The Weeping Women

Several of the most vivid descriptions relating to the cross of Christ concern the women who followed Him. The book of Mark, according to scholars written first of the four gospels, continually stresses the theme of abandonment of Jesus when the "going got tough." Even his most beloved disciples Peter and John were hardly to be seen as the Roman empire, with the cooperation of the Jewish officials of the day, arrested and crucified Christ. The faithful ones, according to Scripture, were the women. Yes, in the gospel of John, the author indicates, though he does not name the disciple, that John himself was there. Remember though that John had an agenda to show himself as one of the faithful ones. Why is it that the women could stand at the foot of the cross weeping and not be afraid as the male disciples were for their very lives?

One of the interpretations of the death of Christ, in addition to Christ as sacrifice for those who believe in Him, is that Jesus came to earth in order to say "no" to the domination systems of the day. These systems were economic, religious, and political. Through His death, and resurrection three days later, Jesus won the victory. Women, of course, did not have any of the powers associated with those of men. They were essentially "under the radar" as far as representing a threat to Roman rule.

Of course, women have traditionally been considered to be the emotional ones of the two sexes. Somehow it was all right for Mary Madgalene, Mary, the mother of James and Joses, and perhaps two other Marys--wife of Clopas and Jesus' own mother--to lament and mourn publicly. The lesson is that the women were the faithful ones through the cruxification and into the Sunday morning of resurrection. It is also they who arrived at the empty tomb first to discover that Jesus had risen.

The strength of women should never be underestimated when a crisis arises. The weeping women were the rocks upon which the church was built then--and still are to a large extent-- some two thousand years later.