Cared For

 DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW

CARED FOR

Matt 27:55-56

55 Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs. 56 Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's sons.

NIV

It is interesting that Matthew does not mention Mary, the mother of Jesus. Other accounts have Mary and John near enough to the cross for Jesus to tell his mother that now John is her son and tell John that now Mary, His mother, is now John’s mother. John’s account also says that Mary the mother of Jesus, her sister Mary, wife of Clopas were there. Because Matthew says many women, we might consider that Mary and Martha the sisters of Lazarus might have been there, as well as Lydia, the woman who supported Jesus by selling purple cloth. It is interesting although many of his disciples scattered, the women stayed closer, but still at a slight distant, perhaps because of the amount of Roman soldiers that were right there at the cross of Jesus and the two thieves. What is also of interest is these women card for his needs, which would indicate they traveled along with the troupe of men. We do not know exactly what kind of needs were cared for, perhaps meals, the sewing of clothes, washing of feet, even the buying of food.  Whatever they cared for seems right in a certain sense that at creation God said that it was not good for man to be alone and he made a suitable helpmate. Although this was intended to mean a mate, a woman to be as it were, a wife so that man and woman would walk through life together side by side, it also seems that this group of men needed to have women to travel with them to care for their needs, as it would not be right that the women just took care of the needs of Jesus and left the other men to fend for themselves. Women are an essential part of life, and God has always kept the dignity of women and lifted them up time and time again throughout the scriptures. As an example, where would Moses had been if it were not for his mother, his sister, and the daughter of Pharoah? Where would the whole of the Jewish people have been if it were not for Esther? Where would all of mankind be if it were not for Mary who accepted the will of God for her to give birth to Jesus? So we see the importance placed on these women and it would do good for all men to see how much women are needed to survive this life, for they care for our needs, as we care for theirs. Jesus cared for his mother, he healed Mary of Magdala and was surely close to both Mary and Martha, having compassion on them in their time of need, giving them their brother back from the dead. We would do well to care for our women as they care for us.