“When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, He groaned in the spirit, and was troubled” (John 11:33).

The gospel of John was written specifically to emphasize the deity of Christ. “These are written,” John said, “that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God” (John 20:31).

Yet John’s gospel uses the human name, “Jesus,” much more frequently than does Matthew, Mark, or Luke, thus emphasizing His humaneness more than any other writer. This is especially true in John’s central chapter (chapter 11) with 24 occurrences of the name (more than in any other chapter in the Bible) and in the central verse of that chapter, which is our text for today.

In the midst of the human grief over the death of their friend and loved one, Jesus Himself “groaned in the spirit, and was troubled.” The Greek here is poignant. The word “groaned” implies great indignation. The word “troubled” is actually two Greek words meaning “agitated Himself.” The whole picture is one of anger by the Creator over the very existence of death in the world which could cause such grief and hurt.

Not only Mary, Martha, and the friends of Lazarus, but even “Jesus wept” (v.35), for “Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus” with genuine human love (v.5). Jesus shared in full measure the typical human attributes of deep love for His friends and deep grief when a loved one died.

But He as Creator could say: “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God” (v.4). Death is in the world because sin is in the world, but Jesus Himself would soon die for sin in order that Lazarus—and all believers—could one day be set free forever from the grief of death. HMM