John 19:26

His mother (thn mhtera). Common Greek idiom, the article as possessive. Standing by (parestwta). Perfect active (intransitive) participle of paristhmi, vivid and picturesque scene. The dying Saviour thinks of the comfort of his mother. Whom he loved (on hgapa). Imperfect active. Surely John is justified in inserting this phrase here. If John were his cousin, that helps explain why Jesus turns the care of his mother over to him. But the brothers of Jesus are not present and disbelieved his claims. John is the only one of the apostles with courage enough to take his stand with the women by the Cross. There is no disrespect in the use of "Woman" (Gunai) here as there was not in Mark 2:4 . This trust is to John, though Salome, John's own mother, was standing there.