In John 11, Martha and Mary both tell Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus saw Mary and the Jews weeping, John reports that Jesus “was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved;” also, Jesus wept. Reflecting on this event in Jesus’ life and ministry influenced me to think of “Seven Things About Jesus Raising Lazarus from the Dead.”
1. Though Jesus was the Creator of all, and though all things were made through Him, Jesus was greatly disturbed and wept over the death of Lazarus (see John 1:10).
2. Though Jesus knew He would raise Lazarus from the dead before He even left for Bethany, and even though He knew the moment Lazarus died; four days after Lazarus died, Jesus wept publicly with Mary, Martha, and the Jews.
3. Was Jesus thinking of His own death when He contemplated the death of Lazarus, and so He wept?
4. Was Jesus thinking of now Lazarus might feel, being brought back from Paradise, and so Jesus wept?
5. Was Jesus thinking about all who must die before the work of His Church was finished on the Earth and He returned from heaven? Was Jesus thinking of the future death of Lazarus, Mary and Martha, His disciples, and others? Was Jesus thinking about the martyr’s death; such as the deaths of Stephen and James in the Book of Acts?
6. Did Jesus weep because He knew that death was an enemy? Even though Jesus wept, Jesus could also rejoice knowing that by His death He would take away the sting and victory of death over all who followed Him. The Apostle Paul wrote, “The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:56-57).
7. Did Jesus weep because, as the Apostle Paul later wrote, “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15)?
Why do you think Jesus wept? What reasons seem to be the best in your mind?
