By: Robert Serreyn
Question? Is there any significance to John 11:35?
(John 11:35) Jesus wept.
Answer: Generally speaking No there is not.
Jesus was SIMPLY SHOWING feelings or emotions of sadness and sorrow.
(John 11:33) When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled.
NOTICE the words GROANED IN THE SPIRIT
Remember ALTHOUGH Jesus IS GOD he was ALSO HUMAN, in other – words God in Human flesh. God had to have a HUMAN BODY so that he COULD DIE for our sins but he also experienced sadness, anger, hunger, and tiredness just as we do.
(Hebrews 4:15) For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
(Isaiah 9:6) For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
– For unto us a child is born = took on a Human Body (humanity).
– unto us a son is given = Jesus = God – DEITY = God in the Flesh.
(John 1:1, 14) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (14) And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
I Believe that there was also a SECONDARY REASON why that Jesus wept…
When Lazarus died he went to PARADISE (ALL believers went to the paradise side in the center of the earth PRIOR to the Lord Jesus Christ going to the cross and shedding his blood as the COMPLETE PAYMENT ALONE for everyone sins. – Luke 23:43, 16: 19- 31, Matthew 12:40, Ephesians 4:8,9…
(1 John 2:2) And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
READ My Q & A #140 – Where is Hell located.
When Martha and Mary both had sent word to Jesus about their sick brother Lazarus they were hoping that he would come immediately to heal him, but Jesus DID NOT, why??? to PROVE that he was God in the Flesh and that he had POWER OVER DEATH.
(John 11:1 – 11, 17 – 21, 23 – 25, 33-44)
Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. (2) (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.) (3) Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. (4) When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified there (5) Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. (6) When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was. (7) Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judaea again. (8) His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again? (9) Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. (10) But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him. (11) These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. (17) Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already. (18) Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off: (19) And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. (20) Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house. (21) Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. (23) Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. (24) Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. (25) Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: (33) When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled,
(34) And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see. (35) Jesus wept. (36) Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him! (37) And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died? (38) Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. (39) Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days. (40) Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? (41) Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. (42) And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.(43) And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. (44) And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.
V5 STATES that he LOVED, Mary, Martha and Lazarus.
V11 Jesus CALLED Lazarus his friend.
Jesus LOVES his children(the saved, believer) (those who have TRUSTED in Christ ALONE as saviour) and he calls the saved HIS FRIENDS.
(Proverbs 18:24) A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
– There is a Friend = Jesus Christ, OUR SAVIOUR
(Hebrews 13:5) Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
God LOVES THE LOST also that is why he left heaven, took on a human body so that he could die and and shed his blood to pay for your and my sins on the cross.
(John 3:16) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
(1 Peter 2:24) Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
(2 Corinthians 5:21) For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
God DOES NOT want anyone to go to hell that IS WHY he paid the price for our sins by his Death, Burial, and Resurrection so that we would not have to if we would just SIMPLY BELIEVE (Trust In Alone) that he COMPLETELY PAID our sins on the cross.
(2 Peter 3:9) The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
REPENTANCE = Change of Mind… from WHAT YOU THOUGHT saved you, took you to heaven or gave you eternal life to BELIEVING that only Trusting Alone in the Death, Burial, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ as the COMPLETE PAYMENT for your sins GIVES YOU eternal life.
(Romans 4:5) But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
(Ephesians 2:8,9) For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (9) Not of works, lest any man should boast.
(Titus 3:5 – 7) Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; (6) Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; (7) That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
What Martha and Mary were asking was HUMAN SHORT SIGHTNESS and LACK OF UNDERSTANDING of spiritual and eternal things.
Martha and Mary where SIMPLY LOOKING at the TEMPORAL HAPPINESS of having there brother Lazarus back alive with them.
I BELIEVE the answer lies in V38 where Jesus GROANED a second time within himself for HE KNEW that he was taking Lazarus away from PARADISE (where he would NEVER be sick or die again) and bringing him back into this sin filled IMPERFECT world of suffering, sickness and death. where he would succumb again and be subject to INFIRMITIES and DEATH all over again.
The MOST IMPORTANT thing to know IS Jesus Christ as savior, just simply believe that Jesus Christ went to the cross and DIED and shed his blood, was BURIED and three days later RESURRECTED from the dead to pay for your sins.
-Christ DIED for you – Romans 5:8
-Christ PAID your sins in full – 2 Corinthians 5:21,1 Peter 2:24
-BELIEVE (Trust In Completely) in Christ ALONE as the complete payment of sin for salvation – John 3:16, Acts 16:31, Ephesians 2:8,9
“For the wages(payment) of sin is death (eternal torment in hell); but the GIFT(salvation) of God is eternal life THROUGH Jesus Christ our Lord”. Romans 6:23
IT IS THAT SIMPLE – THE GOSPEL TRUTH