John 11:33, commentary and pictures

When Jesus met Mary and the mourners weeping at the tomb where Lazarus had lain four days, He was deeply moved, groaning inwardly and troubled in tender sympathy, for He does not remain indifferent to death or to the grief of mourners. His grief was not for Lazarus and his friends alone, but for the suffering, sorrow and death that sin has brought upon the whole human family throughout history. He was burdened by the blind unbelief and ingratitude of those who should have trusted His power over death, discerning that some sorrow was pretended and that some who seemed sympathetic would soon plot His death and the death of Lazarus. His trouble also reflected His awareness of Satan's power over humanity and of the death He Himself must die to ransom from sin and death all who return to loyalty to God. That raising of Lazarus stands as His crowning miracle and decisive testimony to His divine power and Sonship, showing His authority over death and pointing to the day when His voice will call the dead in Christ to glorious immortal life, and the same pitying compassion He showed at the grave He still manifests to comfort those in special distress.

Lazarus at Bethany

John 11:33 belongs to the raising of Lazarus of Bethany, the greatest of Christ's miracles and His most wonderful work. It was wrought for one of His most steadfast disciples, whose faith in Christ had been strong from their first meeting, whose love for Him was deep, and who was greatly beloved by the Saviour. His heart was knit by a strong bond of affection to the family at Bethany by peculiarly tender associations, though He blessed all who sought His help and loves all the human family.

It took place where Jesus had often found rest, in the peaceful household at Bethany. He had no home of His own and was dependent on the hospitality of friends and disciples, and when weary and thirsting for human fellowship He was glad to escape there away from the suspicion and jealousy of the angry Pharisees and from the weary conflict of public life. There He found sincere welcome and pure, holy friendship and interested listeners, and He could speak with simplicity and perfect freedom, knowing His words would be understood and treasured. There He opened to an appreciative audience the volume of Providence, unfolding in private what He did not attempt to tell to the mixed multitude, and He needed not to speak to His friends in parables. His groaning in spirit and trouble at the weeping show that He appreciated a quiet home and interested listeners and longed for human tenderness, courtesy, and affection.

Jesus delayed going to Bethany, and Lazarus died before He arrived. He met the grieving sisters after Martha had confessed Him as the Christ the Son of God and at His direction had called Mary. Mary fell at His feet weeping that Lazarus would not have died if He had been there, along with the weeping of the friends who had come to comfort the afflicted sisters. Deeply moved and troubled by Mary's grief and the tears of the people who came with her, He asked where Lazarus had been laid, and they invited Him to come and see the grave. They all went together to the cave tomb closed with a stone, where Lazarus had lain four days. Jesus raised their brother from the grave, turning their sorrow into unspeakable joy.

That raising stands with the raising of the son of the widow of Nain and of Jairus' daughter during His earthly ministry. It restored Lazarus to mortal life only; he was not clothed with immortality and after being raised continued to be subject to death and decay. This is different from those who came forth from the grave at Christ's own resurrection, who were raised to everlasting life never more to see death or sorrow. The raising of Lazarus became Christ's crowning miracle and led many to believe in Him, while those hardened in unbelief responded by renewing their hostility toward Jesus. It was a miracle that had a powerful effect on people's minds and drew a large, enthusiastic crowd.

Why Jesus Groaned

When He saw Mary weeping and the Jews who had come with her weeping, He was deeply moved, inwardly groaning and troubled in tender sympathy. He does not remain indifferent to death or to the grief of mourners, but weeps with them. His grief was not for Lazarus and his bereaved friends alone, for ever touched by human woe He felt the suffering, sorrow and death brought upon the whole human family by sin throughout history. He who was thus moved is the one who healed the sick, restored sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf and speech to the dumb, fed the hungry, walked upon the heaving billows and by a word silenced their roaring, cast out devils that in departing acknowledged Him to be the Son of God, broke the slumbers of the dead, and held thousands entranced by words of wisdom.

He was burdened and troubled by the blind unbelief, ingratitude and hatred of those who professed faith in Him and should have trusted His power over death. They mistook His tears as grief only for Lazarus and questioned whether He who had opened the eyes of the blind and done mighty works could have prevented Lazarus from dying, when His trouble was over their infidelity. His sighs and tears expressed anguish over unbelief, ingratitude and hatred among those He came to bless and save. He discerned what lay beneath their grief, that some sorrow was pretended and some who appeared sympathetic would soon plot His death and Lazarus's. He restrained righteous anger because Mary truly believed in Him and was grieving, while His grief also foresaw the plot against Him, Jerusalem's coming destruction, and multitudes perishing without hope.

His sorrow reflected awareness of Satan's power over humanity and of the death He Himself would face to ransom people from sin and death. He wept knowing that though raising Lazarus would evidence that He was the Son of God, He could not save every person brought low by death, for His ransom is for all who return to loyalty to God. His groaning in spirit and trouble show that He appreciated a quiet home and interested listeners and longed for human tenderness, courtesy and affection. His compassion for people in suffering and for those tried and tempted did not make Him fail, turn back or become discouraged, but He pressed forward so they could gain eternal life.

Power and Comfort

The raising of Lazarus to which this groaning belongs is Christ's crowning miracle and decisive testimony to His divine power, an evidence of Messiahship that even learned opposers could not dispute and convincing proof of His divinity and Sonship. Lazarus himself after being raised bore witness by his life that Christ is the Son of God. The work reveals the Father through the works Christ performs and displays His character as Savior and Lifegiver. By calling forth one who had lain four days in the grave, He showed His power and authority over death. That call points forward to the time when His voice will call the dead in Christ from their tombs to glorious, immortal life to be ever with the Lord.

He who groaned and was troubled there is the same One who healed the sick, restored sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf and speech to the dumb, fed the hungry, walked upon the heaving billows and by a word silenced their roaring, cast out devils that in departing acknowledged Him to be the Son of God, broke the slumbers of the dead, and held thousands entranced by words of wisdom. He did all this while His own life was persecution and insult, driven from Bethlehem, rejected at Nazareth, condemned without cause at Jerusalem, and driven from the people He labored to save, unable to reach hearts blinded by prejudice and resolute hatred that rejected the light. Raising the dead fulfilled His mission as the Pattern Man just as certainly as toiling in obscurity as a carpenter hiding His divine mission, treading the waves of the Sea of Galilee, and dying as man's sacrifice on the cross to lift the race to new life, the mighty miracle being no greater fulfillment than humble labor. In both the lowly toil and the mighty work He displayed His sympathy and oneness with humanity by which He draws the sympathy of all hearts.

The surrounding event belongs with the teaching that the dead know nothing. The tender, pitying compassion He showed in standing and weeping by the grave of Lazarus He still manifests to those in special distress and great necessity. When death brings sudden, paralyzing sorrow, He comforts the bereaved and applies soothing balm to heal the afflicted and oppressed.