Have you wondered why Jesus wept?

John 11:1-45 chronicles the story of Lazarus dying and Jesus raising him from the dead. Since Lazarus had been dead for four days, this caused a rush of excitement among the Jewish people and brought much worry to the high priests and the Jewish governing body, the Sanhedrin.

The final straw was when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey as the Jews lined the streets and shouted, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” The high priests began to believe that Jesus was the Jewish Messiah who would replace them and upset their peaceful co-existence with Pontius Pilate and the Roman authorities. From that day forth, the high priests plotted to put Jesus to death (John 11:53).

Back to the story: When Jesus received word that Lazarus was sick unto death, He tarried four days before traveling to Bethany, a small town two miles outside Jerusalem where Lazarus lived with his sisters, Mary and Martha. Upon arrival, Mary fell at His feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” (The death penalty was imposed when Adam and Eve lost their immortality by listening to the wiles of the devil and disobeying God.) When Jesus saw Mary and the Jewish mourners weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit. The Scripture states that “Jesus wept.” This is the shortest verse in the Bible.

Lazarus had been dead for four days and was beginning to smell. After the tomb was opened, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!” The dead Lazarus staggered out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen and a cloth around his face. Jesus then uttered, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.” It has been said that, had not Jesus called Lazarus specifically by name, all the dead who ever lived would have come forth from their graves.

So, why did Jesus weep? The original Greek language indicates that our Lord wept “silent tears” or tears of compassion for His friends. Jesus deeply cared about Mary, Martha and Lazarus. Although He knew that in a few minutes, Lazarus would return to them, He felt their pain. He was empathetic to their loss. Jesus also foreknew, in a few short days, He would be dying on the cross for the sins of humanity. Since Jesus was both God and man, weeping represented His humanity.

We all have a hope to cling to, for the Scripture states the time will come when “God will wipe all tears from our eyes, and there will be no more death, suffering, crying, or pain.” My sincere wish for you is: “May God draw near to you, provide a sheltering angel to protect you, assign the Holy Spirit to guide you and send Jesus to come into your heart.”

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