Jesus of Nazareth said to one who desired to become a follower (Matt. 8:20), "The Son of man hath not where to lay his head," and he mentioned home only twice in his teachings, once in the parable of the lost sheep and again when he bade one who had been healed (Mark 5:19), "Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee." In both instances Jesus associated friends with home and with doing something for friends that would be an expression of gratitude to God. He also emphasized joy and compassion.
Greatly did our Master exemplify compassion in his healing work and his tender regard for others. What but infinite tenderness and compassion, what but divinely inspired affection, enabled Jesus to look down in the midst of the agony on the cross and, beholding his mother, Mary, at the foot, take thought for her comfort.
To the disciple whom he loved, he turned his mother's thought with the words, "Woman, behold thy son!" And to the disciple, "Behold thy mother!" (John 19:26, 27.) St. John tells us that "from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home." Others, even her immediate family, might not have understood her need. Jesus was aware of this, and it does not appear likely that under such stress he had a merely human sense of home in thought. It is hardly probable that she was in need of the material shelter called home.
