1997 issue 3 - the sympathy of jesus: jesus wept - counsel of chalcedon

8/12/2019 1997 Issue 3 - The Sympathy of Jesus: Jesus Wept - Counsel of Chalcedon

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Who

was it that wept? That

the children of

men should

frequentlybe in tears, is nothing

strange: this world is a place of

sin, and therefore it is no

wonder that it is

aJso

a place of

weeping. Sin and sorrow

must

be compariions.

utwhat

shall

we say when we read that Jesus

wept? Was it not strange that he,

who was "holy, harmless,

undefiled,

and

separate from

sinners," should be in tears?

How astonishing that he, who

is

truly God, should be capable of

real weeping? Perhaps it was on

this account, that they who

divided the Bible into

verses, placed these

two

words by themselves, to

intimate

how

remarkable

the expression is; and that

in reading, we might not

hastily pass over the

wonderful f c t ~ but that we .

should pause, consider,

admire and adore.

Let me repeat it - "Jesus

wept " My soul, meditate on

these surprising tears, and let me

contemplate this weeping

Saviour

Jesus was truly and properly

God

and man

, in one divine,

mysterious person. And here I

perceive a strong proof of the

important doctrine. His words,

his works, and his very name,

sufficiently demonstrated that he

was possessed of real Godhead.

He had just

signified that

he

would awake Lazarus from the

sleep of death; arid his weeping

did not proceed from any doubt

of his ability to perform the

miracle. The event showed that

he was able; for he spake and

Lazarus, that was dead, carne

orth . And when I read that

"J esus

wept;

I may equally infer

that he was truly man; that "the

Word became flesh, and dwelt

among us." He submitted to the

frailties of human nature; he was

subject

to

hunger and thirst,

to

weariness and grief; for "in all

these things it behoved him to

be made like unto his brethren.

'Jesus wept," was a man of

sorrows, and acquainted with

grief." While some will admit

orily the humanity ofjesus , let

me not be ashamed to believe in

his f o l nature. How can

anyone

deny his divinity? Did

he not at the grave of Lazarus

raise the dead as well as weep?

As a man he was capable of

weeping, of suffering, and dying,

- as God, he could merit and

save men from sin, from misery,

and from death. God forbid then

that I should ever be ashamed to

glory in the cross of Christ

"Jesus wept:" and was it not

the tear of sympathy he shed?

When he saw Mary weeping,

and the Jews also weeping which

came with her, "he groaned in

th

e spirit and was troubled

.

On

some other occasions he had

forbidden weeping for the dead.

He had said, "Why make ye this

ado and weep?" I do not find

that Jesus wept when he first

said, "Our friend Lazarus

sleepeth" - nor when Martha met

28 t THE COUNSEL of Chalcedon March/April 997

him - not when Mary came to

him;

but

afterwards, when he

saw the tears of Mary,

and

her

sympathizing friends, who carne

to comfort them concerning

their brother, then he

sympathized with them, and

mingled

his

groans

and

troubles

with theirs. When they asked

him to .corne and see the place

where Lazarus was laid, then he

wept. Thus did he "weep with

them that wept." Thus has he

recOIt\Illended,

byhis

own

example, that tender precept. He

was, indeed, "touched with the

feeling of our infirmities." He

bore a part of the burden

which these two

affectionate sisters felt in

the death of their brother.

May I, may all who love

his name, possess the like

disposition Then should

we "bear one another's

burdens," and imitate the

example,

as

well

as

"fulfill the

law ofiChrist.

"Jesus wept:" and was it not

the tear of tenderest friendship

for Lazarus? "Our friend Lazarus

sleepeth." Who therefore can

say, that the New Testament

contains nothing on the subject

of friendship? The divine

Redeemer has charged his

disciples to love one another. By

his own example he has

sanctified the soft endearments

of friendship; and in the beloved

apostle, and

n

his friend

Lazarus, he h s fastened, as it

were, its tender ties with his

own hand. Bethany was a place

in the neighbourhood of

Jerusalem, to which Jesus might

retire with great conveniency.

When he was despised and



rejected by others, he was sure

of a welcome reception at the

house of

Mary

and her sister

Martha. Happy were the little

family in receiving such a guest

Happy indeed for "Jesus loved

Martha, and her sister, and

Lazarus." Was it therefore

strange ifJesus wept for Lazarus?

f he was capable of tears, was

not this an occasion to

d r ~ w

them forth? He wept, as a man

may weep for a departed friend;

and therefore even the Jews

observed, "Behold, how he loved

him " We may imitate the

example of Jesus, and be grieved

when our friends die. We

his very tears the water of life.

He wept and died for sinners,

and his blood cleanseth from all

sin.

'Jesus

wept:" and let me

recollect the scene that was then

before him. A grave, the awful

consequence of sin, was in his

view. The grave h s opened its

mouth, and seems to say, Behold

the cursed effects of

transgression. "In the day thou

eatest thereof, thou shalt surely

die." The people of God have

seen the evil of sin in some

degree, and have been affected

with it' but they do not, they

strong crying and tears," in the

discharge of his mediatorial

work. Was it not on account of

the cursed nature of sin that

Jesus wept? In the same channel

may all our sorrows run Then

shall it be a "godly sorrow which

worketh repentance unto

salvation,

not

to

be

repented

of."

'Jesus wept:" and let me

admire his infinite

condescension How amazing is

his love The Lord

of glOIY

becomes a man, and, submits to

a capacity of weeping He, who

inhabits eternity, condescends to

dwell among "skulls, and

may discover the marks of

our affection,

but then our

tears should flow in

moderation. The tears which

Jesus let

fall

on this occasion

were not mixed with any

hard thoughts of divine

Providence. His grief was

not excessive. Never were

? h e ~ I ~ r l ; f thieJove of .

h d e t t 1 e t r J ; n pe

toform

· · 3hi ; judementi that .

bet/lea

fbrLe

weehoWd

. .

t , " : , ' ::. ,

::

. . " ,: : ,

':,

" ' ,, .

monuments, and worms;"

nay, even he himself

becomes

"a worm and no

man. " He is despised and ,

rejected; he is forsaken,

shamefully treated, falsely

accused, condemned, and

ignominiously crucified

Why? How could Lhis .

possibly be? The Lord of

there such tears

as

these. They

were like the clearest water in

the most transparent vessel,

which, however troubled by

being shaken, still remains clear.

No emotion of sin

ev

er

disturbed the sacred affections of

his soul. But, alas what have our

tears been. How have they been

mixed with the defilement of

unbelief and impatience How

often ha ve the given an unhappy

tincture to our sorrows We

have been troubled, and our

hearts have been overcharged

with the turbid waters of

. discontent and sin. Our tears

need to be washed in the

fountain opened for sin and

uncleanness. It is well for us that

Jesus wept. I had almost called

:Uveunto him?

, ,

cannot, in this world, have a

sufficiently comprehensive view

of all its defonnity and horrid

nature. But Jesus could view it

exactly as it is. His all

comprehending mind knew its

height and depth; and as a man,

when he saw its effects in the

death of Lazarus, when he saw

the place where he himself was

shortly to be

laid"

he wept. He

foresaw the destruction that

awaited impenitent Jerusalem;

he "beheld the

city,

and wept

over it." We know that, in the

view of approaching sufferings,

he was "exceedingly sorrowful;"

and we know because an apostle

has infonned us, that, "in the

days of his flesh, he offered up

prayers and supplications, with

glory weep and die Yes, 0 my

soul, he wept and died for

sinners - for thee. He became a

man of sorrows, that we might

not we ep for ever. He died, that

"whosoever believeth in him

should not perish, but have

everlasting life." "Behold," may '

we well exclaim, "how he loved

us " Were there ever sorrows

and love like these? 0 what

strong cords are these to

bind

our souls to love and to

obedience Should

not

this love

of Christ constrain us to form

this judgment

, that, if

he

died

for us, we should live unto him?

"OJ

for this love let rocks and hills

Their lasting silence break

CONTINUED ON PAGE

32

March/April 997

TH

COUNSEL of Cbalcedon

, '

29



And all

hannonious

human tongues

The Saviour s praises speak.

'Jesus wept but it was in the

way to glory. There was a joy set .

before him; and therefore was he

willing to weep,

to

endure the

cross, despising the shame; and

he is now set down at the right

hand

of the throne of God . Thus

should we be

"looking unto

Jesus," as our glorious example

In this world we must expect

occasions of sorrow: but it is

well for us that our tribulations

are in the way to an heavenly

kingdom. And is not that the

blessed end of our journey?

"They that sow in tears shall

reap

n

joy." They are conformed

to Jesus; who

waS

intimate with

grief; and hereafter they shall be

with him in glory. This is the

order of these things: Before

honour is humility . Afflictions

and sorrows are the royal way to

heaven.

'Jesus wept," when he was on

earth; and he has still the same

affection for his people.

When

he went to heaven, he did not

leave behind him his heart of

tenderness. He is now at the

Father's right hand, as our

loving Friend, and our gracious

Advocate. There he pleads our

cause: "For we have not

an

High

Priest which cannot be touched

with the feeling of our

infirmities; he is full of

compassion. What

encouragement is this to

approach the heavenly throne

"Let us, therefore,"

as

the apostle

exhorts us,

c

ome boldly to a

throne of grace, that we may

obtain mercy, and find grace to

help in time of need .

Unto

him

therefore that wept,

and loved, .and died, and now

lives to intercede for his dear

.family in heaven, be ascribed the

kingdom, 'the power and the .

glory.

Arne

.

)..

Q ,

Christ the Friend o Sinners.

One there

is,

above

all

others

Well deserves the

name

of

Friend;

His

is

love beyond a brother s,

Costly,free, ahd

knows

no ehd.

Which of

all

our friends,

to

save

us

,

Could or would have shed his blood

But this Saviour

died

to have us

Reconciled in him to

God.

.

When he lived

on

earth

abased,

Friend

of

sinners was

his

name;

Now above all

glory raised,

He rejoices

in

the same.

Oljor grace

our hearts

to soften;

Teach us,

Lord,

at

length

to love;

. .

We, alaslJorget

too

often,

What a

Friend

we have above.

32

THE COUNSEL

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1997

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1997 issue 3 - the sympathy of jesus: jesus wept - counsel of chalcedon

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