“Jesus wept” (John 11:35 ESV).
The shortest verse in the Bible is one of the most revealing. Did Jesus cry in grief because Lazarus had died? No, it doesn’t seem so. For He had already told His disciples that He was going to “awaken” Lazarus (John 11:11).
So why did He cry? Perhaps it was because He saw Mary crying. He was sympathetic to her loss and grief. Even though He knew that He was about to raise Lazarus, He was still affected by her tears. Jesus has a tender heart.
Yet His weeping was accompanied by something stronger than sympathy. For the Scripture says that when He saw Mary weeping He was “deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled” (John 11:33). The Greek word translated, “deeply moved” might literally be translated, “to groan or snort with anger.” In other words, Jesus cried angry tears. As the Bread of Life, death was anathema to His very being. He was disturbed about death itself. He so abhorred the wages that man’s sin had wrought that a sound like a snorting horse escaped his lips and tears fell down his cheeks. Jesus hates death.
As He approached Lazarus’ tomb, He commanded them to “roll the stone away!” Life said to Death, “Come forth!” And Lazarus was raised up and walked out of the tomb. Oh, the depth of Christ’s passion for us! Oh, the great love He has that he would die our death, so that we might receive His eternal Life.
PRAYER: Dear Father, the shortest verse teaches us much about our Lord and Savior Jesus. For He has compassion for us. He weeps for us. He loves us and is well acquainted with our grief. More than that, Jesus comforts us and saves us from sin and death. Thank You Father! Thank You for Jesus! In His name we pray, amen.