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Having been to Israel many times, leading tours, I have a much clearer vision of what a crucifixion was really like, and how horrendous it must have been to have watched anyone dying on a cross. We have tended to romanticize the cross a bit, with our jewelry and pictures of a cross on a hill far away, but actually the place of crucifixion was the most horrible place in Jerusalem. It would have been by a busy roadway so everyone could see and mock and be terrified by a crucifixion. It was meant to be a deterrent to crime and rebellion, to cause anyone who thought they might challenge the rule of Rome to think twice, because they would have to endure this horrible death.
Knowing how awful a crucifixion was, it is amazing to read in Matthew 27:55-56 that “Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Moses, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.” In Mark 15:40-41 we read: “Some women were watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. In Galilee these women had followed him and cared for his needs. Many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem were also there.”
Luke tells us that “A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him” (Luke 23:27). And John tells us “Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene” (John 19:25).
By my count, there are seven women who are identified in the four gospels, but we know there were many others as well. It’s interesting to me that the women are named, and yet there are no named men at the cross. Certainly, there were men there, but how many were the friends and disciples of Jesus Christ? We only know for sure that John was there, because Jesus refers to him in John 19, as he instructs him to care for his mother. Where were the other disciples?
And why were all these women there at this ugly scene? It was not a place for a woman; if it was your close relative, you might have been there, but typically women did not go to such a horrible place. Yet there were all these women at the cross of Jesus. These women had gathered there to mourn and to wail the crucifixion of their Savior, Jesus Christ.
They were there because they loved Jesus. They had been delivered from their sins and their pasts by Jesus, and they were determined to stay with him until the end, as ugly as it was. Can you even imagine what it meant for these women to stay there throughout the whole crucifixion?
Mary Magdalene was there. We know that Jesus had delivered her from seven demons. There have been some scurrilous writings and suggestions that Jesus had a romantic relationship with Mary Magdalene. That is a lie and totally unsubstantiated by Scripture or history. But for sure, this woman had deep feelings for Jesus because he had delivered her from her past. And it was an awful past.
Can you even imagine being possessed by seven demons? What could be worse than to be indwelled by seven demons from hell? No doubt she had been abused and suffered great harm from these demons for many years. No doubt she was full of guilt and gloom and despair, fearing she would live all her days possessed by these demons.
And then she met Jesus. In Mark 16 we read that Jesus had driven out those demons. However he did that, it had to be dramatic, perhaps painful, but no doubt the best day of her life. She was set free from her past, her guilt, her shame.
And because Jesus is risen from the dead, he is able to do the same for you today. It may not be demons you are dealing with, but whatever it is in your past that haunts you, Jesus is a qualified Savior because he is risen from the dead, and he can deliver you, too.
We are told that Mary, his mother, was at the cross. No doubt as she stood there, she must have remembered the prophecy told to her by Simeon when they took Jesus to the temple to consecrate him. Simeon said to Mary, “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel . . .And a sword will pierce your own soul, too” (Luke 2:34 – 35).
That sword was piercing her soul as she stood at that cross for hours and watched her son die in agony. She heard his cries from the cross; she heard the mocking voices of the soldiers who said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.” She watched as Jesus cried out, “My God, my God why have you forsaken me?”
No doubt Mary was a widow at this point, without Joseph to care for her any longer, and now she watches her eldest son die on a cross. Mary knew with absolute certainty that Jesus was born of the Holy Spirit—a virgin birth—and she knew that he was Messiah. Yet, she had to watch him crucified, wondering how a crucifixion could be part of God’s plan.
What kind of god dies on a cross? Jesus had declared himself to be equal with God his Father, and now here was God on a cross. What kind of god dies on a cross?
My friends, Jesus is the only qualified Savior because he did die on that cross to pay the penalty for our sins, which we could never pay. God demands a perfect sacrifice, and only Jesus meets that qualification. So, as our substitute he died on that cross, while his dear mother watched in bewilderment and great personal sorrow.
But here’s the good news: He rose from the dead three days later, and because he conquered death, he can promise those who believe on him that they, too, can be assured of eternal life with him.
The mother of James and John, Zebedee’s sons, was there. You remember her. In Matthew 20 we are told how she came to Jesus asking him to favor her sons by granting that one would sit at his right and the other at his left in his kingdom. She was ambitious for her sons and decided to help her sons gain the most favored positions when Jesus became king. You see, she expected Jesus to establish an earthly kingdom and save them from the Roman oppression, and she wanted her boys to have a prominent place in the future cabinet of Jesus’ kingdom.
I wonder what she was thinking as she stood there at the cross watching Jesus die this cursed death. She had not envisioned this when she asked Jesus to favor her sons with the top two positions in his government. How could it be that he was now hanging on a cross? That cross changed everything.
And indeed, that cross did change everything. Because Jesus died and rose again, we have hope of heaven and eternity with Jesus.
In addition to the women who were named as being at the cross, many other women were there, women who had followed Jesus into Jerusalem from the Galilee, and who had helped to support him and his disciples and to take care of their needs. That means they walked from Galilee to Jerusalem; there was no other way to get there. And it was up to Jerusalem—up many hills, an arduous walk which would have taken many days. And there they were at the cross.
As they followed Jesus to Jerusalem, they weren’t expecting to watch him die on a cross. They had much different expectations—that Jesus would be crowned the king of Israel, taking the throne of David, and he would save his people from the Roman oppression. I would have loved to have heard their conversation as they made their way to Jerusalem, no doubt filled with hope and excitement at the prospect of their Savior, Jesus, becoming the earthly king they so wanted.
Instead, they were faced with the cruel reality of a crucifixion. They must have left that terrible site discouraged and disheartened, in great sorrow to watch their Savior die. But in a short three days, their hearts were again rejoicing as they learned that Mary Magdalene had been to the tomb, and it was empty. And indeed, she had seen the risen Christ, and could testify that Jesus was risen from the dead.
Put yourself at the foot of the cross and thank God that Jesus was willing to die that terrible death, and that he rose again to conquer death, so that you could have freedom from eternal death. And if you don’t yet know that freedom, I pray you will accept Jesus as your Savior so that you will understand the real reason that Jesus died and know the truth that he rose again.
And as you celebrate the resurrection of Jesus this Sunday, I hope you’ll remember the women at the cross, and see yourself there, too, because it was at the cross that the price was paid for you.
We have a lovely bookmark that commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. You can print it out or call us (630-462-0552) and we’ll mail it to you. Put it in your Bible or a book that you are currently reading, and it will remind you to remember that the cross shouts out God’s love for you! It is so important that we purposely remember what Jesus did for us on the cross and remember that the tomb is empty. He rose again!