“followed her” = The crowd of Jews had good intentions and wanted to be with Mary to help her in this time of loss, but in their ignorance they did the worst possible thing: they followed her when all that she wished was to spend some time alone with Jesus. This time was denied or at least severely shortened by the arrival of the Jews – not a mob wanting evil for Jesus, but a group of mourners desiring to help Mary as best they could in her grief. They had only good intentions in mind, but it robbed Mary of a blessing. I wonder how often we operate out of our empathy and sympathy and other good emotions when faced with the grief or pain of others, when the Lord may have other and better plans for them. If we could be a little slower to express our comfort in the ways in which we have become so comfortable, and instead seek the Lord and His will for the situation, we might become part of an awesome partnership with Jesus in what He wants to accomplish. There is no substitute for relationship. We need to stay close to Jesus and seek his counsel in everything, even in the good things that we plan to do.

“weep” (KJV) = “mourn” (NIV) = klaio = to weep audibly out of pain and grief; a loud expression of pain or sorrow; to wail or lament; to cry as a child; to mourn for the dead (Mt 2:18, Mark 5:38). It was the Jewish thought that the more unrestrained the expression of grief, the more honor was paid to the dead.

Matthew 2:18  “A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”

Mark 5:38  When they came to the home of the synagogue ruler, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly.

Some synonyms are:

• alalazo = to wail in oriental style, to howl in a consecrated, semi-liturgical fashion (“wailing loudly” in Mark 5:38 above).
• dakruo = to shed tears, weep silently (John 11:35).
  John 11:35  Jesus wept.
• threneo = to give formal expression to grief, to sing a dirge (“mourn” in John 16:20).
  John 16:20  I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.
• odurmos = to give verbal expression to grief, to lament (“mourning” in Matt 2:18).
  Matthew 2:18  “A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”
• stenazo = to express grief by inarticulate or semi-articulate sounds, to groan (“with a deep sigh” in Mark 7:34 and “groan inwardly” in Rom 8:23).
  Mark 7:34  He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means, “Be opened!”).
  
  Romans 8:23  Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.