Daily Devotions
Luke
Luke 23:32-49; John 19:25-27; Mark 15:40-41 "THE SEVEN LAST WORDS OF JESUS"
Day 323 – Luke 23
Text: Luke 23:32-49; John 19:25-27; Mark 15:40-41
THE SEVEN LAST WORDS OF JESUS
A FAITHFUL CLUSTER OF DISCIPLES
Not everybody had deserted Jesus. Mark described a small group of people, mostly women, who stood as close as they could to the Cross of Jesus. Obviously, when you love Someone as precious as Jesus, you could not stand near enough. Also because of security reasons, the soldiers would not have allowed the onlookers to get too close to Jesus.
“There were also women looking on from afar,
among whom were Mary Magdalene,
Mary the mother of James the Less and Joses,
And Salome, who also followed Him
And ministered to Him when He was in Galilee,
And many other women who came up with Him
To Jerusalem.”
Mark 15:40
Each of these disciples had his or her own reason to follow Jesus with such love and devotion. Luke in his Gospel made a special note about Mary Magdalene.
“And certain women who had been healed of evil spirits
and infirmities – Mary called Magdalene,
out of whom had come seven demons…”
Luke 8:2
Mary Magdalene would never dream of deserting the One who delivered her from the powers of seven demons! Of course she would be there for Jesus till He drew His last breath!
THE SECOND WORD: “WOMAN, BEHOLD YOUR SON… BEHOLD YOUR MOTHER” John 19:26-27
Wracked with pain, tormented by enemies, mocked by passers-by… yet Jesus did not murmur nor did He complain! Astonishingly, His first word was a prayer to His Father in Heaven. It was a prayer for forgiveness!
The second word He uttered was also deeply moving! John described this scene tenderly, because he was involved in this scene. Out of the small cluster of people who stood by Jesus loyally, He singled out His mother and John.
“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!”
John 19:25,26
It is not unusual for a person who suffers intense pain to grimace and to shut his eyes. Jesus’ eyes were open, as if He was looking for someone, or some people. His eyes fell lovingly on a small group of disciples.
It must have taken a lot of courage to just be identified with Jesus they way they did. Many may have fled for their lives, but not this group of disciples.
Mary would never think of forsaking her beloved Son. She bore Him and brought Him up and then released Him to serve the Lord. She had always followed the movements and ministry of Jesus. She may not always have been able to be with her precious Son physically, but her heart loved Him best of all! In His last hour, she must have wanted to be there by His side. Nothing could have stopped her, or this group of people from standing as close as they could to the cross of Jesus!
Helplessly, Mary stood by the Cross of Jesus. Who can tell the pain that she must have felt in her heart as she looked at her precious Son. Then their eyes met. He had searched for her in the crowd and had recognized her, despite the pain that He must have struggled with. There was no need to say a lot of words between them. One look was enough. That gaze said more than words could ever communicate. Words would have been difficult to utter, because He had suffered so much already. His throat must have been so dry and parched. Yet, He made a tremendous effort and spoke to her.
She heard His lovely voice again. Once more, she heard Him express deep love for her. Here He was, in the deepest of pain, and still He thought of others… and of her. Who would look after her, in the evening years of her life? The siblings of Jesus were not there with their mother. They still had not come to have faith in Jesus as the Messiah. Jesus knew how her heart must have ached for her other children. Why could they not see Jesus for who He really was? What a privilege was theirs to have known Him all their life!
Jesus must have noticed how tenderly John looked after Mary. He would make a good son for his mother. He would look after her as if she was really his birth-mother. Tenderly, He asked Mary to think of John as her son.
Once again, Jesus mustered all His strength and added a few words to John too. He would not need to say too many words to the disciple whom He loved. He would understand His wishes. Thus, He said simply,
“Behold, your mother!”
and from that hour that disciple
took her to his own home.”
John 19:27
John fully understood the few words Jesus spoke. From that hour, John committed himself to caring for Mary as his own mother!
If you were a passer-by that day, how would you have felt as you heard these words whispered softly, perhaps a little hoarsely because of the pain sustained? Would you not have been deeply touched? “But we see Jesus…”