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Adventistische Schriften über: "Why did Jesus weep at Lazarus (John 11)?"
Answer
Jesus wept at the tomb of Lazarus, on the one hand out of human compassion for the grieving sisters Mary and Martha, because he had taken on human nature and was moved by suffering. However, his tears also stemmed from a far deeper sorrow over the impending unbelief of the Jews, who, despite this miracle, would soon plot his own death.
He did not weep for Lazarus himself, because he knew he would raise him immediately, but out of divine sorrow for human distress and the stubbornness of those who rejected him as the Savior.
Jesus' Tears of Compassion and Divine Sorrow
»Where have you laid him?" he asked. "They said to him, 'Lord, come and see.'" Together they went to the tomb. It was a sad scene. Lazarus had been greatly loved, and his sisters wept for him with broken hearts, while those who had been his friends mixed their tears with those of the bereaved sisters. In view of this human suffering and the fact that the distressed friends could mourn the dead while the Savior of the world stood nearby, who had the power to raise the dead, "Jesus wept." Although he was the Son of God, he had taken on human nature and was moved by human grief. His tender, compassionate heart is always awakened to empathy by suffering. He weeps with those who weep and rejoices with those who rejoice. But Jesus wept not only because of his human compassion for Mary and Martha. In his tears was a sorrow that stood far above human pain, as the heavens are higher than the earth. Christ did not weep for Lazarus; for he was about to call him out of the tomb. He wept because those who now mourned Lazarus with Mary would soon plan the death of the One who was the resurrection and the life.«
A Divine Sorrow in Harmony with Human Suffering
»Jesus had wept at the tomb of Lazarus, but it was a godlike sorrow in accordance with the occasion. ... Jesus' tears were not in anticipation of physical suffering as he contemplated his crucifixion ... It is the sight of Jerusalem that pierces Jesus' heart with anguish – Jerusalem, which had rejected the Son of God and despised his love, which refused to be convinced by his mighty miracles, and was about to take his life.«
A Savior Who Shares All Sorrow
»Rejoice, even on this day of mourning and loss, that you have a Savior who shares all your sorrow. He wept at the tomb of Lazarus and identifies his concerns with those of the grieving children.«
Original Sources (English)
Stephan Krol
Founder of EGW Vision
Why I built EGW Vision
Hello, I am Stephan Krol. I started this Ellen White website to make the writings of Ellen G. White and the Adventist pioneers easier to access for everyone.
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