Daily Devotions
Mark
Acts 4:29 "Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word." Acts 4:29"
Day 336 – Mark 15
“Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word.” Acts 4:29
IN HONOUR OF THE WOMEN FOLLOWERS
Mark took the trouble to note the following women who were among the most faithful of disciples.
Mary Magdalene (Mark 15:40; Luke 8:2)
Mary was most likely from Magdala, a little town in Galilee. (Not uncommon to have a surname derived from a location. The evangelist Luke had this comment to make concerning Mary (and some other women who followed Jesus).
“And the twelve were with Him,
and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits
and infirmities- Mary called Magdalene, out of whom
had come seven demons.”
LUKE 8:1-2
We can well understand just why Mary Magdalene followed Jesus right up to His crucifixion. The Lord had cast out seven demons from her. But of course she would be faithful to Him right to the very end!
Mary the mother of James the Less and of Joses (Mark 15:40; Matthew 10:3)
Who was this lady? It was also not uncommon to name a person by association. In this case, Mary was named by her association with her sons, James and Joses. Two disciples were named James. One was the son of Zebedee, the other is called the son of Alphaeus. The wife of Alphaeus is also the mother of James the Less (so-called became the other James was more prominent). It is not without significance that the mother of one of the twelve apostles should also be found among the faithful followers of Jesus!
Salome (Mark 15:40; Matthew 27:56)
Matthew noted that the “mother of Zebedee’s sons” was there with the womenfolk at the Crucifixion of Jesus (Cf. Matthew 27:56). However he did not give her name. Mark noted the name of Salome, but did not mention that she was the mother of James and John. We have another faithful follower of Jesus mentioned. (On an earlier occasion, Salome approached Jesus to give special appointments to her two sons (Cf. Matthew 20:20).
FAITHFUL TO THE VERY END
The role of the women followers differed significantly from that of the men disciples! The women were not sent out to preach, or to cast out demons, or to heal. Nevertheless their faithfulness to the Lord Jesus was acknowledged. That the Gospel writers should mention their names and note that they were with Jesus at the Cross (when the men were conspicuously absent) highlight an important truth- the women were highly regarded! Faithfulness is a virtue that must be deeply appreciated and highly prized. Faithfulness is often not loud; but it is certainly most noticeable.