Behold Your Son
"WOMAN, BEHOLD YOUR SON. SON, BEHOLD YOUR MOTHER."
JOHN 19:23-27
23 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, 24 so they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.” This was to fulfill the Scripture which says, “They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.” So the soldiers did these things, 25 but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” 27 Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.
23 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, 24 so they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.” This was to fulfill the Scripture which says, “They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.” So the soldiers did these things, 25 but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” 27 Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.
Mother to the Messiah
One December, I asked a Bible Study group to name their favorite Christmas song. I was shocked that 100% of the women said: “Mary Did You Know?” They each shared how they identified with the complex emotions Mary must have felt as Jesus’ mother, who also needed him as her Savior. Jesus’ third word from the cross reminds me of that conversation; it highlights the uniqueness of Mary’s mother-son relationship with Jesus.
From the moment the angel told Mary that she would bear God’s Son, she has been on a journey in her understanding of Jesus. At his miraculous birth, she “treasured up” all that was said about him, “pondering it in her heart.” (Luke 2:19) Then there was that moment when old Simeon held baby Jesus, and told Mary that he would one day bring her sorrow: “A sword will pierce your soul also.” (Luke 2:35) Twelve years later, when Mary found Jesus in the Temple after three days, Jesus told her, “Don’t you know I must be in my Father’s house?” (Luke 2:49) Jesus went home and submitted to Mary as his mother, but clearly another relationship, another calling, had priority in his life.
Another important transition came at a wedding reception, where Mary was involved with the meal. She rushed up to Jesus and said, “The wine is all gone! Do something!” Like any mother, she had been dealing out orders and requests like this for thirty years! But this time, Jesus calls her “woman.” (John 2:4) It is not exactly disrespectful by first century standards, but he is definitely distancing himself from her: “Woman, what have you to do with me? It’s not your place to breeze up and tell me what to do anymore. My hour has not yet come.” It would have been hard for Mary to hear, but she accepts it. Then she tells the servants to “do whatever he tells you,” and Jesus does more for her than she could have dreamed. The tension builds further when Mary rounds up her other sons to stage an intervention with Jesus. But when Jesus hears that his family has come to get him, he brushes them off: “Who are my mother and brothers? My disciples are my family now.” (Mark 3:33–35) I’ll bet Mary pondered that in her heart!
From the moment the angel told Mary that she would bear God’s Son, she has been on a journey in her understanding of Jesus. At his miraculous birth, she “treasured up” all that was said about him, “pondering it in her heart.” (Luke 2:19) Then there was that moment when old Simeon held baby Jesus, and told Mary that he would one day bring her sorrow: “A sword will pierce your soul also.” (Luke 2:35) Twelve years later, when Mary found Jesus in the Temple after three days, Jesus told her, “Don’t you know I must be in my Father’s house?” (Luke 2:49) Jesus went home and submitted to Mary as his mother, but clearly another relationship, another calling, had priority in his life.
Another important transition came at a wedding reception, where Mary was involved with the meal. She rushed up to Jesus and said, “The wine is all gone! Do something!” Like any mother, she had been dealing out orders and requests like this for thirty years! But this time, Jesus calls her “woman.” (John 2:4) It is not exactly disrespectful by first century standards, but he is definitely distancing himself from her: “Woman, what have you to do with me? It’s not your place to breeze up and tell me what to do anymore. My hour has not yet come.” It would have been hard for Mary to hear, but she accepts it. Then she tells the servants to “do whatever he tells you,” and Jesus does more for her than she could have dreamed. The tension builds further when Mary rounds up her other sons to stage an intervention with Jesus. But when Jesus hears that his family has come to get him, he brushes them off: “Who are my mother and brothers? My disciples are my family now.” (Mark 3:33–35) I’ll bet Mary pondered that in her heart!
Becoming a Disciple
Mary’s journey with Jesus has now led her to the cross. I think she is now a disciple. She does not understand all Jesus is doing any more than his followers, but she is devoted to Jesus. In Acts 1:14, she will gather with the rest of the church to await the gift of the Holy Spirit. At the cross, Mary is learning like Paul not to “regard Jesus according to the flesh” (2 Cor 5:16), but as her Savior.
In his fourth word from the cross, Jesus completes this transition. He again calls her “woman,” which must have reminded her of the wedding at Cana. I think Jesus is saying: “I know the sword Simeon talked about is piercing your soul right now. But remember the good news that the angels sang about at my birth? It’s happening now. And when I was twelve and said I must be about my Father’s business? I’m doing it now. And when I told you at the wedding that my hour hadn’t yet come? It’s here now. If you will trust me now like you did then, I will make the wine of the Kingdom’s joy flow into the world and into your life. You carried me, you guided me, you taught me; now I will do that for you. Trust me, like at Cana, and I will give you more than you can dream. I will be your Savior.”
In his fourth word from the cross, Jesus completes this transition. He again calls her “woman,” which must have reminded her of the wedding at Cana. I think Jesus is saying: “I know the sword Simeon talked about is piercing your soul right now. But remember the good news that the angels sang about at my birth? It’s happening now. And when I was twelve and said I must be about my Father’s business? I’m doing it now. And when I told you at the wedding that my hour hadn’t yet come? It’s here now. If you will trust me now like you did then, I will make the wine of the Kingdom’s joy flow into the world and into your life. You carried me, you guided me, you taught me; now I will do that for you. Trust me, like at Cana, and I will give you more than you can dream. I will be your Savior.”
Receiving His Care
So Mary “loses” a son at the cross, but she gains a Savior. What kind of Savior does she get? The same kind of Savior that we do when we trust him. Jesus is an attentive Savior. As a first-century widow, Mary can’t run out and pick up a job. She can’t draw social security. She’s dependent on her oldest son, Jesus. Now he’s dying. And as he hangs on the cross under God’s wrath, this is what he’s thinking about! Suspended between heaven and hell, Jesus arranges his mom’s end-of-life care! Jesus’ instinctive other-orientation is amazing: even at the cross, he prays for his executioners, reassures the dying thief, and now summons his ebbing strength to gasp, “Woman, behold your son. I don’t want you to worry about making ends meet, hauling off the trash, getting bullied by Rome, or being alone at Thanksgiving. I’ve taken care of all that—my friend John will be a son to you. I’ve taken care of everything.” John 19:28 tells us that it's only after he’s cared for Mary that he “knows all is finished,” and that it’s OK for him to die now. This is John 13:1: “Jesus, having loved his own while he was in the world, loved them to the end.” When you trust in Jesus, you get a Savior just as attentive to you.
Gaining His Righteousness
We also get a righteous Savior. Taking care of mom is not just “the right thing to do;” it’s the 5th command of God’s moral law: “Honor your Father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land I am giving you.” (Ex 20:12) With his last ounce of strength, dizzy from blood loss, laboring to keep his senses, Jesus keeps that Law. At 8-days-old, Jesus was circumcised as the law commands; on his final day, he honors his mother. Every day in-between, his heart beat to keep God’s law perfectly, joyfully, inside-and-out, with unwavering focus, never a moment of drifting, rebellion, or apathy. Now, he finishes his course perfectly righteous by God’s standard. Why does it matter? Because God demands a perfect moral righteousness according to his Law from you and me. And, of course, you don’t have that. Not even close. I’m not righteous either, and neither was Mary. But when we could not meet God’s demands, God sent his Son to meet them for us. Jesus left heaven, became one of us, placed himself under the Law’s yoke, and carried it flawlessly for us, to his final breath (Gal 4:4–6). Jesus takes our shabby record from us, and gives his perfect record to us. Hallelujah!
Accepting His Call
We also get an inspiring Savior when we come to Jesus. Along with Mary, Jesus also addresses “the disciple he loved” with his third word. This is probably John. Jesus’ great love for John compels him to stay at the cross with Mary when everyone else runs away (if John was very young, the Romans may not have seen him as a threat). Jesus looks at John and says: “behold your mother.” Jesus is making John responsible for his mother! What a commitment! It requires John to move Mary into his house, and provide for her until the end of her life. But what an incredible honor! In war movies, sometimes a dying soldier will ask his buddy to care for his family. Maybe a friend has said to you: “If I can’t be here to take care of the people most precious to me, you’re the one I trust the most to do it. Will you?” What an honor. And Jesus tells John: I trust you to take care of my mother. Will you do it?
Can you imagine what it meant to John, that Jesus trusted him with such a precious assignment? He accepts without blinking. Mary leaves Calvary leaning on John’s arm, never to be left alone. When we trust Jesus, he also inspires us to accept new responsibilities and callings. If we have been to the cross, if we have known his personal love for us, we accept any task he assigns. Whatever the sacrifice or commitment it requires, however disruptive to our plans it may be. It’s an honor for our Savior to trust us with anything that is important to him.
“Were the whole realm of nature mine,
that were an offering far too small.
Love so amazing so divine,
demands my soul my life my all.”
Is this your attitude toward the Savior?
Can you imagine what it meant to John, that Jesus trusted him with such a precious assignment? He accepts without blinking. Mary leaves Calvary leaning on John’s arm, never to be left alone. When we trust Jesus, he also inspires us to accept new responsibilities and callings. If we have been to the cross, if we have known his personal love for us, we accept any task he assigns. Whatever the sacrifice or commitment it requires, however disruptive to our plans it may be. It’s an honor for our Savior to trust us with anything that is important to him.
“Were the whole realm of nature mine,
that were an offering far too small.
Love so amazing so divine,
demands my soul my life my all.”
Is this your attitude toward the Savior?
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Article by Eric Smith
Senior Pastor, Sharon Baptist Church
Senior Pastor, Sharon Baptist Church
Posted in Motherhood, cross, Holy Week, Good Friday, Easter, Savior, Honoring Father and Mother, 5th Commandment, John, Crucifixion, John 19
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