How many women are standing by the cross in John 19:25? “Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.” Is “Mary the wife of Cleophas” the sister of “his mother,” or are the two distinct women? Because it is unlikely that two sisters would both be named “Mary,” most commentators prefer the latter reading. But “sister” could refer to a sister in law or a cousin. It would help if we knew how often omission of the conjunction in a list in John is simply asyndeton as opposed to apposition. (more…)