Meaning of John 11:35

The profound simplicity of "Jesus wept" in John 11:35 is a pivotal moment in the Gospel narrative, revealing the depth of Jesus' humanity and the intensity of His divine compassion. This brief statement encapsulates the emotional response of Jesus upon witnessing the grief of Mary and Martha, and indeed the broader sorrow of humanity, at the death of their beloved brother, Lazarus. It is not merely an expression of sadness but a visceral reaction to loss, a testament to His shared experience of human suffering, and a precursor to His ultimate demonstration of power over death. This weeping, occurring before He raises Lazarus from the dead, underscores that His miracle is not an unemotional act of divine power, but an intervention born from genuine empathy and love for His friends.

Context and Background

The immediate context for John 11:35 is the account of the death and resurrection of Lazarus. Jesus, having heard of Lazarus's illness, deliberately delayed His return to Bethany, arriving four days after Lazarus had died and been buried. Upon His arrival, He is met by Mary and Martha, who express their sorrow and their faith, albeit with a sense of questioning why Jesus did not come sooner. It is at this point, seeing Mary weeping and the Jews who had come to comfort her also weeping, that Jesus' emotions are stirred, leading to the shortest, yet arguably most impactful, verse in the entire Bible. The preceding verses (John 11:33-34) describe Jesus being deeply moved and troubled in spirit, and then asking where Lazarus had been laid, before this climactic weeping.

Key Themes and Messages

• Divine Compassion and Empathy: The weeping of Jesus is a powerful display of His profound empathy. He feels the pain of loss as if it were His own, demonstrating that God is not distant or indifferent to human suffering.
• The Fullness of Christ's Humanity: This verse is a crucial piece of evidence for the doctrine of the Incarnation, affirming that Jesus was fully human. His tears are an authentic human response, not a mere pretense.
• The Reality of Grief and Loss: Jesus acknowledges and validates the reality of human grief. His weeping suggests that sorrow is a natural and understandable response to death and separation.
• The Power of Love: The tears are a manifestation of His deep love for Lazarus and His friends, Mary and Martha. This love is the motivation behind His subsequent miracle.
• Anticipation of the Resurrection: While weeping, Jesus is also preparing to demonstrate His power over death. His sorrow is not one of despair, but of a love that will ultimately conquer death.

Spiritual Significance and Application

For believers, John 11:35 offers immense comfort. It assures us that God understands our pain and that Jesus, having experienced our deepest sorrows, can empathize with our grief. When we weep, we are not alone; Jesus weeps with us. This verse encourages us to bring our grief, our pain, and our losses to God, knowing that He is not unmoved. It also calls us to greater compassion towards those who are suffering, reflecting the empathy shown by Christ. Furthermore, it reminds us that even in the face of death, there is hope, as Jesus' tears are a prelude to victory over the grave.

Relation to the Broader Biblical Narrative

This event is a significant foreshadowing of Jesus' own crucifixion and resurrection. Just as He wept over Lazarus, He later displayed profound sorrow and anguish in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:38), anticipating His own suffering and death. The weeping over Lazarus is a tangible demonstration of the power that will overcome death, a power He will fully exercise in His own resurrection. It also aligns with the Old Testament prophecies of a suffering servant who would bear the griefs of His people (Isaiah 53:4). The tears are a bridge between His divine nature and His human experience, fulfilling the promise of a High Priest who can sympathize with our weaknesses (Hebrews 4:15).

Analogies

One analogy for Jesus' weeping is that of a loving parent witnessing their child's profound sadness over a broken toy. The parent might feel a pang of sorrow not just for the broken toy, but for the child's distress, and perhaps even a sense of helplessness in that moment, before finding a way to comfort or fix the situation. Another analogy could be a physician who, despite knowing they can ultimately heal a patient, feels the acute pain and suffering of that patient before administering the cure. The weeping isn't a sign of defeat, but of deep connection and shared humanity.

Relation to Other Verses

• John 11:33-34: These verses directly precede John 11:35, describing Jesus as "deeply moved in spirit and troubled" and asking, "Where have you laid him?" This shows the internal turmoil and emotional stirring that led to His tears.
• Hebrews 4:15: "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin." Jesus' weeping demonstrates this ability to sympathize with human weakness and sorrow.
• Matthew 26:38: In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus tells His disciples, "My soul is very sorrowful, even to death." This echoes the profound sorrow He experienced at Lazarus's tomb, highlighting His genuine human emotional capacity.
• Isaiah 53:4: "Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows." Jesus' weeping over Lazarus can be seen as a fulfillment of this prophecy, as He bears and carries the griefs of humanity.
• Luke 19:41: As Jesus approached Jerusalem, He "wept over it." This demonstrates that His weeping was not limited to personal loss but extended to a sorrow for the spiritual state of His people.