Why did Jesus Cry?

 

Why did Jesus Cry?

By Bob and Mary Ann Wray

My husband, Bob, just dropped a revelation nugget on me from Heaven: 1 Thess 4: 13-18 and John 11: 1-35...

He said to me, when Jesus wept upon arriving at Bethany after delaying for several days, it wasn't because he was mourning. It wasn’t because Lazarus was dead. It was because the people had no hope! They didn't understand the "resurrection" of the dead!

I never heard it put that way before. That drove me to the scripture to dig out more treasures of revelation knowledge of Jesus Christ!

Adding on to this insight I read the same passages but within their whole context and saw a few more things…

1. That is the reason why Jesus deliberately delayed two days after he got the news of Lazarus sickness and said in verse 4, "This illness is not unto death but for the glory of God so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” He was getting prepared to work the greatest Miracle before His crucifixion. A man dead for four days and in the state of decay, wrapped in grave clothes was getting ready to live again. Yes, Lazarus would die again, one day, but not from such a sickness as this. I believe to a ripe old age. No doubt he served god for the rest of His days on earth telling the wondrous things God did for others and how he was raised from the dead.

2. Verse 33 tells us when Jesus saw Martha weeping along with the other Jews who had come with her, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly 'troubled'. It doesn’t say Jesus was sad, upset, mournful or anything like that. In fact, one translation says he was indignant? Why? Let’s find out!

3. The custom of grieving and burial in Jewish custom was to wail and cry as loud as one could. They even hired “mourners” to do this. The louder they cried the more honor they showed to the deceased. The louder the cry reflected the honor he/ she were said to have had in their lifetime for doing good and being loved by others. They also had a customer of collecting the mourners’ tears in a lachrymatory (small bottle) as a symbol of love and honor for the deceased.

“You have taken account of my wanderings. Put my tears in Your bottle—are they not in Your book?”
Psalm 56: 8

4. These mourners were grieving AS those with NO HOPE. When Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead he was demonstrating HE IS THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE. He would demonstrate it again in His own resurrection just days after Lazarus’ miracle. Ironically, some of the same people would bury Him in a tomb after he died on a cross for their sins. It would be another test of their faith, but an even more glorious lesson on the mercy, love and power of God towards those who BELIEVE in Christ Jesus! See James 1: 2-3. Faith that isn’t tested is faith that can’t be trusted per Greg Laurie.

5. Jesus, the giver of eternal life, and Resurrection of the dead is the God of all HOPE! Without THIS hope we are people to be pitied most. The Apostle Paul wrote.

“If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.” 1 Corinthians 15: 19

6. Even though most Jews believed in the Resurrection of the dead (See Job 19: 25-27) they didn't have the full understanding of it. There was a sect of Jews called the Sadducees who didn't believe in the Resurrection at all. Lazarus’ mourners didn't realize that THE RESURRECTION was standing right in front of them! Martha believed Jesus was the Christ and could heal all manner of sickness and disease, but concerning the resurrection of the dead, her understanding was limited. She thought it would come later on but couldn’t possibly happen to her brother at that ‘time’!

“Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.  But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.”  Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.”  John 11: 21-24

7. Jesus was about to show Martha and company something amazing and miraculous that would impact them all in a profound way. That is what true miracles do. They make a lasting impact on a life and demonstrate the Power of God for the Glory of God. Not the glory of man or to ‘prop’ him or her up as a ‘miracle worker.’ Those kinds of miracles that prop man up aren’t real. They are false signs and wonders. See 2 Thessalonians 2: 9; Mark 13: 22; Matthew 24: 24; 2 Corinthians 12: 12; Hebrews 2: 1-4

"I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.” John 11: 25-27

7. At the time of Lazarus death and as the people mourned, they mourned without HOPE. That is why Jesus 'heart was grieved and troubled. He came to die for the sins of the World, but he died to Rise again and give us the promise of Eternal life by His grace through our faith in Him! They didn't have the full understanding of His purpose and ministry YET! Jesus showed them that day!

"And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.” John 11: 41-44

8. But many of the same Jews who were there while witnessing this Messianic Miracle, went to the Pharisees about the miracle of Lazarus’ resurrection. Their hearts were not moved towards God at all. They hated him all the more for it and told the chief priest et all what happened. However, and ironically, The High priest Caiaphas had a prophetic utterance from the Father. That word 'stayed' the consequences their wrath against Jesus until the appointed "time" of His sacrifice, a few days later...

"Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him, but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all. Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish. “He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. So from that day on they made plans to put him to death.
John 11: 45-53

9. Jesus 'withdrew' after performing this miracle and spent the remainder of His time with His disciples teaching and instructing them, counseling them about the purpose of the Holy Spirit that would come and take His place after He was gone from the earth physically, washing their feet, and praying for them. He was preparing them as well as Himself for the purpose of His coming to earth in the form of human flesh, yet God almighty. The next days with His beloved disciples, led up to the Great Passover, His betrayal, arrest, crucifixion and glorious resurrection! See John chapters 11-21

"Jesus therefore no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there to the region near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim, and there he stayed with the disciples." John 11: 54

10. And what about you, my friend? Do you know Christ? Have you suffered the loss of loved ones and have no hope of seeing them again? Do you believe you’ll just die one day, cease to exist and that’s the end of you; there’s nothing after that? I have good news for you. If you put your trust in Christ and receive Him into your heart, you WILL live forever and you WILL see your loved ones who trusted in Christ in Heaven one day. Why don’t you pray now and ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins, and hardness of heart. Ask Him to forgive you for your unbelief and trusting in anyone or anything to make you ‘righteous’ before God. Nothing else can. All of us have sinned and fall short of His perfection and glory. Good works can’t save you. Religion can’t save you from sins’ penalty. Only Jesus can save you from the penalty of sin. He said, “I am the Way the truth and the life. No man can come to the Father except through me.” John 14: 6. The gift of eternal life is only a prayer away!

More related Scriptures:

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope." Romans 15: 13

"But we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning them that fall asleep; that ye sorrow not, even as the rest, which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also that are fallen asleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we that are alive, that are left unto the coming of the Lord, shall in no wise precede them that are fallen asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we that are alive, that are left, shall together with them be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words." 1 Thessalonians 4: 13-17