(1) Words about Jesus' emotion
a. 11:33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the people who had come with her weeping, he was intensely moved in spirit and greatly distressed.
Intensely moved=(PNTC) In extra-biblical Greek, it can refer to the snorting of horses; as applied to human beings, it invariably suggests anger, outrage or emotional indignation.
greatly distressed=(BDAG) he was troubled or agitated; (NET) John uses it in 14:1 and 27 to describe the reaction of the disciples to the imminent death of Jesus, and in 13:21 the verb describes how Jesus reacted to the thought of being betrayed by Judas, into whose heart Satan had entered.
b. Why the weeping of Mary and of those around her caused Jesus' anger and agitation?
11:32 Now when Mary came to the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
Without hearing the words from Martha, Mary's words were the same as Martha's v.21, 30. Both of them only believed that Jesus had the ability to heal a dying person, not to resurrect a person from death. They knew Jesus loved them but they did not trust Him. He told them twice in v.4 and 23 that Lazarus will be resurrected.
Without hearing the words from Martha, Mary's words were the same as Martha's v.21, 30. Both of them only believed that Jesus had the ability to heal a dying person, not to resurrect a person from death. They knew Jesus loved them but they did not trust Him. He told them twice in v.4 and 23 that Lazarus will be resurrected.
c. 11:34 He asked, “Where have you laid him?” They replied, “Lord, come and see.” 11:35 Jesus wept.
wept= (PNTC) The verb wept (dakryō) is different from that describing the weeping of Mary and the Jews (klaiō): it means ‘to shed tears’, but usually in lament before some calamity. It is unreasonable to think that Jesus’ tears were shed for Lazarus, since he knew he was about to raise him from the dead (v. 11). Rather, the same sin and death, the same unbelief, that prompted his outrage, also generated his grief.
d. 11:38 Jesus, intensely moved again, came to the tomb.
intensely moved=same verb as in v.33. Note it was the same reason that provoked His emotion: people questioning why Jesus had not done something to keep Lazarus from dying v.37.
2. Trusting
Mary, Martha, and the people around them thought that Jesus' love should be shown if He came before Lazurus death and kept him from dying. Their lack of trust made Jesus angry and agitated.
Reflection: Do we insist that God has to help me in a certain way if He loves me? Do we not trust God if He chose to do things differently?
Jesus was angry, agitated, and shed tears for unbelief. Have we done anything to cause Him to react like that? Our worries or manipulations are not just some minor problems. They may be a reflection of our lack of trust to God.
Audrey
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