“Standing near the cross were Jesus’ mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary (the wife of Clopas), and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother standing there beside the disciple he loved, he said to her, “Dear woman, here is your son.” And he said to this disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from then on this disciple took her into his home.”
John 19:25-27 NLT
We know four of the people standing by Jesus as He was crucified – three women, Mary, Jesus’ mother, Mary the wife of Clopas and Mary Magdalene, and John the writer of his Gospel and Revelation, and the man who was the disciple who Jesus loved. We know of course about Jesus’ mother, but little is known about Mary Clopas. Tradition has it that Clopas was a brother of Joseph, Jesus’ stepfather, making his wife, Mary, a sister-in-law of Mary, Jesus’ mother. And then we have Mary Magdalene who is mentioned several times in the Gospels. She was one of the women who travelled with Jesus and helped support Him and His ministry from her resources, so she was probably a wealthy woman. We see her again at the first Easter morning.
The poignant scene that day was Jesus dying slowly and extremely painfully on the cross but able to look around. He saw His mum standing there with the other women and at least one of His disciples. But what a tragedy for Mary and her Son. Mary had warning of a dark day ahead when she met a Spirit-filled man called Simeon in the Temple, baby Jesus in her arms. Simeon prophesised, “As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul” (Luke 2:35). Was the event now before Mary the culmination of that prophetic word thirty or so years before? But Jesus referred to His mother as “Dear woman” and went on to make arrangements for her after His death, by asking His friend, John, to take His mother in. A question to be asked was where were Jesus’ other brothers and sisters? Could they not have looked after Mary, their mum? But we read that from that day, John took Mary into his home. In other words he assumed the responsibility for looking after her. No Social Security or government safety net in those days. Mary was indeed blessed.
John was one of Jesus’ closest companions, and, although John is not named as “the disciple He loved”, theologians have eliminated anyone else who it could have been. John was effectively Jesus’ best friend, and throughout the ministry years John witnessed the miracles, the Transfiguration, and eventually in his twilight years, was given the visions that became the Book of Revelation.
Are we disciples who are loved by Jesus? Of course we are, because that was why Jesus went through all that He did that day at the Place of the Skull. For God so loved the world … rings in our hearts as we consider our relationship with Jesus. But John had a special relationship with Jesus at a time when He walked on this earth as a human being. Our relationship with Jesus is spiritual, but that does not mean He cares any less for us. In fact, we know that He is now seated at God’s right hand, interceding for us. Just for a moment, write down all the things that Jesus has done for us. I can list all the big things that He has done in my life, but what about all the small things? They are countless because we probably don’t know half of what Jesus as done for us. He loves us and we love Him, with all that is within us. But we love Him as John wrote – 1 John 2:5, “But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him“.
There’s the challenge for us pilgrims. We love Jesus of course, but we show our love for Him by being obedient to His commands. How do we fit in doing all that we must do for Jesus with all the other things on our busy agendas? We work for a living. We have families and homes to look after. But Paul wrote, “And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father” (Colossians 3:17). That’s a good start – it was Billy Graham’s wife, Ruth, who apparently had a sign over her kitchen sink that said, “Divine services held here three times daily”. We do what we do as to the Lord. Jesus knows how busy we are and He has the resources to help us when the going gets tough. There are those who are called to “full time ministry”, ministers or missionaries, but in a sense we are so called, whatever our vocation.
We are loved disciples. John might have been the first, but countless people through the generations since can claim the love of Jesus and how it has transformed their lives. From his perspective as being the one who Jesus loved, the old apostle John wrote, “We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters” (1 John 3:16). As we serve others we express our love for God.
Dear Father God. We love you and worship You today. Amen.
Being a Pilgrim 