Jesus' Empathy for Those in Suffering and Grief
Jesus' Empathy for Those in Suffering and Grief
Jesus' empathy for those in suffering and grief is a recurring theme in the Gospels. The biblical accounts portray Jesus as having compassion on the afflicted, the sick, and those who mourn. For instance, when Jesus encountered two blind men, "he had compassion on them, and touched their eyes. And immediately their eyes received sight" [1]. Similarly, upon seeing a great multitude, Jesus "had compassion on them, and healed their sick" [2].
The Gospels also highlight Jesus' emotional response to human suffering. When Jesus saw Mary weeping for her brother Lazarus, "he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled" [6]. This emotional response demonstrates Jesus' capacity for empathy and his willingness to engage with those who are suffering. According to Matthew Henry, Jesus' groaning in spirit indicates his "tender sympathy with his afflicted friends, and the share he took to himself in their sorrows" [6].
The biblical accounts of Jesus' life and ministry emphasize his role as a compassionate high priest. The book of Hebrews notes that Jesus "can have compassion on those who are ignorant and out of the way" because he has been tempted in all points like humanity, yet without sin [7]. This understanding of Jesus' empathy is rooted in his human experience and his willingness to identify with those who suffer.
The early Christian tradition also reflects on Jesus' empathy for those in suffering. John Chrysostom, an Eastern Orthodox father, emphasizes the importance of compassion in Christian life, citing Jesus' example [5]. Similarly, John Gill, a Baptist/Reformed commentator, notes that Jesus is "a compassionate Saviour both of the bodies and souls of men" [8].
The biblical basis for Jesus' empathy is not limited to the Gospels. The Old Testament provides a foundation for understanding God's compassion and mercy. The Psalms, for example, describe God as one who "shall spare the poor and needy... pity them, have mercy and compassion on them, and sympathize with them" [9]. Jesus' empathy is seen as a reflection of God's character, demonstrating a continuity between the Old and New Testaments.
The significance of Jesus' empathy for those in suffering and grief lies in its implications for Christian discipleship. The New Testament writers encourage believers to follow Jesus' example by showing compassion and sympathy to those in need [3, 4]. The apostle Paul, for instance, exhorts believers to "rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn" [3]. This call to empathy is not limited to emotional support but also includes practical care for those in need.
Sources
- Matthew “Matthew 20:34 (Tyndale) — Iesus had copassion on the and touched their eyes. And immediatly their eyes receaved syght. And they folowed him.”
- Matthew “Jesus went out, and he saw a great multitude. He had compassion on them, and healed their sick. -- Matthew 14:14”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Communion With God — Christ set an example of -- Lu 19:41,42. Exhortation to -- Ro 12:15; 1Pe 3:8. Exercise towards The afflicted. -- Job 6:14; Heb 13:3. The chastened. -- Isa 22:4; Jer 9:1. Enemies. -- Ps 35:13. The poor. -- Pr 19:17. The weak. -- 2Co 11:29; Ga 6:2. Saints. -- 1Co 12:25,26. Inseparable from love to God -- 1Jo 3:17; Joh 4:20. Motives to The compassion of God. -- Mt 13:27,33. The sense of our infirmities. -- Heb 5:2. The wicked made to feel, for saints -- Ps 106:46. Promise to those who show -- Pr 19:17; Mt 10:42. Illustrated -- Lu 10:33; 15:20. Exemp”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Afflicted, Duty Toward The — To pray for them -- Ac 12:5; Php 1:16,19; Jas 5:14-16. To sympathise with them -- Ro 12:15; Ga 6:2. To pity them -- Job 6:14. To bear them in mind -- Heb 13:3. To visit them -- Jas 1:27. To comfort them -- Job 16:5; 29:25; 2Co 1:4; 1Th 4:18. To relieve them -- Job 31:19,20; Isa 58:10; Php 4:14; 1Ti 5:10. To protect them -- Ps 82:3; Pr 22:22; 31:5.”
- CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on Galatians–Colossians–Thessalonians: 13:17 13:23 James 1:6 2:13 2:19 2:26 3:11 4:3 1 Peter 1:3 1:12 2:13 2:21 2:21 2:22 2:22 2:22 5:5 5:8 5:8 5:8 2 Peter 2:4 3:13 1 John 2:9 3:2 3:8 4:8 Revelation 1 1:4 1:9 1:11 1:16 1:20 2 3 3:12 14:1 14:4 14:13 15:6 20:9 22:16 Tobit 12:9 Wisdom of Solomon 1:4 1:14 11:23 11:24 14:16 Sirach 2:2 2:2 2:4 2:10 2:11 2:27 3:10-12 3:11 5:6 6:14 6:16 6:34 7:6 7:31 9:13 9:15 10:9 10:12-13 11:1 11:2 11:3 11:3 11:4 11:15 11:28 12:13 13:15 14:9 15:9 16:3 18:13 18:13 19:14-15 20:20 21:2 22:21-22 23:17 23:17 25:1 25:1 25:11 26:27 28:6 31:1 32:10”
- John (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on John 11:33: Here we have, I. Christ's tender sympathy with his afflicted friends, and the share he took to himself in their sorrows, which appeared three ways: - 1. By the inward groans and troubles of his spirit (Joh 11:33): Jesus saw Mary weeping for the loss of a loving brother, and the Jews that came with her weeping for the loss of a good neighbour and friend; when he saw what a place of weepers, a bochim, this was, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled. See here, (1.) The griefs of the sons of men represented in the tears of Mary and her friends. What an emblem was”
- Hebrews (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Hebrews 4:15: For--the motive to "holding our profession" (Heb 4:14), namely the sympathy and help we may expect from our High Priest. Though "great" (Heb 4:14), He is not above caring for us; nay, as being in all points one with us as to manhood, sin only excepted, He sympathizes with us in every temptation. Though exalted to the highest heavens, He has changed His place, not His nature and office in relation to us, His condition, but not His affection. Compare Mat 26:38, "watch with me": showing His desire in the days of His flesh for the sympathy of those whom H”
- Mark (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Mark 8:2: I have compassion on the multitude,.... Christ is a compassionate Saviour both of the bodies and souls of men: he had compassion on the souls of this multitude, and therefore had been teaching them sound doctrine and he had compassion on the bodies of many of them, and had healed them of their diseases; and his bowels yearned towards them all; because, says he, they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat; for if they brought any food with them, it was all spent, and they were in a wilderness, where nothing was to be got; where they had no house to ”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 72:13: He shall spare the poor and needy,.... Pity them, have mercy and compassion on them, and sympathize with them; such an one is Christ, a merciful King, as well as High Priest, who is touched with a feeling of his people's infirmities, and who in his love and pity has redeemed them; and shall save the souls of the needy; not to the exclusion of their bodies, which are also his care and charge, are bought with his blood, are preserved by him, will be raised from the dead, and made like his glorious body; but souls are mentioned as being the most excellent part of man,”