Jesus bears the sorrow of death

Text: John 11: 33-44

Text verse: John 11:33

The Greek word used in verse 33 to describe Jesus’ emotion is a different word from that used in verse 35.

The word used in verse 33 indicates a loud blow or sniff of an angry beast. In the case of a man, it shows that he is extremely angry.

If we think about what upset Jesus so much here, then it must be the pain and sorrow that causes people to sin. Jesus could not have been so upset about Lazarus’ death, because He knew that He would soon raise him from the dead (also see v. 23).

The same is true of His sorrow in verse 35. Jesus does not weep because He mourns the death of Lazarus, He is heartsore about a world caught in sin. Sin that causes grief and death.

Therefore, Jesus’ spirit is lifted again in verse 38 when He sees the tomb. A grave that looks a lot like the grave in which He will be laid down after having paid for the sins of this sinful world.

We must not look for the cause of sickness and death outside of ourselves. We must not blame the devil, or worse, God. Our own sinful nature is the cause of all the sadness, disappointment and death we face in this life.

Our love is measured and stained with selfishness. Our lives revolve around ourselves and this causes one disappointment after another.

The wonderful thing about this passage is to see that Jesus is not angry with the sinner, but with sin. That is why He came to earth. He came to deal with sin.

Lazarus’ resurrection was only a foretelling of the resurrection from the dead that we will one day experience. The day when all the dead hear the voice of the Son of God and come to life.

A day described in Revelation as, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Rev. 21: 3-4).

Jesus was willing to enter the deepest darkness of Apostasy so that we can receive this grace.

Therefore, death no longer has to be a day of sorrow for the believer, but a day of hope. Hope that the day is fast approaching when Jesus’ voice will resound over the earth to call us all out of the dead.

Thanks to Jesus’ grace and love, the sting of death is removed. Jesus bore the punishment of death so that our death is now only a gateway to eternity.

Live with this hope!