Just picture for an instant the Son of God with tears running down His face. What an image of a loving, compassionate Savior. But why would Jesus weep if He was about to raise Lazarus from the dead? Jesus wept because His friends Mary and Martha were grieving over the untimely loss of their brother Lazarus. Jesus wept at the results of sin. In that grave were the gritty realities of the fall—death, separation, decay, and pain.

Loving Sinners, Hating Sin

There is another aspect to Jesus’ emotion that day. John earlier writes that Jesus was inwardly moved—angry—when He first came upon the mourners. Combine that with John 11:35, and you have a Jesus who is angry at sin but weeps with its victims. It’s easy to get this backward—ignoring sin but hating sinners.

Jesus was a model of compassion. Still today He weeps when one of His children experiences loss. He weeps when they lose a job. He weeps at funerals. He weeps in divorce court. He weeps in prison. This is our God. He’s not detached from our problems. He’s a God who suffers with us. And He strengthens us to bear the pain.

Bottom Line

Jesus is a God who weeps with sinners. Do you show compassion to others who are suffering? Ask God to give you His heart for those who are hurting.