Luke 19:41 - Jesus Wept.
Luke 19:41 (NIV) As he approached Jerusalem
and saw the city, he wept over it
INTRODUCTION
Only Luke recorded the weeping of Jesus over
the city of Jerusalem. Christ grieved over
Jerusalem on at least two other occasions (13:34; Mt
23:37). [MacArthur SB]
Jesus knew that so many of the people of
Israel had rejected Him that the nation would
suffer judgment, in the form of the terrible
destruction that came on Jerusalem in A.D. 70. [Nelson
SB]
Jesus wept audibly, for He could see what
the multitude could not see, the awful fate of
Jerusalem at the hands of Roman armies, less than 40
years later. [SDA Bible Commentary]
COMMENTARY PEARL
Was "Jesus wept" (John 11:35) one of the
first Bible verses you memorized, too? I was
blessed to be raised in a home full of faith, rich
in love, and well-versed in the importance of
the Bible for daily living. I filled my young
mind with truths from the Bible. I'm amazed how,
these many years later, random verses will
resurface when I most need them.
I don't recall, though, getting a ribbon
or star for Luke 19:41. It isn't a verse I
stopped to ponder until much later in life. Even as
a child, I could understand Jesus weeping over
the loss of a good friend " Lazarus - as He
did in the traditional "Jesus wept" verse. But
weeping over a city? I glanced over the concept.
Until recently.
The city mentioned in this passage "
Jerusalem - had heralded His approach with
proclamations of peace and glory in the highest (v. 38).
The Bible tells us that Jesus's tears
accompanied these words: "If only you knew on this of
all days the things that lead to peace. But now
they are hidden from your eyes" (v. 42).
Like me, you may have shed tears over the
direction you see a child, or a church, or your
country taking. Like Jesus, you may cry out, "If you
... had only known what would bring you
peace...."
Another brief verse of often-memorized
Scripture provides the answer: "He is our peace"
(Ephesians 2:14, KJV). Peace isn't a strategy or a
diplomatic move or a negotiation. It is Jesus. Just
Jesus. He weeps - and we weep - over the heartbreak
of those who do not know Him. by Cynthia
Ruchti
Faith Step: Make it part of your
devotional time today to pray: "I invite You, Jesus, to
break my heart with the kinds of things that break
Yours, trusting too in Your ability to mend the
broken." [Mornings With Jesus 2018 Devotional by
Guideposts and Zondervan]
COMMENTARY
When the procession reached the brow of
the hill, and was about to descend into the
city, Jesus halted, and all the multitude with
Him. Before them lay Jerusalem in its glory, now
bathed in the light of the declining sun. The
temple attracted all eyes. In stately grandeur it
towered above all else, seeming to point toward
heaven as if directing the people to the only true
and living God. The temple had long been the
pride and glory of the Jewish nation. The Romans
also prided themselves in its magnificence. A
king appointed by the Romans had united with the
Jews to rebuild and embellish it, and the emperor
of Rome had enriched it with his gifts. Its
strength, richness, and magnificence had made it one
of the wonders of the world.
While the westering sun was tinting and
gilding the heavens, its resplendent glory lighted
up the pure white marble of the temple walls,
and sparkled on its gold-capped pillars. From
the crest of the hill where Jesus and His
followers stood, it had the appearance of a massive
structure of snow, set with golden pinnacles. At the
entrance to the temple was a vine of gold and silver,
with green leaves and massive clusters of grapes
executed by the most skillful artists. This design
represented Israel as a prosperous vine. The gold,
silver, and living green were combined with rare
taste and exquisite workmanship; as it twined
gracefully about the white and glistening pillars,
clinging with shining tendrils to their golden
ornaments, it caught the splendor of the setting sun,
shining as if with a glory borrowed from heaven.
Jesus gazes upon the scene, and the vast
multitude hush their shouts, spellbound by the sudden
vision of beauty. All eyes turn upon the Saviour,
expecting to see in His countenance the admiration
they themselves feel. But instead of this they
behold a cloud of sorrow. They are surprised and
disappointed to see His eyes fill with tears, and His
body rock to and fro like a tree before the
tempest, while a wail of anguish bursts from His
quivering lips, as if from the depths of a broken
heart. What a sight was this for angels to behold!
their loved Commander in an agony of tears! What a
sight was this for the glad throng that with
shouts of triumph and the waving of palm branches
were escorting Him to the glorious city, where
they fondly hoped He was about to reign! Jesus
had wept at the grave of Lazarus, but it was in
a godlike grief in sympathy with human woe.
But this sudden sorrow was like a note of
wailing in a grand triumphal chorus. In the midst of
a scene of rejoicing, where all were paying
Him homage, Israels King was in tears; not
silent tears of gladness, but tears and groans of
insuppressible agony. The multitude were struck with a
sudden gloom. Their acclamations were silenced.
Many wept in sympathy with a grief they could not
comprehend.
The tears of Jesus were not in
anticipation of His own suffering. Just before Him was
Gethsemane, where soon the horror of a great darkness
would overshadow Him. The sheepgate also was in
sight, through which for centuries the beasts for
sacrificial offerings had been led. This gate was soon
to open for Him, the great Antitype, toward
whose sacrifice for the sins of the world all
these offerings had pointed. Near by was Calvary,
the scene of His approaching agony. Yet it was
not because of these reminders of His cruel
death that the Redeemer wept and groaned in
anguish of spirit. His was no selfish sorrow. The
thought of His own agony did not intimidate that
noble, self-sacrificing soul. It was the sight of
Jerusalem that pierced the heart of Jesus"Jerusalem
that had rejected the Son of God and scorned His
love, that refused to be convinced by His mighty
miracles, and was about to take His life. He saw what
she was in her guilt of rejecting her Redeemer,
and what she might have been had she accepted
Him who alone could heal her wound. He had come
to save her; how could He give her up?
Israel had been a favored people; God had
made their temple His habitation; it was
beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole
earth. Psalm 48:2. The record of more than a
thousand years of Christs guardian care and tender
love, such as a father bears his only child, was
there. In that temple the prophets had uttered
their solemn warnings. There had the burning
censers waved, while incense, mingled with the
prayers of the worshipers, had ascended to God.
There the blood of beasts had flowed, typical of
the blood of Christ. There Jehovah had
manifested His glory above the mercy seat. There the
priests had officiated, and the pomp of symbol and
ceremony had gone on for ages. But all this must have
an end.
Jesus raised His hand,"that had so
often blessed the sick and suffering,"and waving
it toward the doomed city, in broken utterances
of grief exclaimed: If thou hadst known,
even thou, at least in this thy day, the things
which belong unto thy peace!" Here the
Saviour paused, and left unsaid what might have been
the condition of Jerusalem had she accepted the
help that God desired to give her,"the gift of
His beloved Son. If Jerusalem had known what it
was her privilege to know, and had heeded the
light which Heaven had sent her, she might have
stood forth in the pride of prosperity, the queen
of kingdoms, free in the strength of her
God-given power. There would have been no armed
soldiers standing at her gates, no Roman banners
waving from her walls. The glorious destiny that
might have blessed Jerusalem had she accepted her
Redeemer rose before the Son of God. He saw that she
might through Him have been healed of her grievous
malady, liberated from bondage, and established as
the mighty metropolis of the earth. From her
walls the dove of peace would have gone forth to
all nations. She would have been the worlds
diadem of glory.
But the bright picture of what Jerusalem
might have been fades from the Saviours sight.
He realizes what she now is under the Roman
yoke, bearing the frown of God, doomed to His
retributive judgment. He takes up the broken thread of
His lamentation: But now they are hid from
thine eyes. For the days shall come upon thee,
that thine enemies shall cast a trench about
thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on
every side, and shall lay thee even with the
ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall
not leave in thee one stone upon another;
because thou knewest not the time of thy
visitation.
Christ came to save Jerusalem with her
children; but Pharisaical pride, hypocrisy, jealousy,
and malice had prevented Him from accomplishing
His purpose. Jesus knew the terrible retribution
which would be visited upon the doomed city. He
saw Jerusalem encompassed with armies, the
besieged inhabitants driven to starvation and death,
mothers feeding upon the dead bodies of their own
children, and both parents and children snatching the
last morsel of food from one another, natural
affection being destroyed by the gnawing pangs of
hunger. He saw that the stubbornness of the Jews, as
evinced in their rejection of His salvation, would
also lead them to refuse submission to the
invading armies. He beheld Calvary, on which He was
to be lifted up, set with crosses as thickly as
forest trees. He saw the wretched inhabitants
suffering torture on the rack and by crucifixion, the
beautiful palaces destroyed, the temple in ruins, and
of its massive walls not one stone left upon
another, while the city was plowed like a field. Well
might the Saviour weep in agony in view of that
fearful scene.
Jerusalem had been the child of His care,
and as a tender father mourns over a wayward
son, so Jesus wept over the beloved city. How can
I give thee up? How can I see thee devoted to
destruction? Must I let thee go to fill up the cup of
thine iniquity? One soul is of such value that, in
comparison with it, worlds sink into insignificance;
but here was a whole nation to be lost. When the
fast westering sun should pass from sight in the
heavens, Jerusalems day of grace would be ended.
While the procession was halting on the brow of
Olivet, it was not yet too late for Jerusalem to
repent. The angel of mercy was then folding her
wings to step down from the golden throne to give
place to justice and swift-coming judgment. But
Christs great heart of love still pleaded for
Jerusalem, that had scorned His mercies, despised His
warnings, and was about to imbrue her hands in His
blood. If Jerusalem would but repent, it was not
yet too late. While the last rays of the setting
sun were lingering on temple, tower, and
pinnacle, would not some good angel lead her to the
Saviours love, and avert her doom? Beautiful and
unholy city, that had stoned the prophets, that had
rejected the Son of God, that was locking herself by
her impenitence in fetters of bondage,"her day
of mercy was almost spent!
Yet again the Spirit of God speaks to
Jerusalem. Before the day is done, another testimony is
borne to Christ. The voice of witness is lifted
up, responding to the call from a prophetic
past. If Jerusalem will hear the call, if she will
receive the Saviour who is entering her gates, she
may yet be saved. DA575-578
EXCELLENT VIDEO SERIES ON 28 REVELATIONS OF
JESUS
1st of 28: Divine Dining:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_7j1QIKqmY
2nd of 28: Pictures of the Divine:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lNI-OQ7-eQ
3rd of 28: A Dirty Bible:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMkPvBuuFd4
4th of 28: Cared For:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztXyJVdcCds
5th of 28: Saved:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HX45kGRe1HI
YOUR COMMENTS
If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in
hearing from you. Thanks in advance and let's keep
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred
Gibbs
