The Others

The Others

Mark 15:29-32, NIV

Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, 30come down from the cross and save yourself!” 31In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! 32Let this Messiah, this king of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.”

John 19:25-27, NIV

Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” 27and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.

Setting the Scene

Jesus was crucified on a public thoroughfare. Crucifixions were much like the reality entertainment of that day. The mixed crowd seemed to dismiss the two dying thieves as not worth bothering about, but they found a certain satisfaction in heaping abuse on Jesus as he hung from the cross. The theme of the crowd’s taunts misquoted Jesus’ statement about the Temple and a three-day reconstruction project. They blatantly misapplied it by asking him to come down from the cross—overlooking the three-day time period Jesus had mentioned.

Meanwhile, the religious leaders, who believed they had engineered the circumstances, stood mocking Christ “among themselves.” Their statement is strangely ironic: “‘He saved others,’ they said, ‘but he can’t save himself!’” They were so close to the truth, and yet so far. He did save others, and in order to save many, he chose not to save himself.

As far as we know, of the Twelve, only John was present at the Cross. Most of the disciples were still hiding in fear; Peter was hiding in shame; Judas had taken his own life.

Several women were close to the cross. Jesus made eye contact with his mother, Mary, and John. In his last act as her human son, Jesus insured her safekeeping by entrusting her to John. Jesus didn’t leave any loose ends.

Getting Personal

How does Jesus’ tying up loose ends in his human relationships influence your thinking about responsibilities you may have to your earthly family?

How would you compare John’s and Peter’s behavior as disciples during this time? What do you learn from each of them?

When Jesus took on human nature, he took on all the baggage that came with it. He dealt with all those complicated family relationships that can be such a challenge in our lives. His example guides our efforts in maintaining integrity in our relationships, honoring him in every way.

Talking to God

Take a minute to marvel at the way Jesus, the God-man, managed all his duties—earthly and spiritual—even while he was dying. Come to the Lord today without any excuses, but simply with a willingness to follow his lead in accepting responsibility in your various roles—as a child, a spouse, a parent, a friend, an employer or employee, etc. Ask him to help you be wise in discerning which duties are yours to manage—and which are his.