Catholics: Follow up question: In John 19:26-27 "....Dear woman, here is your son......?

Question

..... here is your mother." Was Jesus trying to be disrespectful to his earthly parents, or was He trying to tell them all along that His will was to establish a 'spiritual family' and not an earthly one? In Jesus' sight was Mary, his mother any different to any of the other disciples?

Answer 1

It can be seen as disrespect. But actually, He was demonstrating how we are all one another's mother, father, sister, brother, neighbor, etc. We are to help one another, teach one another, learn from one another, etc.

Answer 2

The answer to the question is present within the passage. His Mother didn't have other children. She had step-children from marrying Joseph, but no children (or possibly cousins). The first Christian interpretation of the references to Christ's siblings as being natural children of Mary is quite late (a minor preacher in the fifth century that St. Jerome dealt with unmercifully named Helvidius). All previous Christians we have that spoke on the matter dealt with it in a very Catholic (or Orthodox) manner.

This matters here, because in those days people didn't live long, and Mary was now a widow (taking the traditional view that Joseph was an old man and had passed away). Jesus, then, cared for His Mother and commanded John to take care of her. This was an especially revealing act, showing His love for her and for her care. So, in that sense, this is in no way an anti-marian passage.

Your question, with this interpretation, of whether Jesus was establishing a "spiritual family" is irrelevant to the passage. However, did He do this? Yes, but Mary was also the highest in the spiritual family as well. Christ being both God and Man tended to His family in both spiritual and material senses. In fact, had He neglected His earthly family, then we would have every reason to accuse Him of immorality.

In Jesus sight, yes, I'd say she was different than the other disciples. She was His Mother. Even if I were a teacher and my mother was among them, she would always be different and special. If she weren't, I wouldn't be honoring her properly. This is the natural way to regard one's mother. He wouldn't be a good Son if He didn't.

Answer 3

Pastor Billy says: the key lies in the English use of the word woman. woman is a unique translation of a word I understand is found in only several places in the biblical text such as in Genesis where we read there will be enmity between the 'woman' and the serpent, between the woman's seed and...

This in no way is showing disrespect and any preacher who may be misleading you really should go back to bible school so they can teach others correctly. Mary being called woman is actually very prophetic.

Answer 4

On a practical level, Jesus was making sure Mary would be cared for after He was gone from earth. On a spiritual level, He was giving His mother to all His followers, and she became our mother as well.

Answer 5

Jesus was just asking the Apsotle John to take care of his mother after he died. And John did.

Catholics also believe when Jesus said to John in John 19:27, "This is your mother," he was also talking to all Christians. We can also call Mary our mother.

With love in Christ.