“Jesus wept”

Raising of Lazarus.

(The Gospel History, Section 83)

And when she had said this, she went away, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is here, and calleth thee. And she, when she heard it, arose quickly, and went unto him. (Now Jesus was not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha met him.) The Jews then which were with her in the house, and were comforting her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up quickly and went out, followed her, supposing that she was going unto the tomb to weep there. Mary therefore, when she came where Jesus was, and saw him, fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, and said, Where have ye laid him? They say unto him, Lord, come and see. Jesus wept.

“Jesus wept”

(The Saviour of the World, Vol V Book V Poem LXXVIII)

“The Master is here and calls for thee:”
With solace came the words; she rose
And hastened forth her Lord to see:
The friendly Jews cried, “See, she goes
There by the grave to weep her woes;
Let’s go that we may also mourn:”
She sees the Lord, and sorrow flows
From eyes grown used to grief’s return:

“Hadst Thou been here, my Lord, the grave were not his bourne!”

Nay, why doth the Redeemer “groan”?
Is sorrow grievous to Him, too,
To whom the Dead are as seed sown
That ampler life they may renew?
He stands there troubled Who can do
Beyond the bravest hopes of men:
They weep as their fond thoughts pursue
The friend they shall not see again:

And Jesus wept,—o’erwhelmed by all men’s sorrows then!

St. John xi. 28-35.