Why did Jesus weep?

I recently conducted funerals for two dear friends who at one time were members of a congregation I pastored. They personally asked me a decade or so ago to lead their final farewell to this life.

At the second funeral service I used as my text John 11:35, “Jesus wept.” Just two words, since it is the shortest verse in our English Bibles, but of course that doesn’t guarantee a short sermon! Yet I did manage to keep it to about 10 minutes, as it was a funeral with many items and military honors, yet in this form I can introduce more detail.

Of course, there were no verses in the original texts of the New Testament or their copies. They were first introduced in a printed edition of the Greek New Testament around 1551 by Robert Estienne, and first included in an English translation in 1557. We continue to use that system today and thank God for its utility. Most times Robert Estienne got it right, but it is wise to use the verse divisions only for navigation and not interpretation.

In the case of John 11:35 we could attach the two words to the previous verse or to the following verse. In the first case it would show that the visit to the tomb was a very emotional moment for our Lord. In the second case it would link the weeping to the comments of the witnesses as to our Lord’s love of the deceased Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha. There is really no definitive way to tell. Paul later wrote that we should “weep with those that weep” (Romans 12:15), and Jesus was certainly doing that.

The clear message to us from the verse is that since he is our example (I Peter 2:21), it is alright for us to grieve also. It is a human emotion placed in us by our Creator, and Jesus the man showed his sympathy at a time when others were deeply sorrowing. Verse 33 states that he was “he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled” (ESV). If you and I do not grieve at the passing of a loved one or some other distressing event, then we pay dearly for it emotionally. To put it into today’s language, we’re wired to grieve.

Another clear message from this short verse is found in the word translated “wept.” This is a different word from that in verse 31 which would be better translated as “wail.” In other words, the first is to weep silenty and the second to weep audibly. When Mary’s friends visiting in her house saw her get up and go outside, they were “supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there” (verse 31). In the culture of the day, and still in many Eastern lands, the more noise the greater the grief. In fact, mourners were often hired to “weep audibly” or “wail” as part of the funeral.

The observers in verse 36 saw the tears run down the cheeks of Jesus and said, “See how he loved him!” This is entirely different to how Jesus wept over Jerusalem in Luke 19:41, where he “wailed.” So why the difference? Well, in truth, we don’t know, except I can point out that Jesus had already declared to Martha that it was only a temporary death and that “Your brother will rise again” (verse 23), but she misunderstood him.

“Martha said to him, ‘I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?'” (verses 24-26). These are perhaps the most powerful words in the whole passage to Christian believers. This is our expectation. Believers will see their believing family, relatives, and friends again! Praise God.

“Do you believe this?” Martha’s response showed she did not “believe this,” for she ignored the statement of Jesus and said, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world” (verse 27). She made no mention of the powerful resurrection truth, to which Jesus referred.

This is somewhat similar to our paradox, for while we have God’s Word about how wonderful it will be to see Christ in heaven, where there will be no more tears or sorrow, and “having no burdens to bear,” yet only a very small minority would rather be there right now! We sing “When we all get to heaven, what a day of rejoicing it will be, when we all see Jesus, we’ll sing and should the jubilee,” but not today if you please.

Paul said he would rather be with Christ, but he had to stay around because the believer’s needed him (Philippians 1:23-24). I feel that way sometimes too! I taught a series many decades ago titled “Everyone wants the milk; no-one wants to milk the cow!” It is a similar paradox; although our children now know that milk comes from the supermarket!

To complete the story (you should read the whole chapter), Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, andordered the removal of the wrap-around grave clothes that hindered his walking, and he enjoyed some more years of life. And many more believed in Jesus because of the resurrection power displayed. So we go from “Jesus wept” to everyone rejoicing. That is what an encounter with the son of God will do for you!