The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 2 — Section 425

Vers. 25-27.-7Vle mother of Jesus at tAe cross. Here is the record of the filial legacy. I. THE SYMPATHIZING GROUP OF WOMEN. "Now there were standing beside tho cross of ,Tesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene." 1. There was a company of Gali~an women standing at a distance from the cross, "beholding afar off" (Matt. xx:vii. 65). They were more courageous than Christ's apostles, who had all, but John, :fled through fear of arrest. 2. There was an inner circle of three women more courageot1,1 than the rest, who stood under the very slu1,dow of tl1e cross. ' IL THE LAST :BEQUEST OF JEsue. "Wben Jesus therefore saw his mother and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he said to his mother, Woman, behold thy son I'' 1. Mary was now experienci-ng the bitter truth of Bimeon'• prophecy, "A sword shall lJierce tbrouµ:h thine own heart.u It was a terrible ordeal for a mother to watch the protracted sufferings of her beloved Son. 2. Jesus is not so absorbed by his agonies as to forget his mother. 3. He rolls her "tooman," not "'TIUJther," as if' the oJ.d relatio.n was now to end, and a new one to be formed for her future comfort. Death was to close all the earthly relationships of the Redeemer. 4. W7u1e he gives a son to ,his mother, he gives a motl,er to his beloved disci-ple. "Then saith he to the disciple, Dehold thy mother!" (1) It was a mark of loving confidence in John. (2) John was to comfort Mary in her widowhood, for Joseph was evidently now dead. (3) The charge was promptly accepted, and faithfully carried out. "An4 from that hour that dkiciple took ber to his own home." Nothing is known of the after-life of Mary. Tradition ee,ys she died eleven years after the Lord at Jerusalem, in the fifty-ninth year of her age. • V ers. 28---3O.-17le dea,th of JeSl/,/J, After he has thus ministered to others, atten~ tion is turned to himself. L THE THillBT oF THE SUFFERER. ".After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accompliBhed. that the Scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.n 1. The burn- ing fever ro,'USl!d by the inftammatwn of his wounds made him athirst. The cry attests iris extreme suffering. 2. The mintde /uljil,ment of prophecy iB present to the Bufferer', mir.d." "They giwe me vinegar to drink n (Pd. lxix. 21). He was surely "made perfect through suffering." lL 'I'HE THlllST A.BBUAGED. "Now there was set a vessel fnll of vinegn.r, and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyfsop, and put it to his mouth." 1. Thi, on. ~tx. 1-42.J 'rHE GOSPEL AOCORDING TO ST. ,JOHN. 439