“Do not weep”
Written by Edward Ruiz
After reading Puritan theologian, John Flaval’s explanation of the text, Luke 7:13 ESV, “And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep”, I offer my thoughts as I consider Flavel’s counsel for mourners in light of Christ’s command, Christ’s counsel, Christ’s invitation.
Imagine the scene beginning in Luke 7:11. A widow (who obviously lost her husband) has now lost her son (who obviously was her secondary support after her husband). Imagine how this woman must be feeling knowing that in this culture, her son is the only person she had to rely on unless she remarried. Many understood her grief, and in this case, a large crowd from the town was with her (see Luke 7:12).
Her pain was felt by everyone who knew her, and most certainly by those who sought to accompany her to the burial. She had experienced grief upon grief and sorrow upon sorrow. Her pain was also felt by the Lord himself. As we learn, when he looked at her, “his heart went out to her…” (Luke 7:13 NIV).
But what exactly stimulates Jesus in this way to command her to not weep when we know upon the death of Lazarus he himself wept (see John 11:35 NIV)?
Why does it seem like it is ok for Jesus to weep but not for this dear woman?
Is this proof that Jesus’ love and compassion are arbitrary?
Dear Christian, may it not be so. Let me explain.
Rather, it is on the heels of death that Jesus gives us the very best thing that comes out of his heart, a heart that goes out to her and us…weep not.
Weep not is as much an invitation as it is a command. It is an invitation to enter into Christ’s heart, where His perfect peace is found and the command weep not suddenly becomes more natural than we could have ever imagined.
John Flaval helpfully points out that the divine sovereign plan of God finally rendezvoused in the life of this woman. God executed the counsel he planned in eternity past by offering her in the moment, do not weep as a counsel that was designed to point to resurrection; but more, as we later learn, ultimately to Himself who is the Resurrection.
You might ask, how is this compassionate in the very same moment this mother is burying her son? Indeed, in the midst of extending perfect compassion, he commands her to do the very thing that would be antithetical and counter-intuitive to the apparent needs of the moment; for who does not weep for their dead loved ones, their very own son? It would be unthinkable not to, but not for Jesus. He tells her to not weep.
The counsel, this command, this invitation to this woman is more than what may seem on the surface. It would be a brief warning that he was about to do something to circumvent her situation; to bring her son back to life, which he in fact did just after telling her not to weep. But more than that, this counsel is designed to point her beyond the moment and into eternity. The resurrection of her son was only a temporary fix because we know her son eventually died a second time.
(To be continued in Part 2 next week…)
Edward Ruiz is a counselor at Life Counseling Center. He has a mission of providing clinically informed counseling from a Biblical counseling worldview. This is done by walking alongside children, adolescents, couples, singles and families who face hardship and difficulty, suffering and pain on this side of heaven, and extending comfort and care that comes from Christ. Read Edwards full bio here.
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