Woman, why weepest thou?
Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. (John 20:15 KJV)
When Mary Magdalene and the others did not find Jesus’s body on Resurrection morning, she sat by the tomb and wept. Then she turned around and saw Jesus approaching her, but thought He was the gardener. Jesus approached her and asked, “woman, why weepest thou?” What a question!
Jesus had just been brutally executed, and she did not expect any inhabitant in Jerusalem that weekend to be ignorant of what had just happened. Mary was bereaved and grieving. Why did Jesus ask Mary this question? Naturally, it might seem absurd, but Jesus clearly did not ask the question to learn or know something from Mary. It is not the first time in scripture that the Lord asks us such questions, it is not for us to tell Him the answer but to bring us to an awareness of an important point.
Jesus stood in front of Mary, and she did not know there was no longer any need for the pain and grief she was enduring. Just before Jesus met her, verse 14 says:
“And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus” (John 20:14 KJV).
She saw Jesus standing and did not know it was Jesus. She continued to weep for the dead Jesus. Jesus asked her “woman, why weepest thou?”. What a heart-wrenching picture for us the Church! His Bride is weeping for things that are right in front of her. There is a price we are paying as a Church for our spiritual immaturity. The Lord, indeed, helps us grow to the fullness He has reserved for us.
MEDITATE
Please take a moment to think over the verse above in light of this devotional? Try to imagine the scene as though you were there present.
APPLY THE WORD
Jesus is saying to us today, “son or daughter, why weepest thou?” Are you weeping over an empty grave of that situation when the resurrected Christ is standing with the thing in His hands freely available to you? What is keeping you from enjoying, receiving, or becoming all Jesus already paid for? The answer is different for each of us. Mine is different from yours. Whatever it is, determine to grow to maturity in the faith and see His glory revealed on the earth!
PRAY
Thank the Lord for the suffering of the cross so that we will enter into His glory (1 Peter 1:11).
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