Jesus Wept

Jesus wept.

John 11:35.

For a verse that only had two words, when looking at the context it is one of the most loaded verses in scripture rich in meaning.

To understand the passage you have to understand where it lands in the gospel story. Lazarus of Bethany and his sisters Mary and Martha were close friends of Jesus, and followers of his teachings. Sometime in the year 35-36 AD/CE Lazarus fell ill.  His sisters called for Jesus to come to heal him, but Jesus delayed coming until 4 days after Lazarus’ death.

When Jesus found Mary and Martha grieving along with the professional mourners making a scene. It was at this point we find the two word verse. Jesus wept.

 So now the question, why did Jesus wept?

There’s several reasons that fall in line with the situation as well as the character of Christ.

#1: the lack of faith of those closest to him. Mary and Martha particularly knew what he could do. He was well aware of their faith in him and knowledge of who he was. And yet they had lost hope on their brothers return. Lazarus isn’t even the first to be brought back from the dead. The first was a pair of young children who were ‘sleeping’. So, the lack of faith on the part of those closest to him would be one of the causes. But I don’t believe that’s the primary. He knew Lazarus would rise as well as he knew he would himself. But also he knew Mary and Martha would doubt and lose faith, just as he knew Peter and Thomas would.

 

#2 it is a well documented fact that one of the few things that made Jesus angry was those who preyed on those who were seeking God. It tells in Matthew chapter 21 how he flipped the tables of the money changers in the temple, then chased them away with a whip. The professional mourners I can’t imagine making him any happier. Their whole job and reason for being there was to literally take advantage of those who were grieving those whom had lost their loved ones. There’s no doubt the vulnerable being taken advantage of had to hurt him as well.

 

#3 he saw the final consequence of sin on earth first hand yet again. How the curse of death must break God’s heart since Adam and Eve brought sin into the world so many years earlier. This wasn’t his first encounter. As mentioned earlier, the children.

 

But also to show that Jesus didn’t do as I know I would do if I could heal the sick. He didn’t just go around randomly throwing healings like Oprah throws cars to people. Every miracle had a purpose. Every move and action had a reason. As were his inactions. It’s not stated but implied that Joseph, his earthly father, had passed. Could Jesus have brought him back? Yes. But there was purpose in not bringing him back. As was there purpose in not bringing back John the Baptist who had been executed likely a few months earlier. Standing before Lazarus’ grave, Jesus was facing the enemy he had come to destroy. And he was witnessing the fallout of what the enemy had done to those left behind.

 

And finally

#4 he wept because those whom he loved was hurting.

In the novel The Magician’s Nephew by C.S.Lewis, which is part of his Chronicles of Narnia series, yet again used Aslan the Lion as a stand in for Jesus. In the book, Lewis wrote:

‘But please, please - won't you - can't you give me something that will cure Mother?' 

Up till then he had been looking at the Lion's great feet and the huge claws on them; now, in his despair, he looked up at its face. What he saw surprised him as much as anything in his whole life. For the tawny face was bent down near his own and (wonder of wonders) great shining tears stood in the Lion's eyes. They were such big, bright tears compared with Digory's own that for a moment he felt as if the Lion must really be sorrier about his Mother than he was himself. 

'My son, my son,' said Aslan. 'I know. Grief is great.’

God is our Father. We in Christ are his children. When I was a child and I was hurting, I would run to my parents arms. And many times, even though they knew things would be ok. Even though they knew I would be ok. Many times, they would cry with me.

Why?

Because they loved me.

God loves us. He loves us so much that He sent Jesus to give his life to pay the cost of our sins.

I never truly understood that level of love, until it hit me that very soon I would have a step son and step daughter. And as I’ve gotten to know them, I have grown to love them so much that I can’t imagine anything I wouldn’t give for their good.

God is our father. And he is working everything for our good. But that doesn’t mean we won’t experience pain and loss. But when we do, he wants us to go to Him. And he doesn’t want us to put on a show with a shallow rehearsed prayer. He wants us to shout. He wants us to cry. He wants us to bring him our heart. No matter how much hurt and brokenness is there. And to go with the advertisement on the Super Bowl commercial, he gets us. Because through Jesus he has experienced the same hurts and pains we do. We can go straight to the arms that hold the universe in place and be embraced as his beloved child. Through Christ we can be comforted during the most difficult of days. And through Christ we can know that those days will not last. We have hope for a kingdom not of this world, where pain tears and death will be but a distant memory.

 

Jesus wept to show his own hurt and sadness for us. Jesus wept to show his anger at those who take advantage of us. Jesus wept to show his determination of bringing us salvation. And Jesus wept to show his great love and compassion for us.