Jesus wept. (John 11:35)
What is often noted as the shortest verse in the Bible can be overlooked as just a simple sentence, with the reader missing the full impact of what the author is telling them. Maybe it is because we tend to see it only from the human perspective.
We read of other men that they wept. Abraham, when he buried Sarah, wept; Jacob had power with the angel, for he wept and prevailed; of David we are continually reading that he wept. His friend Jonathan and he once wept together, and were not unmanned, but were the more truly men for weeping. Of Hezekiah we read that he wept sore, and of Josiah that he poured forth tears over the sins of Judah. Jeremiah was a weeping prophet; and I might continue the list, but if I did, it would not be at all remarkable that the sons of a fallen father should weep. With all the sin and sorrow that surrounds our manhood, it is no marvel that it should be said of any man, “He wept.” The earth brings forth thorns and thistles, and the heart brings forth sorrow and sighing. Is there a man or woman here who has not wept? Have we not all, sometimes, felt a sweet relief in tears? Looking round upon this great assembly, I could point to you, one by one, and say, “He wept, and he wept; and she wept, and she wept”; and none would wonder that such has been the case. The marvel is that the sinless Son of God should, in the days of his flesh, know the meaning of strong crying and tears. The fact worthy to be noticed and recorded is that “Jesus wept.” (Reference 1)
So how does the weeping of Jesus differ from that of any other?
We see Jesus as a man who is sad at the passing of his good friend. But it is more than that. Yes, Jesus was fully man while on earth, but we also need to remember he was also fully God. He knew that Lazarus would be raised from this death (and would have to suffer through a second one!), but that one of his dear children died. I think that Jesus cries when each of his children die, because it didn’t have to be that way. For the ones that have acknowledged him as Savior and repented, the sorrow is brief because there is rejoicing in heaven when a child comes home (2 Peter 1:11 CEV). For those who fail to recognize God as the Creator and the loving Father who deeply desires to be with them, choosing to reject Him, His tears flow from a place of profound love as He grieves their eternal separation. They chose wrath over love. He offered them the free gift of love and life in paradise forever, but they rejected it.
The Lord isn’t slow about keeping his promises, as some people think he is. In fact, God is patient, because he wants everyone to turn from sin and no one to be lost. (2 Peter 3:9 CEV)
In considering that Jesus was both fully God and human, when we think of God as limited in the area of emotion. Oftentimes a question is asked, “Are you talking about the God of the Old Testament or the New Testament?” as if there is a difference. The perception is that the God in the Old Testament is cruel; the one in the New Testament is more open and receptive. However, we know that God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow (Hebrews 13:8). There are many instances where his emotions have been noted.
• Anger – Psalm 7:11; Deuteronomy 9:22; Romans 1:18
• Compassion – Psalm 135:14; Judges 2:18; Deuteronomy 32:36
• Grief – Genesis 6:6; Psalm 78:40
• Love – 1 John 4:8; John 3:16; Jeremiah 31:3
• Hate – Proverbs 6:16; Psalm 5:5; Psalm 11:5
• Jealousy – Exodus 20:5; Exodus 34:14; Joshua 24:19
• Joy – Zephaniah 3:17; Isaiah 62:5; Jeremiah 32:41
(Reference 2)
When I watched the episode in season four of “The Chosen” where Jesus wept because his friend Lazarus had died; I was touched personally. It brought to mind the thought of my wife’s passing, and how he felt and understood the grief that I and my loved ones felt. He understands our grief, because he has felt it personally, and to a larger extent than us. In his tears, we find solace and the assurance of his unfailing love.
By willingly giving up everything in heaven and coming down to earth to live as a human being, God understands us better than we know. He has experienced all things we do, yet was sinless, and because so was able to pay the price we are not able to pay.
And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:18-21 NLT)
In this one simple verse, God is giving us a glimpse into his innermost being. The apostle John, who tells us in his gospel that he was one that Jesus loved, later exclaimed that God is love (1 John 4:16). This simple, two-word verse helps to support that. It shows us how much he loves his creation, enough to save the world through the sacrifice of his Son.
Consider the sacrifice of Jesus and his willingness to experience human suffering. How does this deepen your appreciation for God’s love and empathy towards humanity?
Reference 1:
From sermon “Jesus Wept” by Charles Haddon Spurgeon
spurgeon.org/resource-library/sermons/jesus-wept/#flipbook/
Reference 2:
Reflections 