PEOPLE OF THE PASSION

OPENING PRAYER

Untitled Slide

THE MOTHER OF JESUS STANDS AT THE CROSS

“THE MOTHER OF JESUS” IN JOHN’S GOSPEL

• Beginning of the Gospel: Wedding feast of Cana (2:1-5)
• End of the Gospel: Standing at the Foot of the Cross (19:25-27)
• Mary presented as ideal believer with enduring faithfulness.
• Infancy narratives in Matthew and Luke

“The hour” of Jesus is the cross.

“THE HOUR”

• (At the cross)19:27b And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.
• (At the wedding feast of Cana) 2:4b “My hour has not come”: either veiled reference to time of Jesus death or the first public manifestation of his power.

REFERENCES TO “THE HOUR” IN JOHN’S GOSPEL

• 12:23 “The hour” has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.”
• 13:1 Before the feast of Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to pass from the world to the Father.
• 17:1...”Father, the hour has come. Give glory to your son, so that your son may glorify you.”

THE WEDDING FEAST OF CANA

120 Gallons of Wine:
Symbolic of the supernatural gifts that Christ offers us or abundance in end times.

Mary’s counsel: “Do whatever he says.” Trust in Jesus words!

Meanwhile, standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.
John 19:25

When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother, “Woman, here is your son.”
John 19:26

Then he said to the disciple, “Here is you mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home.
John 19:27

MARY AT THE CROSS

• Two figures at the cross unnamed:
• Mother of Jesus
• Disciple whom he loved
• Focus is on discipleship
• New family of Jesus established at the cross

His words affirm the maternal role of the mother of Jesus in the new family of Jesus established at the cross. Reminder of “The Word made flesh”.

THE CENTURION PROFESSES FAITH IN JESUS

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Matthew 27:46

PSALM 22

• Psalm of Lament
• Depicts the plight of a righteous sufferer.
• Although innocent, he is mocked and abused.
• He turns to God in his distress and petitions God for deliverance.

THE CENTURION AT THE CROSS

• He and the soldiers “kept watch over Jesus” for the last three hours of his life.
• A gentile who comes to faith: “Truly this man was God’s Son!”

CENTURIONS WITH POSITIVE QUALITIES

• Matthew 8:5-13 The healing of the centurion’s servant.
• Acts 10:1-8 The conversion of Cornelius, a centurion and a gentile.
• Acts 27:1-6 Adventure on the high seas in which Julius, the centurion, saves Paul.

JESUS BREATHED HIS LAST

• Temple curtain torn in two
• Earthquake
• Splitting of rocks
• Opening of tombs
• Signs of end times!

THE WOMEN OF GALILEE REMAIN WITH JESUS

WOMEN WHO PROVIDED OUT OF THEIR RESOURCES

• Mary of Magdala
• Johanna
• Susanna
• Many others

WOMEN OF GALILEE

• Mentioned in all four gospels as being at the cross and the tomb.
• Association of women with the ministry of Jesus is unusual given 1st century attitudes toward women.
• They followed Jesus from Galilee to Jerusalem.
• The women represent faithful discipleship.

NAMES OF WOMEN AT THE CROSS VARIED

• Mark 15:40-41, 47
• Matthew 27:55-56, 61
• Luke 23:49, 55-56
• John19:25-27
• Each writer chose those women who were most significant for the community they were addressing.

Women preparing spices for Jesus burial.
(Luke 23:55)

Stark contrast between these women of Galilee and the male disciples of Jesus.

JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA LAYS THE BODY OF JESUS IN THE TOMB

Untitled Slide

Joseph of Arimathea:
A pious member of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish ruling body that handed Jesus over to the Romans, requests Jesus body from Pilate to give him a proper burial before sunset.

JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA

• Matthew 27:57 Rich man from Arimathea, a disciple of Jesus, used his own tomb.
• John 19:38 A secret disciple of Jesus because of fear of the Jews.
• Luke 23:50-51 Member of the council, a good and righteous man who did not consent to their purpose and deed, looking for the kingdom of God. Tomb unused.

Then Joseph bought a linen cloth, and taking down the body, wrapped it in the linen cloth, and laid it in the tomb that had been hewn out of the rock. He then rolled a stone against the door of the tomb.
Mark 15:46

JOSEPH AS A MODEL FOR US TO FOLLOW

• Respectful care of the body of Jesus
• Public devotion to Jesus
• Witness of courage in spite of fear
• Virtue in face of injustice
• Personal generosity

NICODEMUS PREPARES THE BODY OF JESUS FOR BURIAL

Untitled Slide

Nicodemus, who had at first come to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing about one hundred pounds.
John19:39

WHO IS NICODEMUS?

NICODEMUS

• Pharisee
• Member of Sanhedrin
• First encounter with Jesus is at night (3:1-12)
• Defends Jesus right to fair treatment by Sanhedrin (7:50-52).
• He comes into the light with expensive oils to help bury Jesus
• Probably knew Joseph of Arimathea

Untitled Slide

“...a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing a hundred pounds.”

Jesus is buried as a king. Reflects Nicodemus generosity and love of Jesus.

Now there was a garden in the place where he was crucified, and in the garden there was a new tomb...they laid Jesus there.
John 19:41-42

...THERE WAS A GARDEN...

• Jesus Passion began in a garden where he was betrayed by Judas and abandoned by his disciples.
• He is again in a garden but this time surrounded by a new community.
• Associated with the Garden of Eden and Jesus as the new Adam.

NICODEMUS COMES TO JESUS AT NIGHT

“Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above...without being born of water and Spirit.”
John 3:3-5

“...Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet do not understand these things?...”
John 3:10-12

“The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
John 3:8

MARY MAGDALENE COMES TO THE TOMB

“They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” (John20:2b)

So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb...
John 20:3-10

...and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet.
(John 20:12)

When she said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know it was Jesus.
John 20:14

Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!”
(which means Teacher).
John 20:16

The Good Shepherd

... the sheep hear his voice, as he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has driven out all his own, he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they recognize his voice.
John 10:3-4

Untitled Slide

Jesus Sends Mary on a Mission:
“Do not hold onto me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”
John 20:17

Mary bears witness to the resurrection and tells the others that she has seen the Lord. In her mission she is often referred to as one of the apostles.

Untitled Slide

TRANSFORMED BY LOVE

• Jesus Farewell Discourse
• The Vine and the Branches John15:1-17
• Profound unity between Father and Son, a unity that is shared with Jesus disciples (and therefore with us).

CLOSING PRAYER

Untitled Slide

Untitled Slide

Untitled Slide

Untitled Slide

Untitled Slide