“When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to
his mother, ‘Woman, behold, your son!’ Then he said to the disciple, ‘Behold, your mother!’ And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home” (John 19:26-27).
George Washington said, “All I am I owe to my mother. I attribute my success in life to the moral, intellectual and physical education I received from her.” Abraham Lincoln insisted, “All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.” Today is our national day of
recognition for our mothers. Though the Bible says nothing about making it a special day of recognition, it does have a lot to say about our attitude and actions toward women in general and mothers specifically.
Paul’s comments about the Christian family (Ephesians 5, 6) include his command that children should be obedient to their parents in the Lord, “for this is right” (6:1-2).
I want us to think about some of the things scriptures suggests about Jesus and his view of his mother, as he serves as a model for our behavior in everything.
First, as the passage above shows, Jesus cared about his mother’s welfare in his most
painful hour — on the cross. There are relatively few recorded interactions between Jesus and Mary in Scripture, but this one scene helps us understand, as much as any other, his feelings for her.
The Bible gives us a few instances of things that provide clues to their relationship. For example, there can be little doubt that Jesus, like most young men, could remember things that
happened between them as he grew up in Nazareth. No doubt he often recalled the distress and irritation of his parents when they found him in the temple courts at the age of 12, "…sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions" (Luke 2:41). How could he forget the wonder in the eyes of Mary as she "treasured up all these things in her heart" (Luke
2:51). Certainly he remembered how he had been “submissive to them" as he "increased in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and man" (Luke 2:51-52).
The Gospel record of the interaction between Jesus and Mary during his brief ministry reveals several important events. When Mary suggested he do something about the lack of wine at a wedding in Cana of Galilee, Jesus reluctantly performed his first miraculous sign. Mary's persistence on this occasion may indicate that she was conscious of his special mission and power (even though he wasn't ready to put himself on public display (John 2:1-11).
When Jesus’ work caused huge crowds to follow him, Mary and Jesus' brothers “went out to seize him, for they were saying, ‘He is out of his mind’” (Mark 3:20-21). In this same general context, Jesus was told that his mother and brothers were outside looking for him. Jesus replied, "Who are my mother and brothers? …. Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother" (Mark 3:34). At the same time Jesus demonstrated his love and respect for his mother, he also taught the very important lesson that "Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me" (Matthew 10:37).
Even though his family often struggled with his teachings and his actions, Mary's love for him led her to stand "near the cross of Jesus" as he was dying for the sins of mankind. Mary,
along with his brothers, having accepted him as Lord and Savior, gathered with a group of disciples in a room in Jerusalem following Jesus' ascension (Acts 1:12-14).
On Mother's Day – and every day – we have an obligation and the privilege of honoring our mothers, whether she is our mother, or the mother of our children.