Ben Masada
New member
WOMAN, BEHOLD THY SON! John 19:25-27.
There stood by the cross of Jesus Mary his mother and Mary Magdalene his wife also known as the disciple whom Jesus loved. Then addressing first to his mother he said: "Woman, behold thy son!" As in, look at the condition he has come to! I am so sorry to have caused you to go through this! Then turning to his wife Mary Magdalene he said: "Behold thy mother!" As in please take care of her. She is your mother-in-law. "And from that hour Mary Magdalene took her to her own home."
Why did the Church replace Mary Magdalene with John? Probably to hide the fact that the disciple whom Jesus loved was Mary Magdalene his wife and not John. Several reasons point to the fact that the disciple whom Jesus loved was indeed Mary Magdalene and not John:
1. John is not identified in this text by name while Mary Magdalene is;
2. John did not have a home of his own. He lived with Peter. Therefore he could not have taken Jesus' mother to his home. (Acts 1:13; 3:1; 4:13);
3. John had deserted Jesus when he was arrested in the Gethsemane as all the disciples did the same. (Mark 14:50);
4. John would have infringed the Roman policy not to allow any of the disciples of a crucified to be present at the act of crucifixion but only very close family of the female gender. Hence his mother and his wife.
There stood by the cross of Jesus Mary his mother and Mary Magdalene his wife also known as the disciple whom Jesus loved. Then addressing first to his mother he said: "Woman, behold thy son!" As in, look at the condition he has come to! I am so sorry to have caused you to go through this! Then turning to his wife Mary Magdalene he said: "Behold thy mother!" As in please take care of her. She is your mother-in-law. "And from that hour Mary Magdalene took her to her own home."
Why did the Church replace Mary Magdalene with John? Probably to hide the fact that the disciple whom Jesus loved was Mary Magdalene his wife and not John. Several reasons point to the fact that the disciple whom Jesus loved was indeed Mary Magdalene and not John:
1. John is not identified in this text by name while Mary Magdalene is;
2. John did not have a home of his own. He lived with Peter. Therefore he could not have taken Jesus' mother to his home. (Acts 1:13; 3:1; 4:13);
3. John had deserted Jesus when he was arrested in the Gethsemane as all the disciples did the same. (Mark 14:50);
4. John would have infringed the Roman policy not to allow any of the disciples of a crucified to be present at the act of crucifixion but only very close family of the female gender. Hence his mother and his wife.
