How many times did Jesus weep in the Bible? The Gospels tell us more than once that He wept at the tomb of Lazarus, at His mother’s death, and at other times too. Jesus is also known for showing compassion and even tenderness towards people as he sent out his disciples to heal the sick or feed the starving masses
The fact that Jesus wept indicates that God weeps as He is God in the flesh and came to reveal the Father. Jesus did weep while he was on earth. This serves to remind us that Jesus was a human being who experienced agony and sadness just like everyone else. Despite knowing that God might bring his friend Lazarus back to life, Jesus cried when he passed away.
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How many times did Jesus weep in the Bible?
There are several examples of Jesus shedding tears in your Bible. So let’s take a look at seven times that he wept and what these occasions have to do with you and me
Jesus is shown to have wept or cried in three different places. They were all in the last stages of His earthly ministry. The passages that reveal when he accomplished this are the ones that follow.
1. “And when He drew near and saw the city of Jerusalem, He wept over it.”
Luke 19: 41-42 ESV
And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.-
Luke 19: 41-42 ESV
Jesus is moved to tears when he sees the city of Jerusalem. This is due to his broken heart from seeing the sins of the past and the future. God wants to draw us close to him because, as a loving father, he hates to see us turn from him. We reject that embrace, though, and go our separate ways. Jesus is moved to tears by our misdeeds, but the good news is that he is always there to receive us back with open arms.
2. Before bringing Lazarus back to life, “Jesus wept.”
John 11:35 ESV
Jesus wept-
John 11:35 ESV
Jesus breaks down in tears after witnessing the grief of those he loves and after viewing his close friend Lazarus’s tomb. It ought to serve as a reminder of God’s love for us, his adopted sons and daughters, and how it grieves him to watch us endure suffering. Jesus exhibits genuine compassion by bearing the burden of his friends and crying when he sees such a trying scene. However, there is light in the darkness, and when Jesus raises Lazarus from the grave, he transforms the tears of sadness into tears of joy.
3. According to Hebrews 5:7, Jesus “offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears to him who was able to save him from death.” This alludes to Jesus’ time spent in the Garden of Gethsemane
Hebrews 5:7 ESV
In the days of his flesh, Jesus[a] offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence.-
Hebrews 5:7 ESV
Recorded in the letter to the Hebrews, in this case tears are tied up to authentic prayer that is heard by God. While it is not always necessary to cry during prayer, it highlights the reality that God desires a “contrite heart.” He wants our prayers to be an expression of who we are and not simply something on the surface. In other words, prayer should encompass our entire being, even praying with our emotions, allowing God into every aspect of our lives
What is the meaning of Jesus wept?
He cried when He arrived at Lazarus’ tomb. The deeper ramifications speak to the nuanced character of Jesus Christ. Jesus is God the Son, and as such, He is one with God. He even took part in the creation of the world alongside the Father and the Spirit.
According to the Book of John, Jesus was aware of God’s will and that Lazarus would be brought back to life. He refrained from crying out of concern that Lazarus would remain dead or uncertainty about His capacity to perform this miracle. Jesus cried because He shared the same emotions as those around Him and could thus relate to them.
Despite being covered in flesh and living a life without sin, pain, or even death, the Lord Jesus lived a perfect life.
We frequently overlook the fact that Jesus was a real person throughout His life when we read the gospels. It’s simple to view Jesus as a superior being (which, of course, He was; He’s God! ), who was so different from those around Him that His relationships were only one-sided leader-follower relationships.
Of course, His ministry was promoted by the gospel writers in order to highlight His teachings and miracles as those of the prophesied Messiah, but behind it all, He had pals. He spent more than three years living and spending time with those around Him, developing strong bonds with them.
Why did Jesus wept for Lazarus?
Jesus is doing what he does best—teaching large audiences and irking the religious authorities. Then, however, a word that Lazarus is ill is received. Really ill.
John 11:1-3 ESV
Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.”
John 11:1-3 ESV
Currently, Jesus and Lazarus are close. In fact, the messenger tells Jesus about Lazarus’ illness without even mentioning his name; he simply states, “The one whom you love is unwell.” Near enough.
If you and I had a close friend who was seriously ill, we probably would put everything else aside to be with them. And Jesus would do what you would anticipate.
When Lazarus passed away, Jesus cried because He was touched by compassion. In essence, he was tempted in every way that we are. He shares our emotions. We don’t have a High Priest who is immune to our flaws (Heb. 4:15).
He was crying among other people. He wasn’t crying because Lazarus was going to die because he would be raised, so that wasn’t the reason. Because of Mary and Martha’s suffering, Jesus was in tears. This is Christ’s empathy, sympathy, love, and kindness showing up in that situation.
Does Jesus weep with us?
Regardless of what that means in terms of God’s existence, I wonder if God has grief like we experience sorrow and if He cries. I can sort of understand that God is not like us. God’s absence of human emotions would make sense. But three facts make me think that God is a part of our human emotions:
- We were made in “God’s image and likeness.” (1:26 in Genesis)
- Jesus told us to call God “Abba.” (Mt. 6:9).
- God became man in the Person of Jesus Christ.
Philippians 2:7-8 ESV
But emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant,[a] being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.-
Philippians 2:7-8 ESV
Human beings are emotional. One method to show sorrow is by crying. Even in times of happiness, some people cry. The Bible commands us to cry with others. “Weep with those in grief and rejoice with those in joy” (Romans 12:5).
However, what about Jesus? Is He also in tears? Does He cry with us, too? Observe what Jesus accomplished. “After spending so much time among you, Philip, don’t you know who I am? Jesus retorted. Every person who has seen me has also seen the Father. Why do you insist that we see the Father?” (John 14:9).
