Editor’s Review
We continue with the series of sermons by A. W. Pink titled “The Seven Sayings of the Savior on the Cross”. On this occasion, we present the third saying, known as the word of affection, in which the tender and perfect love of Christ is manifested even in the midst of His suffering.
From the cross, the Lord Jesus directs His attention to His mother and to the beloved disciple, showing that even in the darkest hours, His heart was full of care, compassion, and faithfulness. This word not only reveals the humanity of Christ, but also the depth of His love, which does not forget His own even in the moment of greatest sacrifice.
We invite the reader to meditate on this teaching, where redeeming love is expressed in an intimate and personal way, reminding us that the same Christ who died for our sins is also the One who cares for us with an eternal affection.
Sermon by A. W. Pink: The Word of Affection
“Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother. When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He saith unto His mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith He to the disciple, Behold thy mother” (John 19:25, 26).
“THERE STOOD BY THE CROSS of Jesus His mother” (John 19:25). Like her Son, Mary was no stranger to sorrow. From the beginning we are told: “And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured! the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be” (Luke 1:28, 29). This was but the prelude to many sorrows. Gabriel had come to announce the miraculous conception, and a simple reflection shows us that it was no light matter for Mary to become the mother of our Lord in such a mysterious and unheard-of way. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}
No doubt, in a distant future it would bring great honor, but in the present it involved no little danger to her reputation and a great trial to her faith. It is beautiful to observe her quiet submission to the will of God: “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word” (Luke 1:38) was her response. What lovely resignation! Yet she was “troubled” at the Annunciation, and, as we have said, this was only the beginning of many trials and sorrows.
What pain must it have caused her when, because there was no room in the inn, she had to lay her newborn in a manger! What anguish must she have felt when she learned of Herod’s purpose to destroy the life of her child! What a trial was laid upon her when she had to flee to a foreign country and remain several years in Egypt! What pangs must have pierced her soul when she saw her Son despised and rejected by men! What grief must have torn her heart as she beheld Him hated and persecuted by His own nation! And who can measure what she suffered as she stood there by the cross? If Christ was the man of sorrows, was she not the woman of sorrows?
1. Here we see the fulfillment of Simeon’s prophecy.
“Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother. When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He saith unto His mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith He to the disciple, Behold thy mother” (John 19:25, 26).
According to the requirements of the Mosaic law, the parents of the child Jesus brought Him to the temple to present Him to the Lord. Then the aged Simeon, who waited for the consolation of Israel, took Him in his arms and blessed God. After saying: “Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: for mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel” (Luke 2:29–32), he turned to Mary and said:
“Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against (yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed” (Luke 2:34, 35).
What a strange word this was! Could it be that the greatest of privileges would bring with it the greatest of sorrows? At the time Simeon spoke, this seemed very unlikely. Yet how truly and tragically it was fulfilled! Here, at the cross, this prophecy of Simeon comes to pass.
“There stood by the cross of Jesus His mother” (John 19:25). After the days of His infancy and childhood, and throughout the entire public ministry of Christ, we see and hear very little of Mary. Her life was lived in the background, in the shadows. But now, when the supreme hour of the agony of her Son arrives, when the world has rejected the fruit of her womb, she is there by the cross! Who can adequately describe such a scene? Mary stood closest to the cruel tree. Without faith or hope, bewildered and paralyzed by the scene, yet bound with chains of love to the dying One, there she stands. Try to read the thoughts and emotions of that mother’s heart. Oh, what a sword pierced her soul at that moment! Never was there such joy at a human birth, nor such sorrow at a death so inhuman.
Here we see manifested the heart of a mother. She is the mother of the One who is dying. He who hangs upon the cross is her Son. She was the one who first kissed that brow which is now crowned with thorns. She was the one who guided those hands and feet in their first infant movements. No mother ever suffered as she did. His disciples may forsake Him, His friends may leave Him, His nation may despise Him, but His mother is there, at the foot of His cross. Oh, who can understand or analyze a mother’s heart?
Who can measure those hours of sorrow as the sword slowly pierced Mary’s soul? Her grief was not hysterical nor exaggerated. There was no display of feminine weakness; no uncontrolled cries; no fainting. Not a single word of hers has been recorded by the evangelists: apparently she suffered in absolute silence. Yet her sorrow was no less real nor deep. Still waters run deepest. She saw that brow pierced with thorns, but she could not soothe it with her touch. She observed His hands and feet pierced, but she could not relieve them. She noted His thirst, but she could not quench it. She suffered in a deep desolation of spirit.
“There stood by the cross of Jesus His mother” (John 19:25). The crowds mocked, the thieves reviled, the priests scoffed, the soldiers were indifferent, the Savior bled and died — and there stood His mother gazing upon that dreadful scene. What if she had fainted! What if she had fled from that sight!
But no. There she stands: she does not withdraw, she does not faint, she does not even fall to the ground in her grief — she remains standing. Her posture is unique. There is no parallel in history. What extraordinary strength! She stood by the cross of Jesus — what admirable courage! She restrains her grief and remains silent. Was it not reverence for her Lord that kept her from interrupting His final moments?
“When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He saith unto His mother, 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 19:26, 27).
2. Here we see the perfect Man giving an example to children to honor their parents.
“Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother. When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He saith unto His mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith He to the disciple, Behold thy mother” (John 19:25, 26).
The Lord Jesus manifested His perfection in the way He fully discharged the obligations of every relationship He sustained, whether toward God or toward men. On the cross we behold His tender care and concern for His mother, and in this we have the model of Jesus Christ set before all children for their imitation, teaching them how they ought to behave toward their parents according to the laws of nature and of grace. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}
The words which the finger of God wrote upon the tables of stone and which were given to Moses on Mount Sinai have never been abolished. They remain in force as long as the earth endures. Every one of them is reaffirmed in the teaching of the New Testament. The words of Exodus 20:12 are repeated in Ephesians 6:1–3: “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.”
The commandment to honor parents goes far beyond simple outward obedience, though it certainly includes it. It embraces love and affection, gratitude and respect. Far too often it is assumed that this fifth commandment is directed only to the young. Nothing could be further from the truth. No doubt it is addressed first to children, for in the natural order, children are first young. But to conclude that this commandment loses its force once childhood is left behind is to ignore much of its deep meaning.
As has already been indicated, the word “honor” goes beyond obedience, though that is its primary sense. In the course of time, children grow up to reach adulthood, the stage of personal responsibility, when they are no longer under the direct authority of their parents; yet their obligations toward them do not cease. They owe their parents a debt which they can never fully repay. The least they can do is to esteem them highly, give them a place of superiority, and reverence them. In the perfect Example we find both obedience and esteem displayed.
The fact that the last Adam came into this world not as the first — fully developed in body and mind — but as a child, passing through the stage of infancy, is of great importance in the light it sheds upon the fifth commandment. During His early years, the child Jesus was under the authority of Mary His mother and of Joseph His legal father. This is beautifully shown in chapter two of the Gospel of Luke.
At the age of twelve, Jesus is taken by them to Jerusalem for the feast of the Passover. The scene is deeply significant if proper attention is given to it. When the feast ended, Joseph and Mary returned to Nazareth along with their acquaintances, supposing that Jesus was with them. But He had remained in the city. After a day’s journey, they discovered His absence. Immediately they returned to Jerusalem and found Him in the temple.
His mother said to Him: “Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing” (Luke 2:48). The fact that they sought Him “sorrowing” implies that He had scarcely ever left their side. Not finding Him was a new and strange experience for her, and the fact that they sought Him with anguish reveals the beautiful relationship that existed in their home in Nazareth.
The answer of Jesus, rightly understood, also reveals the honor He had toward His mother. It is not a rebuke, but an expression that must be understood with the proper emphasis: “Wist ye not…?” As Dr. Campbell Morgan well points out, it is as though He said: “Mother, you ought to have known that nothing could detain Me except My Father’s business.”
The outcome is equally beautiful, for we read: “And He went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them” (Luke 2:51). Thus, for all time, the Christ of God has given the perfect example of how children are to obey and honor their parents.
But more than this. As it is with us, so it was with Christ: the years of obedience to Mary and Joseph came to an end, but not so the years of honor. In the last and terrible hours of His human life, in the midst of the infinite sufferings of the cross, the Lord Jesus thought of the one who loved Him and whom He loved; He thought of her present need and provided for her future need by committing her into the care of that disciple who most deeply understood His love. His consideration for Mary at that moment, and the honor He bestowed upon her, was one of the manifestations of His victory over suffering.
It may be necessary to say a word about the form of address which our Lord used: “Woman”. In the entire record of the four Gospels, He never once called her “mother.” For us, who live today, the reason is not difficult to discern. Looking through the centuries with His perfect foreknowledge, and seeing the terrible system of Mariolatry which would soon arise, He refrained from using a term that might give occasion for such idolatry — the idolatry of rendering to Mary the honor that belongs only to His Son; the idolatry of worshiping her as “the mother of God.”
On two occasions we find in the Gospels that our Lord addresses Mary as “Woman,” and it is very significant that both are found in the Gospel of John, which presents in a special way the deity of Christ. The Synoptic Gospels show Him in His human relationships; not so the fourth Gospel. John presents Christ as the Son of God, and as such He stands above all human relationships, which perfectly explains why He here addresses Mary as “Woman.”
The act of our Lord on the cross in committing Mary to the care of the beloved disciple is best understood in the light of her widowhood. Although the Gospels do not explicitly record the death of Joseph, there is little doubt that he died before the Lord Jesus began His public ministry. After the account in Luke 2, when Jesus was twelve years old, Joseph is no longer mentioned. In John 2, Mary appears at the wedding in Cana, but there is no indication of Joseph’s presence. Therefore, considering her widowhood and the fact that the time had come when He could no longer care for her by His physical presence, His loving concern is here displayed.
Permit a brief word of exhortation. Probably these lines will be read by adults who still have their parents alive. How are you treating them? Are you truly honoring them? Does this example of Christ on the cross put you to shame? It may be that you are young and strong, and your parents are old and weak; but the Holy Spirit says: “Despise not thy mother when she is old” (Proverbs 23:22). It may be that you are rich and they are poor; then do not fail to provide for them. It may be that they live far away; then do not fail to write them words of affection that will gladden their final days. These are sacred duties: “Honour thy father and thy mother.”
3. Here we see that John returned to the side of the Savior.
“Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother. When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He saith unto His mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith He to the disciple, Behold thy mother” (John 19:25, 26).
Excepting, of course, the suffering of Christ at the hands of God, perhaps the bitterest drop in the cup He drank was the desertion of His apostles. It was sad enough that His own people, the Jews, despised and rejected Him; but it was even worse that the eleven, who had been so long with Him, forsook Him in the hour of crisis. One would have thought that their faith and love would have withstood any trial. But it was not so. “Then all the disciples forsook Him, and fled” (Matthew 26:56). This was something indescribably tragic. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}
Their inability to watch with Him one hour in Gethsemane almost paralyzes our minds, but their abandonment at the moment of His arrest is almost incomprehensible. And yet, have we not learned by bitter experience how deceitful our hearts are, how weak our faith is, and how frail we are in the hour of trial? If the grace of God does not uphold us, the slightest thing can cause us to fall.
The Lord Jesus had already warned them: “All ye shall be offended because of me this night… I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered” (Matthew 26:31). And not only Peter, but all affirmed that they would remain faithful. Yet they forsook Him. And this brought reproach upon Him, for it gave occasion to His enemies to mock.
From the human side, they forsook Him because they were ashamed of Him. They considered it dangerous to remain by His side. But from the divine side, it was because God temporarily withdrew His sustaining grace. Christ had to tread the winepress alone, without any human comfort, in order to fully bear the burden of the wrath of God.
Yet their cowardice was temporary. Later they sought Him in Galilee. But it is comforting to know that one of them returned before the resurrection, while He was still on the cross. Who was it? Even if his name were not mentioned, it would not be difficult to identify him: the disciple whom Jesus loved. John had returned to the side of the Savior, and there he received a special blessing.
And now, one final word of exhortation. Is there anyone who has turned away from the Lord? Who has lost fellowship with Him? Perhaps you failed in the trial. Perhaps you denied His name. But here is hope: Christ did not rebuke John when he returned, but granted him a privilege. Return to Him. Come back today. He will receive you with grace, and perhaps He has prepared for you a mission of honor.
4. Here we discover an illustration of the prudence of Christ.
“Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother. When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He saith unto His mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith He to the disciple, Behold thy mother” (John 19:25, 26).
We have already seen how the act of Christ in committing Mary into the hands of His disciple was an expression of His tender love and foresight. That John should take care of the Savior’s widowed mother was a blessed commission, and at the same time a precious legacy. When Christ said to him, “Behold thy mother,” it was as though He were saying: let her be to you as your own mother; let your love for Me now be shown in your care for her. Yet there was much more behind this act of Christ.
Long before, it had been prophesied that the Lord Jesus would act with wisdom and prudence. Through Isaiah, God had said: “Behold, my servant shall deal prudently” (Isaiah 52:13). In committing His mother to the care of His beloved disciple, the Savior showed a wise choice of the one who would be her guardian. Probably no one understood Christ as well as His mother, and almost certainly no one had so deeply understood His love as John. Therefore, they were perfectly suited companions, united by a bond of common sympathy which connected them to one another and to Christ. There was no one more fitting to care for Mary, nor whose companionship would be more pleasing to her; and on the other hand, no one whose fellowship John would enjoy more.
Moreover, it must be considered that a special and honorable work awaited John. Years later, the Lord Jesus would reveal Himself to him in glory in the book of Revelation. What better preparation could he have than to live with the one who had been closest to Christ during the thirty years of His hidden life? Thus we see the perfect wisdom of uniting Mary and John. We admire the prudence of Christ in choosing a home for His mother and at the same time providing spiritual companionship for the beloved disciple.
Before proceeding, we may note that the fact that John took Mary into his home sheds light on a later passage. In John 20, Peter and John visit the empty tomb. John arrives first, but Peter enters. Then John enters and believes. Afterward we read: “Then the disciples went away again unto their own home” (John 20:10). We are not told why, but in light of John 19:27 it is evident: John returned home to tell Mary the good news of the resurrection. Another example of the perfect harmony of Scripture!
5. Here we see that spiritual relationships must not ignore natural responsibilities.
The Lord Jesus was dying as the Savior of sinners. He was accomplishing the greatest work in history: satisfying the justice of God. Yet He did not forget His human responsibilities. He did not neglect to care for His earthly mother.
Here is a very necessary lesson for today. No work, however important, exempts us from our family responsibilities. Those who serve God but neglect their family do not follow the example of Christ. Both men and women must remember that true godliness begins at home. One cannot honor God while neglecting the basic duties toward one’s own.
6. Here we see a universal need illustrated.
How different is the Mary of Scripture from the Mary of superstition! She was not an exalted figure to be worshiped, but a sinner in need of a Savior. She herself said: “My spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour” (Luke 1:47). The Bible does not present her as a queen of heaven, but as one who needed grace, like all of us. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}
She stood at the foot of the cross. And there, Christ said: “Woman, behold thy son.” In these words we see the summary of the way of salvation: to turn the gaze away from oneself and to look to Christ. Salvation does not come by works, nor by merits, nor by religion, but by looking to Christ.
Just as the Israelites were healed by looking at the bronze serpent, so today salvation is received by looking to Christ in faith. “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness… even so must the Son of man be lifted up” (John 3:14).
There is life in a look. Reader, have you looked to Christ? Have you beheld the Savior dying for sinners? Mary needed to look… and so do you. Look to Christ and you shall be saved.
7. Here we see the wonderful blending of the perfections of Christ.
“Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother. When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He saith unto His mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith He to the disciple, Behold thy mother” (John 19:25, 26).
This is one of the greatest mysteries of His person: the union of the most perfect human affection with His divine glory. The very Gospel which most clearly presents Him as God is here careful to show us that He was also man — the Word made flesh. Engaged as He was in a divine work, making atonement for the sins of His people and contending with the powers of darkness, yet in the midst of it all, He manifests the same human tenderness, which demonstrates the perfection of the man Christ Jesus.
This care for His mother in His final hour was characteristic of all His conduct. Everything in Him was natural and perfect. The spontaneous simplicity that characterized Him is remarkable. There was nothing of pomp or ostentation in Him. Many of His most powerful works were performed along the way, in a humble house, or among a small group of the needy. Many of His words, which today remain inexhaustible in meaning, were spoken simply as He walked with a few friends.
So it was also on the cross. He was performing the greatest work in all of history. He was accomplishing that before which the creation of the world fades into insignificance, and yet, He does not forget to care for His mother — as though He were still in the home of Nazareth. No wonder it was said: “His name shall be called Wonderful” (Isaiah 9:6).
Wonderful in all that He did. Wonderful in every relationship He sustained. Wonderful in His person, and wonderful in His work. Wonderful in His life, and wonderful in His death. Let us admire Him and adore Him.
Conclusion
The word of affection spoken by our Lord on the cross reveals one of the most moving aspects of His character: the perfect harmony between His divine nature and His human nature. Even in the midst of the most intense suffering, when He was carrying out the greatest work of redemption, He did not forget the simplest and most natural duties. His care for His mother was not a secondary detail, but a manifestation of His perfection in every area of life.
In this scene we behold not only the Savior who redeems, but also the Son who honors, the Teacher who instructs by His example, and the Lord who perfectly fulfills the law of God. Here we learn that true spirituality is never disconnected from daily responsibilities. No service, however elevated it may seem, can justify the neglect of the duties that God Himself has established.
Finally, this word directs us once again to Christ Himself. He is the center of all devotion, the object of all faith, and the perfect model for our lives. Just as Mary was called to look to her Son, so we also are called to look to Christ. In Him we find grace, example, comfort, and salvation. May our hearts, as we contemplate this scene, be led not only to admire His love, but to respond with a life of obedience, honor, and fellowship with Him.