Jesus Wept - John 11:35 KJV

I was praying about what to write about and was led to this verse.... John 11:35 KJV. “Jesus wept” is a verse in the Bible, it’s actually the shortest verse in the Bible but oh so powerful! John 11:35 is this scripture. What is weeping? Who is Jesus? Why did Jesus weep?

Reading my King James Bible and looking at scriptures God is teaching me through His Holy Living Word. Weeping is so much more than shedding a tear or even crying. I have tears streaming down my eyes reading about weeping and remembering weeping.

Looking up the word weep in the Webster’s 1828 dictionary; the definition is: “to express sorrow, grief, or anguish by outcry. This is the original sense. But in present usage, to manifest and express grief by outcry or by shedding tears.”

Jesus is the Son of God, who walked on this earth and lived a sinless life, died for the sins of the whole world, was raised on the third day and will come back in glory to bring His children home to Heaven.

“Jesus wept.” What is the context of this verse? The Bible tells us that Mary’s brother Lazarus was very sick. In John 11:2, it says, “(It was Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair whose brother Lazarus was sick.)” What a beautiful expression of love when Mary wept at Jesus’ feet, anointed his feet with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair.

In Luke 7:37-50, the Bible says ” 37 And behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, 38 And stood at His feet behind Him weeping, and began to wash His feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. 39 Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him for she is a sinner. 40 And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith Master, say on. 41 There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence and the other fifty. 42 And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most? 43 Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou has rightly judged. 44 And he turned to the woman and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered unto thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet, but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. 45 Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman hath not ceased to kiss my feet. 46 My head with oil thou didst not aniont: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. 47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. 48 And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. 49 And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also? 50 And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.

Mary heard Jesus at the Pharisee’s house and brought ointment. Verse 38 says, “And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash His feet with tears and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment.”

Jesus was teaching Simon about forgiveness and of course teaching us about forgiveness talking about the creditor forgiving the debtors, Luke 7:42-43 says, “And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most? Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And He said unto him, thou has rightly judged.”

Then Jesus talked about Mary weeping at His feet. In verses 44-50 Jesus is forgiving Mary. Verse 47 really resonates with me, likely because I, like Mary was so full of sin before I was gloriously saved and forgiven! “Wherefore I say unto thee, her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.” This is an example of Jesus teaching us how to love.

Now back to John 11, where Jesus wept. Lazarus was sick and died. In John 11:4-5 it says, “When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God that the Son of God might be glorified thereby. Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister and Lazarus.” Martha’s sister in this verse is Mary.

By the time Jesus got to Martha and Mary, Lazarus was already dead for four days. John 11:32-36 says, “32 Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. 33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in his spirit, and was troubled, 34 And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see. 35 Jesus wept. 36 Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!”

Why did Jesus weep when even when He knew Lazarus was going to live? In verse 33, it says, “When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, and he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled.”

He groaned in the spirit, and was troubled. Maybe Jesus wept because the others were weeping and out of compassion for the those He loved. Even though Jesus knew He was going to raise Lazarus; He was weeping with His children. God weeps with us; then He shows us His glory!

In verse 40, the Bible says, “Jesus saith unto her, said I unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?”

Psalms 30:5 says, “For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.”

We can praise God that He weeps with us. We can praise Him that we’re able to believe Him for His glory!

Jesus, God, Jesus wept, King James Bible

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