It was a sight to awaken sympathy. The deceased was the only son of his mother, and she a widow. The lonely mourner was following to the grave her sole earthly support and comfort. "When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her." As she moved on blindly, weeping, noting not His presence, He came close beside her, and gently said, "Weep not." Jesus was about to change her grief to joy, yet He could not forbear this expression of tender sympathy.

Det var et syn, der måtte vække deltagelse. Den afdøde var sin moders eneste søn, og hun var enke. Den ensomme, sørgende kvinde fulgte sin eneste jordiske støtte og trøst til graven. "Da Herren så hende, ynkedes han inderligt over hende." Medens hun grædende vandrede fremad som i blinde og ikke lagde mærke til hans tilstedeværelse, gik han tæt hen til hende og sagde blidt: "Græd ikke!" Jesus ville forvandle hendes sorg til glæde, men alligevel kunne han ikke lade være med at sige disse kærligt medfølende ord.