Jesus wept

“Jesus wept”- John ch11 v35

The above is known to lovers of statistics as the shortest verse in the Bible.
For this, we may thank Robert Stephanus, who set up the verse divisions in the New Testament.
It’s also short enough to be used as an expletive- most famously by the magisterial BBC commentator Richard Dimbleby (you won’t remember him) at an unguarded moment.

But why did Jesus weep? That is the important question.

It is a key moment in the story of Lazarus. This begins with reports of his illness, followed by the report of his death, and comes to a climax when Jesus arrives on the scene and summons him out of the tomb.

In the preceding verse, “Jesus said ‘Where have you laid him?’ They said to him “Lord, come and see’” Then the Jews saw that Jesus wept, and they said “See how he loved him!”
That was a natural assumption, but it is one of those classic misunderstandings which we find in John’s gospel.

Jesus had no reason to mourn the loss of Lazarus, because he knew very well that he would raise Lazarus from the dead. He had already told Martha “Your brother will rise again”. When Martha expressed her faith in the resurrection “at the last day”, Jesus responded “I am the resurrection and the life”. That was the nearest he got to announcing his intentions (vv23-25).

To understand his reaction at the tomb, we must look back to the moment of his arrival there.
“When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled” (v33).
He was not troubled because he was mourning the loss of Lazarus.
He was troubled because Mary and Martha and their friends were mourning the loss of Lazarus.

Thus the cause of his grief was the existence of human mourning.
But human mourning itself is caused by the fact that people die.
In effect, then, he was mourning the existence of Death.

This has a much wider application than the story of Lazarus.
The grief of Jesus over the existence of death is emblematic of the whole of John’s gospel.
Indeed, it is emblematic of the entire New Testament.
It is the motivation for what happens in the New Testament.

The whole story of the Incarnation of Christ, and his death on the Cross, and his Resurrection, could be summed up in this way;
Jesus saw that people die.
Jesus wept.
Jesus came to do something about it.

a reply to: DISRAELI

It was according to JOHN.

Did Jesus really wept?

I want to know what Jesus said. Not from a third person.

fk john.

a reply to: mekhanics
Weeping is an action, and descriptions of actions naturally come from other people.
The gospel is about what Jesus did, as well as what he said.

a reply to: DISRAELI

most famously by the magisterial BBC commentator Richard Dimbleby

I think that title might go to this scene from Hellraiser:

a reply to: 3NL1GHT3N3D1
Fame varies by generations.

originally posted by: 3NL1GHT3N3D1
a reply to: DISRAELI

most famously by the magisterial BBC commentator Richard Dimbleby

I think that title might go to this scene from Hellraiser:

You are so BRAVE to bash Christianity while supporting Islam!

Alluah Snackbar my brother!

a reply to: seeker1963

What are you talking about? There was nothing about my post bashing Christianity, it was a cultural reference to the title of the thread.

Stop being so emotional. Stalker.

originally posted by: 3NL1GHT3N3D1
a reply to: seeker1963

What are you talking about? There was nothing about my post bashing Christianity, it was a cultural reference to the title of the thread.

Stop being so emotional. Stalker.

LOL calling me a stalker when the mods and site has how many times you made a comment versus how many time I made a reply is laughable!

Or our you so deluded to think that anyone who disagrees with you is a stalker?

Sorry, but this is in a religious thread. If you disagree then fine, but as a person who doesn't even believe in God I am sick and tired of how Christians are being treated!

One of the biggest downfalls of western society was the disintegration of the family and God!

a reply to: seeker1963

I'm just pointing out how you came in here attacking me because I hurt your feelings in another thread. You're off the rails my friend, I think it's time for you to to take a break from the internet.

I'll leave the thread now for the OP's sake. Sorry DISRAELI.

I'm not surprised to be honest, I've had some pretty vicious paper cuts before that have shed a tear or two, but nails? Now that's a whole new bag.

a reply to: CaptainBeno
This wasn't about his own physical pain. That would be happening a few days later.

a reply to: DISRAELI

If Jesus wept, did his dried tears ascend to heaven with him?

What about other "stuff" from jesus?

Foreskin?

Poop?

Can anyone find a passage where "jesus pooped? "

Short biblical poem entitled Fleas.

Adam had'em.


Thank your for your time.

a reply to: DogStarIn1066
These questions don't come within the scope of the topic.

a reply to: seeker1963
So God has disintegrated?

Has anyone told the pope - maybe he can help.

a reply to: DISRAELI

Sure they do. You claim Jesus wept. What happened to the tears?

I think that is in scope. There are icons and relics of saints tears, and statues weeping, etc.

That leads to Jesus's poop. Where did it go? Is it in and old church somewhere under the alter with other icons and relics?

Just asking.

a reply to: DISRAELI

I was a RN specializing in Geriatrics's. From my experience nothing shows this more than Alzheimer's,. The patient is not aware of their condition at advanced stages, it is the family and friends that are grieving. The family and friends feel the loss and that is always what made me emotional. It applies to other diseases too, just in different way for me.

a reply to: Onlyyouknow
Thank you for that insight from experience.

a reply to: DISRAELI

Sometimes you totally lose me, but i like your interpretation of why Jesus wept. He mourned death.

If Jesus said that he was referring to the beginning and end of all things. Speaking from an outsiders point of view, I think He saw everything in one split second and said Holy Sh*t I #ed this one up big time. We think 1 year is a year. To God it's probably more like a fraction of a second.

So 10 thousand years to us might be a moment to them.
Time is but an illusion albeit, a persistent one. - Einstein.

originally posted by: new_here
Sometimes you totally lose me...

My apologies. If people get lost, I'm letting them down. Will try to do better.