And many women were there beholding afar off, who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him:
All Commentaries on Matthew 27:55 Go To Matthew 27
Cornelius a Lapide
AD 1637
And many women were there (beholding) afar off, &c. S. Matthew says this to set forth how much greater faith, constancy, and affection for Jesus these women had than men. "See how things were reversed," says Euthymius; "the disciples had fled, but the women remained." For women are commonly more holy than men, and hence the Church prays "for the devout sex of women." It was also to point out that they, as grave and pious matrons, were reliable witnesses of what had taken place, and moreover that they had carefully provided for His burial. It was also to show that they had been so drawn to Him by His patience and holiness, that they could not be torn away, either by fear, or by the threats of the Jews, from wondering, gazing, and meditating on Him.
Many women. The Blessed Mother was the chief, the others merely her attendants. She "stood by the Cross," bearing all the pains in her compassion which He endured in His Passion, and with like constancy and fortitude. S. Antoninus says (Theol. par. iv. Titus 15 , cap41), "The Virgin was so conformed to the Divine Will that, if necessary (as Anselm says), she would herself have offered Him on the Cross; for her obedience was equal to Abraham"s."
Damascene (de Fide, iv25) points out the greatness of her pain. "The Virgin suffered at the Passion the pangs she escaped in child-birth." And S. Anselm (de Excell. Virg. cap. v.), "Whatever suffering was inflicted on martyrs was light, 0 Virgin, compared with thine." And S. Laur.Justiniani (de Agone Christi, cap. ii.), "The heart of the Virgin was made the brightest mirror of Christ"s Passion;" and cap. xvii, "The Son was crucified in body, the Mother in mind." And S. Bernard, in Apoc. xii, on the words "a great sign," says, "A mighty pain, 0 Virgin, pierced thy soul, so that we rightly term thee more than martyr, for in thee the feeling of compassion was far greater than the sense of bodily suffering."
Baronius (ad An34 , cap. xi.) describes, from Simeon Metaphrastes, her great self-possession, in helping to take Him down from the Cross, treasuring the nails in her bosom, washing His wounds with her tears, embracing His body in her arms, and saying at last with calm voice, "0 Lord, the mystery ordained for Thee before all ages has come at length." And on giving the napkin to Joseph, she said, "It will now be thy duty to bury Him honourably in this, to perfume Him with myrrh, and to perform for Him all rightful observances."
Afar off. S. John says they stood "by the Cross," meaning thereby opposite to it, though at some distance. For the soldiers who were watching Christ, and the dense crowd, kept them from coming very near. But they came as close as they could to hear and see Him. Adrichomius says about eighteen paces. Some say that they were close at one time, and farther off at another. The Greek adds, "beholding" both the wondrous patience of Jesus, and the prodigies which took place around Him, and pondering over them in their mind with holy meditation.
Ministering unto Him. Supporting Him and His disciples. S. Jerome says, "It was a Jewish custom for women thus to minister to their teachers."
Among whom (as the chief and leader of the rest) was Mary Magdalene, from whom He had cast forth seven devils, who clung to Him from gratitude, and would not be torn from Him.
And Mary the mother of James and Joses. The wife of Cleophas or Alphus. Salmeron considers her the daughter of Cleophas; called from her relationship, Mary the sister of our Lord"s mother, from her husband, Mary (the wife) of Alphus. See above, chap. xiii55.
And the mother of Zebedee"s children. Salome. See Mark 15:40.
