Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold your son!” Then He said to the disciple, “Behold your mother!” And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.” John 19:25-27
We cannot imagine the horror of that day. We read the words of scripture but are not able to visualize what the Lord suffered on our behalf. Isiah tells us that He was so beaten by the Roman soldiers that one could not tell he was a man. We read that His beard was pulled out by the roots. We read of the crown on thorns that was forced
onto his head causing copious bleeding down His face and His body. We read of the scouring by the Roman soldiers that literally flayed His back and opened His internal organs into view. Then a heavy cross was thrust onto His mutilated back – the wood and slinters digging into his raw flesh causing excruciating pain. After the long walk to Calvary, He again is thrown back down on the cross where nails are
pounded into his hands and feet. Then He is lifted on the cross by Roman soldiers and the cross dropped into a hole creating even more strain and tearing on His body. From there the impact of crucifixion process would ravage the Lord’s body. The beatings and the loss of blood would make it hard for the Lord to breathe. He would have to push up with his legs to straighten his body in order to fill his lungs with air – a difficult and painful act.
At his point we look to the people who stand around the cross. The scribes and pharisees are there mocking and ridiculing Him. Their taunts are picked up by the crowd who make fun of the Son of God who is dying for them. They mock Him for not performing a miracle to save himself when He did miracles to help to others. Their sinful minds do not comprehend that the Lord staying on the cross was a miracle in itself – a miracle of love and grace.
One special person at the foot of the cross There weren’t many but there were a few around the cross who loved the Lord. All but one of the disciples had fled – John alone stood at the cross. The rest of the believers at the cross were women. One special woman who stood there was Mary, the mother of the Lord. Imagine the pain in her heart as she watched the son she gave birth to die on a Roman cross. What Simeon told her would happen was now being fulfilled in a way she likely never thought possible. “Behold, this Child is appointed to cause the rise and fall of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed— and a sword will pierce your soul as well.”
What Can We Learn? At the cross, throughout history and continuing today the Lord is mocked. Pilate mocked Him and the Jews as he hung the accusation od the Lord’s guilt on the cross – “The King of the Jews”. People mocked Him for not doing a miracle to save Himself. If He was truly God surely He could do that. Standing at the cross was one woman, the only person on earth, who knew the absolute truth. The Lord’s mother knew the truth of His birth. Jesus
was not the offspring of a Roman soldier. She alone knew of His miraculous birth. If Mary knew that Jesus‘ claim to be God was a lie, she would have confessed the truth to keep her son from the horrendous suffering He experienced. But she knew the truth so she remained silent. Maybe she did not understand what God was doing but she knew Jesus was God and she trusted Him! So can we.