The Roles of Unnamed Mother of Jesus in the Gospel of John: Hope for the Marginal

This article deals with the symbolic character and roles of Jesus’ mother in the Gospel of John. While women generally represent the marginalized and the oppressed in the Gospel of John, their roles and positions exhibit momentous meaning. Especially, women’s roles and their significant meanings are intensified by comparing them with male characters. In the case of Jesus’ mother, her unnamed character is described as the marginalized in the surface level of the narrative. Comparing with male character, however, the Gospel of John represents the unnamed mother as a true believer, a witness, a co-worker, and the mother of new community of believers that Jesus instituted on the cross. Furthermore, the Johannine Gospel gives her authority to create a Koinonia of believers. There are no male disciples guiding, correcting, protecting, or dominating her. This article examines the symbolic roles of Jesus’ mother in the first appearance at Cana (2:1-12). Then, it investigates the theological meaning of the location and the roles of Jesus’ mother at the foot of the cross. Specifically, the article compares Peter’s location in the courtyard (John 18:15-18; 25-27) and the position of Jesus’ mother under the cross (19:25-27). Then, it deals with the theological meaning of the mother as an unnamed character in terms of “woman.”