Dr. Barclay with Something to Think About - JESUS WEPT

JESUS WEPT

God, when in His earthly form as Jesus, had the entire gamut of human emotions as did any other man. He laughed, ate, enjoyed company, and associated with this friends as would anyone else. But also, as the shortest verse in the Bible relates, in addition:

 

Jesus wept. 

(John 11:35)

He did this after He arrived in Bethany; four days following the death of His friend Lazarus and when He found Lazarus’ sister also weeping. As a result, 

…He groaned in the spirit and was troubled 

[and] Jesus wept. 

(John 11:33&35)

But why would Jesus weep? He knew what He could do and what He was about to do, and He also knew where the spirit of Lazarus had gone. But grieving is a human emotion and at that time Jesus was fully human. In addition, He would have had empathy for the sisters of Lazarus who would no longer see their brother or so they thought.

Perhaps Jesus also wept because of what He was about to do. He knew to where Lazarus had gone and what his new resurrection body would be like. He might have surmised that perhaps, having seen beyond the veil, that Lazarus might have some mixed feelings about what was to happen. After all,

 

Lazarus had seen the other side.

He had seen eternity.

Did he want to return to the miseries and problems of human existence? 

Did he want to leave where he was at?

Was he happy to return to humanity?*

In part, did Jesus weep because He knew what He was causing His friend to leave? Returning to earth meant coming once again to the troubles and illness of this life and knowing that you would once again have to endure the process of dying. That in itself could be something to weep over.

We all have, or will have, loved ones, relatives, or friends pass away at some time. Some will pass away easy and some will have an arduous passage from this world. It is a journey we all must take at some time and in some manner. Life apparently has three cycles and there is a transition between each; from before life by birth into this world, time in this world, and from this world by death into the next. The Bible says that for those who follow Christ, death is really a gift into an eternity where:

…the tabernacle of God is with men, 

and He will dwell with them… 

God Himself will be with them, and be their God. 

And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; 

there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. 

There shall be no more pain… 

(Revelation 21:3-4)

It is never easy losing a loved one or close friend. But for those who believe in Christ the Bible gives great assurance of the promises and hope in the world to come. Those who pass into that realm are unlikely to ever want to come back but wait there for us to join them. Loving Jesus, and then being assured of what lies ahead, is something we should always be thinking about. 

*Adapted from a novel Lazarus exact reference not available