John 11:35 Jesus Wept

John 11:35  “Jesus wept”. (NASB)

Quoted here is the shortest verse in the Bible.  “Jesus Wept” often the delight of children challenged with Bible verse memorization, this one isn’t so tough.  It’s also the answer to the odd Bible trivia and etc. but there’s more here than just a novelty.

Let’s begin by putting the verse in context.

The verse is a part of chapter 11 of John’s gospel.  This verse deals with the death of Lazarus.  Lazarus and his two sisters Martha and Mary were close friends of Jesus.  There are several recorded interactions between them.  Jesus was a guest in their home at times during his ministry.  “It was the Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick”. John 11:2   Yes, Lazarus was sick and the sisters believed Jesus could heal him.  They had seen and heard of Jesus healing others so they thought now is the time to call on Jesus on behalf of our brother.  “So the sisters sent word to Him, saying, ‘Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.’" John 11:3  Recording that Jesus loved Lazarus further reveals the close relationship he had with this family.

Well, Jesus doesn’t just drop everything and run right over to their house.  He actually delayed his visit saying, "This sickness is not to end in death, but for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by it." John 11:4  So here he begins to reveal His motivation in this event.  We have to consider why it was that Jesus conducted a healing ministry in the first place.  If we give it some thought we realize that all sickness and death is the result of God’s judgment coming from the original sin in the garden.  Is it logical then that Jesus would come with a healing ministry that essentially reverses the curse one individual and one malady at a time?  No, that’s not what’s going on here.  Jesus’ ministry of healing was all about bringing glory to God, “So that the Son of God may be glorified by it”.  So this healing was all about the healer not the healed.  It was so that Jesus might be seen for who He really was, the Son of God.

So, as Lazarus lies sick at home, Jesus intentionally delays his visit and actually says, “This sickness is not to end in death”.  Jesus knew what he was trying to accomplish and He know what the outcome would be.  There were and are no surprises for Jesus.

As the story proceeds Lazarus actually does die.  Jesus even tells his disciples that Lazarus has “Fallen asleep” but they didn’t understand Him.  “So Jesus then said to them plainly, ‘Lazarus is dead’”, John 11:14  It is only then that Jesus sets out to go to Lazarus, Martha and Mary.  Some time elapses along the way because it is recorded that “So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days”. John 11:17

Scripture tells the story, “Martha then said to Jesus, ‘Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.  Even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.’  Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again."  Martha said to Him, ‘I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?’" John 11:21-26

Next, Mary encounters Jesus and she plainly says that if you had been here Lazarus would not have died.  What Mary says is true but it wasn’t what Jesus had in mind.  He allowed Lazarus to die and lie dead for four days.  Mary was upset as she speaks to Him.  “When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and was troubled”, John 11:33  After asking where Lazarus has been lain, we come to our verse for today, “Jesus wept”.  Was Jesus surprised by any of this?  No, He knew what was happening all along the way.  He knew Lazarus was sick, He knew Lazarus would die, He knew He would not arrive until Lazarus was dead four days and He knew he was about to be raised from the dead.  He knew.  And yet, “Jesus Wept”.

Was He putting on a show?  Was He teaching them somehow?  I don’t believe so; I believe “Jesus wept” when He observed the hurt in this family as they suffered this loss.  I believe Jesus hurt because they were hurting and he wept.  Jesus does go on to raise Lazarus from the dead and in that He fulfills the purpose of the whole episode.  He brings glory to God as He brings glory to the Son of God.

But today’s thought is about that short little verse, “Jesus wept”.  Jesus felt the hurt when loss is suffered and He hasn’t forgotten what that hurt is like.  Jesus our Savior knows the pain we suffer when loved ones die because He lived it too.  It’s not a theory to Him, it’s just as real as it is for us.  When we are hurting, when we have suffered loss of any kind we can turn in prayer to Jesus who is compassionate having hurt as we hurt and so much more.  AMEN!