“Jesus wept.”
John 11:35 NIV
John adds a detail in this story he doesn’t want you to miss.
It’s not in the resurrection of Lazarus.
Yes, Lazarus gets called back from the dead—pretty amazing story. But John has seen that. And John has reported the life-giving power of Jesus. The second person of the Trinity, who was at the creation of the world when life was spoken into being, is now speaking life into the dead. That’s powerful. But that is not what makes John take note.
It’s not even in the theological conundrum of why Jesus chooses to wait to see Lazarus. Pastors and Professors have tried to make sense of this for centuries. Why would Jesus allow Lazarus to die? So he could bring him back? So he could strengthen the faith of his disciples? So he could ignite faith in the onlooking skeptics? Fascinating, but not what makes John get out his pen.
It’s not even in the conversation with Mary and Martha. Two grieving sisters, one sad, one mad – the two postures we all take at a funeral. “Jesus, I’m glad you’re here” to “Jesus, where have you been!” It’s in one of these conversations that Jesus shares one of his most powerful statements “I am the resurrection and the life.” Noted. But still, not the one John highlights.
When John thinks of how Jesus loves’ he thinks beyond Jesus fixing things. Yes, He could bring someone back from the dead. Yes, He could even prevent death. Yes, He could explain the deepest questions of the universe about why death is allowed or prevented. And that would show how Jesus can love by remedying questions and problems. But the way that Jesus loves that stops John in his tracks is captured in two words.
Jesus wept.
I’m not sure if John is the only disciple who notices or just the only one who writes it down, but John wants us to know… the one who created the universe, the one who has the answer to all of life’s mysteries, the one who can bring the dead back to life and fix all of life’s ills… He cried.
He even commented that someone else noticed and said, “see how he loved.” John thinks everyone should know that. Jesus loves in such a way that when your heart breaks… so does his.
There’s something about a friend who cries with you. John watched Jesus do this with Mary and Martha. And a couple of years later, John would return the favor. When Jesus hung on the cross and cried out in pain, John, though powerless, stayed at his feet and wept. John knew Jesus would do the same for him.
Today’s prayer:
Jesus, thank you for weeping with me.