Why does Jesus Refer to Mary as "WOMAN"

[Dimmers]

Is there a symbolic meaning to it?

I would think if I called my mother “WOMAN” she would take it as disrespect.

 

[beckyann2597]

I heard a good explaination of this before, but I need to go to bed, so I will not find it tonight. Read this until I find what I was looking for…it may be helpful, especially the final paragraph and the Justin Martyr explanation. God Bless–Rebecca

catholic.com/thisrock/2003/0312sbs.asp

 

[kleary]

Dimmers:

Is there a symbolic meaning to it?

I would think if I called my mother “WOMAN” she would take it as disrespect.

Jesus refers to His mother as “woman” to identify her to us as the New Eve. The name of the first woman was “eva” which translates to “woman”.

Ken

 

[anawim]

I had read that it was the equivalent of the title Miss. Much like they used to do in the southern states years ago, like saying Missy for Miss so-and-so. It was both a title of respect, and an effectionate term.

 

[NotWorthy]

You’ve got to look at the Gospel of John in context. The first few chapters of John invoke Genesis. There are numerous relationships between the two.

1. Genesis starts with “In the Beginning…”, GOJ starts with “In the Beginning…”.
2. Numerous images from Genesis creation account are invoke in the GOJ. “Light, darkness, etc.”
3. The account of GOJ leading up the wedding in Cana takes place over 7 days, just as the creation account, ending in a marriage, just as Adam and Eve are married.
4. The “Woman” in Genesis 3:15: her “seed” will strike down Satan. In Ancient Israel a child’s lineage was traced from the man’s seed. Only Jesus came from a woman’s “seed” since he didn’t have an earthly father. The “Woman” in Genesis 3:15 is Mary.
5. John refers to Mary as “Woman”, to relate her to the “Woman” in Genesis 3:15, making Mary the “New Eve”.
6. Eve is the Mother of all people. Mary, the “Woman” in Revelations is the mother of all those that follow Christ. This is reinforced on the Cross when Jesus gives Mary to John - “Woman, behold your son”.
7. Remember, Revelations was written by John, using “Woman” to refer to Mary just as he did twice in his Gospel.

Notworthy

 

[Daniel_Marsh]

Luke 13:12
When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.”

Luke 22:57
But he denied it. “Woman, I don’t know him,” he said.

John 2:4
“Dear woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied, “My time has not yet come.”

Matthew 15:28
Then Jesus answered, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

John 4:21
Jesus declared, "Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.

John 8:10
Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

John 19:26
When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Dear woman, here is your son,”

John 20:13
They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”

John 20:15
“Woman,” he said, “why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”

I see the use of “woman” simply as a proper way of addressing a woman in Jesus’ day. Nothing more.

 

[Elzee]

Daniel Marsh:

I see the use of “woman” simply as a proper way of addressing a woman in Jesus’ day. Nothing more.

This is what I have been taught also. Although the connection to the ‘new Eve’ is often made, it’s not this alone that makes that connection because as noted above, other women are called ‘woman’.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

It is always well to remember that terms of address vary greatly between cultures. My wife works for a parish with a large Hispanic component. She was quite distessed to hear young people referring to her, in Spanish, as the old woman. However, it is a term of respect in Spanish.

I have been quite surprised to have Hispanic students, both male and female, stand up to give me a seat on the bus when I was carrying packages. They are extremely polite.

 

[thistle]

In the NAB commentary it suggests that one symbolic meaning could be that Mary ( a symbol of the Church?) is given the role as the mother of all Christians (personified by the beloved disciple).

 

[NotWorthy]

Daniel Marsh:

I see the use of “woman” simply as a proper way of addressing a woman in Jesus’ day. Nothing more.

But in every incident you show, Jesus is addressing a woman that he doesn’t know, except of course Mary Magdalene. In that incident, he’s still “incognito”. It seems “woman” is a polite term for someone you don’t know, but I could be wrong.

Why would he refer to his mother in this way?

Notworthy

 

[Daniel_Marsh]

Jesus did not know his own mother?

 

[Semper_Fi_1]

Joe Kelley:

It is always well to remember that terms of address vary greatly between cultures. My wife works for a parish with a large Hispanic component. She was quite distessed to hear young people referring to her, in Spanish, as the old woman. However, it is a term of respect in Spanish.

Well, in American culture, don’t a lot of people refer to their wives as their ‘old lady’?

 

[Semper_Fi_1]

Since this topic is often used by anti-Catholics to attack Marian dogmas or devotion, I believe this article over at Scripture Catholic will put this in context for the OP if this is what he’s referring to.

scripturecatholic.com/blessed_virgin_mary.html#the_bvm-X

 

[JB]

Semper Fi:

Well, in American culture, don’t a lot of people refer to their wives as their ‘old lady’?

Probably not a good comparison, but it may be valid for a culture that respects old age. One such culture was the Romans before their decline, where respected men of years were called Senator.

As for “Woman”, I do not think it very different from the more recent custom of refering to a respected woman as “My Lady”. Both are probably equally accurate translations of the original Aramaic

 

[maryj]

Dimmers:

Is there a symbolic meaning to it?

I would think if I called my mother “WOMAN” she would take it as disrespect.

Showing public disrespect for a parent is a sin against the 4th commandment. It is a blasphemy to call the Lord a liar, we know Jesus was sinless (Hebrews4:16) Jesus is calling Mary the “woman” of Genesis 3:15, who , with her Son, will crush the serpent’s head. He calls her woman again at Calvary, where Jesus crushes Satan’s power. Mary is the obedient woman who undoes the first Woman’s disobedience.Mary is the Woman described in Revelation 12. Far from showing disrespect, Jesus is honoring Her as the “Woman” who cooperates with Christ in destroying sin and death.

 

[puzzleannie]

Dimmers:

Is there a symbolic meaning to it?

I would think if I called my mother “WOMAN” she would take it as disrespect.

possibly in our culture which systematically attacks the dignity and integrity of of women, some women have been indoctrinated to see this word or form of address as disparaging. too bad a term of dignity, used by the Creator for his ultimate creation, Eve, should have been so abused by our language.

 

[NotWorthy]

Daniel Marsh:

Jesus did not know his own mother?

Did I say that? No, other than Jesus’ quote to His mother, the other quotes are as someone would say to a stranger.

Obviously, Jesus knew Mary, so “woman” may be more than meets the eye, er, ear!

Notworthy

 

[JW10631]

Calling a woman “Woman” at that time was not an insult. We have to remember that they did not speak modern English. This is often lost on the Fundamentalists/Evangelicals who believe that the KJV fell from the sky.

 

[Little_Mary]

JW10631:

Calling a woman “Woman” at that time was not an insult. We have to remember that they did not speak modern English. This is often lost on the Fundamentalists/Evangelicals who believe that the KJV fell from the sky.

 

[Daniel_Marsh]

Here is the rock it landed on

http://thumb.shutterstock.com/photos2/display_pic_with_logo/8971/8971,1117565072,7.jpg

thumb.shutterstock.com/photos2/display_pic_with_logo/8971/8971,1117565072,7.jpg

and, here is the picture of it falling to earth

http://www.biblebaptistchurchgermany.org/Pics/BBC_Logo_Sky_320x240.jpg

I think we all argree that woman in that culture was simply a sign of respect, and thus can not be used in a rude way as in modern english.

biblebaptistchurchgermany.org/Pics/BBC_Logo_Sky_320x240.jpg