Jesus wept.

[Guest]

Why?

 

I'm finding that my thoughts on this are changing as I grieve for my dad.

[Seminarysnoozer]

Why?

 

I'm finding that my thoughts on this are changing as I grieve for my dad.

He wept because despite performing this amazing miracle, the Jews would still not believe.  When He weeps, He does so over our shortcommings.

[Vort]

No, I don't think so. In that context, Jesus wept at the expressions of grief from his beloved friends, Lazarus's sisters. I believe that God mourns with us when we mourn.

[Guest LiterateParakeet]

I love that story.  It has great meaning to me.  I believe He wept because He mourned with Mary and Martha.  He didn't offer platitudes, He offered His heart.  

 

I talked about this in my book, Touching His Robe.  I'd be happy to send you a FREE ebook version of it if you like.  Just send me a private message with your email.  

[Guest intra]

well what did the eyewitnesses to this happening make of it? 
 

Jesus wept.

Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”
(John 11:35-36) 

so that they would now that He loves. 

but what did He say to Martha? did He mourn with her? no. read: 
 

“Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”

Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
(John 11:22-26) 

now when He met Mary, look closely at what took place: 
 

When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled.

(John 11:32-33) 

i think His sorrow was at Mary's statement: "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died."
Jesus is life. as He explained to Martha, He is the resurrection. without Him - if He is not there - there is only death. i believe He wept for everyone who will not receive Him, and in so doing embrace death instead of life. not for Lazarus - He had told His disciples on the way there that Lazarus was 'only asleep' though they didn't understand Him: 

So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”
(John 11:14-15) 

He wept for the hopelessness of the world that rejects Him, because 'whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son' 
 

 

[Guest intra]

compare the account of Lazarus' death and resurrection to the following: 


As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.”

(Luke 19:41-44) 

[Seminarysnoozer]

No, I don't think so. In that context, Jesus wept at the expressions of grief from his beloved friends, Lazarus's sisters. I believe that God mourns with us when we mourn.

They are not mutually exclusive.  No doubt he wept because of their expressions but that being the case because, as humans, we have a hard time seeing the bigger picture, this is one of our shortcommings.

Like I said He wept because of our (their) shortcommings.  He grieved over their pain.  Their pain caused by their inability to really understand that he would rise again.  He also saw the result of what was about to happen, that because of this thing he could no longer walk openly amongst the jews.

 

Take into consideration the verse before; " 33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled,"

[pam]

No, I don't think so. In that context, Jesus wept at the expressions of grief from his beloved friends, Lazarus's sisters. I believe that God mourns with us when we mourn.

 

I think he also wept because he knew that even though some Jews would witness the miracle of Lazarus rising from the dead they would still not believe.

[Connie]

I am reading a book called For Times of Trouble: Spiritual Solace from the Psalms by Jeffrey R. Holland.  I'm really liking it, and i've not gone through any grief like what you are experiencing... yet.  But it might be one that could help you a bit.

 

Anyway, i love his commentary on six little words from Psalm 69:3..."I am weary of my crying."  I wish i could just quote it all, but to sum up.  He says when he have that type of grief where we just become weary of crying we need to remember 3 things. 

1.  "A good cry is therapeutic."

2.  He quotes some scripture where Jesus wept (like you mention here) and the one where Enoch sees God weeping for the world and concludes with "If divine beings can weep over the ills and sorrows to be faced in mortality, so can we."

3.  He quotes Psalm 126:5... "They that sow in tears shall reap in joy."

[Guest]

Eowyn, this is such a difficult time.  It is so easy to fall into despair.  Jesus wept in mourning with those who do not see that there is life after death.  He did not weep because he will be separated from Lazarus or that Mary and Martha will be separated from Lazarus and would miss him.

 

But, it is okay for us to weep because we will miss our loved ones in passing.  It is okay.  But don't despair... have faith in Christ and Eternal Life and all will be well.

[Traveler]

Why?

 

I'm finding that my thoughts on this are changing as I grieve for my dad.

 

Hmmmmmm - insightfull!!!!  having both my parents passed - I find grief associated with their passing as mostly associated with personal selfishness.  Can you share more of your new insight?

[Guest]

Well, I used to think he wept at the shortsightedness of His followers and because of their disbelief. i do think that's part of it, but I don't think that's all.

 

Lazarus was His friend. He loved him. Jesus knew He would see him again- soon. He knew He could raise him from the dead. But His friend died, and Mary and Martha were mourning deeply. I've been thinking of our baptismal covenants to mourn with those that mourn, and how Christ set an example for everything He has asked us to do. I believe his tears were mournful, too; partly because of his friend's death, and partly for the pain Mary and Martha were feeling. 

 

I know I will be with my dad again. I believe in the plan of happiness. I have a strong testimony of the Gospel and of temple ordinances. But I'm still so sad that he suffered and died. I'm sad he won't be here for the rest of my life. I think Jesus' weeping, for me, gives me permission to feel that grief, even though I know there's a better hope through Christ. I know He conquered death. . . but death is still sad and difficult. I know He conquered the grave. . . and yet the fact that my dad has a grave is painful and even incomprehensible, still. 

 

I don't have to feel guilty about the pain. That's part of it, and it doesn't minimize my faith. 

[Pa Pa]

Why?

I'm finding that my thoughts on this are changing as I grieve for my dad.

He wept because he felt empathy for their loss. Even though he knew that in moments they would rejoice, it still caused him pain.