Another woman named Mary is identified by her husband’s name: Mary the wife of Clopas. Only one verse in the Bible, in John’s biography of Jesus, contains a reference to this Mary or mentions Clopas.
While we may bristle at the idea of Mary’s identity being tied to her husband, this may be more a notation of convenience rather than significance. While Clopas did nothing noteworthy, Mary did.
When all the disciples, except John, abandon Jesus as he dies a slow death by crucifixion, four women are brave enough to remain close by, keeping vigil as Jesus suffers. They stay near him despite great personal risk, something the rest of his followers are unwilling to do.
One of these courageous women is Mary, the wife of Clopas. We salute her for staying by Jesus and supporting him in his darkest moment.
What have we done for Jesus? What else can we do?
[Discover more about Mary, the wife of Clopas, in John 19:25.]
Learn about other biblical women in Women of the Bible, available in audiobook, e-book, paperback, and hardcover.
A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.
