Christ's Mystical Body
"When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple standing by, whom He loved, He saith unto His mother, Woman, behold thy son. Then saith He to the disciple, Behold thy mother." -John 19:26,27 [KJV]
This was the second among the dying words of the Lord Jesus; and no doubt, of high importance in their full sense and meaning: not simply to recommend Mary to the care of the beloved apostle, John, but probably of greater moment in reference to the church of Jesus at large. My soul, is it not very certain that the Lord Jesus knew all the events which would take place in all generations of His people? And as such, did not Jesus perfectly well know also that the time would come when divine honours would be offered to Mary? These points cannot be disputed. Well then, is it not worthy the closest observation, that Jesus both in this place, and upon all other occasions, when speaking of Mary, called her woman? Why so? If, as Jesus knew, that there would be some who would pray to her, and call her mother of God, by which name the Holy Ghost never distinguished her, neither the Lord Jesus Himself; could there have been a more decided method adopted than this to discountenance such idolatry, than when Jesus, in His dying moments, called Mary only woman?
Besides, was it not on another account, that as Jesus was to be the Seed of the woman, which was promised to bruise the serpent's head, such a dying testimony might serve instead of a thousand witnesses, in proof of the confirmation of the fact: and Mary's song might be the song of thousands—"My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour!" But when we have thus attended to the second cry of Christ upon the cross, in reference to those sweet points, do thou, my soul, remember also how tenderly those expressions of thy Lord recommend all the endearing affections of love and regard through all the members of Christ's mystical body. To behold our mother, or to behold our sons, are only different expressions to intimate that all true believers in Jesus are members of one another, and of His body, His flesh, and His bones. And as it was by our Lord Himself in this life, so is it with all His redeemed, both in this life and in that which is to come; they who do the will of His Father, which is in heaven, the same are Christ's brethren, and sisters, and mother.
-Robert Hawker (1753-1827 A.D.)
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