There were also women watching from afar, among whom were both Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome;
Parallel Translations
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There were also women watching from afar, among whom were both Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome;
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Ther were also wemen a good waye of beholdinge him: amonge whom was Mary Magdalen and Mary the mother of Iames the lytle and of Ioses and Mary Salome
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There were also women, which beheld afarre off, among whom was Marie Magdalene, and Marie (the mother of Iames the lesse, and of Ioses) and Salome,
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Contradictions (1)
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Cross-references (13)
Passages linked to Mark 15:40 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Matthew 27:55-56 Many women were there watching from afar, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, serving him. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.
- Luke 8:2-3 and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary who was called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out; and Joanna, the wife of Chuzas, Herod’s steward; Susanna; and many others; who served them from their possessions.
- Luke 23:49 All his acquaintances and the women who followed with him from Galilee stood at a distance, watching these things.
- Matthew 13:55 Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother called Mary, and his brothers, James, Joses, Simon, and Judas?
- Matthew 27:61 Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb.
- Matthew 28:1 Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb.
- Mark 15:47–16:1 Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of Joses, saw where he was laid. When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, that they might come and anoint him.
- Mark 16:9 Now when he had risen early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons.
- Psalms 38:11 My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my plague. My kinsmen stand far away.
- John 19:25-27 But standing by Jesus’ cross were his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. Therefore when Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing there, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” From that hour, the disciple took her to his own home.
- 1 Corinthians 9:5 Have we no right to take along a wife who is a believer, even as the rest of the apostles, and the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas?
- John 20:11-18 But Mary was standing outside at the tomb weeping. So as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb, and she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head, and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. They asked her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I don’t know where they have laid him.” When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, and didn’t know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?” She, supposing him to be the gardener, said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him, “Rabboni!” which is to say, “Teacher!” Jesus said to her, “Don’t hold me, for I haven’t yet ascended to my Father; but go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ” Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had said these things to her.
- James 1:1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are in the Dispersion: Greetings.
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain Christ to the great shame of men which forsook…
Christ to the great shame of men which forsook the Lord, chose women for his witnesses, which beheld all this whole action.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 40 There were also women looking on afar off:…
40 There were also women looking on afar off: among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome;
Ver. 40. James the less] viz. In stature, note, or age.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain And Pilate marvelled if he were already dead,.... For…
And Pilate marvelled if he were already dead,.... For death, by crucifixion, was a slow lingering death; persons that were in their full strength hung a great while before they expired; and the two thieves, which were crucified with Christ, were not dead when he was:
and calling unto him the centurion; who was set to watch him:
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he asked him, whether he had been any while dead; he inquired of him, whether he was dead, and how long he had been dead.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 40. Joses] Some MSS. and versions read Joset,…
Verse 40. Joses] Some MSS. and versions read Joset, others Joseph. See Clarke on Mt 27:56.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 40. There were also women] forerunners of the noble…
40. There were also women] forerunners of the noble army of Holy Women, who were, in the ages to come, throughout the length and breadth of Christendom, to minister at many a death-bed out of love for Him Who died “the Death.”
Mary Magdalene] Mary of Magdala, out of whom had gone forth seven demons (Luk_8:2). This is the first time she is mentioned by St Mark.
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Mary the mother of James the less] The “Mary of Clopas” (Joh_19:25) who stood by the cross, and “Mary of James the Less” (comp. Mat_27:56), are the same person; she was the sister of the Blessed Virgin, and had married Clopas or Alphæus.
James the less] James the Little, so called to distinguish him from the Apostle St James, the son of Zebedee. Some think he was so called (a) because he was younger than the other James; or (b) on account of his low stature; or (c) because, when elevated to the bishopric of Jerusalem (Gal_2:12), he took the name in humility, to distinguish him from his namesake, now famous in consequence of his martyrdom (Act_12:2).
Joses] See note above, Mar_3:31.
Salome] See note above, Mar_10:35.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (40) Among whom was Mary Magdalene.—The list is the…
(40) Among whom was Mary Magdalene.—The list is the same as that in Mat_27:56, with the exceptions (1) of the epithet “less,” or better, little, as applied to James, and (2) the name of Salome instead of “the mother of Zebedee’s children.”
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain And there were also women holding from afar (apo…
And there were also women holding from afar (apo makroyen yewrousai). St. Matthew (Mat_27:55) says that there were many. Amongst them were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the wife of Clopas, or Alphaeus, and mother of James the less and of Joses, called brethren of our Lord, and the mother of Zebedee"s children, that is, Salerno. The mother of our Lord had been there until the time when, having with St. John crept as near the cross of Jesus as she might venture, she was consigned by our Lord to St. John"s care, and taken away by him. St. Mark mentions this to show the faith and love of these holy women, because in the very presence of the enemies of Christ they dared to stand by his cross, and shrank not from testifying their piety and devotion. St. John says that they stood near. He must have known; for at one time at least he was standing near. St. Matthew and St. Mark speak of them as at a distance. They were at a distance, no doubt, for the most part, as compared with the soldiers, whose duty it was to be in close attendance and to keep the people off. But these devoted women came as near as they could, so as to see and hear their Lord. Perhaps they were sometimes further off and sometimes nearer, as they saw opportunity, or as the humor of the officials suffered them.
Vers. 40, 41. Women watching the cross.
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The prominence of women in the Gospel narrative suggests the fact that Christianity has done more to awaken the spiritual nature of women, and to furnish them with a sphere for the exercise of their special gifts and graces, than any other religion. For the first time the gospel gave to woman dignity and recognized position in spiritual things. In the gospel, the feminine as well as the masculine aspects and phases of morality are represented. Why were they at the cross?
I A PROOF OF THEIR ATTACHMENT TO CHRIST.
1. They had already shown this. They were, some of them, of good social standing, and had command of considerable means. This advantage they had employed in the interests of Christ and his work" they ministered unto him" when he was in Galilee. And the service they rendered involved a certain inconvenience and trouble, for they had to follow him almost as much as his apostles.
2. Now they gave even more signal evidence. Modestly retiring to the outskirts of the rabble, they persistently watched him. They might have been excused by ordinary scruples from witnessing the horrible scene, but they could not allow themselves to go away. He still represented their highest spiritual interest, and they were willing to brave anything for his sake.
II A TRIAL OF THEIR LOVE. It rose into heroic resolution and sacrifice.
1. How typical their experience was of that which their sisters have had to go through in all ages! They stood by helpless, unable to render any further service. It was not for them to attempt a rescue when brave men had forsaken him and fled. But they could show the virtue of passive endurance. They could prove to the Sufferer that their love was unabated, their faith forlorn, but not dead. So many a noble wife, sister, or mother has had to stand by when loved ones have been done to death, or ruined by great concerns in which they might not interfere. They have been able only to trust and wait and pray, to comfort when they could not deliver. One consolation remained to them they had done what they could.
2. To so try it was the grandest recognition of its genuineness. They were accounted worthy to suffer with Christ. Their affection was to pass through the fires seven times refined. Peter might be faithless, and the rest of the disciples sadly fail, but they could watch with the Savior as his spirit sank beneath its accumulated woe. M.
Vers. 40-47. The burial.
I FAITH THRIVES IN SORROW. Remoter disciples draw near, and secret disciples come forth, in the hour of humiliation and defeat. The sun sets, but not their hope; and the stars rise, but their faith is earlier up.
II LOVE SURVIVES ALL LOSS. Its burning ray, like that of a hidden gem, flashes out in the gloom. The nobleness of Christ had taught them to master selfishness and despair. His form was enshrined in the "amber of memory." They who had been all eye when he was present, were all recollection now that he was gone.
III GRIEFS ARE CERTAIN, JOYS COME BY SURPRISE. It was certain that Jesus was dead; and none expected his resurrection. There is change, not loss, in the kingdom of the spirit. God takes away a good to restore it in a new form. Disappointment vacates the heart for higher blessings. His revelation is in light and shadow. J.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 15:40-41 These women had supplied some of Jesus’ economic…
15:40-41 These women had supplied some of Jesus’ economic needs (see Luke 8:2-3). They were also present at the burial (Mark 15:47) and the empty tomb (16:1-8) and would be the first witnesses of Jesus’ resurrection. • Mary Magdalene, from the village of Magdala near the shore of the Sea of Galilee, was a key figure in the resurrection accounts (16:1, 9; Matt 28:1; Luke 24:10; John 20:1, 11-18). • Mary (the mother of James the younger): This James might have been James the son of Alphaeus (Mark 3:18). • Salome is mentioned only here and in Mark 16:1.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.