Mary and Jesus as mother and son

Mary and Jesus as mother and son by Thomas C. Fox

My reaction: This is the most important relationship in scripture, because unless you understand it, you cannot understand why Jesus finally called out in despair on the Cross.

While it is fashionable to believe that the nativity stories are an add-on, I believe they are essential - since they locate Jesus' knowledge of himself in His mother's telling of them and in His reading of the scripture, rather than in some proto-gnostic self-awareness. When He entrusted her to John's care, He rejected both this origin belief and His mission. He did not give John instructions to baptize all nations or even await the Resurrection. He essentially told those He loved that He was a he - dead man hanging.

Understand this and you understand all of Christianity, including that the purpose of morality is not to placate God, but to live well on Earth. This view is mutually exclusive from the view that God is angry and his anger must be satisfied by blood. Instead, the blood is to be shared as Jesus shared our despair (I thirst).