the ultimate piercing moment. She remembered the prophecy of Isaiah that said our Savior would be “pierced for our transgressions.” She heard Jesus echo the agonizing words of Psalm 22 as He cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Watching her precious Son butchered in such a horrific manner is a grief we can barely fathom, yet she did not run. She knew following Jesus meant she would also be wounded. She is the only person at the Cross who was there when He was born. She would not leave Him now.
LIFE-GIVING ENCOURAGEMENT
Jesus knew His wounded mother needed her faith community now more than ever. We hear Him, from the cross, give over the care of His mother to the Apostle John. She would not grieve alone. And as Mary’s story fades into the background of Scripture, we see her quiet yet powerful and lasting legacy in Scripture. What can we gather about how she lived out the rest of her life?
We are confident that Mary’s is one of the main firsthand accounts that Luke uses to write his gospel. Scripture doesn’t offer details, but how I wish we had the story of when she first laid eyes on Him after His miraculous resurrection! Yet the Gospel is not about her life. Her life is about making Jesus known. Her devotion to His mission is foremost. The last time we see Mary mentioned in Scripture is in the Upper Room, praying fervently with the other disciples. Remember what we said about the meaning of the word “follow”? Follow is used approximately 75 times in the New Testament and always means submission to a teacher.
Mary was a true follower of Jesus, who heard Him exhort His followers to abide in Him, and they would bear much fruit. How appropriate that the last word we have on Mary is that she is a woman devoted to prayer. She doesn’t go home to wallow in missing her Son. Instead, she trusts the promise of Psalm 92 - that she will continue to flourish and bear fruit in her old age as she soaks in God’s Word.
PRAYER
Oh Father, what was it like to stand at the foot of the Cross? Physical darkness descends on the earth, and angels watched as God turned His back on His only Son. How can we abuse the grace Your beloved Son made possible for us to receive and the resurrection power He gives when He forgives our sins and promises to never leave us? As we remember those awful hours, may You fill our hearts with sorrow for sin and joy in response to forgiveness.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Sharon W. Betters is a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, pastor’s wife, and cofounder of MARKINC Ministries, where she is the Director of Resource Development. Sharon is the author of several books, including Treasures of Encouragement, Treasures in Darkness, and co-author with Susan Hunt of Aging with Grace. She is the co-host of the Help & Hope podcast and writes Daily Treasure, an online devotional.
For more from Daily Treasure please visit MARKINC.ORG.
Originally published Friday, 08 April 2022.
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