Did Jesus Really Say 'Woman Behold Your Son' on the Cross?
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During an event both tragic and victorious, eternal and personal, Jesus takes time to think of his mother. With Mary and the disciple John at the cross, Christ says, “Woman behold your son.”
Christianity often focuses on the theological implications of Jesus’ death on the cross and the resulting resurrection. He defeated death, atoned for sin, and became the firstborn of the resurrection. God accomplished mighty works through that event, to be sure.
Yet it’s also a story. God loves to place eternal, infinite ideas within narrative because he acts from his love for people. People matter. Therefore, we have the Gospels as narratives. Complete with immense theological truth, of course, but also resounding and relatable stories full of mystery and resonance.
Jesus suffered the greatest injustice in existence. The Son of God came to earth to reveal the kingdom’s good news, heal, and speak the truth. Even though he never sinned, the world (political, religious, and social) condemned him, tortured him, and executed him.
While in such pain, sorrow, and injustice, Jesus still cared for his mom.
Which Gospel Has Jesus Saying “Woman Behold Your Son”?
Only the Gospel of John records the moment between Jesus, his mother, and the apostle John, in John 19:26-27. This moment occurs during the crucifixion. As Jesus hangs on the cross, he addresses his mother, Mary, and John, the “disciple Jesus loved.”
John was the only one of the 12 disciples present at the crucifixion while the others hid in fear of the authorities, and he stood there with Mary and the other women at the cross to witness Jesus’ death and grieve.
In one moment, Jesus regards John and Mary. He looks at Mary and says, “Woman, behold your son!” and then says to John, “Behold your mother!”
Right before this declaration, Mary had discovered or even witnessed incredibly tragic events. Her son, Jesus, had been arrested, beaten, and questioned by the Sanhedrin, the Jewish religious council. Since, as an oppressed people, the Jews couldn’t legally execute Jesus, they brought him to Pilate, the Roman governor. Pilate had him scourged, almost to death, in hopes that would satisfy the Jews, but it didn’t. The Jewish mob asked for the release of Barabbas instead of Jesus, crying “Crucify!” to demand Christ’s death.
Jesus carried his cross, his execution’s instrument, in shame through the city and then outside the gates to Golgotha, where the Romans nailed him to the cross. While on the cross, he declares, “Woman, behold your son!” to Mary.
Immediately after this exchange, Jesus continues to endure the agony of the crucifixion, bearing the weight of humanity’s sin until his final breath.
Why Does Jesus Say “Woman Behold Your Son”?
The Gospels portray Jesus’ relationship with his mother, Mary, with profound depth and complexity. She plays a significant role in Jesus’ early life, from the virgin birth to his upbringing in Nazareth.
While she played an important role, and the Bible calls her blessed, Mary may have felt dismissed or misunderstood in certain interactions with Jesus. One occasion occurs in Capernaum, where Jesus teaches a crowd of people in a house. Mary and his brothers arrive, seeking to speak to him, and Jesus responds, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” He points to those listening to his teaching and declares, “Here are my mother and brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother” (Matthew 12:46-50).
At the wedding in Cana, Mary approaches Jesus and informs him that the hosts have run out of wine. Jesus responds mysteriously: “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come” (John 2:4). Jesus ultimately performs his first miracle, but his response may have felt resistant to his mother.
However, these moments reveal Jesus’ need to act independently from social constraints to follow and obey his Father. Mary’s place, nor his brothers, didn’t include telling him what to do. At the same time, he cared deeply for her.
On the cross, during unimaginable pain, the Gospels intentionally reveal how Jesus cared for others. He forgave the Romans who crucified him. He cared for the thief on the cross next to him. And he loved his mom.
Jesus took time to make sure his mother would be cared for after his death, practically and emotionally. The Bible is unclear about what happened to Joseph, but he was absent during Jesus’ ministry. As a widow or the equivalent, in that society, she required practical support and resources. In Jewish culture, children are customarily cared for by parents in their old age. He gave her a new family with a disciple he trusted, John. At the same time, Mary watched her child go through horrific violence and death. He understood her immense grief and sought to comfort her.
What Happens to Mary After Jesus Said “Woman Behold Your Son”?
Right after Jesus had John care for his mother, John 19:27 recorded, “From that hour that disciple took her into his own home.”
This John authored the Gospel of John, so he records his obedience to Jesus’ words on the cross. John didn’t simply provide money or resources for Mary. He took her into his own home “that hour.” From that specific moment forward, John treated her like his mother. She lived with him as part of his family.
Beyond living with John, Mary participated in the early church, but we don’t have any biblical evidence of her life after Jesus’ death and resurrection. However, early Christian tradition and historical accounts offer insights.
According to tradition, Mary lived with the apostle John in Ephesus, a city located in modern-day Turkey. While the New Testament does not specifically mention her residence with John in Ephesus, the book of Acts indicates Mary was present with the disciples in Jerusalem following Jesus’ ascension. Acts 1:14 describes the disciples gathering together in prayer, including “the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.” As an apostle, John led the church there in Jerusalem, so we can assume Mary witnessed and lived with the early church and moved to Ephesus later with John.
Further, since Luke wrote Acts and recorded her presence in Jerusalem, he states in his Gospel how he did research to write those texts. It seems safe to think he would have sought out Mary to give her account, leading to Luke’s most extensive and detailed Nativity version. Her continued involvement and testimony in Jerusalem and John’s life would have lent credence to the apostolic claims of the virgin birth and divinity of Jesus.
What Does “Woman Behold Your Son” Teach Us Today?
For Christians today, this tender yet forceful moment from Jesus on the cross teaches us some important insights. Just as everything Jesus did had interconnected layers of truth and meaning, we find the same when Jesus addresses his mother and John from the cross.
First, our pain doesn’t excuse us from doing what is good and right. The Romans designed crucifixion to cause the most pain for the longest amount of time, to cause fear, and to support their domination of other peoples. For the Jews, crucifixion reminded them of their second-class status, or outright slavery, within Rome, despite being God’s chosen people. Upon the cross, Jesus suffered terrible agony and shame, the ultimate injustice, spiritually and physically.
Yet, still, he chose to show love and forgiveness. He forgave those who oppressed him and caused him pain. He cared for the thief and offered him paradise. He also made sure that John took care of his mother.
We all go through difficult times and hardships. However, as followers of Christ, we still have the power of God available to us to show compassion and share God’s truth. We can forgive those who betray and oppress us. This is only possible through the Spirit, not our strength. In this, we reveal our holiness, to be set apart to God in all things.
Second, Jesus shows us the importance of family. God cares how we treat our family and provide for them responsibly. In ensuring his mother would be cared for after his death, Jesus demonstrates how we must honor the biblical mandate to honor our parents and other family relationships (Ephesians 5-6).
Third, this interaction underscores the significance of Mary’s role in the church and the broader narrative of salvation history. Mary occupies a unique and privileged position within Christianity, serving as a model of faith, humility, and obedience for believers throughout the ages. We can draw inspiration from her example of faithfulness and devotion to God’s will (Luke 1:38).
Fourth, these words highlight the importance of relational discipleship and community within the Body of Christ. By entrusting Mary to the beloved disciple’s care, Jesus establishes a new family bond based on faith and discipleship rather than biological lineage. This teaches us the interconnectedness of believers as members of God’s family called to love and support one another in times of need (Galatians 6:2, Hebrews 10:24-25).
Fifth, Jesus’ words remind us to fulfill our responsibilities and obligations to one another as members of the family of God. Just as Jesus entrusted the care of his mother to the beloved disciple, God calls us to care for and support one another, bearing one another’s burdens and sharing in each other’s joys and sorrows (Galatians 6:2, Romans 12:15).
Still today, Jesus offers to provide and care for each person who believes. He invites every person to enter his eternal family with the Father and the Church. Christ especially reaches out to the broken, the hurting, and the grieving. As his followers, we share this truth with the world, extending God’s salvation invitation to all who will believe.
Jesus’ statement, “Woman, behold your son,” teaches us timeless lessons about compassion, care, discipleship, and how to treat people in all situations. By emulating Jesus’ example and following his teachings, we honor God, strengthen community bonds, and bear witness to the gospel’s transformative power in the world.
Peace.
Photo Credit:©GettyImages/Luis Francisco Bausela Madrigal
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