Reshaped: Day 12 - Mary
Perseverance
Reading John 19:25-27
Jesus had performed three years of sacrificial ministry when time reached its fullness. The Pharisees and Sadducees hatched a corrupt plan to arrest Him. Ironic how an insider, Judas, was the crack the religious leaders used to gain access to Jesus. They used the cover of night to satisfy their corruption. Evil finds its greatest pleasure in darkness.
Crucifixion was the path the evil religious leaders had in mind. It was the most degrading form of death in ancient times. The one being crucified was made a spectacle and example to onlookers. At the scourging post, a cat o’ nine tail whip was used. It had nine knotted cords with metal barbs imbedded throughout. The thrashings would tear the victim’s flesh. Isaiah 52:14 speaks of Jesus’ scourging: “His appearance was so damaged He did not look like a man; His form was so changed they could barely tell He was human.” The crucifixion Jesus experienced was barbaric. Why did He have to suffer so? Surely His mangled appearance was a reflection of our sin that He willingly bore on Calvary’s cross.
And there at the foot of the cross stood Mary, a hollow woman staring in the face of her mangled son, powerless to stop His suffering. And Simeon’s prophetic words rang more true in those moments than through all of Jesus’ life – “Yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also” Luke 2:35, a dagger so sharp that it ripped through her soul as she watched her beloved son and Savior give His life for the sins of the world. How desperately broken her heart must have been. She did not spare herself the pain of watching His death on the cross. She stood with a steadfast resolve to be by Jesus’ side to the bitter end.
And yet in Jesus’ excruciating pain, He cast His eyes upon His beloved mother and created a new union. “Woman, behold your son!” Then He said to His disciple, “Behold your mother.”
Jesus did not leave Mary to His own brothers which was the custom of the day. Rather He placed her in the care of one so tender that she remained with his disciple John for the rest of her days.
Isn’t it just like Jesus to care for others no matter what circumstances He Himself faced. Selflessness has never been so exemplified than through Jesus.
Crucifixion was the path the evil religious leaders had in mind. It was the most degrading form of death in ancient times. The one being crucified was made a spectacle and example to onlookers. At the scourging post, a cat o’ nine tail whip was used. It had nine knotted cords with metal barbs imbedded throughout. The thrashings would tear the victim’s flesh. Isaiah 52:14 speaks of Jesus’ scourging: “His appearance was so damaged He did not look like a man; His form was so changed they could barely tell He was human.” The crucifixion Jesus experienced was barbaric. Why did He have to suffer so? Surely His mangled appearance was a reflection of our sin that He willingly bore on Calvary’s cross.
And there at the foot of the cross stood Mary, a hollow woman staring in the face of her mangled son, powerless to stop His suffering. And Simeon’s prophetic words rang more true in those moments than through all of Jesus’ life – “Yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also” Luke 2:35, a dagger so sharp that it ripped through her soul as she watched her beloved son and Savior give His life for the sins of the world. How desperately broken her heart must have been. She did not spare herself the pain of watching His death on the cross. She stood with a steadfast resolve to be by Jesus’ side to the bitter end.
And yet in Jesus’ excruciating pain, He cast His eyes upon His beloved mother and created a new union. “Woman, behold your son!” Then He said to His disciple, “Behold your mother.”
Jesus did not leave Mary to His own brothers which was the custom of the day. Rather He placed her in the care of one so tender that she remained with his disciple John for the rest of her days.
Isn’t it just like Jesus to care for others no matter what circumstances He Himself faced. Selflessness has never been so exemplified than through Jesus.
Question
- According to scripture, Mary is not worthy of our prayers but she is certainly worthy of our respect. What a powerful woman of God to not only accept the petition to bear the Christ child but to experience the cross He bore as well. How do you think she endured such devastation?
Mary was a woman of quiet resolve. On occasion scripture notes that Mary kept matters she encountered in her heart. She was a woman of quiet meditations and introspective observance. Little wonder that God chose a woman of such rich character. Take some time to research Mary’s life in the gospels and compare her responses and practices to your own.