“Standing near the cross were Jesus’ mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary (the wife of Clopas), and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother standing there beside the disciple he loved, he said to her, ‘Dear woman, here is your son.’ And he said to this disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’ And from then on this disciple took her into his home” (John 19:25-27) From Ellen G. White’s The Desire of Ages, the chapter titled “Calvary.” As the eyes of Jesus wandered over the multitude about Him, one figure arrested His attention. At the foot of the cross stood His mother, supported by the disciple John. She could not endure to remain away from her Son; and John, knowing that the end was near, had brought her again to the cross. In His dying hour, Christ remembered His mother. Looking into her grief-stricken face and then upon John, He said to her, “Woman, behold thy son!” then to John, “Behold thy mother!” John understood Christ’s words, and accepted the trust. He at once took Mary to his home, and from that hour cared for her tenderly. O pitiful, loving Saviour; amid all His physical pain and mental anguish, He had a thoughtful care for His mother! He had no money with which to provide for her comfort; but He was enshrined in the heart of John, and He gave His mother to him as a precious legacy. Thus He provided for her that which she most needed,—the tender sympathy of one who loved her because she loved Jesus. And in receiving her as a sacred trust, John was receiving a great blessing. She was a constant reminder of his beloved Master. The perfect example of Christ’s filial love shines forth with undimmed luster from the mist of ages. For nearly thirty years Jesus by His daily toil had helped bear the burdens of the home. And now, even in His last agony, He remembers to provide for His sorrowing, widowed mother. The same spirit will be seen in every disciple of our Lord. Those who follow Christ will feel that it is a part of their religion to respect and provide for their parents. From the heart where His love is cherished, father and mother will never fail of receiving thoughtful care and tender sympathy… Upon Christ as our substitute and surety was laid the iniquity of us all. He was counted a transgressor, that He might redeem us from the condemnation of the law. The guilt of every descendant of Adam was pressing upon His heart. The wrath of God against sin, the terrible manifestation of His displeasure because of iniquity, filled the soul of His Son with consternation. All His life Christ had been publishing to a fallen world the good news of the Father’s mercy and pardoning love. Salvation for the chief of sinners was His theme. But now with the terrible weight of guilt He bears, He cannot see the Father’s reconciling face. The withdrawal of the divine countenance from the Saviour in this hour of supreme anguish pierced His heart with a sorrow that can never be fully understood by man. So great was this agony that His physical pain was hardly felt. …......…………………………………………………………………………………………………………. ELLEN G. WHITE (1827-1915), one of the most published authors in the world, named one of the “100 Most Significant Americans of All Time” by the Smithsonian Institution in 2014, was a co-founder of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. *You can read The Desire of Ages in its entirety online at www.whiteestate.org/onlinebooks.
This article is part of our 2024 September/October Issue …......…………………………………………..
The Age of Reconciliation This year I sustained the most devastating loss of my entire life in the death of my mom. I had never been able to imagine what it would mean to live without my mom, and frankly, I never wanted to. Nevertheless, here we are having to contend with the unthinkable in real life. It’s with all of this in mind, that I have a newfound appreciation for the picture of family that we receive from Jesus in the scene of His suffering on the cross. Read John 19:26-27 Jesus is quite literally in the process of dying, yet He pauses to ensure that the needs of His widowed mother will be cared for. We know that Mary was a widow, otherwise she would not have needed a surrogate. Study 1 Timothy 5:3-16 Have you ever conducted a Google search for all the references in Scripture to our responsibility to care for widows? Try it now. They are numerous. The text above, as do the others, show God’s priority here. Reread John 19:26-27. You may have missed it, but the directive of Jesus is two-fold. John must care for Mary. Yet, Mary must also care for John. Jesus knows that John will need comfort too. Compare John 8:29 with Matthew 27:46 Imagine the emotional anguish Jesus must have endured in feeling spiritually separated from the Father on the cross. Have you ever agonized about feeling distant from God? Analyze Genesis 3:8-10 The text implies that it was common for God to come to the garden to visit and uncommon for Adam and Eve to be absent. What does this tell us about sin’s effect on God’s plan? Compare Isaiah 1:2-3, John 1:12, 2 Corinthians 5:18, Malachi 4:6. This is the age of reconciliation. Is there a parent or family member that you need to be reconciled with? Reconciliation is the result of the good work of the gospel. Read Revelation 21:3-5 In heaven, there will be no more brokenness, no more broken and strained relationships. All will be restored. Pray that God will begin to do the restorative work in you right now. ……………………………………………………………………….. CHRISTOPHER C. THOMPSON, D.MIN is an adjunct professor in the School of Religion and Theology at Oakwood University. He serves as the Executive Director of Thumbs Up, Inc., and pastor of Lighthouse Church in Beaufort, South Carolina.
This article is part of our 2024 September/October Issue
A REFLECTION : Last Thoughts of Mom
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