Bible Strands
Mark 15:40
And there were also women watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Mark records the crucifixion scene immediately following the centurion’s confession, noting that female observers remained present while the male followers had dispersed. The narrative identifies these women as bystanders positioned away from the execution site.
The words — The Greek θεωροῦσαι (theōrousai) literally means "looking on" or "watching," designating the women as eyewitnesses rather than participants in the execution. The adverb μακρόθεν (makrothen) specifies that they stood "afar off," marking a deliberate physical separation from the cross.
The thread — This same group of distant observers appears in Matthew 27:55 and Luke 23:49, which repeat the motif of women watching from afar after following Jesus from Galilee. Luke 8:2 further identifies Mary Magdalene within this circle of women who had been healed and supported Jesus’ ministry.
Why it lands — The text first establishes the women as named, documented witnesses who remained at the cross when others fled. It requires the reader to accept their presence as a factual anchor for the crucifixion event, leaving the theological implications to follow from that observation.
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The Greek words
King James Version
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;
Cross-references
- Matthew 27:55 And many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to minister to Him.
- Luke 8:2 as well as some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out,
- Luke 23:49 But all those who knew Jesus, including the women who had followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance watching these things.
- Matthew 13:55 “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t His mother’s name Mary, and aren’t His brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas?
- Matthew 27:61 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb.
- Matthew 28:1 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb.
- Mark 15:47 Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph saw where His body was placed.
- Mark 16:9 Early on the first day of the week, after Jesus had risen, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom He had driven out seven demons.
- Psalms 38:11 My beloved and friends shun my disease, and my kinsmen stand at a distance.
- John 19:25 Near the cross of Jesus stood His mother and her sister, as well as Mary the wife of Clopas and Mary Magdalene.