Jesus wept. _John 11:35
As for this shortest controversial scripture, here is my point of view. FYI, these are the ones that we can look at the perspectives that has been known to us.
In his humanity Jesus wept for Lazarus; in his divinity he raised him from the dead.” — Pope Leo I
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/jesus-wept-why-did-jesus-cry.html
However, in my opinion, Jesus wept because of our limit of understanding- our short sighted awareness of spirit.
To reveal my point of view, paying more attention to the connection with the verses before John 11: 17, which is about what Jesus did before he went back to where Lazarus died, I would like to firmly stand on our common sense about death that we all experience in our real life.
In the beginning of the verses, John 11, there are several interesting points we found. First, Jesus heard that his beloved friend, and Mary’s brother, Lazarus was ill. Jesus said ‘This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it._John 11:4’ and, rather than running to the Bethany to take care of his friend, even ‘stayed two days longer in the place where he was _John 11:6’. Then, he said to ‘go to Judea again_john 11:7’. Surprisingly, he was revealing that Lazarus has fallen asleep and, later ‘said to disciples plainly_John 11: 14’ that ‘Lazarus has died._John 11:14′ although it was known that Lazarus was ill.
There was no emotion involved towards the death of his friend, which was quite different from other people’s reaction about the dead of their beloved. Even foretelling Lazarus’ death, he was behaving more like a supernatural being. It seems that either Jesus might have a unusual, or unexpected plan for his dead friend or not care much about it, or both. Although it is possibly difficult for us to admit that Jesus did not pay much attention to the fact that his friend was dead and admitting this seems disgracing Jesus’ nature of compassion to human kind, indeed, when we understand that Jesus’ perspective of life is on the extended line of the death, which is eternity, Jesus’ seemingly indifferent attitude is making all sense in the context of christianity. Whatever the reason might be, his attitude clearly tells us that he wasn’t a usual human being and his mind seemed to be on a very different level of spiritual awareness, which was soon revealed on the conversation with Mary _ from John 11:17.
When Jesus came to Bethany, Lazarus had been dead for four days. Mary and Martha even blamed Jesus for that situation. Mary didn’t even come out to see Jesus but remained seated in the house _John 11:20 and Martha said, ‘if you had been there, he wouldn’t have died_ John 11:21’. Jesus confirmed Lazarus will rise again to Martha, who was saying all the right things to Jesus as a good student does to the teacher. To this good student, Jesus explained very basic truth about what God promise us-‘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_John 11:25-26′. Furthermore, Jesus even asked a question to this good student,’ Do you believe this?_John 11: 26′. Without disappointing us, Martha replied to Jesus with a right answer, ‘Yes, Lord. I believe…_John 11: 27’.
One of my friends, who is a sincere christian, confessed me that she is holding a grudge to God about his taking her father away when she was seven year old. “Was he God believer?” I asked. She said he got baptized, and believed that he would go to heaven. I understand her or anyone’s grief about the loss of their beloved but couldn’t believe that she had been holding grudge over God and even feel the obstacle of moving on. After talking more about her grief, I got to know her grief was more from the absence of the role of her father in her life. I questioned to myself ‘why do we believe in God?’. God’s promise for our everlasting life is everything to my faith. As he promises us that, we could be joyful whatever comes in life, even the death. Even we can face our death with joy believing that we would live in the heavenly kingdom.
My friend, who lost her father, goes church serving God and people in the community. She was so versed in the knowledge of the bible answering all the right answers as Martha did in the conversation with Jesus. However, as confessed, she had grudge to God. What does it say to us? It is not difficult to see these types of experiences. We, known as a believer to ourselves, always says the right answers reciting exact verses. But, maybe we are not there yet and that’s what Jesus saw, in my opinion. Saying all the right things about God, Jesus only saw people’s grief over the death of Lazarus and even their attitude of blaming him coming late, which had him to ask one simple question again ‘do you believe this?_John 11: 26’.
Mary also blamed him coming late as well_John 11:32. He saw her weeping and the other peoples weeping who had come with her. He might have wanted to ask the same question to them that he did to Martha. “Is anybody with me, reaaaally? anybody reaaaally believe in me? Seriously, although he die, he shall live if he believe in me!!”
It was pretty impressive experiences to me when Michael Jackson died. For several days in a row, all the streets were filled with his music and the people dancing along and the other side, there were people who were crying over the loss of him. His funeral was interesting as well. Tears and Joy was blended together honoring the work of one great musician in this era ,blessing his death and wishing his peace. Death can be joy. Whether people who grieved over the dead believed in eternal life that God promises us or not, there was joy and blessing.
One of the documentary films gave me an amazing inspiration. It was about one of the tribes in a remote place on earth. In their culture, when parents passed away, the children should not show their grief but joy dancing and singing in joy with other people as believed that they should bless the dead to move on to their journey to the other life. If the descendant cries, it will hinder them to move on. In this reason, showing grief over the dead is considered as a shame. Not that difficult to understand for us, however, they often couldn’t hide their tears.If we are a God believer, we especially can understand that death can be joy and blessed part of our life. It is doubly true to the people who have been on the death bed, not to speak of the people whose loved one has been on the death bed for a long time.
‘Jesus deeply moved again_John 11:38’. He failed to find that joy among them, who only blamed him and cried over the dead. They were only sad. Certainly, there wasn’t anyone saying, “Lazarus must be with God by now”, I guessed. At this point, it is important to remember what Jesus had in mind at that time around. Note that after this miracle over Lazarus, he entered into Jerusalem_John 12:12. Feeling impending, he was getting things prepared for his leaving mentioning his death to the disciples_John 11:13. Keeping this in mind, to let us know he is the son of God, he had been making all the efforts showing us all the miracles for example, opening the eyes of the blind_John 9.
revised on 10 June 2010…to be continued
EV 