He called her "Woman" because
Recently, someone sent me a piece of email in which the
question was asked, "Why did Jesus call his mother 'woman'?"
To express it more completely, the underlying thought is
really, "Why did Jesus address Mary as 'woman' instead of as
'mother'? Was this showing disrespect for her?". If this
were indeed the case, (which I will hopefully prove it is
not), then Jesus, who Himself told us that He came to
fulfill, or complete, the Mosaic Law, (Matthew 5:17), would
have been doing something which was totally contrary to the
Law; because it repeatedly states:
"Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long
upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee."
Exodus 20:12, KJV
As I have stated a few times before in my articles, there
are instances when I simply don't know how to respond to a
certain question. Sometimes, this is because the question
has never been presented to me before, and thus I have never
been forced to give any thought to that particular subject.
In such cases, my natural reaction is to pray in my heart,
and then to begin searching the Scriptures in order to find
a valid response to the question. While our human thoughts
may sometimes lead us into error, a diligient study of God's
Word will eventually, and always, lead us to the truth. As
Jesus Himself said, and as the Apostle Paul would later be
inspired to write to his beloved son in the faith, Timothy:
"Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth."
John 17:17, KJV
"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that
needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of
truth." 2 Timothy 2:15, KJV
Quite often, once I begin to give my attention to a
particular matter, certain verses will begin to enter my
head, (what we Christians refer to as the 'Voice of the
Spirit' as per John 14:26), which will provide me with just
the right answer that I, and my readers, need. Such is the
case with this current question. I hope that you will be
satisfied with my response. If not, feel free to let me know
about it.
One clear example where Jesus refers to his mother, Mary, as
'woman', is found in John chapter two, where we witness the
Lord performing His very first recorded public miracle, in
Cana of Galilee, by converting plain drinking water into
wine, after His mother presents the problem, (a shortage of
wine), to Him:
"Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee?
mine hour is not yet come." John 2:4, KJV
In saying this, it seems that Jesus may have been testing
His mother's faith, as He likewise did with others before
healing them of a certain affliction. This seems to be
confirmed by the fact that, even though He had just told her
that His time to be revealed to Israel as the Messiah was
not yet come, He went ahead and performed the miracle.
In the above verse, the word 'woman' is translated from the
Greek work 'gune', pronounced goo-nay', which means a woman
of any age, whether a virgin, or married, or a widow, a
wife, of a betrothed woman.
Obviously, Jesus loved His mother Mary very much; so why
does He refer to her as 'woman', instead of calling her
'mother', which would surely have been more indicative of
His personal love and respect for her?
Upon reading other Scriptures, we come to understand that,
being the Son of God, who had come to the Earth in order to
fulfill a very specific purpose, that is, to complete God's
Plan of Salvation and Redemption, Jesus had a much greater
vision; that is, He had a vision for His Father's worldwide
Spiritual Family, which is comprised of the billions of
souls, who throughout time, have come to accept Him as Lord
and Saviour; thus fulfilling the Will of God in their lives,
by becoming the adopted sons and daughters of God. This is a
subject which I discuss more fully in the series 'Is Jesus
Really The Son Of God?'; but for the time being, consider
the following verses:
"And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one
which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have
everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day."
John 6:40, KJV
"But as many as received him, to them gave he power to
become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his
name:" John 1:12, KJV
"And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this
world marry, and are given in marriage: But they which shall
be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the
resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in
marriage: Neither can they die any more: for they are equal
unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the
children of the resurrection." Luke 20:34-36, KJV
"For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to
fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby
we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with
our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if
children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with
Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be
also glorified together." Romans 8:15-17, KJV
"For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ
Jesus." Galatians 3:26, KJV
"Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by
Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of
his will," Ephesians 1:5, KJV
This radical concept of a worldwide Spiritual Family of God
taking precedence over individual human families is further
substantiated by the following additional verses found in
the New Testament. It is interesting to note, that in the
first group of verses, the Lord's mother is again the topic
of the conversation:
"Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren
stand without, desiring to speak with thee. But he answered
and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who
are my brethren? And he stretched forth his hand toward his
disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For
whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven,
the same is my brother, and sister, and mother."
Matthew 12:47-50, KJV
"Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but
fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of
God;" Ephesians 2:19, KJV
As can be seen then, the private human family is required to
take second place to God's 'Universal Family', which has
been founded upon the Precious Blood of His own dear Son.
While it may be difficult for some people to understand, it
may also be for this very same reason, that the Lord also
made the following startling remarks found in the Gospels:
"Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not
to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at
variance against his father, and the daughter against her
mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. He that
loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me:
and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not
worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and
followeth after me, is not worthy of me."
Matthew 10:34-38, KJV
"And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or
sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or
lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and
shall inherit everlasting life." Matthew 19:29, KJV
"Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the
father the son; and children shall rise up against their
parents, and shall cause them to be put to death."
Mark 13:12, KJV
"Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell
you, Nay; but rather division: For from henceforth there
shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and
two against three. The father shall be divided against the
son, and the son against the father; the mother against the
daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in
law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law
against her mother in law." Luke 12:51-53, KJV
The previous verses make it quite clear, that in matters of
faith and allegiance, our Heavenly Father expects each of
His born-again children to be true to Him, as well as to our
Universal Spiritual Family, first; even above our loyalty to
our flesh families. In fact, Jesus makes it very clear, that
in some cases, our very own families will literally fight
against us, because of our faith in Him. In the case of the
first Jewish Disciples, they were literally disowned, and
pronounced 'dead' by their parents, if they embraced the
young, new Christian faith. Have we not seen this very same
thing occurring in our own time as well in both Jewish and
Gentile families alike? Some parents would prefer that their
children were strung out on drugs, rather than have them
embrace Christianity. It is truly a sad, blind world in
which we live.
In spite of the fact that Jesus taught such strong doctrine,
and in spite of the fact that He had this vision for the
Universal Family of God, or 'household of God' as Paul calls
it, nevertheless, one of His final actions prior to His
death on the Cross, was to pronounce something which would
fully reveal His deep love and concern for His mother Mary.
From the very moment that Jesus was conceived in His
mother's womb, God knew that Mary was destined to face a
life filled not only with intense joy, but also with intense
personal suffering, as her son went about fulfilling His
Divine Mission. It is for this reason that God inspired the
old man Simeon to say to her in the Temple eight days after
Jesus' birth:
"(Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that
the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed."
Luke 2:35, KJV
Some thirty-three years later, after a spear had physically
pierced His own side, as He hung on the Cross dying for the
sins of the world, in a symbolic sense, Jesus removed the
sword from His mother's heart. While Mary was temporarily
losing her physical son, in order that He might fulfill His
Father's Will, Jesus did not want her to be left alone; He
wanted to fill the aching void in her heart; thus it is that
some of His final words to her, and to the young disciple
standing next to her at the foot of the Cross, (who many
Christians assume was John), were:
"...Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple,
Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her
unto his own home." John 19:26b-27, KJV
Here again, we see Jesus addressing his mother as 'woman';
yet it is very obvious that rather than being intended to
express disrespect towards Mary, it is used to express His
deepest love and compassion for her; and that love is fully
manifested by His giving her another son to take His place.
It is because of this great love and compassion which Jesus
bestowed upon her, that Mary was probably able to endure her
grief; and who knows; perhaps deep in her heart, in spite of
her great sorrow, she also felt a certain degree of personal
satisfaction; knowing that she had played an integral part
in helping to fulfill God's Will for the ultimate benefit of
all humanity.
But Mary's grief was indeed very short-lived; because only
three days later, her deep sorrow was converted into joy
unspeakable, when she learned of the Risen Saviour! In
describing Mary's wonderful encounter with her risen son,
the Apostle Matthew describes her as 'the other Mary'. This
seems to be a reference to something he said ten verses
earlier where he describes her as 'Mary the mother of James
and Joses'. As I point out in the article 'The Family Life
Of Jesus Christ', we also know from the Gospels of Matthew
and Mark, that Jesus had four brothers, and at least two
sisters. Two of those brothers were named James and Joses.
Thus, putting all of the following verses together, we are
given the impression that not only was Mary present at her
son's Crucifixion, but that also, along with Mary Magdalene,
she was one of the very first people to see Him following
His victory over death; and how appropriate indeed!:
"Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called
Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and
Judas?" Matthew 13:55, KJV
"Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of
James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his
sisters here with us? And they were offended at him."
Mark 6:3, KJV
"And many women were there beholding afar off, which
followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him: Among
which was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and
Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's children."
Matthew 27:55-56, KJV
"In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the
first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other
Mary to see the sepulchre." Matthew 28:1, KJV
Following the Lord's Ascension to Heaven, described for us
in the first chapter of the Book of Acts, we discover that,
in spite of her advancing age, Mary apparently continued to
participate to some degree in the ministry of the Apostles,
first begun by her son. The Apostle Luke writes for us:
"Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called
Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey. And
when they were come in, they went up into an upper room,
where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew,
Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son
of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of
James. These all continued with one accord in prayer and
supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus,
and with his brethren." Acts 1:12-14, KJV
Thus, truly, through both unimaginable pain, and joy beyond
all measure, Mary was indeed blessed above all women who
have ever lived on the face of the Earth. To this day, she
remains for us an excellent example of love, dedication and
perseverance. Yet, as I also point out in such articles as
'Mary Worship, Roman Catholicism And Christianity', we must
also guard ourselves against setting her up as an idol, or
worse yet, referring to her as some sort of 'Co-Redemptress'
or 'Co-Mediatrix', as the Roman Catholics have erroneously
done. Mary was undoubtedly a wonderful woman, to have been
chosen by God to be His vessel; yet still, we must remember
that she was only a woman like any other. She was a fellow
human being born in sin; and thus, in no way can she merit
by her own works, the title of mediator between God and man.
That title is reserved alone for the Lord Jesus Christ, as
we are told by the Apostle Paul:
"For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men,
the man Christ Jesus;" 1 Timothy 2:5, KJV
Jesus paid for our Salvation with His Blood; therefore, He
alone is our Eternal High Priest and Advocate before the
Throne of the Father in the Heavenly Courts. Let us not
forget that. As we are told in the Scriptures:
"What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy
Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not
your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify
God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."
1 Corinthians 6:19-20, KJV
"Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men."
1 Corinthians 7:23, KJV
"Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but
to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many."
Matthew 20:28, KJV
"Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down
his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the
brethren." 1 John 3:16, KJV
"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we
were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8, KJV
By believing the Angel's words, and accepting her son as the
Saviour of the world, Mary became a part of God's greater
Family; His Spiritual Family, His Divine Household, which is
comprised of born-again believers the world over; and which
knows no genetic boundaries, or national borders; for we are
all one in Christ Jesus, because we are each covered by His
Blood. So in conclusion, this may be why Jesus constantly
referred to Mary as 'woman', and not as 'mother' in the
Scriptures; because while He loved her, He viewed her as a
part of God's greater Universal Family. With these words I
am going to bring another article to a close. I pray that it
has been a blessing and an inspiration in your life.
ffice
