Women in the Gospel Series: Women @ the Foot of the cross

Matthew 27:55, 56

55  And many women were there watching from a distance, who had accompanied Jesus from Galʹi·lee to minister to him; 56  among them were Mary Magʹda·lene and Mary the mother of James and Joʹses and the mother of the sons of Zebʹe·dee.

Mark 15:40-41

40  There were also women watching from a distance, among them Mary Magʹda·lene as well as Mary the mother of James the Less and of Joʹses, and Sa·loʹme,m 41  who used to accompany him and minister to himn when he was in Galʹi·lee, and many other women who had come up together with him to Jerusalem.

Luke 8:2, 3

2  As were certain women who had been cured of wicked spirits and sicknesses: Mary who was called Magʹda·lene, from whom seven demons had come out; 3  Jo·anʹna the wife of Chuʹza, Herod’s man in charge; Su·sanʹna; and many other women, who were ministering to them from their belongings.

John 19:25

25  By the torture stake of Jesus, however, there were standing his mother and his mother’s sister; Mary the wife of Cloʹpas(*Salome, mother of James and John, the songs of Zebedee, also known as Mary Clopas(one of the 2 deciples on the road to Emmaus)) and Mary Magʹda·lene.

Salome:

 Probably from a Hebrew word meaning “peace.” Salome was a disciple of Jesus. A comparison of Mt 27:56 with Mark 3:17 and 15:40 may indicate that Salome was the mother of the apostles James and John; Matthew mentions “the mother of the sons of Zebedee,” and Mark calls her “Salome.” Further, a comparison with Joh 19:25 points to Salome as possibly being the fleshly sister of Mary, Jesus’ mother. If so, then James and John were first cousins of Jesus. In addition, as Mt 27:55, 56, Mr 15:41, and Lu 8:3 imply, Salome was among the women who accompanied Jesus and ministered to him from their belongings.

James the Less: 

One of Jesus’ apostles and the son of Alphaeus. (Mt 10:2, 3; Mr 3:18; Lu 6:15; Ac 1:13) The designation “the Less” may indicate that this James was either not as old or not as tall as the other apostle James, the son of Zebedee.

Joses:

 From Hebrew, a shortened form of Josiphiah, meaning “May Jah Add (Increase); Jah Has Added (Increased).” Although a few manuscripts here read “Joseph,” the majority of ancient manuscripts read “Joses.”​—Compare the parallel account at Mt 27:56.