The idea
It is deliberate, not cold. By naming Mary 'Woman' at the start and end of his ministry, John frames her as the Woman of Genesis 3 — the New Eve whose offspring defeats the serpent, exactly as Revelation shows the Woman against the dragon.
Key verses
- John 2:4 — at Cana: 'Woman, what has this to do with me?'
- John 19:26 — at the cross: 'Woman, behold your son.'
- Revelation 12:1 — the Woman versus the dragon, 'that ancient serpent' (12:9).
The connection
| Old Testament root | New Testament fulfilment | |
|---|---|---|
| 'The woman' of Eden (Gen 3:15) | → | The 'Woman' at Cana, Calvary & Revelation |
Pitre's precise claim is that 'we have no other examples of a Jewish man addressing his own mother this way' (p 28) — the title is respectful, as Protestant scholars and Raymond Brown agree, but unparalleled. He argues it points back to 'the woman' of Genesis 3:15, and Revelation 12 completes the picture with the Woman locked in combat against the serpent.
Sources
- Modern scholars Pitre cites — Raymond Brown and John Dominic Crossan on 'Woman' (pp 31–32)