Christian Art | Jesus Wept For The Destruction Of Jerusalem
Luke 19: 41-44 – Week 33 Ordinary Time, Thursday (King James Audio Bible KJV, Spoken Word)
41 ¶ And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,
42 Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.
43 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,
44 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.
Jesus is so very sorry for a city and a people he loves that he must weep at the sight of Jerusalem. Here is the centre of Jewish faith, while the Jews are the people to whom he has directed most of his teaching, and they are the first chosen people of God.
There is such tragedy here. Peace could be so very attainable, if only they knew and could accept the ways of living at peace, but they cannot. Nor are they alive to presence of Jesus among them. It seems inevitable: just as prophets of old were rejected, so too will Jesus be.
Jesus foretells the Jewish revolt and the subsequent destruction of Jerusalem. He has tried to instil in his Jewish listeners an ethos of peace and humility, together with an entirely new notion of the Kingdom of God. He has taught an end to pride and sectarian rivalries. He has told his listeners to give unto Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God’s what is God’s – a kind of separation of church and state, of the religious from the secular.
The memory of the Maccabean revolt has, though, lingered in Jewish consciousness, and pride renders the Roman subjection intolerable. Some Jews are going to rebel. There will be infighting, the rebellion will be crushed, and the Temple razed, never to be rebuilt, and there will be great bloodshed. The Jewish faith will be forced to change, to reconstruct itself in new ways, and Christianity also will be affected: while the Christians actually flee Jerusalem during the rebellion, the loss of the Temple marks a diminishing of Jewish Christianity – of the church first led in Jerusalem by James the brother of Jesus – such that henceforth a Pauline Christianity will predominate, including converts of the diaspora but also strongly geared to Gentiles.
Christ’s is an emotional, human response to this great tangle of history. We might find ourselves alerted in these verses to just why it is that Christ’s offering of himself as the sacrificial lamb must be here in Jerusalem. It seems the whole of salvation history is gathered together here at this nexus point. It seems good also, that rising above the upheaval, there is the overarching figure of the cross, victorious, all-conquering, eternal.
See also: Jesus Wept | Death And Resurrection Of Lazarus | Love Revealed By Jesus Christ | Humanity Of Jesus
BY the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.
We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof.
For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion.
How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land?
If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning.
If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy.
Remember, O Lord, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof.
O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us.
Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones. (Psalm 137)
King James Audio Bible | Endnotes
Jesus Wept Meaning For The Destruction Of Jerusalem
Jesus weeps over Jerusalem, as he foretells its destruction at the hands of the Romans. This event is significant not only for its historical context but also for its theological and spiritual implications.
Elsewhere in the New Testament, the Gospel of Matthew speaks too of the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, which would occur in AD 70, and the signs of the end times that would precede it. In Matthew 24:3-8, Jesus’ disciples ask Jesus about the signs of his second coming and the end of the age. Jesus responds by speaking of wars, famines, earthquakes, and other disasters as the birth pangs of a new age, which would culminate in the coming of the Son of Man.
Similarly, the book of Revelation depicts the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple as a sign of God’s judgment upon the world, and the beginning of a new era of salvation. In Revelation 11:1-2, John is told to measure the Temple in Jerusalem, but to leave out the outer court, which has been given over to the Gentiles. This symbolizes the fact that the Temple, and by extension, the entire city of Jerusalem, is about to be desolated by its enemies.
However, the destruction of Jerusalem is not just a historical event in the Bible; it also holds spiritual and theological significance. It speaks to the consequences of disobedience and rebellion against God’s ways, as well as the compassion and love of God for His people, even in the face of their rejection of Him.
In Luke 19:41-44, Jesus weeps over Jerusalem because he knows the devastation that will befall its people. Jesus speaks of the siege that will come upon the city, the destruction of the temple, and the slaughter of its inhabitants. Jesus laments the fact that they did not recognize the time of their visitation, when the Messiah had come to them. This weeping is a profound expression of Jesus’ love and compassion for his people, even in the face of their rebellion.
Throughout the Bible, we see the consequences of disobedience and rebellion against God’s ways. The prophets of the Old Testament warned of God’s judgment upon Israel if they continued to disobey his commandments. The prophet Jeremiah spoke extensively about the impending destruction of Jerusalem, which was ultimately fulfilled in 587 BC when the Babylonians conquered the city and destroyed the Temple. Similarly, the prophet Ezekiel foretold the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, as well as the restoration that would come after the exile.
In the New Testament, the Apostle Saint Paul speaks of the consequences of sin and disobedience in his letters. In Romans 6:23, Saint Paul writes: ‘For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.’ This verse underscores the importance of recognizing our sinfulness and turning to Christ for salvation. Similarly, in Galatians 6:7-8, Saint Paul warns that ‘a man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life’. In these passages and others, Saint Paul emphasizes the reality of judgment and the importance of repentance and faith in Christ for salvation.
Pope Francis has said: ‘Jesus wept over the city of Jerusalem, because it had not recognized the time of its visitation. We too, Lord, we too have not recognized it, your visit among us.’ Pope Francis highlights the continuing relevance of Jesus’ tears for people today. Pope Francis is emphasizing that we must recognize the signs of God’s presence in our lives and respond accordingly, turning away from sin and embracing the message of salvation that Jesus brings. Just as Jerusalem failed to recognize its opportunity for redemption, so too we can miss the opportunity to receive God’s grace and mercy if we are not vigilant and attentive to His presence in our lives. The weeping of Jesus over Jerusalem is a call to repentance and a reminder of the urgency of turning to Jesus in faith, trusting in Jesus’ love and mercy.
Psalm 79 expresses anguish of the psalmist as he contemplates the desolation of Jerusalem, the defilement of the holy temple, and the persecution of God’s people by heathen nations. The psalm unfolds as a fervent plea for God’s intervention, justice, and mercy in the face of profound suffering and reproach. As the psalmist wrestles with a depth of despair, the overarching theme is a desperate cry for restoration and deliverance [ … ]
Psalm 30 is a hymn of thanksgiving and praise, capturing the profound emotions of a soul who has experienced both adversity and deliverance. It is a deeply personal and heartfelt expression of gratitude to the Lord for His healing, salvation, and the transformation of sorrow into joy [ … ]
Office Of Readings | Friday, Lent Week 1 | From The Mirror Of Love By Saint Aelred, Abbot ‘Christ, the model of brotherly love.’ Who Was Saint Aelred Of Rievaulx? Saint Aelred of Rievaulx presents the highest expression of Christian love: the love of one’s enemies. His reflection is deeply rooted in the Gospel, particularly in Christ’s own example on the cross, where Jesus prays, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” For Aelred, this moment encapsulates the essence of divine love—self-giving, patient, and without retaliation. Aelred was a 12th-century Cistercian monk and abbot of Rievaulx Abbey, known for his writings on Christian friendship and love. His spirituality was deeply influenced by Saint Augustine, Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, and the monastic tradition, particularly in its focus on the imitation of Christ. This reading is a reflection of Aelred’s broader theological vision, where love is not merely an emotion but a profound act of spiritual transformation, a means of becoming Christ-like. Aelred emphasizes Christ’s willingness to endure humiliation and suffering without anger or resistance. Jesus allows himself to be spat upon, blindfolded, scourged, and crowned with thorns—acts of extreme cruelty—yet Christ responds with silence and peace. He is mocked and crucified, yet he prays for his persecutors. Jesus offers not only forgiveness but also an excuse for the actions of those who tormented him: “they do not know what they are doing.” This extraordinary response defies human instinct, which seeks justice and retribution. Aelred sees in Christ’s attitude the perfect model for the Christian life—one that transforms suffering into love. Aelred’s words echo the call of Isaiah, where the Suffering Servant is “like a lamb led to the slaughter, silent before his shearers.” Aelred invites the reader not just to admire Christ’s patience, but to embody it in their own struggles. Aelred’s theology of love is drawn from both Augustinian and Cistercian thought. Like Augustine, Aelred sees love as the ultimate path to God, and like Bernard of Clairvaux, he understands love as an active response to divine grace. Aelred extends this concept to love for one’s enemies, arguing that true love must be universal because if love excludes enemies, it remains incomplete. Forgiveness is not weakness but strength, overcoming hatred by transforming the heart. The fire of divine love must not grow cold, for resentment and injury should never diminish the Christian’s ability to love. This idea resonates with Saint Paul’s exhortation to bless persecutors and overcome evil with good. Aelred presents this not as an idealistic aspiration but as an essential mark of Christian holiness. Aelred’s words challenge believers to examine their own attitudes toward forgiveness and reconciliation. Many individuals struggle with resentment, past wounds, and a sense of justice, yet Aelred reminds Christians that true spiritual freedom comes not from revenge but from the ability to love as Christ loved. His teaching is especially relevant in a world marked by division, hostility, and conflict. To live this teaching requires a conscious decision to forgive, even when forgiveness feels undeserved, a focus on Christ’s example, keeping one’s spiritual eyes on Jesus’ patience and gentleness, and a heart open to grace, allowing God to soften any areas hardened by pain. For Aelred, Christian perfection is found in imitating Christ’s love on the cross. To love one’s enemies is to participate in the very life of God, for as the Apostle John declares, “God is love.” This reading encapsulates Aelred’s monastic and theological vision, in which love is not merely a virtue but the summation of Christian perfection. Love, when extended even to one’s enemies, makes a person like Christ. Love is the path to holiness, the fire that purifies the soul, and the mark of a true disciple. In this reflection, Aelred does not offer abstract philosophy but a deeply practical and demanding call to live as Christ lived. From The Mirror Of Love By Saint Aelred, Abbot The perfection of brotherly love lies in the love of one’s enemies. We can find no greater inspiration for this than grateful remembrance of the wonderful patience of Christ. He who is more fair than all the sons of men offered his fair face to be spat upon by sinful men; he allowed those eyes that rule the universe to be blindfolded by wicked men; he bared his back to the scourges; he submitted that head which strikes terror in principalities and powers to the sharpness of the thorns; he gave himself up to be mocked and reviled, and at the end endured the cross, the nails, the lance, the gall, the vinegar, remaining always gentle, meek and full of peace. In short, he was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and like a lamb before the shearers he kept silent, and did not open his mouth. Who could listen to that wonderful prayer, so full of warmth, of love, of unshakeable serenity – Father, forgive them – and hesitate to embrace his enemies with overflowing love? Father, he says, forgive them. Is any gentleness, any love, lacking in this prayer? Yet he put into it something more. It was not enough to pray for them: he wanted also to make excuses for them. Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. They are great sinners, yes, but they have little judgement; therefore, Father, forgive them. They are nailing me to the cross, but they do not know who it is that they are nailing to the cross: if they had known, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory; therefore, Father, forgive them. They think it is a lawbreaker, an impostor claiming to be God, a seducer of the people. I have hidden my face from them, and they do not recognise my glory; therefore, Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. If someone wishes to love himself he must not allow himself to be corrupted by indulging his sinful nature. If he wishes to resist the promptings of his sinful nature he must enlarge the whole horizon of his love to contemplate […]
