Found in John 11:35, “Jesus wept” is one of the Bible’s shortest yet most poignant verses. Jesus Christ’s compassion is profoundly revealed in these two words. This verse’s context shows His grief over His buddy Lazarus’s passing, but it also demonstrates His compassion and readiness to feel human pain.
Despite its briefness, this verse highlights Christ’s compassion and empathy for people, revealing much about His heart. This essay will examine Bible passages that describe Jesus crying, exploring the meaning of His tears, His profound empathy for others, and how we can draw solace from His compassion in our own times of grief.
How Many Times Did Jesus Weep?
Jesus shed tears on two significant occasions, each of which demonstrated a distinct facet of His compassion. Jesus weeps at Lazarus’s tomb in John 11:35, which is the first recorded occasion. Jesus truly understands human pain, as seen by His tears, which demonstrate genuine empathy for the sadness of those around Him, even though He knew He would shortly raise Lazarus from the grave.
Jesus weeps over Jerusalem in Luke 19:41, which is the second time. He weeps for the city’s rejection of Him and the spiritual blindness that will result in their demise, not for Himself. Jesus’ deep emotional connection to human suffering and His desire for people to respond to Him in faith are both evident in these situations.
Why You Need Bible Verses about Jesus Wept
Quotes from the Bible that describe Jesus crying are crucial because they serve as a potent reminder of Christ’s profound empathy and compassion for people. In these instances, we witness that Jesus, despite his divinity, had complete human feelings. His anguish over injustice, loss, and suffering is reflected in His tears, which makes Him sympathetic to anyone going through a difficult time.
Because they serve as a reminder that Jesus is aware of our suffering and supports us through adversity, these verses can be consoling. Additionally, Jesus’ tears give hope to people who are broken by reflecting His yearning for healing and restoration. Believers who meditate on these lines can receive comfort, support, and strength in the knowledge that they are not the only ones experiencing grief.
Bible Verses about Jesus Wept
Here are Bible verses about Jesus wept, along with messages of compassion, empathy, and hope:
John 11:35
“Jesus wept.”
Message: This shortest verse in the Bible speaks volumes about Jesus’ compassion. Even knowing He would raise Lazarus from the dead, Jesus shared in the sorrow of those mourning. His tears remind us that God understands our pain and is with us in our moments of grief.
Luke 19:41
“And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it,”
Message: Jesus wept over Jerusalem, expressing sorrow over the city’s rejection of Him. His tears reflect His deep longing for people to know Him and the pain of seeing others turn away from salvation. It’s a reminder that God desires our hearts and grieves when we ignore His love.
Matthew 23:37
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing.”
Message: Jesus expresses His sorrow over Jerusalem’s refusal to accept His love and care. His desire to protect and guide them reflects God’s love for His people, showing His heart for those who reject His grace and mercy.
Hebrews 4:15
“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.”
Message: This verse emphasizes that Jesus understands our struggles. He was fully human and experienced pain, temptation, and sorrow. His weeping reveals that He is a compassionate Savior who sympathizes with our weaknesses.
Isaiah 53:3
“He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces, he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.”
Message: Jesus, a man acquainted with grief, bore the suffering and rejection of humanity. His emotional experiences, including weeping, show His willingness to endure human pain to bring us healing. His empathy makes Him the perfect advocate for those hurting.
John 11:33
“When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled.”
Message: Jesus’ response to the grief of others reveals His deep compassion. He is moved by the pain of those around Him, demonstrating that He cares deeply about the suffering of others.
Mark 3:5
“He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored.”
Message: Jesus shows distress not only in sorrow but in frustration over human hardness of heart. His weeping is not just for personal loss but also for the lost opportunities to heal those in need.
Luke 7:13
“When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, ‘Don’t cry.’”
Message: Jesus’ heart went out to a widow who had lost her only son. His words and actions show a profound care for the suffering of others, offering comfort and hope in times of distress.
Romans 8:34
“Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.”
Message: Jesus, who wept for others, now intercedes for us. His compassion continues as He advocates for us before the Father, showing His ongoing care and understanding of our struggles.
Matthew 26:37-38
“He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, ‘My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.’”
Message: In His moment of deepest agony before the crucifixion, Jesus expressed His sorrow and vulnerability, revealing His understanding of the human experience of emotional pain and His need for support.
Luke 22:44
“And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.”
Message: In His emotional distress, Jesus prayed with such intensity that His sweat became like blood. This highlights the depth of His sorrow and His commitment to fulfilling God’s will despite the suffering ahead.
John 14:18
“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.”
Message: Even as He prepared for His departure, Jesus assured His followers that they would not be abandoned. His promise is one of comfort, showing that He understands the fear of being left alone and assures His constant presence.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”
Message: God, through Jesus, is the ultimate source of comfort. As Jesus wept and shared in human suffering, He now offers comfort to those in pain, equipping us to comfort others with the same empathy.
Matthew 15:32
“Jesus called his disciples to him and said, ‘I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way.’”
Message: Jesus’ compassion extended to the physical needs of others. His care for people’s basic needs shows that He is not only concerned with spiritual matters but with the overall well-being of those He loves.
Revelation 21:4
“He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
Message: Jesus’ ultimate promise is the end of suffering. His tears for humanity point toward the future where there will be no more pain, sorrow, or death, highlighting His victory over suffering and the hope He offers to all who follow Him.
Summary
These ten passages from the Bible demonstrate Jesus’ deep understanding and compassion for those in need. Jesus grieved and felt intense emotional pain for humanity, from His grief at the loss of a loved one to His agony in the garden of Gethsemane. His tears show His love and compassion for other people’s hardships in addition as reflecting His own sorrow.
These lines also guarantee that He will continue to console and support us in our suffering, pointing to His continuous care and intercession for us. The promise of ultimate healing and peace, when all pain will end and tears would be forever wiped away, is ultimately brought about by Jesus’ compassion.
