Men in the Bible who cry: Is it okay for men to cry? 

Is it okay for men to cry? Crying for men has been an issue. Some say that it is a sign of their weakness when they cry. At the same time, others think that it is acceptable for men to cry even in public.

What does the Bible tell us when it comes to crying?  Psalms 56:8 says that God counts our tears and puts them in a bottle. The Scripture means our cries are valuable to God regardless of gender. 

Moreover, Jesus regarded tears as necessary when Mary was washing his feet with her tears. He did not rebuke her as a manipulation but commended her.

Men in the Bible who cry

Regardless of beliefs about crying, some men in the Bible also express their feelings through crying. Some of them do not just cry but weep. 

They have various reasons why they cry. Here are some of the men in the Bible who cries.

Jesus Christ

The tears of Jesus Christ are a reminder that He loves sinners and cares for all people. In the Book of John Chapter 11, Jesus wept when He heard about the death of Lazarus. 

When Jesus saw Mary weeping and the Jews who had come with her were also weeping, He was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. 

In this passage, we can see that Jesus felt the pain of Mary and those who loved Lazarus and that He, as a Lord, was hurt by the circumstance. 

Then, the following verses noted that Jesus raised Lazarus and thanked the Heavenly Father for hearing His prayer. Jesus Christ could feel our grief and pray for us. If it is the Father’s will, He will grant our request. 

Thus, Jesus Christ, the Lord, and Savior himself, cries in public, and it is not an issue of gender. 

Jeremiah 

God chose Jeremiah before he was even born to be a prophet to the nation of Judah. He was God’s messenger during the reigns of Kings Josiah, Jehoiakim, and Zedekiah. 

Jeremiah 13:17 says that if God did not listen to him, he would weep secretly for his pride. “my eyes will weep bitterly and run down with tears because the LORD’s flock has been taken captive,” as emphasized by Jeremiah.

Additionally, Jeremiah grieved over the wickedness of God’s people and the impending judgment of their sins. He responded to Judah’s rebellion with tears of mourning. 

This is why he was regarded as the “weeping prophet.” He is often gloomy in his message, and he expresses his grief for God’s people.

Peter

Peter wept because of the guilt of what he did to Jesus. He failed and denied Jesus three times when people asked him if he was with Jesus. In Matthew 26:75, Peter remembered what Jesus said that he would deny him three times before the rooster crows. 

Then, Peter went out and wept bitterly. When we do something wrong, it is normal for us to feel bad and sorry regardless if we are a man or a woman. We are all guilty of doing bad things toward God. 

When we realize we were wrong, crying is the best way to express our disappointment and repentance.

Jacob

Jacob cried when he was happy and sad. In Genesis 29:11, he wept when he met Rachel. As mentioned, she was beautiful, and Jacob loved Rachel. 

We could see that crying is not just an expression of sorrow but genuine happiness. Jacob saw Rachel and was happy, so he cried. 

David

David is known as the man after God’s own heart because of how he expresses his deep affection for God. He cries when he asks God for forgiveness and deliverance against his enemies.

David is never ashamed to show his complete reliance on God. In 2 Samuel 12:16, David cried out to God for his child to live. He fasted and spent nights lying in sackcloth on the ground.

As a parent who loves his child dearly, he was in pain knowing his son was sick. Yet, crying before the Lord was never an issue to David. He cries out to the Lord to show that he is weak and needs the supremacy of God in his life.

Why is it okay for a man to cry?

We could see that even the most extraordinary men recorded in the Bible cry. Jesus Christ himself wept for his compassion and love for His people. The same is true with Jeremiah. He was sad that people were sinning, and God was mad. 

Moreover, Peter was guilty of rejecting Jesus Christ, especially when he needed him. Also, David cried out for help from God as a sign of his complete dependence on God’s miraculous power.

On the other hand, Jacob cried out of his happiness seeing the beautiful Rachel. 

Therefore, these men in the Bible show that it is acceptable and nothing is wrong if a man cries. It should not be an issue when they express their sorrows and happiness through tears.

Besides, the Bible does not say that men must not cry. So, when you cry, that does not mean you are sinning against God. 

Additionally, women admire those men who cry. A husband who cries in front of his wife means he is open and willing to trust his wife with his feelings.

Crying is not a sign of weakness

While some people think that men are weak when they cry, it symbolizes being human. 

Even Jesus Christ did not just cry but wept as a human. It shows that we are vulnerable with our feelings. Bursting out in tears is part of us and should not be determined by gender.

We cry because we are hurting or celebrating. God is so concerned about our feelings that he wants to comfort us. 

Thus, crying does not symbolize weakness but humility. When we cry, regardless of gender, we are humble before the Lord that we need him. When we surrender before the Lord, crying does not mean we are weak. But, it only means that we acknowledge our limitations.

A pastor once said in his preaching that our limitation is the beginning of the Lord. When we accept our limitations, God’s moving hands will start working on our behalf to carry our burdens.

Those who cry out unto the Lord will experience God’s wondrous works. So, men should not fear others’ validation when they cry. We should only be focused on asking for God’s help.

Furthermore, God admires men willing to accept their weaknesses and ask His help to strengthen them.