John 19:26-27

19:26 So when Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing there, he said to his mother, “Woman, ¹  look, here is your son!” 19:27 He then said to his disciple, “Look, here is your mother!” From that very time ²  the disciple took her into his own home.

John 20:13

20:13 They said ³  to her, “Woman, ⁴  why are you weeping?” Mary replied, ⁵  “They have taken my Lord away, and I do not know where they have put him!”

John 20:15

20:15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?” Because she ⁶  thought he was the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will take him.”

Matthew 15:28

15:28 Then ⁷  Jesus answered her, “Woman, ⁸  your faith is great! Let what you want be done for you.” And her daughter was healed from that hour.

¹ sn The term Woman is Jesus’ normal, polite way of addressing women (Matt 15:28, Luke 13:12; John 4:21; 8:10; 19:26; 20:15; see BDAG 208-9 s.v. γυνή 1). But it is unusual for a son to address his mother with this term. The custom in both Hebrew (or Aramaic) and Greek would be for a son to use a qualifying adjective or title. Is there significance in Jesus’ use here? Jesus probably used the term here to help establish Mary and the beloved disciple in a new “mother-son” relationship. Someone would soon need to provide for Mary since Jesus, her oldest son, would no longer be alive. By using this term Jesus distanced himself from Mary so the beloved disciple could take his place as her earthly son (cf. John 2:4). See D. A. Carson, John, 617-18, for discussion about symbolic interpretations of this relationship between Mary and the beloved disciple.

² tn Grk “from that very hour.”

³ tn The conjunction καί (kai, “and”) has not been translated here.

⁴ sn Woman was a polite form of address (see BDAG 208-9 s.v. γυνή 1), similar to “Madam” or “Ma’am” used in English in different regions. This occurs again in v. 15.

⁵ tn Grk “She said to them.”

⁶ tn Grk “that one” (referring to Mary Magdalene).

⁷ tn Grk “Then answering, Jesus said to her.” This expression has been simplified in the translation.

⁸ sn Woman was a polite form of address (see BDAG 208-9 s.v. γυνή 1), similar to “Madam” or “Ma’am” used in English in different regions.