Mary, Mother of Jesus · Lesson 4 · Behold, Your Mother!

There was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and “Jesus’ mother was there” (John 2:1). “When the wine ran out, Jesus’ mother said to him, ‘They have no wine’” (John 2:3). “Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, what does that have to do with you and me? My hour has not yet come’” (John 2:4). “His mother said to the servants, ‘Whatever he says to you, do it’” (John 2:5).

Another time, “His mother and his brothers came, and standing outside, they sent to him, calling him” (Mark 3:31). Jesus said to those sitting around him: “For whoever does the will of God is my brother, my sister, and mother” (Mark 3:35).

This lesson reads the day Jesus was crucified.

Read TogetherJohn 19:25-30

²⁵But standing by Jesus’ cross were his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.

²⁶Therefore when Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing there, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!”

²⁷Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” From that hour, the disciple took her to his own home.

²⁸After this, Jesus, seeing that all things were now finished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I am thirsty!”

²⁹Now a vessel full of vinegar was set there; so they put a sponge full of the vinegar on hyssop, and held it at his mouth.

³⁰When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Think It Through

What do you see?

Who was standing by Jesus’ cross? Who does the passage name first? (v. 25)
What did Jesus say to his mother? What did he say to the disciple? (vv. 26–27)
What did the disciple do from then on? (v. 27)
After this, what two things did Jesus say? (vv. 28–30)

If I were there

Imagine you are the disciple whom Jesus loved: you hear him say to you, “Behold, your mother!” (v. 27). What would you be thinking? (The passage records only that “From that hour, the disciple took her to his own home”; it does not record anything he said. This question asks you to put yourself in his place.)
Imagine you are one of the other women standing by the cross (v. 25), and you hear Jesus say to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” (v. 26). What would you be thinking? (The passage does not record anything these women said. This question asks you to put yourself in their place.)

What is God like?

On the cross, Jesus said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” (v. 26), and to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” (v. 27). Reading this, what comes to mind?
Jesus said, “It is finished!” (v. 30). Reading this, what comes to mind?

What does this mean for me?

“From that hour, the disciple took her to his own home” (v. 27). Is there someone near you who needs someone to take them into their home — someone who needs looking after?
Have you ever had a time when all you could do was ‘stand by’, unable to do anything?
Look back over these four lessons — the day in Nazareth, “let it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38); the song in Elizabeth’s house; the day they found the boy in the temple; and the cross. Which moment makes you most want to stop and look a little longer?

Notes

Standing by the cross. “But standing by Jesus’ cross were his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene” (v. 25). The first one the passage names is ‘his mother’.

A sword. When Jesus was a baby, Simeon said to Mary in the temple: “Yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul” (Luke 2:35). On this day, she stood by the cross.

Woman, behold, your son! “Therefore when Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing there, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, behold, your son!’” (v. 26). At Cana, too, Jesus addressed her as ‘Woman’ (John 2:4).

Behold, your mother! “Then he said to the disciple, ‘Behold, your mother!’ From that hour, the disciple took her to his own home” (v. 27). The passage calls him “the disciple whom he loved”, and does not give his name here.

It is finished. “After this, Jesus, seeing that all things were now finished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, ‘I am thirsty!’” (v. 28). “When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, ‘It is finished!’ Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit” (v. 30). All this, those standing by saw.

Afterwards. After Jesus rose and was taken up, the disciples went back to Jerusalem and gathered in an upper room. The passage says: “All these with one accord continued steadfastly in prayer and supplication, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers” (Acts 1:14). This is the last time the New Testament names her.

For Them Then

Luke’s Gospel also records that day: “All his acquaintances and the women who followed with him from Galilee stood at a distance, watching these things” (Luke 23:49).

Readers can see this: more than one person stood watching that day; John’s Gospel records that “standing by Jesus’ cross were his mother” and others (v. 25).

For You Today

Perhaps you too have known days when all you could do was stand by: a family member in a hospital bed and nothing you could do; someone you love going down a road you could not stop them taking; something ending while you could only watch.

This lesson does not say that you need to be strong like Mary; nor does it say that those who stand by will know why. What it shows you is this: “standing by Jesus’ cross were his mother” and others (v. 25); on the cross Jesus said to her, “Woman, behold, your son!”, and to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” (vv. 26–27); “From that hour, the disciple took her to his own home” (v. 27). Later, she was with the disciples, who “continued steadfastly in prayer and supplication” (Acts 1:14).

This week: Think of someone who is ‘standing by’ right now — perhaps a family member of theirs is ill, perhaps they have just lost someone. This week, go and see them, or give them a call; you do not need to say much, only keep them company for a while.

Scripture: World English Bible.

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Behold, Your Mother!