Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of John 19:27
Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own [home.]
27. from that hour ] Quite literally, as soon as all was over ( Joh 19:30); or he may have led her away at once and then have returned ( Joh 19:35).
unto his own home ] Although the commendation was double, each being given to the other, yet (as was natural) S. John assumes the care of Mary rather than she of him. This shews the untenability of the view that not only S. John, but in him all the Apostles, were committed by Christ to the guardianship of Mary. We have had the Greek expression for ‘his own (home)’ twice already in this Gospel: see on Joh 1:11 and Joh 16:32. That S. John was known to the high-priest (Joh 18:15) and that his family had hired servants (Mar 1:20) would seem to imply that he was a man of some position and substance.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Behold thy mother! – One who is to be to thee as a mother. The fact that she was the mother of Jesus would secure the kindness of John, and the fact that she was now intrusted to him demanded of him affectionate regard and tender care.
From that hour … – John seems to have been in better circumstances than the other apostles. See Joh 18:16. Tradition says that she continued to live with him in Judea until the time of her death, which occurred about fifteen years after the death of Christ.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
He also reciprocally commendeth his mother to John, to be cared for as his own mother. From that time Mary went home, and lived with John.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Then saith he to the disciple,…. The same disciple John:
behold thy mother; take care of her, and provide for her, as if she was thine own mother: this shows the meanness of Christ, who had nothing to leave her, though Lord of all; it is very probable that Joseph was dead, and Mary now a widow; and whereas Christ had taken care of her, and maintained her hitherto, he now, in his dying moments, commits her to the care of this disciple; which is an instance of his humanity, and of his regard to every duty; and this in particular, of honouring parents, and providing for them in distress, and old age:
and hour that disciple took her to his own home: or house; so the Septuagint render , “to his house”, by , in Es 6:12 the phrase here used, and in Joh 16:32. Some say she lived with John at Jerusalem, and there died; and others say, that she died in the twelfth year after the resurrection of Christ, being 59 years of age, and was buried by John in the garden of Gethsemane: where his house was is not certain, whether at Jerusalem or in Galilee, nor how long she lived with him; but this is not to be doubted, that he took care of her, and provided for her, as if she was his own mother; and his doing this forthwith shows his great regard to Christ, his readiness and cheerfulness to comply with his orders and directions, and his unfeigned love unto him.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Unto his own home ( ). See this same idiom and sense in John 1:11; John 16:32; Acts 21:6. John had a lodging in Jerusalem, whether a house or not, and the mother of Jesus lived with him there.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
His own home [ ] . See on 1 11.
28 – 30. Compare Mt 27:45 – 50; Mr 14:33 – 37; Luk 23:44 – 46.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “Then saith he to the disciple,” (eita. legei to mathete) “Then he said to the particular disciple,” whom He loved so dearly, in whom He confided, who wrote this Gospel, Joh 21:20; Joh 21:24.
2) “Behold thy mother,” (ide he meter sou) “Take special note, attention, or care of your mother,” act the part of a son in caring for her, physically and emotionally, 1Ti 5:2, as I am leaving her in your care.
3) “And from that hour,” (kai ap’ ekeines tes horas) ”And from that hour,” and thereafter, after the death of Jesus.
4) “That disciple took her unto his own home.” (elaben ho mathetes auten eis ta idia) ”The particular disciple (John) took her into his own home, residence, or care,” to nourish and support her, Joh 16:32. Tradition holds that she lived with John at Ephesus to a very old age.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
27. The disciple took her to his own home. It is a token of the reverence due by a disciple to his master, that John so readily obeys the command of Christ. Hence also it is evident, that the Apostles had their families; for John could not have exercised hospitality towards the mother of Christ, or have taken her to his own home, if he had not had a house and a regular way of living. Those men, therefore, are fools, who think that the Apostles relinquished their property, and came to Christ naked and empty; but they are worse than fools, who make perfection to consist in beggary.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(27) Behold thy mother!The solemn committal is a double one. The loving heart of the disciple should find, as well as give, sympathy and support in the love of the mother. The sympathy in their common loss is to be the source of love for each other.
And from that hour.The words do not necessarily mean, but they certainly may mean, that St. John at once took Mary away from the scene that a mothers heart could hardly bear; but he is himself present (Joh. 19:35), and the whole account, brief as it is, is that of an eye-witness.
Unto his own home.Comp. Note on Joh. 1:11, and Introduction, pp. 369, 371. The word is used in Joh. 16:32 of the lodging or sojourning place of the Apostles. The meaning here is that whatever was his home became hers.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
27. Unto his own home Doubtless to his own immediate residence in Jerusalem; next, to his home in Galilee; and finally, perhaps, to Ephesus, his last abode in Asia Minor. See our note on Mat 1:18. That John had a home at Jerusalem is implied by the phrase from that hour, as he remained some time in Jerusalem.
The writers of the Romish Church, assuming that John was committed to the protection of Mary, use this passage as an argument in support of Mariolatry. John is made to represent the Church, which is bound to solicit the guardianship of this “Mother of God.” All this is precisely the reverse of the fact. Mary was committed to the protection of John, not John to the protection of Mary.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
27 Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home .
Ver. 27. The disciple took her, &c. ] A precious depositum; trust the house was the better she abode in; yet dare we not deify her, as the Papists; as neither will we vilify her, as the author of the Female Glory basely slanders some of us, that we rudely call her Moll, God’s maid. Os durum! Horsh speech! Our parents, saith the heathen, are our household gods, . (Hierocles.) Honour them we must both in word and deed. That our Saviour here calls her woman, and not mother, was either because he would not add to her grief, who was now pierced to the soul with that sword Simeon spake of,Luk 2:35Luk 2:35 ; or, lest he should create her further trouble, if she had been known to be his mother; or, for that, being now in his last work, and ready way to heaven, he knew none after the flesh. Thomas Watt, martyr, spake thus at his death to his wife and six children: Wife and my good children, I must now depart from you; therefore henceforth know I you no more, &c. But whereas Christ commends the care of his mother to his beloved disciple, with, Behold thy mother, the Samians used the like speech, when to the richer of the citizens, the mothers of those who died in the wars were given to be maintained by them, .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
27. ] The solemn and affecting commendation of her to John is doubly made, and thus bound by the strongest injunctions on both. The Romanist idea, that the Lord commended all His disciples, as represented by the beloved one, to the patronage of His mother , is simply absurd. The converse is true: He did solemnly commend the care of her, especially indeed to the beloved disciple, but in him to the whole cycle of disciples, among whom we find her, Act 1:14 .
No certain conclusion can be drawn from this commendation, as to the ‘brethren of the Lord’ believing on Him or not at this time. The reasons which influenced Him in his selection must ever be far beyond our penetration: and whatever relations to Him we suppose those brethren to have been , it will remain equally mysterious why He passed them over, who were so closely connected with His mother. Still the presumption, that they did not then believe on Him, is one of which it is not easy to divest one’s self; and at least may enter as an element into the consideration of the whole subject, beset as it is with uncertainty.
. . is probably to be taken literally, from that time; so that she was spared the pangs of witnessing what was to follow. If so, John returned again to the Cross, Joh 19:35 .
need not imply that John had a house in Jerusalem . It would equally apply to his lodging during the feast; only meaning, that henceforth, wherever he was, she was an inmate with him; and certainly that his usual habitation was fixed, and was his own.
Ewald remarks (see Meyer in loc.), “It was for the Apostle in his later years a sweet reward to recall vividly every such minute detail, and for his readers a sign that he alone could have written all this.”
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Joh 19:27 . And this trust He commits to John in the simple words, , although his natural mother, Salome, was also standing there. [ Cf. the bequest of Eudamidas: “I leave to Aretaeus the care of nourishing and providing for my mother in her old age”. Lucian’s Toxaris .] John at once accepted the charge, “from that hour (which cannot be taken so stringently as to imply that they did not wait at the cross to see the end) the disciple took her to his own home”; , see Joh 1:11 , Joh 16:32 . The circumstances of the Nazareth home which made this a possible and desirable arrangement are not known. That Mary should find a home with her sister and her son is in itself intelligible, and this close intimacy of the two persons whose hearts had been most truly the home of Jesus must have helped to cherish and vivify all reminiscences of His character and words.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
from. Greek. apo. App-104.
unto his own. Greek. eis (App-104.) ta idia. This expression occurs in Joh 1:11; Joh 16:32. Act 21:6. A different phrase in Joh 20:10.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
27.] The solemn and affecting commendation of her to John is doubly made,-and thus bound by the strongest injunctions on both. The Romanist idea, that the Lord commended all His disciples, as represented by the beloved one, to the patronage of His mother, is simply absurd. The converse is true: He did solemnly commend the care of her, especially indeed to the beloved disciple, but in him to the whole cycle of disciples, among whom we find her, Act 1:14.
No certain conclusion can be drawn from this commendation, as to the brethren of the Lord believing on Him or not at this time. The reasons which influenced Him in his selection must ever be far beyond our penetration:-and whatever relations to Him we suppose those brethren to have been, it will remain equally mysterious why He passed them over, who were so closely connected with His mother. Still the presumption, that they did not then believe on Him, is one of which it is not easy to divest ones self; and at least may enter as an element into the consideration of the whole subject, beset as it is with uncertainty.
. . is probably to be taken literally,-from that time;-so that she was spared the pangs of witnessing what was to follow. If so, John returned again to the Cross, Joh 19:35.
need not imply that John had a house in Jerusalem. It would equally apply to his lodging during the feast; only meaning, that henceforth, wherever he was, she was an inmate with him; and certainly that his usual habitation was fixed, and was his own.
Ewald remarks (see Meyer in loc.), It was for the Apostle in his later years a sweet reward to recall vividly every such minute detail,-and for his readers a sign that he alone could have written all this.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Joh 19:27. ) thy mother, both by natural and spiritual grade of relationship and of age; the care of whom do thou take in charge in My stead. This consequence the love of the disciple easily deduced from the brief sentence spoken by Jesus. The sword had already enough pierced into the soul of Mary: now a precaution is taken that she may not see and hear the most severe trials of all-the darkness, the dereliction of the Son by the Father, the death.-, took) Perhaps he had not ventured to do so until he was desired.- , to his own) viz. home. Great was the faith of Mary to stand by the cross of her Son; great her obedience, to depart before His death. [At least the disciple immediately gave proofs (indications) that he would comply with the wish of Jesus, and subsequently (then next) he took His mother to his own home: whether he did so in that very hour, before the death of the Lord and the piercing of His side (in which case John must have returned to the cross, Joh 19:35, He that saw it [the piercing of the side] bare record); or whether his doing so took place not until afterwards. Therefore the dwelling of John was at Jerusalem, and in that dwelling the mother of Jesus stayed during subsequent times.-V. g.]
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Joh 19:27
Joh 19:27
Then saith he to the disciple, Behold, thy mother! And from that hour the disciple took her unto his own home.-This expressive language shows his tender love and the willingness of both his mother and John to comply with his wishes. This circumstance would seem to indicate that Mary at this time had no other children to whom she could look for kindness and support. This would indicate that Joseph her husband was dead. No mention of his life or death has been made after Jesus began his public ministry.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Behold: Gen 45:8, Gen 47:12, Mat 12:48-50, Mat 25:40, Mar 3:34, 1Ti 5:2-4
took: 1Jo 3:18, 1Jo 3:19
his: Joh 1:11, Joh 16:32
Reciprocal: 2Sa 9:1 – show him Pro 23:22 – despise Mat 12:50 – and mother Mat 27:31 – and led Joh 2:4 – Woman Act 21:6 – they Rom 16:13 – his 2Co 8:4 – the ministering 1Ti 5:4 – learn
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
7
By the same token as set forth in the preceding verse, when Jesus told John to behold his mother, he meant for him to let Mary depend on him for support. John also understood it that way, for he began at once to take her as a member of his own household. And the arrangement was exactly on the same principle that was taught by Paul in 1Ti 5:4; 1Ti 5:16. In that place the apostle was writing about dependent widows, and the obligation of nephews to care for them. The same idea would hold good in the case of others who are able to care for worthy disciples who are dependent.