Women Looking on Afar Off - Mark 15:40

When Jesus was crucified, Mark wrote how, “Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost. And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom. And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God”, and in chapter fifteen and verse forty of his book, Mark shared how, “there were also women looking on afar off” where we read:

There were also women looking on afar off: among whom was Mary Magdalene,

and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome;

The verse reads, “There were also women looking on afar off: among whom was Mary Magdalene, ...” Mark began with the words, “there were also women” or “in addition to the other people who were near the cross were females” “looking on” which means “observing, perceiving and seeing” “afar off” or “from a distance away”: “among whom” which means “which included even and indeed” “was Mary Magdalene” which refers to “a woman from Magdala whose name means their rebellion and a tower”. Mark shared how “women” who were followers of Jesus observed Him on the cross from a distance away of which one was “Mary Magdalene”.

The verse continues, “... and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome;” Mark added the words, “and Mary” or “and Mary whose name means their rebellion” who was “the mother of James the less” which refers to “the female progenitor and ancestor of James whose name means supplanter. This Mary was the wife of Cleophas or Alpheus and sister to the virgin Mary” “and of Joses” or “this Mary was the progenitor and ancestor of Joses or Jose which means he will be sustained of Jehovah”. Finally Mark wrote, “and Salome” which means “peaceful” and was the “wife of Zebedee and the mother of the apostle James the elder and John”. Mark shared the names of two more of the women were who were watching from a distance – “Mary and Salome”.

When we consider Mark's words in this verse, we can only imagine the grief that was upon these female observers of Jesus. They served Jesus and His disciples during His ministry, and now they were watching Him “afar off” as He hung on the cross. God desires both men and women to believe and trust in His Son Jesus as their personal “Savior and Lord”, and those who “perceive” how Jesus died so their “sins” may be forgiven should yield their lives to Him in response to His abounding and abundant demonstration of love.

Next time Mark shares about, “many other women which came up”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".