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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