There is in this chapter (John 11) something secretive, something hidden, something mysterious in the words and actions of our Lord. Lazarus was not sick unto death, but he died anyway. Jesus lets His friend die. Death is called a sleeping. Lazarus is dead and yet he isn‘t dead.

Usually people are curious about these tears of Jesus. People are often more concerned about this curiosity being satisfied than about knowing the Gospel in this portion of John.

Very commonly these tears of Jesus are explained to mean that He is so sympathetic. He cries with His people. A true Friend He was and is. Others say that He cried because He also here saw the terrible results of sin in the death of His bosom friend.

We believe there is something else here to which God wants to call our attention. Isn‘t this a part of the Gospel of John? And doesn’t John in his Gospel account set forth the amazing truth that God as Savior has come into the flesh? So it is also in John 11, this chapter.

The setting is that Jesus is approaching the end of His life. He will perform one more miracle, in the eyes of the people the greatest of all. Why? That men may know that He is the Son of God in the flesh, that only God can perform such supernatural deeds, and that they will believe on Him. This latter thought is very prominent in the chapter. To the disciples He had said, while still in Perea (east of Judea) that He was glad that He wasn’t at Bethany when Lazarus died, that they may believe. They must see Lazarus raised and see Jesus’ power. When Jesus later speaks to Martha and Mary He says that He is the resurrection and the life, and that he who believes in Him though he die, yet shall he live. Further, vs. 25, He that believes in Him shall never die. At the grave later Jesus says to Martha, “Said I not unto thee, that, if thou believedst thou shouldest sec the glory of God?” In His prayer Jesus emphasizes His purpose of it all, “That they may believe that thou hast sent me.” And what is the end of it all? This, some told the Pharisees but many others when they had seen the things which Jesus did believed on Him.

God always calls people to faith. So it was in the wilderness with the Israelites. He did so throughout the entire Old Testament, but surely so when the very Son of God was in their midst.

This mighty miracle of raising Lazarus, who already for four days had been subject to the power of decay, does not take place to give Lazarus a few more years of “continual death” nor to give him the “privilege” of dying twice, but that the Jews would believe on Him. And from it all men must learn that He has and will overcome both the physical and spiritual death.

Notice what Martha and Mary say in that light, “O, if only Jesus had been there when their dear brother was so sick, critically ill.” But now it’s too late. That’s the implication. A Savior that is distant from them physically means nothing to them. Poor people, indeed, who have such a Savior. Faith they have, yes for the future . . . in the work of God in the last day. But they don’t reveal faith for today in a Savior who gives blessings in the heart, even though He isn‘t near physically.

And don‘t we all need just exactly that, faith for today, as well as for the future? That He is Lord today, of body and soul, many fail to understand. To them Jesus really is no more than some kind of magician who does wonders and tricks, but not a Savior from death and hell, giving His blessings always. How the Lord had preached and preached, and how He had done so many miracles to teach them the spiritual truth of it all! Within a few weeks He would say, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” How often He had told them who He really is, what He came to do!

But Martha and Mary. O, if only the Lord had been there when Lazarus was so sick! But now he‘s dead. And they have no comfort for the present.

How they cry!

And Jesus also weeps! But why? For the same reason they did? Of course not! He sees that terrible unbelief, of even the very best of his followers and of his own dear friends as well as of the Jews. This thought is placed very strongly on the foreground in the verses 33, 37, and 38. You find there the word groan, that Jesus groaned in the spirit and was troubled. Why was He troubled? The word groan literally means that He was angry, emotionally upset. The commentator Lenski here uses the word, indignant. The Berkeley Version says that He was deeply indignant and vexed. The new Dutch translation uses a similar word, verbolgen. Why? And when? He saw Mary weeping. All the more was His spirit stirred up when they asked, “Could not this man, who opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?” Must people ask, regarding the very Son of God, whether it is a matter of being able to do it? Couldn‘t He, couldn’t He . . . ?

It is this that grieves Jesus in His human nature!

He is em6tionally deeply upset. It is a simple fact that great emotional disturbances bring forth tears. Creat sorrow produces tears and sometimes great joy will do the same. With Jesus there is a holy reaction over against all this unbelief. His emotions are deeply affected. In this holy reaction tears roll down His cheeks. This implies, of course, that faith on the part of the people would have caused Him to rejoice.

Profound questions arise in our minds and souls here. Couldn‘t Jesus who was able to raise Lazarus also have changed their hard hearts? Isn’t He the Son of the almighty God, and therefore also almighty? We surely believe that God controls all things and all situations in His life and ours. But here we are dealing with the human nature of Jesus and the presentation of the Gospel. This presentation and God’s counsel we surely cannot always harmonize.

Looking back we can see that Jesus intentionally waited until Lazarus was dead, that He might perform this great wonder. Again will He show them who He really is. Today this Jesus is Lord in heaven. Today He has all power in heaven and on earth. As the Savior who preaches the Gospel through all His servants, He calls those who hear to faith and repentance. His promises to His people are sure. He is ever near to all those who believe in Him, with His Word and Spirit. With respect to His Godhead, majesty, grace and spirit He is at no time absent from them. What a tremendous truth! As He let Lazarus die, He allows a lot of things to happen. Sometimes He lets the devil take over, and lets communism and other adversive powers have so much control. Nothing is outside of His control. But His promises are sure, and never fail for all those who believe and trust in Him. As Savior and Lord He is ever near His people. And true faith is never afraid, nor does it say, “If only, if only . . . .”

But . . . O that unbelief, that lack of faith and trust in this great, glorious Lord. Unbelief still characterizes so much of the lives of God’s children.

But towering above it all, and extending to the very end of time are His great promises. They are the promises of that ever living, ever near, and exalted Lord. Faith, even childlike faith in this Lord gives peace . . . .

No, Jesus did not cry out of sympathy. He cried because He so much wanted people to believe. And he still wants us to do that today. Faith in that Lord, the very Son of God gives peace and eternal blessings.

That‘s the purpose of John also with this account in His Gospel.