John 19:26

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!”

John 20:2

20:2 So she went running ²  to Simon Peter and the other disciple whom Jesus loved and told them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”

John 21:20

Peter and the Disciple Jesus Loved

21:20 Peter turned around and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them. ³  (This was the disciple ⁴  who had leaned back against Jesus’ ⁵  chest at the meal and asked, ⁶  “Lord, who is the one who is going to betray you?”) ⁷ 

[19:26]  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.

[20:2]  ² tn Grk “So she ran and came.”

[21:20]  ³ tn The word “them” is not in the Greek text but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.

[21:20]  ⁴ tn The words “This was the disciple” are not in the Greek text, but are supplied for clarity.

[21:20]  ⁵ tn Grk “his”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[21:20]  ⁶ tn Grk “and said.”

[21:20]  ⁷ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.