From Matthew 27:55-56 / 3 Women

As was common in Jesus’ day, women of some substance would often become benefactors of teachers and other notable figures. So we read here of Mary Magdalene. But with her stand Jesus’ mother – Mary, and most likely, Salome, Mary’s sister and Jesus’ aunt. It is quite a trio. In truth, we know precious little about them excepting Jesus’ Mother of whom we know the most from the Biblical record.

Note first: It is a simple fact of history that in times of great distress, often, women display a courage in the face of what seems to be hopeless – that ought to make many men ashamed.

By this time in the narrative, virtually all of Jesus’ disciples have run for cover. The seeming lone exception to that is John, whom John’s Gospel records was also at Mary’s side at the crucifixion. But the rest? Gone. Fled. Most from the Garden, and then Peter from the scene at the High Priest’s house. And yet here these three stand. Looking on from a distance, but unwilling to run and hide.

There is a God-given strength in women which is too often forgotten. A portion remaining of the imago dei that finds particular expression in the female sex. How many (if not most) will see their husbands pass before they do, and must face life alone when most vulnerable? Such widows are all around us. And how many have had weak, cowardly and selfish husbands abandon a family, leaving the wife and mother to fend for herself and her off-spring. This too ought to make very many men blush with shame.

And yet so strong is this God given grace, that countless women have raised their children all alone, eked out the most meager of livings to provide what they could, and subsisted on very little to provide and protect – when that is the God-given domain of men?

Ever since Eden, when Adam first abdicated his responsibility to provide for and protect Eve, resulting in humanity’s defection from God, women have been forced to fill roles they were never designed for. It has left both society and the Church with great and grave disorder.

Men, take note. At this horrific scene, there were “many women there, looking on at a distance” – when all the proud boasters that they would rather die with Jesus than abandon Him – were no where to be seen. The sin of cowardice is a great one indeed.

Note second: How often in Church history, it has been a small cadre of faithful women who have kept the doors of the local Church open, when the men have gone off after other things.

There is a feminine instinct for faithfulness that has persisted even through the Fall that makes itself known when the Church is in dark days. A propensity toward devotion that has sadly waned in the male sex, and by grace has been preserved in women. It has led many a godly woman to remain faithful to the house of God when a careless or godless husband offers little support or even opposition to their mate’s desire to serve The Lord. It is a loud and resounding rebuke.

Note third: The feminization of the Church, is a sure sign of male failure.

It is widely lamented in conservative circles that there has been an explosive growth in female pastors and leadership in the Church. But there should be no surprise, when we look at the lack of solid male leadership taking its proper role. And not male leadership by way of chest-thumping “me Tarzan you Jane” faux-masculinity – but leadership in the true sense of men going somewhere, and bidding others to come along.

If as a men, husbands, or mere Christians, we ourselves are not seeking Christ, pursuing holiness, ordering our lives in such a way that they display that we are on our way to Heaven and to conformity to the image of Christ – is it any wonder if no one follows?

When leadership by doing and going, has been supplanted by leadership by commanding and demanding, it is no surprise at all that respect is lost and chaos ensues.

As I was taught in science class in High School; “nature abhors a vacuum.” It is true in the physical realm and in the spiritual as well. When sound, God-fearing, Christ-seeking, purposeful men provide no leadership in the Church, others will be drawn in an attempt to fill the vacuum. Yes, it will leave the Church inherently disordered. On the one hand, since the Fall, women will seek offices and roles not their own – but perhaps even more importantly, men have stepped aside from true spiritual leadership. And I find us more to blame than those who have been drawn into the vacancy we’ve left.

Note last: The exposition of Luke 7:47 the presence of Mary Magdalene is. “Her sins, which are many, are forgive – for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.”

No, the account in Luke 7 is not of Mary Magdalene, though many of tried to make a connection. There is no textual basis for the link. But the principle still applies.

We are only told about this Mary, that 7 demons had been cast out of her. Tales of her being a prostitute and other charges are unfounded. All we know is that she had been at one time in severe bondage to malevolent spirits, and that Jesus had set her free.

We can easily see why Jesus’ mother was there – this was her Son’s murder. And we can easily see why Salome was there – Mary was her sister, and Jesus her nephew. But this Mary? She had no natural connection to Jesus. There was no self-benefit to be found supporting such a malefactor as Jesus was charged with being. No. Mary is here, because she had been loved much by the Redeemer. She had been freed from her bondage to Satan’s minions. She had been forgiven her sins and her trespasses. She had been cleansed and forgiven of so much – that her reciprocal love was very great indeed. She has no problem being linked with Jesus publicly.

Nothing will make our love for Christ braver and more fervent, than a clearer apprehension of what we’ve truly been forgiven of, and freed from in Christ.

Why does our love for Him wane so? Because we have a light view of our own sin, what its true penalty was before God, and therefore what a price Jesus paid that we might be forgiven and restored to the Father.

Every attempt at self-justification and the minimizing of our sin, has a direct and proportional impact on the diminishing of Christ’s love for us, and ours for Him. It cannot be avoided.

It is true, we can be led into a morbid and unhealthy fixation on our own sin – but only if in it, we fail to look at the Cross and see its every facet met in the life, death, burial and resurrection of Christ – and of the inheritance to be made ours at His return. We have no need to see any part of our being through rose colored glasses, if we will but see Him in all of His mediatorial glory.

There stands Mary Magdalene. Notorious in her previous bondage to evil. Gazing on the Lamb of God, who in His death, took all of her sin and guilt and shame upon Himself, that she might be counted righteous in Him.

How about you?