by Jon Bloom
The shortest verse in the Bible is John 11:35: “Jesus wept.” But for all its grammatical simplicity, it’s packed with unfathomable complexity.
Jesus wept after speaking with Lazarus’ grieving sisters, Martha and Mary, and seeing all the mourners. That seems natural enough.
Except that Jesus had come to Bethany to raise Lazarus from the dead. He knew that in a few short minutes all this weeping would turn to astonished joy, and then tearful laughter, and then worship.
So one would think that Jesus would be a confident, joyful calm in that storm of sorrow. But he was “greatly troubled” (John 11:33) and he wept. Why?
Compassion for the Suffering
One reason is simply the deep compassion that Jesus felt for those who were suffering. It is true that Jesus let Lazarus die. He delayed coming, and he did not speak healing from a distance like he did for the centurion’s servant (Matthew 8:13), in Jesus at the tomb of Lazarus, we get a glimpse of how the Father feels over the affliction and grief his children experience.
Calamity of Sin
Another reason Jesus wept was over the calamity of sin. As God the Son who had come into the world to destroy the devil’s works (1 John 3:8). And ever since the fall of Adam and Eve, he had endured sin’s horrific destruction. Death had consumed almost1 every human being he had created. It had taken Lazarus, and it would take him again before it was all over. Tears of anger and longing were mixed with Jesus’ tears of grief.
Cost of Redemption
A third reason for weeping was the cost that he was about to pay to purchase not only Lazarus’ short-term resurrection but also his everlasting life. The cross was just days away, and no one really knew the inner distress (Luke 12:50). But the reality of what lay between was weighing heavily.
Cause of His Own Death
A fourth possible reason for Jesus’ tears was that he knew that raising Lazarus would actually cause the religious leaders to finally take action to put him to death (John 11:45-53). In this account, most of us probably marvel at Jesus’ incredible trust that his Father would answer him. We have such little faith. If Jesus had any struggle that day, it would not have been whether his Father would answer, but what would result when his Father answered. Calling Lazarus out of the tomb would have taken a different kind of resolve for Jesus than we might have imagined. Giving Lazarus life was sealing Jesus’ own death.
Just these few reasons for Jesus’ weeping at Lazarus’ tomb give us a glimpse into how God views our suffering and death. His reasons for not sparing us these things are righteous and glorious. But in them, he is full of compassion (Psalm 103:13). He hates the calamity sin brings, and he himself has suffered more than we will ever know in order to pay the full cost of our eternal redemption.
“Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.” (Psalm 30:5)
1Enoch and Elijah are the only exceptions in the Biblical record.
