Day 1065: Tears at a graveside - John 11 vs 28 - 38

28-29 When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him. 30-31 Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him. When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there.

32 Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. 34-35 And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” 36 Jesus wept. 37 So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?” 38 Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. John 11:28-38 English Standard Version

This section is well known to some as having ‘the shortest verse’ in the Bible. Verse 36 says “Jesus wept”. But the original manuscripts from which our Bible was translated didn't contain chapters and verses. These were only introduced around A.D. 1227. What's more important is the fact that Jesus, though He is God's beloved Son, wept.

Luke tells of an occasion when, as Jesus approached Jerusalem and saw the city, “he wept over it.” (Luke 19:41) Luke says it was because Jesus knew the terrible destruction that was to come upon the city, which happened in A.D. 70. And John tells us that Jesus wept when He saw Mary, and the Jews who'd come with her, weeping over the death of Lazarus. He doesn't give the reason for Jesus' tears, but does say that Jesus “was deeply moved in His spirit and greatly troubled.” Was it perhaps from seeing the suffering and sorrow that sin had brought into the world? And is that suffering and sorrow not most acutely felt when death intrudes, especially the death of someone dear to us. Whatever the reason for His tears, it touched the hearts of those who saw it. “See how he loved him!” they declared.

But this incident extends beyond Jesus' circle of friends on that day. The writer of Hebrews describes how Jesus became the perfect mediator between sinful men and women, and a Holy God. One of the things that make Him such a perfect mediator is that “in the days of His flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to Him who was able to save Him from death. And He was heard because of His reverence.” (Hebrews 5:7)

Jesus not only faced death, He experienced it. No wonder then that Hebrews also says: “Since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:14-16)

Just as on that day, the death of a loved one can still bring tears to those who love Jesus. But ever since Jesus conquered the grave, when a Christian 'falls asleep', our tears are a temporary sorrow. “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?” said some of the Jews. Ah, but they forgot the words of their own prophet, Isaiah. Many years earlier he wrote of what God would do through the Messiah, saying: “He will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death for ever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces. And the reproach of His people He will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken. It will be said on that day, 'Behold, this is our God; we have waited for Him, that He might save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for Him; let us be glad and rejoice in His salvation.'” (Isaiah 25:7-9) Truly, death has lost it's sting.