Woman, Behold Thy Son

"When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home." John 19:26-27 When Jesus saw his mother! The pain which was on her face! The tears falling down from her water soaked eyes! The heart, the precious heart of his mother, who had held all the words of the angel Gabriel close to her heart, of how her first born, and miraculously conceived Son would reign and rule in Jerusalem, when Jesus looked down from the bloody cross and seen her soul tormented as if a sword had pierced her spirit, he could not help but to address her. Jesus had to pause from dying long enough to take care of this precious soul that raised him and loved him so with all of her heart. Standing next to Mary was the disciple that Jesus loved! All the other disciples were in hiding! All the other disciples abandon him! One even betrayed him while another denied him, and the rest fled from the danger of associating with him. All except this disciple. The one that Jesus loved. The one that would rest in his bosom as the fellowship of the saints would carry on. This disciple could not leave Jesus. There at the foot of the cross the beloved disciple watched as his Lord died a cruel and unusual death! Jesus saw him as well and knew that his mother that loved him so, and the disciple that he loved so much was a perfect match! They needed each other! They both together would remind each other of Himself! It was in these two that Jesus’ tenderness would be seen the most! He said "Woman, behold thy son!" This man has been a great disciple! This man has learned his lessons well! This man understands my character and my mind and he alone is worthy to care for you! This is your son! He is my replacement! What an astounding complement!

He looks over to the disciple that he loved the most and said, “Behold thy mother!” Jesus wanted his beloved disciple to know that the love and the care that he was so used to receiving from himself, the tenderness, the understanding, the patience, the kindness, that he enjoyed so much from him, his own mother was able to give him now! The loved that Jesus shared came from God through Mary, Jesus learned how to care, and how to have compassion and sympathy through his mother, and Jesus knew that his mother would be the perfect substitute for his love! Jesus took care of him! Jesus took care of them both! What a responsibility they had! Caring for each other for Jesus’ sake! In his stead! I wonder if Jesus could depend on any of us to take care of his mother? I wonder if Jesus would think your lifestyle was good enough for Mary! Who would be that beloved disciple that Jesus could say without any hesitation, Woman behold your son! Or behold your daughter! When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple that he loved broken hearted at the foot of the cross.