Virgin Mary and John

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I would like to share some of my reflections on the Blessed Mother in the Gospel of John. Please feel free to critique or comment. I believe that while the Gospel of Luke focuses on Mary as a person ( full of grace, hanmaid of the Lord, believer), the Gospel of John focuses on Mary’s function in the economy of salvation. Notice, John never mentions her by name. Instead, she is referred to as “mother of Christ” and “woman.” This, I believe, is meant to emphasize her function as mother of the savior and the “New Eve.” Genesis 3:15 comes to mind. John is full of Genesis imagery. For example, it starts with “In the beginning,” just like Genesis. If you add up the days from John 1:19 to John 2:1 (the “third day”) the result is seven days (4 + 3), which reminds us of the seven days of creation. Jesus also performs seven signs, the seventh being the resurrection of Lazarus. The crucifixion takes place in a garden (John 19:41) in which a “woman” is present (i.e. Mary), just like the fall of man (“garden of eden” and Eve). In Genesis, Eve was originally called “woman” by Adam before the Fall. After the Fall, however, Adam called her “mother of the living.” In John, Jesus, the new Adam, calls his mother “woman” before the crucifixion. At the crucifixion, he gives her a new role by saying “Woman, behold your son,” making her the new and true “mother of the living.” In Genesis, Eve initiates the process that led to the entrance of sin in the world. In John, Mary initiates the process (i.e the wedding feast at Cana) that would lead to the salvation of mankind.

God Bless
 
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mikeledes:
I would like to share some of my reflections on the Blessed Mother in the Gospel of John. Please feel free to critique or comment. I believe that while the Gospel of Luke focuses on Mary as a person ( full of grace, hanmaid of the Lord, believer), the Gospel of John focuses on Mary’s function in the economy of salvation. Notice, John never mentions her by name. Instead, she is referred to as “mother of Christ” and “woman.” This, I believe, is meant to emphasize her function as mother of the savior and the “New Eve.” Genesis 3:15 comes to mind. John is full of Genesis imagery. For example, it starts with “In the beginning,” just like Genesis. If you add up the days from John 1:19 to John 2:1 (the “third day”) the result is seven days (4 + 3), which reminds us of the seven days of creation. Jesus also performs seven signs, the seventh being the resurrection of Lazarus. The crucifixion takes place in a garden (John 19:41) in which a “woman” is present (i.e. Mary), just like the fall of man (“garden of eden” and Eve). In Genesis, Eve was originally called “woman” by Adam before the Fall. After the Fall, however, Adam called her “mother of the living.” In John, Jesus, the new Adam, calls his mother “woman” before the crucifixion. At the crucifixion, he gives her a new role by saying “Woman, behold your son,” making her the new and true “mother of the living.” In Genesis, Eve initiates the process that led to the entrance of sin in the world. In John, Mary initiates the process (i.e the wedding feast at Cana) that would lead to the salvation of mankind.

God Bless
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Thank you Mike, nothing to critique, yet plenty to study. This is the second post I have read today yielding evidence to the plan of our Blessed Mother.
 
I would also like to add that one of the earliest church fathers portray Mary as the New Eve was a disciple of Polycarp who. in turn, was a disciple of John the Apostle.

God Bless
 
I would also like to add some other observations on John 2. It opens with on “the third day there was a wedding feast.” We all know what happened on the third day, the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This third day, however, happens to fall on the seventh day in John’s gospel (begin counting John 1:19 - the testimony of John to the priests and levites would be on the first day) What did God do on the seventh day? He “rested” because creation was now completed. Christ also completed the work of salvation, hence the third day falling on the seventh day points to Christ’s victory over death and sin. A wedding feast in the Bible has always been used as a symbol of the kingdom of Heaven or the Messianic Kingdom (Christ is often referred to as the bridegroom). What miracle does Jesus perform? He transforms 6 large jars of water into wine. This not only points to the six days of creation, but also symbolizes the re-creation Christ accomplished through the cross. The abundance of wine is a symol of the blessings of messianic reign. The fact that Mary plays a major role in this episode points to her important role before and after the resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ.
 
Musings on John. They start with the similarities to Genisis and finish with salvation. A very symbolic and deep presentation of the Creator (Father, Son & Holy Spirit), mankind and Salvation History. In this presentation, The Wedding Feast of Cana is very important.

It was the responsibilty of the Groom to bring the wine for the wedding feast. Jesus does just that in this first miracle. Jesus, the bride groom provides the wine at a jewish wedding, then he goes to a well [the place of finding wives for Moses, Jacob, Isaac, etc] where He meets a Samaritan Woman. John the baptist tells us that he is the friend of the Groom, who must increase as he decreases. The Samaritan woman represents a a people who have taken other Gods into the Holy Places of Israel. A people who married outsiders [part Jewish as in “our Father Jacob gave us this well”] and took their ways.

An aside here, I always have to ask myself …what are the Baals I may be placing in my life? We have so many distractions, work, family, trying to succeed. Is the pay check most important, new car, big house, etc? Am I living as the helpmate of Jesus or am I living independently?

Jesus goes to woo back these wayward poeple (read Hosea) and remove the names of the Baals (husbands) from their lips. He then goes into the land of the Gentiles to claim them as His own. In John’s Gospel; Jesus moves in ever widening circles to bring the peoples of the world into His Church, the bride of Christ.

Just my musings… Sorry if I got off subject, John and the Blessed Mother always lead to Jesus and salvation…:o 😃
 
You should remember that John had a closer relationship with Mary then the other disciples. Jesus put Mary in John’s care at his death — which may indicate that Mary had no husband, nor sons to depend on.
 
You’re absolutely right. The Gospel of Luke is usually seen as the Gospel of Mary. But I believe that the Gospel of John also has a strng marian dimension to it.

God Bless
 
Then there is always the parallels between 2 Sam 6 and Luk 1, firmly establishing Mary as the Ark of the New Covenant (Jesus).
 
I just wanted to add one more type to this thread. How Eve had supported Adam into something that would be tough ,the eating of the apple which would have immediate effect (he would die) and long term effects (all would have to work harder to gain a communion with God) while Mary supported Jesus in doing something tough that would have an immediate effect (he would die) and a long term effect, of haveing a diffrent hard time having commuion with God (we still are called to have good and holy lives ,even after Jesus died for us, and I think that is a hard path compared to that of the worlds, Just me though).
 
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