Jesus was not entirely forsaken at His death; there were four women and at least one disciple (John) present. The 4 women stand in stark contrast to the 4 Roman soldiers who are guarding Jesus and casting lots for His clothing. It is even very probable that these women had supplied the clothes the soldiers were haggling over (Matt 27:55, Luke 8:2-3).

Matthew 27:55  Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs.

Luke 8:2-3  and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out;  Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.

His mother was one of the women and now comes the fulfillment of the prophecy that Simeon gave when Joseph and Mary brought the baby Jesus to the Temple to be consecrated to the Lord 40 days (Ex 13:2, Lev 12:1-8) after He was born (Luke 2:34-35). What grief and pain Mary must have undergone, and yet we don’t see her wringing her hands or prostrated in misery on the ground, but instead “standing” at the foot of the cross.

Exodus 13:2  “Consecrate to me every firstborn male. The first offspring of every womb among the Israelites belongs to me, whether man or animal.”

Leviticus 12:1-8  The LORD said to Moses,  “Say to the Israelites: ‘A woman who becomes pregnant and gives birth to a son will be ceremonially unclean for seven days, just as she is unclean during her monthly period.  On the eighth day the boy is to be circumcised.  Then the woman must wait thirty-three days to be purified from her bleeding. She must not touch anything sacred or go to the sanctuary until the days of her purification are over.  If she gives birth to a daughter, for two weeks the woman will be unclean, as during her period. Then she must wait sixty-six days to be purified from her bleeding.  “‘When the days of her purification for a son or daughter are over, she is to bring to the priest at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting a year-old lamb for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a dove for a sin offering.  He shall offer them before the LORD to make atonement for her, and then she will be ceremonially clean from her flow of blood. “‘These are the regulations for the woman who gives birth to a boy or a girl.  If she cannot afford a lamb, she is to bring two doves or two young pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. In this way the priest will make atonement for her, and she will be clean.’”

Luke 2:34-35  Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against,  so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”

His mother’s sister is left unnamed by John but the reason for this is that she is John’s mother Salome (cf. Mark 15:40, Matt 27:56). In apparent humility, John never names himself, his brother, nor any of his family in this gospel written by him. It is interesting to note that Salome once asked Jesus a selfish favor for which He rebuked her (Matt 20:20-22). She was probably aided in her audacity by the fact that Jesus was her nephew. Since she is now found mourning what has happened to Jesus, it seems that she took His rebuke in the manner she should. Do you?

Mark 15:40  Some women were watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome.

Matthew 27:56  Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.

Matthew 20:20-22  Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favour of him.  “What is it you want?” he asked. She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.”  “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?” “We can,” they answered.

Also there were Mary the wife of Clopas, (Clopas is only mentioned here in the Bible), and Mary Magdalene, from whom He had driven 7 demons (Mark 16:9). Magdalene probably means ‘the woman from Magdala’, which was a town on the west side of the Sea of Galilee, not far from Tiberias. Mary the wife of Clopas was probably the mother of James the younger and Joses (Mark 15:40), but by the time noted in Mark, the women were at a distance from the cross, probably because the guards made them move back, and many other women had joined them (Mark 15:41), so this is not certain. In the face of possible persecution and death for themselves, what brought these women out to see the death of Jesus? (1 John 4:18)

Mark 16:9  When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons.

Mark 15:40  Some women were watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome.

Mark 15:41  In Galilee these women had followed him and cared for his needs. Many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem were also there.

1 John 4:18  There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.