4/7/2023 0 Comments Jesus wept bible verseThe stone represents fear, doubt, disbelief, and defeat. The removal of the stone allowed expectation to fill its place. The very command to roll away the stone helped to dissolve the conviction that Lazarus’ death was irreversible. If you had been one of the men rolling back the stone, what would you have been thinking at this point? What was everyone else thinking? How was their thinking evolving from being absolutely certain that Lazarus was dead, to curiosity as to what Jesus was going to do, and finally to expecting something amazing to happen? Now just imagine how long it must have taken for a bunch of strong men to move that stone. She hadn’t yet glimpsed what Jesus was about to do. How utterly disrespectful this action might have seemed to her. Martha’s immediate reaction was: Why bother, he’s been in there four days and stinks by now. It obviously will take more than one person to roll back the heavy stone at the entrance of the cave. So Jesus comes to the tomb and he tells those nearby, “Take ye away the stone.” Notice Jesus says “ye” which is second person plural. The human condition was his laboratory for proving the omnipotence and love of God. He took the grand truths of eternity and applied them to every day life. Jesus insisted he was the resurrection and the life that very moment-and every moment for all eternity.īut why did Jesus even go to the trouble of resurrecting Lazarus? If Lazarus was going to be resurrected at the Last Day as Martha believed, what difference did it make? In eternity, isn’t that all that really matters? Jesus emphatically declared “I am the resurrection, and the life.” Not was. She thought he meant here-after, at the Last Day. In fact, he had just comforted Martha that Lazarus would rise again. Jesus knew he would call Lazarus out of that tomb. Jesus had a very different perspective on death, what it was-and what it wasn’t. He actually had delayed his arrival on purpose and had told his disciples that he was glad he had not been there so their faith would be strengthened when they saw what he would do (see John 11:6,15). Nothing could be farther from the truth.ĭid Jesus think he was too late? Absolutely not! He knew exactly what he was about to do. And I have heard prominent preachers declare emphatically that Jesus was crying because he was grieving for Lazarus. From the way he was crying, those around him could tell that Jesus loved Lazarus. Jesus asks to see the burial place and begins to weep. ![]() “He’s too late,” is what everybody’s thinking. When he arrives, he learns that Lazarus has already been in the tomb four days. Jesus has just returned with his disciples to Bethany because he received word that his dear friend Lazarus was gravely ill. It’s about a week before Passover (and Jesus’ crucifixion). Was he sad, was he upset? What was going on that moved him to tears? As every Sunday School kid who has to memorize Scripture knows, this is the shortest (and easiest to learn) verse in the Bible.īut its size is not indicative of the deep spiritual insight it gives into the thinking of Christ Jesus.
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