The Holy, Fierce Love of Christ
“Jesus wept.” (John 11:35 NKJV)
Have you ever considered how Jesus felt in moments of great emotional distress?
In His journeys and ministry, Jesus had many occasions to experience sorrow, generosity, lovingkindness, joy, humility…and righteous anger.
We know Christ has a compassionate side, but it makes sense as well that Jesus would be justifiably angry at the sinfulness He found here on earth. He turned over tables and used a whip against moneychangers, to cleanse the Temple (John 2:13-17) because He was “eaten up” with zeal for His Father’s holy house. He often rebuked the Pharisees and scribes for their legalistic hypocrisy.
I hadn’t thought until recently, though, about how deeply Jesus reacted to death.
During my walks around our neighborhood, I was stopped in my tracks by a message about this from Dr. Sinclair Ferguson.* In his devotions podcast called “Things Unseen,” Dr. Ferguson quoted 19th-century American theologian Benjamin B. Warfield, who described the emotions of Jesus Christ upon His arrival at the home of His friend Lazarus…after Lazarus had died.
The famous two-word verse, “Jesus wept,” according to Warfield, describes more than grief over the loss of His close friend. Jesus’ tears also indicated intense rage.
At the tomb of Lazarus, Jesus was said to be “groaning in the Spirit.” Other translations say He was “perturbed” or “troubled.” These emotional descriptions indicate Jesus was profoundly distressed.
This explanation—that Jesus erupted into tears because of extreme anger—is surprising to me. I hadn’t imagined Jesus would show much emotional response to something already planned for His path. Nothing was unknown to Him. He knew He would bring Lazarus back to life. There was no need to lament for a death that would shortly be reversed.
And yet, when Jesus saw the mourning by Lazarus’s sisters and friends, He was overcome with anguished love and fury. The objective of His rage was against Satan with all the death and violence the devil brought to earth in his prideful attempts to make himself superior to God.
Jesus erupted into tears because He loves His Father and His own with the same ferocity as He hates Satan and his works. Jesus hates death because of the sin behind it, because of Satan’s unyielding destruction, because of the way death separates us from each other. Christ’s emotions of hatred and indignation are actually as intense as His holy, sacrificial love.
Jesus’ love for us was powerful enough send Him to that which He equally hated—His own death on the cross—in order to preserve us forever for His kingdom in heaven.
Friend, there is nothing lukewarm about Christ. Even though He could have saved Himself from going through Satan’s hell of death, He submitted Himself to it and all the emotions behind it for you and for me. His love will never grow old, faint, weak, or apathetic but will always be pure and prevailing.
Satan’s still seeks to turn the hearts of God’s beloved people toward himself in death and slavery. But Jesus is our Warrior Shepherd, the One who charges into battle against Satan with the ferociousness of a trustworthy general who plans to end the war. Jesus is the One who will lead His followers to victory forever.
Dr. Ferguson concludes we should tremble in the face of that fierce love, and I agree—because it’s a “determined love, an uncompromising love, a holy love” committed to having the whole of our lives, to possessing us entirely. Otherwise, we can never really be happy.
Like Dr. Ferguson, I hope that’s the Jesus you know and trust. May we all learn how to love Him and others with the same passion as His.
Jesus Christ, Lord and Savior, my uncompromising Shepherd, let me bow in trembling before You, astonished by the power and intensity of Your love for me. Break me from being lukewarm in joining You on Your battlefield, but call me to love others as You do—with a holy, adamant love. Challenge me to hate the things of Satan and run into the fight with You against him. Make my heart sold out to You. In Your name, Amen.
*You can read transcripts of Dr. Ferguson’s Things Unseen podcasts at Ligonier Ministries, Ligonier.com. The site for this specific devotion on Christ’s anger is https://learn.ligonier.org/podcasts/things-unseen-with-sinclair-ferguson/the-anger-of-jesus. I encourage you to listen to Dr. Ferguson’s short podcasts—he has a charming Scottish accent and fascinating insights into theology.
Nancy C. Williams is a Christian wife/mom with a writing career spanning more than 40 years in business and journalism. Williams is the author of the novel To Love a Falcon and the devotional book A Crocus in the Desert: Devotions, Stories, and Prayers for Women Experiencing Infertility. Her blogs are featured on Crossmap.com and AriseDaily. To follow Nancy’s posts and news, go to her home page at NancyCWilliams.com and subscribe at the bottom.
© Copyright 2025 Nancy C. Williams (text and photography). Unless otherwise noted, Scripture verses are taken from the New King James Version®, Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. #emotions #compassion #love #fierce #anger #Jesus #Jesuswept
