Repeated words: 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.11:34 He asked, “Where have you laid him?” They replied, “Lord, come and see.” 11:35 Jesus wept.
11:38 Jesus, intensely moved again, came to the tomb.
At first, when Jesus saw the reaction of the people to the tomb His emotion was distressed. Later on when He Himself came to the tomb He was moved again (same word in Greek as in v.33). Why?
Greatly distressed=he was troubled or agitated (BDAG), same word is used to describe Jesus’ feelings towards the betrayed of Judas 13:21 When he had said these things, Jesus was greatly distressed in spirit, and testified, “I tell you the solemn truth, one of you will betray me.”
(NET)...he [Jesus] was angry because he found himself face-to-face with the manifestations of Satan’s kingdom of evil. Here, the realm of Satan was represented by death.
This was not personal grief over the loss of a friend (since Lazarus was about to be restored to life) but grief over the effects of sin, death, and the realm of Satan. It was a natural complement to the previous emotional expression of anger (11:33).
The key group of persons: Note there was no mentioning of the reaction of Martha, Mary or even Lazarus after the miracle took place. The last description of the miracle was Jesus’ words, “Unwrap him and let him go.” v.44. Then John turned to the group of Jews who came with Mary.
11:45 Then many of the people, who had come with Mary and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in him. 11:46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and reported to them what Jesus had done.
Some believed, but some went to the Pharisees. (PNTC) One might charitably hope that the motive of at least some of them was to win the Pharisees to the truth, but the contrast set up between those who believe and those who go to the Pharisees suggests that their intent was more malicious.
Reflection: There is not much Jesus could have done and did not to show the people about Who He is. He even raised a person from death whose body had already started to decay V.39. The Son of God was glorified through God’s glory v.4, 40. Perhaps that was the reason why John wrote 1:5 And the light shines on in the darkness, but the darkness has not mastered it and 3:20 For everyone who does evil deeds hates the light and does not come to the light, so that their deeds will not be exposed.
Encountering with God and believing in God are 2 different things. Although we should not be, people with a hardened heart can see the glory of God but not believe. Am I like that? I read the Bible every day, but not being changed? I pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit but not following?
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