“Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, ‘If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.’” — Luke 19:41-44 (NKJV)

Jesus paints a very drab picture of the state of Jerusalem; one brought about by their ignorance of His authority and identity (If you had known). He then continues this dialogue with the prophetic description of their fate, and once again reveals His judgment of their ignorance as the cause of their destruction.

This was a passage that undoubtedly brought an increase in the already intense hatred which the rulers of Israel held for Jesus. At the triumphal entry Jesus very openly revealed Himself to be in authority, thereby threatening the standing of the Chief Priest and Pharisees. They were further enraged (vs. 47) and sought to destroy Him.

This passage was spoken to those in Jerusalem who did not, or would not, believe that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God. Without repentance, such refusal guaranteed their destruction.

It was during His entry into Jerusalem, amid the shouts and cheers, that, “Jesus wept over it.” Why, on such a time of celebration did Jesus weep over Jerusalem?

As always, the Gospel message must be applied it to our own life. We too, often choose to remain ignorant of just Who Jesus is, and of the necessity of placing our faith and trust in Him. It is for this reason that Jesus, while weeping for Jerusalem, wept for us too. He wept for those who did not know Him as Lord and Savior, for those who only pretend at Christianity. Jesus wept for those who cheered for Him and would soon call for His death. Jesus wept for the billions who would never surrender to His Lordship, who would never repent, never ask for forgiveness, and never enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

Jesus had a lot to weep about. I pray that we do not bring Him to tears.

The Rev. Bobby Thornhill is a retired pastor.