John 19:27 (WEB)
Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” From that hour, the disciple took her to his own home.
As quoted in the map (KJV)
John 19:27 (KJV)
Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.
Key words
- ἴδε ἡ μήτηρ σουide hē mētēr sou · Greek
- 'Behold thy mother' — the disciple is given Mary as mother.
- ἀπ᾽ ἐκείνης τῆς ὥραςap' ekeinēs tēs hōras · Greek
- 'from that hour' — the 'hour' of the passion.
- εἰς τὰ ἴδιαeis ta idia · Greek
- 'unto his own home' — literally 'to his own [things],' not 'house' (oikos). The same phrase in 1:11 means 'his own people.' The disciple takes Mary as his own.
Why it matters
The beloved disciple takes Mary 'to his own' — as his own mother, Pitre argues, not merely into his house. Because the disciple is left unnamed, every reader is invited to stand in his place and receive Mary as mother. Acts 1:14 shows the result: Mary in the midst of the apostles at the birth of the Church.
Catechism · 7
In the Fullness of Time
“…forgive them, for they know not what they do", "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise", "Woman, behold your son" - "Behold your mother",” — Catechism footnote: Jn 19:26-27.
“It is at the hour of the New Covenant, at the foot of the cross,” — Catechism footnote: Cf. Jn 19:25-27.
The Way of Prayer
“May she welcome us as our mother at the hour of our passing” — Catechism footnote: Cf. Jn 19:27.
“Like the beloved disciple we welcome Jesus' mother into our homes,” — Catechism footnote: Cf. Jn 19:27.
"Conceived by the Power of the Holy Spirit and Born of the Virgin Mary"
- §501Paragraph 2 · "Conceived by the Power of the Holy Spirit and Born of the Virgin Mary"Read at vatican.va
“Jesus is Mary's only son, but her spiritual motherhood extends to all men whom indeed he came to save: "The Son whom she brought forth is he whom God placed as the first-born among many brethren, that is, the faithful in whose generation and formation she co-operates with a mother's love."” — Catechism footnote: LG 63; cf. Jn 19:26-27; Rom 8:29; Rev 12:17.
"I Believe in the Holy Spirit"
“At the end of this mission of the Spirit, Mary became the Woman, the new Eve ("mother of the living"), the mother of the "whole Christ."” — Catechism footnote: Cf. Jn 19:25-27.
Mary - Mother of Christ, Mother of the Church
“…of this victim, born of her: to be given, by the same Christ Jesus dying on the cross, as a mother to his disciple, with these words: "Woman, behold your son."” — Catechism footnote: LG 58; cf. Jn 19:26-27.
Fathers and councils · 24
Augustine of Hippo
“For at that period, when He was crucified as man, He recognized His human mother (hominem matrem), and committed her most humanely (humanissime) to the care of the best beloved disciple.” — editor's note: John xix. 26, 27
Read the whole comment“And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.”” — editor's note: John xix. 25–27.
Read the whole comment“…tells us, “There was there near the cross the mother of Jesus; and Jesus saith to His mother, Woman, behold thy son! and to the disciple, Behold thy mother!”” — editor's note: John xix. 25, 27.
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Jerome
“The virgin writer expounded mysteries which the married could not, and to briefly sum up all and show how great was the privilege of John, or rather of virginity in John, the Virgin Mother was entrusted by the Virgin Lord to the Virgin disciple.” — editor's note: S. John xix. 26, 27.
Read the whole comment“Wherefore also when He hung upon the cross He commended to His disciple the mother whom He had never before His passion parted from Himself.” — editor's note: Joh. xix. 26, 27.
Read the whole comment“For it was he who took the Saviour’s parent to his own home; it was the virgin son who received the virgin mother as a legacy from the Lord.” — editor's note: Joh. xix. 26, 27.
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Cyril of Jerusalem
“…seeing Mary, His own Mother according to the flesh, and John, the most beloved of His disciples, said to him, Behold! thy mother, and to her, Behold! thy Son: teaching her the parental affection due to him, and indirectly explaining that which is said in Luke, and His father and His mother marvelled at Him: words…” — editor's note: John xix. 26, 27.
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Gregory the Great
“Whence also, when He was on the cross, in dying He acknowledged His mother, whom He commended to the disciple, saying, Behold thy mother (Joh. xix. 27).” — the author cites it
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John Chrysostom
“And as he was engaged by it with his father and his brother James, and they mending their broken nets, a thing which of itself marked extreme poverty, so Christ called him.” — editor's note: [On the other hand, the facts that John’s father Zebedee had hired servants, that his mother Salome aided in the support of Jesus, that John was acquainted…
Read the whole comment“But He on the Cross, committeth His mother to the disciple, teaching us even to our last breath to show every care for our parents.” — editor's note: Ver. 25–27. “Now there stood by the Cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw…
Read the whole comment“For if he had known her, and had kept her in the place of a wife, how is it that our Lordcommits her, as unprotected, and having no one, to His disciple, and commands him to take her to his own home?” — editor's note: John xix. 27.
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Ambrose of Milan
““Behold,” He says, “thy Son”.…“Behold thy mother.”” — editor's note: S. John xix. 27.
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Catena Aurea on John
- Ambrose of MilanCatena Aurea on John
Mary the mother of our Lord stood before the cross of her Son. None of the Evangelists hath told me this except John. The others have related how that at our Lord’s Passion the earth quaked, the heaven was overspread…
Read the whole comment - BedeCatena Aurea on John
By the disciple whom Jesus loved, the Evangelist means himself; not that the others were not loved, but he was loved more intimately on account of his estate of chastity; for a Virgin our Lord called him, and a…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on John
He does this to provide as it were another son for His mother in his place; And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own. Unto his own what? Was not John one of those who said, Lo, we have left all, and…
Read the whole comment - JeromeCatena Aurea on John
The Mary which in Mark and Matthew is called the mother of James and Joses, was the wife of Alpheus, and sister of Mary the mother of our Lord: which Mary John here designates of Cleophas, either from her father, or…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on John
If Matthew and Mark had not mentioned by name Mary Magdalen, we should have thought that there were two parties, one of which stood far off, and the other near. But how must we account for the same Mary Magdalen and…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on John
This truly is that hour of the which Jesus, when about to change the water into wine, said, Mother, what have I to do with thee? Mine hour is not yet come. Then, about to act divinely, He repelled the mother of His…
Read the whole comment - Theophylact of OhridCatena Aurea on John
While the soldiers were doing their cruel work, He was thinking anxiously of His mother: These things therefore the soldiers did. Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the…
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on John
Observe how the weaker sex is the stronger; standing by the cross when the disciples fly.
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on John
Though there were other women by, He makes no mention of any of them, but only of His mother, to shew us that we should specially honour our mothers. Our parents indeed, if they actually oppose the truth, are not…
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on John
Heavens! (Papæ) what honour does He pay to the disciple; who however conceals his name from modesty. For had he wished to boast, he would have added the reason why he was loved, for there must have been something…
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on John
The shameless doctrine of Marcion is refuted here. For if our Lord were not born according to the flesh, and had not a mother, why did He make such provision for her? Observe how imperturbable He is during His…
Read the whole comment - BedeCatena Aurea on John
Another reading is, Accepit eam discipulus in suam, his own mother some understand, but to his own care seems better.
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Cross-references · 48
Cited together in Catechism §726.
Cited together in Homilies on John Homily 1.
Cited together in Catechism §501.
Cited together in Letters Letter 117.
Cited together in Homilies on John Homily 1.
Cited together in Homilies on John Homily 1.
Cited together in Catechism §501.
Cited together in Epistles, Books IX–XIV X.11.
Cited together in Epistles, Books IX–XIV X.11.
Cited together in Catechism §2605.
Cited together in Letters Letter 117.
Cited together in Letters Letter 117.
Cited together in Letters Letter 117.
Cited together in Letters Letter 117.
Cited together in Epistles, Books IX–XIV X.11.
Cited together in Letters Letter 117.
Cited together in Letters Letter 117.
Cited together in Harmony of the Gospels III.22.
Cited together in Homilies on John Homily 1.
Cited together in Catechism §2605.
Cited together in Catechism §2605.
Cited together in Harmony of the Gospels III.22.
Cited together in Harmony of the Gospels III.22.
Cited together in Homilies on John Homily 1.
Cited together in Catechism §2677.
Cited together in Homilies on John Homily 1.
Cited together in Homilies on John Homily 1.
Cited together in Catechism §2605.
Cited together in Catechism §2605.
Cited together in Catechism §2605.
Cited together in Catechism §2605.
Cited together in Harmony of the Gospels III.22.
Cited together in Harmony of the Gospels III.22.
Cited together in Homilies on John Homily 1 and 1 other place.
Cited together in Catechism §2618.
Cited together in Catechism §2618.
Cited together in Catechism §2618.
Cited together in Catechism §2618 and 1 other place.
Cited together in Catechism §2618.
Cited together in Catechism §2618.
Cited together in Catechism §2618.
Cited together in Catechism §2618.
Cited together in Catechism §2618.
Cited together in Catechism §2618.
Cited together in Catechism §2618.
Cited together in Catechism §2618.
Cited together in Homilies on John Homily 1.
Cited together in Homilies on John Homily 1.