Jesus Weeps over Jerusalem
Luke 19:41-44
41 And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, 42 saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43 For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side 44 and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”
Observations & Reflections
When Jesus entered the city and realized it’s state, as well as it’s past, he wept. His lament(s) were recorded in Luke and Matthew only. It would appear that Luke and Matthew recorded different sections of Jesus’ lament. Either that or they had different sources. Matthew, as usual, reflects on the Jewish past, present, and future of the city from a Jewish perspective. Luke also follows a past, present, future formula as Jesus beings his lament. Certainly, the city of David was just a vision of what it once was and what it could have been. But it is now too late. The city will not be restored until Jesus returns. For now it will be the city to crucifies it’s messiah and get’s demolished by the Romans.
In fact, Luke mentions that the city will be torn to the ground. Some have used this as an indicator that the gospel was written after the fall of Jerusalem in 70 CE. However, not having any of the original gospel manuscripts, we might never know when Luke actually penned his gospel and how much of it is Lukan in source and how much was copied from other places.
| Matthew 23:37-39 | Luke 19:41-44 |
|---|---|
| 37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!
38 See, your house is left to you desolate. 39 For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’” |
41 And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it,
42 saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43 For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side 44 and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.” |
Jesus’ love for the great city is not about the buildings or the temple. It’s about the people of God. In the gospels Jesus is shown weeping twice; once when Lazarus died (John 11:35) and now in Luke 19:41. Jesus’ emotions are almost always directed at humans. There is no more empathetic character in all of the NT than Jesus. This is key to the gospel message. We cannot have a grasp on the gospel until we realize that it’s about the people. Jesus desires that ALL people know the Lord and are one with him. There is no room for hate in the kingdom of God.
[Featured image by Sir Charles Lock Eastlake 1793–1865, titled “Christ Lamenting Over Jerusalem”.
This work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author’s life plus 100 years or less.]