She was well named. For Salome was the familiar feminine form of Solomon. But not only did she bear the wise monarch's name. "The mother of Zebedee's children" was every whit as unique as he. The very fact she identified herself with Jesus' little group attested to that. For the two were family, and families often have a way of underestimating their own. Nor were the Master's kin beyond it. For at times Mary had doubts about her son despite the revelations made to her at his birth, (Luke 2:48-51) while his brothers did not hesitate to discredit him openly. (John 7:5) Yet here was Salome committing herself to Jesus as her people's last, best hope.

Watching Jesus grow up Salome had become convinced of his closeness to God. To her it was evident in both his bearing and the depth of his insig…