This was the only thing that attracted Christ's attention. Although full of suffering, while bearing the sins of the world, He was not indifferent to the expression of grief. He looked upon these women with tender compassion. They were not believers in Him; He knew that they were not lamenting Him as one sent from God, but were moved by feelings of human pity. He did not despise their sympathy, but it awakened in His heart a deeper sympathy for them. "Daughters of Jerusalem," He said, "weep not for Me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children." From the scene before Him, Christ looked forward to the time of Jerusalem's destruction. In that terrible scene, many of those who were now weeping for Him were to perish with their children.

Dette var det eneste, der tiltrak sig Kristi opmærksomhed. Så lidende som han end var, medens han bar verdens synd, så var deres udtryk for sorg ham ikke ligegyldigt. Han betragtede disse kvinder med den ømmeste medfølelse. De troede ikke på ham. Han vidste, at de ikke græd over ham som den, der var udsendt af Gud, men at de lod sig røre af følelser af menneskelig medlidenhed. Han ringeagtede ikke deres deltagelse, men den vakte en dybere medfølelse for dem i hans sjæl. "I Jerusalems døtre!" sagde han, "græd ikke over mig, men græd over jer selv og over jeres børn!" Fra hvad der foregik omkring ham, så Kristus frem til tiden for Jerusalems ødelæggelse. Under disse frygtelige begivenheder skulle mange af dem, der nu græd over ham, omkomme sammen med deres børn.