Expert: Tom Schott - 4/8/2004

Question
I know this is an 11th hour kind of question but I'm really needing a really quick answer here. I'm narrating the Passion in exactly 24 hours, and I have this section of the Passion that says, "Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother, his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdalene."   

I don't know whether both sisters were named Mary and there are three people there, or if there are actually four women (Mary, Mary's sister whose name we don't know, Clopas' wife and Mary Magdalene.)   What's the right number of ladies present?  It completely changes the emphasis I will use...

Thanks so much! God bless and have a happy and holy Easter!

Answer
Lindsey,

  I would read it as three people because all of them are named . . . it would have been odd to name three and leave the fourth nameless. (Although it's odd, too, that sisters are both named Mary.)

  Blessed Easter to you and yours, too.
Deacon Tom