IMITATE THEIR FAITH/MARY MAGDALENE -"By the Torture Stake of Jesus"

 Mary Magdalene was one of the many women who accompanied Jesus to Jerusalem for the Passover of 33 C.E. (Matthew 27:55, 56) When she heard that Jesus had been arrested and tried during the night, she was surely horrified. And the news got worse. Governor Pontius Pilate, caving in to pressure from the Jewish religious leaders and the crowd under their influence, had sentence Jesus to a cruel death on a stake. Mary may have well seen her Master, already bloody and exhausted, struggling through the streets, hauling the long pole for his execution. - JOHN 19:6m 12, 15-17. 

At the scene of the execution, after darkness had fallen at about midday, Mary Magdalene and the other women were standing "by the torture stake of Jesus." (John 19:25) Mary, who was there to the end, saw and heard Jesus entrust the care of his mother to his beloved apostle John. She heard Jesus' agonized cry to his Father. And she heard his triumphant last words, "It has been accomplished," just before he died. She was in anguish. Nonetheless, after Jesus died, she was evidently still there. Later, she remained by the new tomb where a rich man named Joseph of Arimathea placed Jesus' body. - JOHN19:30; MATTHEW27:45, 46, 57-61. 

Mary's example reminds us of what we can do when our fellow believers face hard trials. We may be unable to prevent tragedy or to take away the pain of the victims. Yet, we can show compassion and courage. The very presence of a supportive friend can make a big difference in hard times. Standing by a friend in need shows great faith and can bring tremendous comfort. - PROVERBS 17:17. 

Next time: IMITATE THEIR FAITH/MARY MAGDALENE - "I Will Take Him Away" 

From the jw.org publications