Salome the Mother of James and John Zebedee
The lesson we can learn from Salome is the faithfulness in which she displayed in following Jesus. She raised both her sons, James and John, to be dedicated disciples of Jesus. We need to start now in our walk with Jesus and be faithful to Him because He is faithful to us.
Matthew 20:20-23, 27:54-56; Mark 15:40, 16:1
It is possible that Salome is the wife of Zebedee and, the mother of James and John, two disciples of Jesus disciples. Salome is mentioned four times in the New Testament. The first time is Matthew 20:20-23. We know she worshipped Jesus from Matthew 20:20. It can be assumed that she knew Jesus well enough that he did not hesitate to go to Him and ask that her two sons, James and John, might sit one on the right hand of Jesus and the other on the left in His kingdom. Jesus told Salome that she did not know what she was asking of them. Jesus said to James and John “Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.” (Matthew 20:23).
We next see Salome named at the crucifixion in Matthew 27: 54 “Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.” Also in Mark 15:40 “There were also women looking on afar off: among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome.” Salome was mentioned along with Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses. We get clarification of which Mary was mention when we read Matthew 13:55 and Mark 6:3 ìIs not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.î We now Mary is the mother of Jesus and also the mother of James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas.
Salome was also present at the empty tomb of Jesus when the women brought sweet spices to anoint Jesus. “And when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.” (Mark 16:1).
It is often thought that Salome was the sister of Mary, the mother of Jesus. That would mean that James and John, the sons of Zebedee and Salome, were the cousins of Jesus. (Elwell, 1988). John 19:25-27 tells us: “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 his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.”
First we see who was at the cross of Jesus;
1). Mary, the mother of Jesus
2). His mothers’ sister which is Salome
3). Mary the wife of Cleophas
4). Mary Magdalene
5). The disciple Jesus loved; this is John the son of Zebedee
This means that Mary the mother of Jesus was placed in the family of the Zebedeeís and Salome would have helped to care for her.
We know that Salome, the mother of James and John, was a faithful follower of Jesus and that she knew Jesus personally and was not anxious to ask Him to place her sons on His right and left hand. We know that Salome was also there at the end when Jesus was crucified and buried. We also know that the acts of Salome were more important than what she looked like, how much money she had or her social position. She was a wife, a mother and more than that she was a faithful follower of Jesus.
The lesson we can learn from Salome is the faithfulness in which she displayed in following Jesus. She raised both her sons to be dedicated disciples of Jesus who were both in the center of the life of Jesus sharing in the ministry. We need to start now in our walk with Jesus and be faithful to Him because He is faithful to us.
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1John 1:9).
Reference:
Elwell, Walter A. and Beitzel, Barry J. (1988). Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, p. 1883.
Cite Article Source
MLA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne “Salome the Mother of James and John Zebedee:.” Becker Bible Studies Library Feb 2015.< https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2191,>.
APA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2015, February) “Salome the Mother of James and John Zebedee:.” Becker Bible Studies Library. Retrieved from https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2191,.
Chicago Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2015) “Salome the Mother of James and John Zebedee:.” Becker Bible Studies Library (February), https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2191, (accessed).
