There are many details surrounding the crucifixion of Jesus that are easy to overlook, but Gospel of Mark 15:40–41 is not one we should miss: “There were also women looking on from a distance, among whom were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. When he was in Galilee, they followed him and ministered to him, and there were also many other women who came up with him to Jerusalem.”
These verses are significant for several reasons:
God’s Preserving Grace
Even in what seemed like defeat, God was sustaining faith. In weakness, He preserves His people, enabling them to keep looking to Christ rather than turning away. Seeing Jesus “from a distance,” whether caused by doubt, fear, or sorrow, is not ultimately the result of our own strength, but of Christ’s sustaining work in us.
It was that sustaining grace that gave these women the courage to be present at the crucifixion, and to look on – through their tears and through their confusion – when so many others had fled.
The Upside-Down Nature of the Kingdom
The Gospels repeatedly show that those overlooked by society often display deep faith: Zaccheus, the woman at the well, the bleeding woman. Here again, in a culture where women’s testimony was undervalued, God appoints them as witnesses to the cross…and soon, the resurrection.
If you feel unseen or undervalued, know this: Jesus loves beyond comprehension, and that love is not based on your worth but on his grace. Jesus has never been about exulting the pompous kings who delight in their own glory, but he exults the humble and weak who reach out empty-handed with nothing but faith.
True Discipleship is Costly
These women were followers of Christ, and that wasn’t a short-term commitment. They followed him, which meant sacrificial commitment, they ministered to him, which meant active service, and they stayed near to the cross, which meant costly loyalty.
Was their service publicly celebrated? Likely not. And yet…Scripture records it eternally. Your faithful service unto Christ, even when no one else notices, is precious to your Savior, and it is never – ever – overlooked.
In all of this, we see not extraordinary people, but ordinary believers sustained by an extraordinary Savior.
When following Christ becomes costly, confusing, or distant, will you still remain and look to Him?
