When one of my relatives was dying, I found comfort when I thought about the two instances where it is explicitly said that Jesus wept.

First, there is the story of Lazarus’ death and resurrection in John 11 where Jesus wept. Jesus wept out of love because He wanted to grieve with those He loved. But He also wept out of frustration because those He loved doubted who He was. Though Martha expressed hope in the resurrection, Jesus wanted something more. He wanted to be known as the resurrection and the life. I love John 11:25-26 where Jesus makes a statement to Martha and challenges her with a question.

When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and was troubled, and said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to Him, “Lord, come and see.”Jesus wept. So the Jews were saying, “See how He loved him!”But some of them said, “Could not this man, who opened the eyes of the blind man, have kept this man also from dying?” (John 11:33-37, NASB)

Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:23-26, NASB)

Second, there is the triumphant entry into Jerusalem in Luke 19 where Jesus wept. He wept for Jerusalem out of love and out of frustration.

When He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, “If you had known in this day, even you, the things which make for peace! But now they have been hidden from your eyes. (Luke 19:41-42, NASB)

I find it touching to know that Jesus weeps out of love for us, but it’s sobering to know that Jesus weeps out of frustration when we doubt who He is.