Mary Magdalene at the Cross and Burial of Jesus

John 19:25  •  2 min. read  •  grade level: 13
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From the mention of Mary in Luke 8 until the crucifixion of our blessed Lord there is nothing further recorded. All the evangelists (although Luke does not give her name) mention that she was a witness of the Lord’s death, or at least the accompaniments of His death, and wherever she is noticed in these last days in company with other women, she comes first, save in one instance. The exception is in John’s gospel where the mother of Jesus is specified: “Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.” Here the chief object before the Lord’s mind (and how beautiful it is to see it!) was His mother, as, now that He had finished the work which God had given Him to do, He was about to commit her to the care of the beloved disciple. In Matthew and Mark, Mary Magdalene, seen in the company of others, stands first, teaching surely that the Lord had recognized the devotedness of her affection. Luke only says (and he twice speaks in this manner); “the women that followed Him from Galilee” (Luke 23:49,5549And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things. (Luke 23:49)
55And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid. (Luke 23:55)); but as Matthew includes Mary among those “which followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto Him” (Matt. 27:5555And many women were there beholding afar off, which followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him: (Matthew 27:55)), we know that Mary was one of the number described by Luke. We have no account of the journeys when (as we have before remarked) Mary and the other Galilean women accompanied Jesus, but it is certain that they were with Him on His last visit to Jerusalem, when He was about to offer Himself, through the Eternal Spirit, without spot to God. What an immense favor was accorded to these devoted souls—to hear His words, and to see His face during the last weeks of His life upon earth! But they were hidden until the end came, for the Spirit of God was not occupied with them and their privileges. All heaven, it might be truly said, had its attention then centered upon the Lamb that taketh away the sin of the world. When, however, the mighty work of atonement had been completed, the Holy Spirit could notice, and cause to be recorded, the fidelity of the Magdalene and her companions.