Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Why did Jesus call his mother "Woman" and not "Mother"?

Some people often misunderstand or narrowly interpret this word to mean
disrespect or just Jesus himself did not give importance to Mary's motherhood.
Both these interpretations are incorrect.

The word "Woman" appears in crucial places in the Scriptures:In Genesis, Eve is
called "Woman" by Adam (Genesis 2:23); In Genesis 3:15, it says, "I will put enmity
between you and the woman, between her seed and your seed; in John's gospel,
Mary is called "Woman" by the "new Adam" (Jesus) at the wedding at Cana (John
2:4); At the foot of the cross, Jesus says "Woman,behold your son " (John 19:26);and
in Revelation 12:1,the "Woman" clothed with sun who will fight the dragon is
seen as Church,as well as a fulfillment of the new Eve.

By calling her "Woman" Jesus associates his Mother with his mission on earth; no
longer is she merely the one who gave him birth, but the Woman who, through her
own obedience to the Father's plan, can co-operate in the mystery of Redemption.
Thus, Jesus is identifying Mary as the Woman who will bear the Seed (Messiah) who
will destroy the power of the enemy.This word "Woman" so charged with meaning,
Mary attains a new dimension of her co-operation in salvation as the new Woman,
the second Eve.

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