One of the things that impresses me most about Jesus is his emotional engagement with and attachment to the people of his day. It is surprising and unexpected. It is not what I would have envisaged in a scenario where the eternal, almighty God visits his tiny creatures in a personal way. I find myself asking whether I would be like this if I could somehow visit the world of ants by temporarily becoming one myself. Would I love the ants that I came into contact with? Would I form deep emotional attachments with them? I can’t imagine doing so. Yet this is what occurred with Jesus when he “lowered” himself to become like us (Hebrews 2:7).
The Gospels regularly mention Jesus’ compassion and love for people. He displayed this at multiple levels. Firstly, there was the general compassion that Jesus felt for the crowds:
“When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” (Matthew 9:36)
“When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.” (Matthew 14:14)
Then there were the instances when Jesus was moved with particular compassion for individuals whom he encountered:
“A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, ‘If you are willing, you can make me clean.’ Jesus was moved with compassion. He reached out his hand and touched the man. ‘I am willing,’ he said. ‘Be clean!’ Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed.” (Mark 1:40-42)
“Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, ‘Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!’ … Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.” (Matthew 20:30,34)
In both the above cases, the diseased men would have been considered unclean by Jewish society, which regarded disease as a sign of God’s punishment for sin. Consequently, they would have been labelled ‘untouchable’. Jesus’ compassion for these men is displayed not only in his healing of them but also in touching them physically.
As well as compassion, the language of love is also used by the Gospel writers to describe Jesus’ interaction with people. Mark’s Gospel records a dialogue between Jesus and a man who approached him and asked what he must do to inherit eternal life. In the ensuing conversation it becomes clear that the man had devoutly sought to obey God all his life. We then read:
“Jesus looked at him and loved him. ‘One thing you lack,’ he said. ‘Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’” (Mark 10:21)
The comment about Jesus loving him is quite surprising. The narrative doesn’t merely say that Jesus was impressed with him or pleased with him or that he liked the man’s responses. There is a much deeper and instant emotional response from Jesus here, made all the more striking by the brevity of their relationship. This man is a total stranger to Jesus. They have only just met. But after a very brief conversation, “Jesus looked at him and loved him.” This passing encounter gives us an insight into the heart of Jesus. His was a heart that was ready to love; a heart that was open toward people at a deep emotional level.
But we have only scratched the surface of Jesus’ surprising emotional attachment to people. Beyond his compassionate interaction with crowds and passing strangers, it is clear that Jesus also formed deep bonds of lasting friendship with some people. In John 15:15, Jesus says to his disciples, “I no longer call you servants, but friends.” This was unheard of in Jewish society. A rabbi was not ‘friends’ with his disciples. A rabbi instructed and commanded his disciples and they, in turn, revered and respected their rabbi, honouring and obeying him, but there was no genuine friendship. Rabbis did not socialise with their disciples. Rabbis and disciples inhabited completely different strata within society. But in Jesus’ case we find him taking his disciples with him to a wedding banquet (John 2:1-11) – a social occasion that he had been invited to.
Then we read of Jesus’ particular love for the youngest of his disciples, John. The phrase, “the disciple whom Jesus loved” is used six times[1] in the Gospels to refer to John, indicating a deep bond of love between the young disciple and his rabbi.
We also read of a special friendship that Jesus had with the sisters, Mary and Martha, and their brother, Lazarus. The Gospels record Jesus visiting them in their home in Bethany on three occasions[2]. On two of those occasions we find Mary sitting at Jesus’ feet in love and adoration (Luke 10:38-42 and John 12:1-3), and on the last of those visits Mary engages in the most extreme act of love and adoration by anointing Jesus’ feet with perfume and wiping them with her hair (John 12:1-3). This was no passing acquaintance, but a deep and loving friendship that Jesus had with these people.
The depth of this friendship is revealed in the dramatic account in John 11 of the death of Lazarus and his subsequent raising from the dead. Initially, the two sisters send word to Jesus telling him, “Lord, the one you love is sick” (v. 3). Their message acknowledges an obvious and deep love for Lazarus on the part of Jesus. As John continues to narrate the story he makes the comment, “Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus” (v5). Then toward the end of the story, the mourners at the funeral of Lazarus witness Jesus’ grief and comment, “See how he loved him!” (v. 36). Three times in the one passage we are told of Jesus’ love for this family. And it was not just a superficial love. The depth of his emotional attachment to these dear friends is reflected in his profound grief at Lazarus’ death, evidenced by the simple statement, “Jesus wept” (v. 35).
A weeping God? It’s certainly not how I would have scripted the story. Isn’t God supposed to be aloof and distant? Isn’t he supposed to be unconcerned and unmoved by the struggles and griefs of mere mortals? Not this God. Not the true God.
This is not the only recorded instance of Jesus weeping. A second incident occurs as Jesus is about to enter Jerusalem on his way to his crucifixion. As he gazes down upon the city from the road above, he prophesies the city’s eventual demise at the hands of the Romans and weeps over its inhabitants, lamenting the terrible suffering and loss of life that will take place at that time (Luke 19:41-44). This is grief on a whole new level. Jesus is grieving for people who have not even been born yet but who will suffer terribly in the future. And his compassion and deep sorrow for them causes him to weep.
What an extraordinary God! He is a God who does not remain aloof and unconcerned about our suffering. He cares deeply enough to come and live among us. In fact, he didn’t just live with us, became one of us. The incarnate Jesus immersed himself completely in our human world. He laughed and cried and loved. He attached himself deeply to others, sharing their meal tables, celebrating their weddings and mourning with them at funerals.
He is the God who loves. The God who weeps. The God who understands us completely and calls us into deep friendship with himself.
He is a most surprising God.
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[1] John 13:23; 19:26; 20:2; 20:20; 21:7; 21:20
[2] Luke 10:38-42, John 11:1-44; John 12:1-3