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NASB | John 11:35 Jesus wept. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | John 11:35 Jesus wept. |
Bible Question: When Jesus wept, why did he weep or what was the occassion? |
Bible Answer: Why indeed, and on what occasions? What moved him? What had he seen, in his onmiscience, in the past, the present, the future? He had searched their hearts repeatedly, looking for faith. Many had believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did. But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, and needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man. What he was looking for was faith. But there were always some that believed not. And Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not. He marvelled because of their unbelief, and he kept going round about the villages, teaching. He wept as he prepared to do his last miracle, because he knew they would still refuse to believe in him. Not all, but some. And it is not his will that any should perish. Jesus was not sad that Lazarus had died. He had said, “I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe”. That was the important thing. That was what he wanted, that they would believe. If they did not believe, they would die in their sins, and that would be the cause for sorrow. But he foreknew what John would later write, that “though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him”. Nor was this the only time that he cried. As has been pointed out, there were other occasions. How many? We do not know. In the days of his flesh, he offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears. He prayed on more than one occasion, even at that time, in the garden of Gethsemane. How many times did he shed tears? He had wept over Jerusalem. Because of their lack of faith they had lost their opportunity. “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!”. And he wept. The question is now, for those of us who would be like him: Do we weep? Like he did? And for the same reason? Or does he weep over us? Better that we should weep. Let us weep now. Blessed are they that weep now. A father once cried out, and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief”. Someone has said, “Smile, and the whole world smiles with you. Weep, and you weep alone”. But that is not Scripture. Scripture says, “Rend your heart”. It says, “Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness”. Jesus was a Man of Sorrows, but we need not weep for him. He said, “Weep for yourselves, and for your children”. (And for the world of sinners, lost in unbelief?) For what if some did not believe? Shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, that you might be justified in your sayings, and that you might overcome when you art judged. But we can weep for ourselves and for others who do not believe. And we can pray, “Lord, help our unbelief”. Jesus wept. Knowing that, and when he did, and why, should we not follow his example? I weep now, with some trepidation that I’ll be crucified for saying things like this. (I am paranoid, perhaps. Why does one preach in a place like this? And what will be the response? This is supposed to be a Bible Study). But that was the main thing in the heart of Christ. He would rejoice or weep based on what he saw in our hearts, whether or not we would believe. |