Bible Verses About Grief

How it is used today: Used as a comfort that in heaven there are no more tears, pain or death, often read at funerals for loved ones who are now in heaven; careful teachers add that it describes the new heavens and earth after the final judgment, while still teaching that believers go to heaven when they die.

First spoken: John saw this vision while exiled on Patmos and wrote it to seven churches in Asia. It comes after the last judgment (20:11-15) and goes with "a new heaven and a new earth" (21:1) and the holy city "coming down out of heaven from God" (21:2), where "the tabernacle of God is with men" (21:3).

The early Christians: Tertullian reads the verse as a promise for the raised body: "nothing is eternal until after the resurrection," and the eyes God wipes are the same eyes that wept. Irenaeus says the substance of creation is not destroyed but renewed, with the new humanity living on in a new heaven and new earth, and he teaches that the souls of the faithful wait in a place God assigns until the resurrection, and only then, rising bodily, come into God's presence.

“Well, nothing is eternal until after the resurrection. And, he continues, "sorrow and sighing shall flee away." The angel says the same thing to John: "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes," in Revelation 7:17. These are indeed the same eyes that had wept before, and that might weep again, if the loving-kindness of God did not dry up every fountain of tears.” Tertullian, On the Resurrection of the Flesh

“it is clear that the souls of His disciples also, for whom the Lord underwent these things, shall go away into the invisible place assigned to them by God, and remain there until the resurrection, awaiting that event; then receiving their bodies, and rising wholly, that is bodily, just as the Lord rose, they shall come into the presence of God.” Irenaeus, Against Heresies, Book V

The difference: Today this verse is often used to describe heaven, where believers go when they die. The early Christians read it as a promise for the resurrection: the same bodies and eyes that wept will be raised, on a renewed earth, and they taught that the faithful dead wait for that day rather than having it already.

How it is used today: Used as a promise that God provides every need and walks with believers through death and fear; read at funerals for comfort.

First spoken: David, a shepherd turned king, wrote it as a song of trust. Verse 4's rod and staff are the shepherd's tools to protect and to guide, and verse 6 looks to dwelling in the Lord's house.

The early Christians: Chrysostom cites verse 2 and reads the green pastures and still waters as the rest of the coming kingdom, and he preaches hell as a warning so we reach it. Origen reads the rod as God's correction: a sinner who sees the rod coming should know mercy is near.

“I wish that my talk could always be about the things of the kingdom, about the rest, about the still waters, and about the green pastures, as Scripture says: "He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters" Psalm 23:2. There He makes me dwell.” John Chrysostom, Homilies on Philippians

“For this reason God threatens hell: so that no one may fall into hell, and so that we all may gain the kingdom.” John Chrysostom, Homilies on Philippians

The difference: Today it is mostly heard as present comfort and provision. The early Christians heard it as the rest God is leading us to, reached through repentance and a righteous life, with the rod as loving correction.

How it is used today: Used as a promise that Jesus gives rest to anyone worn out by stress, grief or guilt, and often to teach that He frees us from the heavy burden of trying to earn salvation by keeping religious rules.

First spoken: Jesus said this to the crowds in Galilee, right after thanking the Father for showing these things to "babes" and not to the wise (verses 25-27). The rest comes with a yoke: "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me," and earlier in the same Gospel He said the way to life is narrow and hard (7:13-14).

The early Christians: John Chrysostom says the heavy burden Jesus lifts is sin, and the yoke He gives in its place is His own commands: humility, meekness, turning the other cheek, giving up possessions. It is light only for those who are earnest, because "we too must certainly labor ourselves." Clement of Alexandria hears it as Christ calling all people to take His yoke and run toward immortality, and the Didache speaks of bearing "the whole yoke of the Lord."

“This is what He was hinting at when He did not first say, "Take My yoke upon you," but before that, "Come, you who labor and are heavy laden," implying that sin also has labor, and a burden that is heavy and hard to bear.” John Chrysostom, Homilies on Matthew

“For this reason Christ also, to show that we too must certainly labor ourselves, did not speak only of the gracious things and then keep silent, nor only of the painful things, but set down both. So He both spoke of a yoke and called it easy, and named a burden and added that it was light, so that you would neither run from them as burdensome nor despise them as too easy.” John Chrysostom, Homilies on Matthew

The difference: Today this verse is often used to promise rest from stress or from the work of keeping rules. The early Christians read it as rest from the weight of sin, given to those who take on Christ's yoke of obedience and humility, a yoke that is light because we carry it with Him, not because there is nothing to carry.

How it is used today: Used as a promise of inner calm: Jesus gives a peace that the world cannot, so a believer need not be anxious or afraid.

First spoken: Said at the Last Supper, just before His arrest, to the eleven disciples who were troubled that He was leaving (14:1, 14:28-29).

The early Christians: Cyprian quotes it to call Christians to live in peace and unity with one another, and says Christ's gifts are promised through keeping that peace. Chrysostom says it is a peace with Christ that the world's troubles cannot harm, a peace in which the disciples are at peace with one another.

“Among His divine commands and saving teachings, when the Lord was very near His passion, He added this one, saying, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you," John 14:27. He gave this to us as an inheritance. He promised all the gifts and rewards He spoke of through the keeping of peace. If we are fellow heirs with Christ, let us remain in the peace of Christ.” Cyprian, Treatises

“But I give you a kind of peace in which you are at peace with one another, and this makes you stronger.” John Chrysostom, Homilies on John

The difference: Today the verse is mostly taken as a calm inside the person. Chrysostom agrees it is a peace the world's troubles cannot harm, but he and Cyprian put first a peace with one another, a gift kept by those who stay united and live as peacemakers.