The Humanity of Tears
Tears. There may be nothing that shows our humanity like those wet drops that flow from our eyes and down our cheeks. The older I’ve gotten, the more stoic I’ve become. Getting tears to fall is quite a feat for me. I miss the ease of crying that I’ve had in prior years because sometimes all we really need is a good cry.
What comforts me is knowing that our Savior cried. We saw much emotion from Jesus in Scripture from weeping to righteous anger as he tossed over the tables in the temple. But nothing seems to help me connect to Jesus the God Man like reading when He shed tears. I’m also awed at Jesus’ anguish when praying in the Garden of Gethsemane prior to His crucifixion. Let’s look at both of these scenes of pure humanity.
Luke 22:41-44 says, “Then He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and began to pray, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me—nevertheless, not My will, but Yours, be done.” Then an angel from heaven appeared to him, strengthening him. Being in anguish, He prayed more fervently, and His sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground.” Jesus had asked the disciples to pray with Him. As Jesus went off to pray, He uttered these words asking if there was any other way to complete God’s Plan. Haven’t you pleaded with God at some point in your life, “Lord, if there is any other way?” I have. Even Jesus, in His humanity prayed that this cup would pass from Him, but in His obedience He also prayed that it not be His Will, but God’s Will. He modeled for us how to pray in a moment when the whole world’s sin and suffering were on His shoulders. He displayed humanity through that pain.
Then we see that an angel from heaven came and strengthened Jesus. Luke records that He was in so much anguish, he prayed so fervently that his sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground. Luke doesn’t mention that Jesus cried, but he did indicate what a time of anguish this was for Him. Have you ever prayed in anguish for something? I doubt we’ll ever pray for anything that would bring the torment of suffering that Jesus was enduring and would endure on the cross. But this visual of His prayer in the garden is such a great reminder of His Humanity. Fully God and fully man.
I’ve often wanted the shortest verse in the Bible to be “Jesus laughed” simply because I believe He did and that visual of Jesus is one I love to dwell on in some of the sadder moments of life. But instead we’re given the shortest verse as “Jesus wept” in John 11:35. To set the stage for context, Jesus had gotten word from His good friends, Mary and Martha, that Lazarus, their brother, had died. Jesus made His way to Bethany but assured those with Him that He was on His way to wake Lazarus up. When Jesus arrived, Martha greeted Him with a chastisement that if He had been here, Lazarus wouldn’t have died. Then Jesus asked for Mary, and when she came out to greet Jesus, she said the same thing. Mary had been weeping and when Jesus saw their weeping He was moved.
It’s then, after Jesus asks where they had put Lazarus, that we have the infamous verse, Jesus wept. So small and insignificant, yet so profound. Jesus knew He was going to raise Lazarus from the dead. If anyone should be holding it together, it would be Jesus. But in this quiet moment, once again His humanity shines through. Jesus was close friends with Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. When He saw them grieving and their loss, it moved Him. Without Jesus, who is the resurrection and the life, death brings no hope. Jesus knew their pain and he wept along with them. What a beautiful portrait of His Humanity on display.
The raising of Lazarus from the dead was somewhat the last straw for bringing Jesus to His death on the cross. Word of His ability to raise from the dead began the process of His arrest and eventual crucifixion. One resurrection would lead to another. And as Jesus was crucified, we see His humanity on display again and He took on all the sins of the world - past, present, and future - and gave His life for us. No suffering we endure can ever compare.
We focus a lot on Jesus as God here on earth, and I love that viewpoint. But seeing and dwelling on Jesus as fully man really brings a perspective that allows me to identify with Him on a different level. I’m striving to be like Jesus. I’ll never be fully there until I see Him in heaven. Until then, I want to live in obedience to Him, and really focus on His humanity while on earth and how He walked in perfect obedience to His Father. It challenges me and convicts me. Only Jesus would leave His heavenly home in order for us to have that eternal home with Him forever. What a Man!