"Jesus wept"... why?

[bfloydo]

 This is the shortest verse in the Bible but, to me it is the most powerful.

I will give my opinion later, after reading some of yours.... If I ask questions to your reply, please know it is my only means of better understanding your opinion, and to better help my reflecting on the subject. Please consider the following if you would(not required), as they are some of the things I think upon as I reflect on why the Lord wept.

1.) Weeping usually happens in extremes of grief, troubles, or in some cases joy, happiness, or even laughing... and it is an outward expression of emotions.

2.) How many times before, during, and after the journey to Lazarus .. did Jesus have to correct miss interpretations, and talk of faith and belief in God?

3.) Wasn't many of the people around him during this time his closest followers and disciples?

4.) Did Jesus not know that any grief would be soon be turned to joy as Lazarus was raised?

5.) Shortly after this, the plot to kill him was conceived and the high priest Caiaphas prophesied Jesus would die for the Jewish Nation and the scattered children of God.

6.) Jesus wept over Jerusalem on his final entry, shortly after this he entered the Temple and confronted the money changers with harsh, even angry words and action...( another example of his weeping )

7.) Before he wept he was troubled and groaned in spirit( in the Lazarus case ).

8.) Why would any weep in grief if they know without doubt Jesus could or would raise Lazarus, and told his disciples he would?

 

    **** If you could please use KJV or NKJV so we have the same starting points, or if another is used please tell me which version to help me understand ****

 Thank you in advance for your response and spending sometime in reflection and fellowship me.

 

   Update: 

 I think all answers that are rooted in Love are correct....  I wanted to share a saying credited to Jesus, but not in the Bible " O madness of man, that weepest over the body from which the soul is departed, and weepest not over the soul from which, thru sin, is departed from God!"  It makes me reflect on how Great is God's Mercy, Compassion, and Love to all, and how much more I need to grow in this area, in Loving self, my brothers and sisters, and Most of all God.  Any thoughts here?

Edited October 21, 2013 by bfloydo

[WIP]

We serve a God who is full of compassion ..who understands us and loves us. When I see my children cry ..I cry with them. The Lord loves His children much more then we could possibly love our children.

 

Psalm 78:38 But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yes, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.

 

4.) Did Jesus not know that any grief would be soon be turned to joy as Lazarus was raised? Yes He knows everything.

8.) Why would any weep in grief if they know without doubt Jesus could or would raise Lazarus, and told his disciples he would? I believe it was because they knew that Lazarus would be raised on the last day but....they were expecting The Lord to heal him while he was still alive..  they lacked faith

[bfloydo]

We serve a God who is full of compassion ..who understands us and loves us. When I see my children cry ..I cry with them. The Lord loves His children much more then we could possibly love our children.

 

Psalm 78:38 But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yes, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.

 

4.) Did Jesus not know that any grief would be soon be turned to joy as Lazarus was raised? Yes He knows everything.

8.) Why would any weep in grief if they know without doubt Jesus could or would raise Lazarus, and told his disciples he would? I believe it was because they knew that Lazarus would be raised on the last day but....they were expecting The Lord to heal him while he was still alive..  they lacked faith

 I agree, and humbly ask, if he knew he was soon to leave, would it not be a grievous burden to know that those he Loved so much could only be united back to him thru a Faith and understanding of his words?  

[missmuffet]

Jesus wept in two passages of scripture.Our Lord was looking on mans misery,and both demonstrate our Lords (loving) human nature,His compassion,and the life He offers to those who believe.

[other one]

 This is the shortest verse in the Bible but, to me it is the most powerful.

I will give my opinion later, after reading some of yours.... If I ask questions to your reply, please know it is my only means of better understanding your opinion, and to better help my reflecting on the subject. Please consider the following if you would(not required), as they are some of the things I think upon as I reflect on why the Lord wept.

1.) Weeping usually happens in extremes of grief, troubles, or in some cases joy, happiness, or even laughing... and it is an outward expression of emotions.

2.) How many times before, during, and after the journey to Lazarus .. did Jesus have to correct miss interpretations, and talk of faith and belief in God?

3.) Wasn't many of the people around him during this time his closest followers and disciples?

4.) Did Jesus not know that any grief would be soon be turned to joy as Lazarus was raised?

5.) Shortly after this, the plot to kill him was conceived and the high priest Caiaphas prophesied Jesus would die for the Jewish Nation and the scattered children of God.

6.) Jesus wept over Jerusalem on his final entry, shortly after this he entered the Temple and confronted the money changers with harsh, even angry words and action...( another example of his weeping )

7.) Before he wept he was troubled and groaned in spirit( in the Lazarus case ).

8.) Why would any weep in grief if they know without doubt Jesus could or would raise Lazarus, and told his disciples he would?

 

    **** If you could please use KJV or NKJV so we have the same starting points, or if another is used please tell me which version to help me understand ****

 Thank you in advance for your response and spending sometime in reflection and fellowship me.

 

Maybe Jesus knew where Lazarus was and was sorrowful that he would have to leave paradise and come back to this world which was about as messed up as we are now, and to die all over again.  from that point of view it's really kind of sad.

[WIP]

 

We serve a God who is full of compassion ..who understands us and loves us. When I see my children cry ..I cry with them. The Lord loves His children much more then we could possibly love our children.

 

Psalm 78:38 But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yes, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.

 

4.) Did Jesus not know that any grief would be soon be turned to joy as Lazarus was raised? Yes He knows everything.

8.) Why would any weep in grief if they know without doubt Jesus could or would raise Lazarus, and told his disciples he would? I believe it was because they knew that Lazarus would be raised on the last day but....they were expecting The Lord to heal him while he was still alive..  they lacked faith

 I agree, and humbly ask, if he knew he was soon to leave, would it not be a grievous burden to know that those he Loved so much could only be united back to him thru a Faith and understanding of his words?  

 

 

The reason why The Lord waited till Lazarus was dead was for the glory of God....and that they may believe that the Father had sent Him

John 11:4^" So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”

 

I hope this helps.

[bfloydo]

 

 This is the shortest verse in the Bible but, to me it is the most powerful.

I will give my opinion later, after reading some of yours.... If I ask questions to your reply, please know it is my only means of better understanding your opinion, and to better help my reflecting on the subject. Please consider the following if you would(not required), as they are some of the things I think upon as I reflect on why the Lord wept.

1.) Weeping usually happens in extremes of grief, troubles, or in some cases joy, happiness, or even laughing... and it is an outward expression of emotions.

2.) How many times before, during, and after the journey to Lazarus .. did Jesus have to correct miss interpretations, and talk of faith and belief in God?

3.) Wasn't many of the people around him during this time his closest followers and disciples?

4.) Did Jesus not know that any grief would be soon be turned to joy as Lazarus was raised?

5.) Shortly after this, the plot to kill him was conceived and the high priest Caiaphas prophesied Jesus would die for the Jewish Nation and the scattered children of God.

6.) Jesus wept over Jerusalem on his final entry, shortly after this he entered the Temple and confronted the money changers with harsh, even angry words and action...( another example of his weeping )

7.) Before he wept he was troubled and groaned in spirit( in the Lazarus case ).

8.) Why would any weep in grief if they know without doubt Jesus could or would raise Lazarus, and told his disciples he would?

 

    **** If you could please use KJV or NKJV so we have the same starting points, or if another is used please tell me which version to help me understand ****

 Thank you in advance for your response and spending sometime in reflection and fellowship me.

 

Maybe Jesus knew where Lazarus was and was sorrowful that he would have to leave paradise and come back to this world which was about as messed up as we are now, and to die all over again.  from that point of view it's really kind of sad.

 

 Good point I never thought of that...maybe he also knew the burden that would be upon Lazarus as we see later in the story... they plotted to kill him also... I take some comfort in knowing Lazarus was seated w/ Jesus at the last supper as we also find out thru scripture.

[bfloydo]

 

 

We serve a God who is full of compassion ..who understands us and loves us. When I see my children cry ..I cry with them. The Lord loves His children much more then we could possibly love our children.

 

Psalm 78:38 But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yes, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.

 

4.) Did Jesus not know that any grief would be soon be turned to joy as Lazarus was raised? Yes He knows everything.

8.) Why would any weep in grief if they know without doubt Jesus could or would raise Lazarus, and told his disciples he would? I believe it was because they knew that Lazarus would be raised on the last day but....they were expecting The Lord to heal him while he was still alive..  they lacked faith

 I agree, and humbly ask, if he knew he was soon to leave, would it not be a grievous burden to know that those he Loved so much could only be united back to him thru a Faith and understanding of his words?  

 

 

The reason why The Lord waited till Lazarus was dead was for the glory of God....and that they may believe that the Father had sent Him

John 11:4^" So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”

 

I hope this helps.

 

 Indeed it does, and I see the key words as " that they may believe" then confirmed and solidified there Faith and Belief with a miracle before many witnesses.

[Willa]

I think He had empathy for their loss of Lasarus. Jesus came both to reveal the Father to us and to become our Great High Priest so that He could intercede for us. I think He was feeling our loss and grief. He wept over His beloved city because it chose to reject her Redeemer. The commentaries always say that as to the Lazarus account that He wept over their unbelief, as though He could never know personal loss.. But I know that during my days of deepest grief--the loss of all my family I grew up with,, the fact that knew that Jesus understood my grief and was praying for me was my greatest comfort. Jesus wept.

[Guest ninhao]

Burials normally took place on the day of the death (cf. Acts 5:6-10), so he has been dead for four days. For Jews this probably signifies that Lazarus is clearly dead and beginning to decay (cf. m. Yebamot 16:3). A later Jewish text that cites an authority from the early third century A.D. says the mourners should continue to come to the tomb for three days because the dead person continues to be present. Mourning is at its height on the third day, presumably because it is the last time the dead person will be present there. "Bar Kappara taught: Until three days [after death] the soul keeps on returning to the grave, thinking that it will go back [into the body]; but when it sees that the facial features have become disfigured, it departs and abandons it [the body]" (Genesis Rabbah 100:7; cf. Leviticus Rabbah 18:1; Ecclesiastes Rabbah 12:6). Thus, the reference to the fourth day may be quite significant for setting the scene for another dramatic miracle            

 

http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/commentaries/IVP-NT/John/Jesus-Raises-Lazarus

 

 

Jesus wept because He felt the pain of a loved friend's suffering and death. imo

 

 

Php 2:6-7  Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;  (7)  rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.

 

 

Heb 4:15  For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.