Jesus to John: "Here is your mother"

[NotTheRock]

John 19:27
New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
27 Then he said to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home.

My take on this is that Jesus wanted his mother to help the apostles and for the apostles to look after his mother. Is that a fair assessments?

The verse goes on to say that John took Mary home with him. It seems to be implied that Mary moved in and lived with John. It also seems to be implied that Mary had no one else to care for her.

I have some thoughts, questions, and supposition.

We can surmise that Jesus's earthly "father", Joseph, was already deceased.

We cannot surmise that Mary had no other sons as that would conflict with other scriptures.

Why would Mary live with John? Presumably, Mary was in her late 40's and in good health being that she was able to walk to the crucifixion. If true, why would she need to live with John or anyone else? I presume that, while Jesus was out ministering, that Mary lived just fine either alone or with some of her children, right? So why would Mary suddenly need to live with John?

I think Mary went to John's house to grieve with John, other apostles, and possibly even Mary's other children. It seems a stretch to conclude that Jesus asked John to provide for all of Mary's needs, including shelter, based on that one verse.

Thoughts?

 

[CTK]

John 19:27
New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
27 Then he said to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home.

My take on this is that Jesus wanted his mother to help the apostles and for the apostles to look after his mother. Is that a fair assessments?

The verse goes on to say that John took Mary home with him. It seems to be implied that Mary moved in and lived with John. It also seems to be implied that Mary had no one else to care for her.

I have some thoughts, questions, and supposition.

We can surmise that Jesus's earthly "father", Joseph, was already deceased.

We cannot surmise that Mary had no other sons as that would conflict with other scriptures.

Why would Mary live with John? Presumably, Mary was in her late 40's and in good health being that she was able to walk to the crucifixion. If true, why would she need to live with John or anyone else? I presume that, while Jesus was out ministering, that Mary lived just fine either alone or with some of her children, right? So why would Mary suddenly need to live with John?

I think Mary went to John's house to grieve with John, other apostles, and possibly even Mary's other children. It seems a stretch to conclude that Jesus asked John to provide for all of Mary's needs, including shelter, based on that one verse.

Thoughts?

Interesting question! I am not sure but there may not be much written on this subject, however, here are my thoughts:

1) John was the youngest of the apostles and perhaps the strongest due to his youth. This would ensure she was taken care of up until her death. He was the only apostle that was not martyred before she would die.

2) Mary was approximately 47 -48 years old at the time of the cross (since Jesus was 33% years old when He died).

3) John was the only apostle that was there at the foot of the cross,

4) All of the other apostles would travel the world preaching the Good News but John would be found to preach in Ephesus for most of his life - one place.

5) In Judism, it is found the children, perhaps the oldest one would take on the responsibility of caring for the parent of the deceased. Yes, Jesus had more than a few brothers and sisters, but I do not believe any of them were children of Mary but from the first marriage of Joseph. Those "set children" had no obligation to take care of their step mother.

6) When his parents took Jesus to Jerusalem for His bar mitzvah at the age of 12, there was no mention of Mary being pregnant or the mention of any other children younger than Jesus. If she followed the "normal" practice of having children during those times, she would certainly have them almost one after another.... she would not likely have another child after 12 years...

7) Jesus was also concerned about her well being even as He was being crucified.... and He understood she was a mortal human being in need of being take of.... and her husband Joseph had died before this time. When Jesus was resurrected, He did not run to His mother to comfort her... but to His disciples (I believe His mother was there) showing that she was just as important but no more important that any of His other children on the earth that He came to save. She would now be John's mother - no longer His mother after the resurrection.

Just a few thoughts and I look forward to other comments as well...

 

[NotTheRock]

Interesting question! I am not sure but there may not be much written on this subject, however, here are my thoughts:

1) John was the youngest of the apostles and perhaps the strongest due to his youth. This would ensure she was taken care of up until her death. He was the only apostle that was not martyred before she would die.

2) Mary was approximately 47 -48 years old at the time of the cross (since Jesus was 33% years old when He died).

3) John was the only apostle that was there at the foot of the cross,

4) All of the other apostles would travel the world preaching the Good News but John would be found to preach in Ephesus for most of his life - one place.

5) In Judism, it is found the children, perhaps the oldest one would take on the responsibility of caring for the parent of the deceased. Yes, Jesus had more than a few brothers and sisters, but I do not believe any of them were children of Mary but from the first marriage of Joseph. Those "set children" had no obligation to take care of their step mother.

6) When his parents took Jesus to Jerusalem for His bar mitzvah at the age of 12, there was no mention of Mary being pregnant or the mention of any other children younger than Jesus. If she followed the "normal" practice of having children during those times, she would certainly have them almost one after another.... she would not likely have another child after 12 years...

7) Jesus was also concerned about her well being even as He was being crucified.... and He understood she was a mortal human being in need of being take of.... and her husband Joseph had died before this time. When Jesus was resurrected, He did not run to His mother to comfort her... but to His disciples (I believe His mother was there) showing that she was just as important but no more important that any of His other children on the earth that He came to save. She would now be John's mother - no longer His mother after the resurrection.

Just a few thoughts and I look forward to other comments as well...

Great post! Thank you!

 

[CTK]

Great post! Thank you!

Very kind of you!Thank you.

 

[NotTheRock]

Yes, Jesus had more than a few brothers and sisters, but I do not believe any of them were children of Mary but from the first marriage of Joseph.

This seems unlikely to me. One, there is no biblical support of Joseph being previously married. Second, doesn't it seem likely that God "reserved" Joseph for his future role? Also, there is no mention of other children when Joseph and Mary fled to Egypt. I like your post but I am inclined to believe that Joseph and Mary did indeed bear offspring after Jesus.

 

[CTK]

This seems unlikely to me. One, there is no biblical support of Joseph being previously married. Second, doesn't it seem likely that God "reserved" Joseph for his future role? Also, there is no mention of other children when Joseph and Mary fled to Egypt. I like your post but I am inclined to believe that Joseph and Mary did indeed bear offspring after Jesus.

Yes, there really is not much given in the scriptures on his siblings or His early life. But the scriptures do give us that He had no less than 4 brothers and perhaps 2 sisters. Meaning, if they all came after Jesus, they would have been between 1 year and 11 years old at the time He went to Jerusalem (12 years old). I cannot imagine that Joseph and Mary would turn around to go back down to Jerusalem and leave their very young siblings alone in Nazareth. There really is not much to go on... but, personally, I think His siblings were from Joseph's previous marriage, and he may have been a widower. It is an interesting topic.

 

[NotTheRock]

Yes, there really is not much given in the scriptures on his siblings or His early life. But the scriptures do give us that He had no less than 4 brothers and perhaps 2 sisters. Meaning, if they all came after Jesus, they would have been between 1 year and 11 years old at the time He went to Jerusalem (12 years old). I cannot imagine that Joseph and Mary would turn around to go back down to Jerusalem and leave their very young siblings alone in Nazareth. There really is not much to go on... but, personally, I think His siblings were from Joseph's previous marriage, and he may have been a widower. It is an interesting topic.

Yea, it's murky both ways. Certainly not enough either way for which to use as a doctrinal foundation.