[classyT]

Why do you think the Lord Jesus cried before he raised Lazarus from the dead? He knew he was going to... what moved him so? I have heard many say because of all the unbelief there... I think that is bogus. He had unbelief everywhere he went. I have my own thoughts as to why he did but I was curious as to what everyone else thought.

[jakester]

classyT -

I agree with you that Jesus did not weep because of the people's unbelief. In fact, if you read the following excerpt from John 11, the text explains why He wept:

She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”

When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him. Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him. When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus wept. So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?”

Jesus was human too and He was not above the pain and suffering of this existence. Probably, at this moment in His life, He experienced a kind of grief that we all know too well in this life... the loss of loved ones. As believers, we face into the reality that life is very difficult and sin has stained our very existence... let's face it—we all die. Jesus also understood where this world is going and has a corner on the truth that none of us can comprehend... but it pleased God the Father to allow Him to become one of us and share in our earthly sorrows, making Him fit to be our High Priest.

What so impresses me about Jesus Christ is His humility. He was not afraid to be human in front of others because perhaps people were looking for Him to be a superman type character. Not so... that is not His way. He became a human being and experienced life in the ways you and I do. He is our hero not just in this regard but also in the regard that He courageously faced the intense terror and anguish of the cross so that we may receive mercy from God.

Amen!

[cogs]

From your picture you look like nicole kidman.
I think jesus was compassionate, not only for this immediate situation, but for the parallel between this and his own death. The people were mourning a death, and jesus was mourning everyones' death through sin. He saw that lazarus needed resurrecting, as well as mankind. He knew he too would be in a grave like this one. It was their mourning mixed with his.

[classyT]

Wow, I think both of those were good responses. He was GOD and fully human! I think he was mourning death in general. It is my thought he never intended for mankind to have to die. He saw the effects on those he loved and it hurt him. He knew he would raise Lazarus, and if I walked into a funeral home to view someone I loved and I knew I would raise them from the dead, I wouldn't be crying. But I'm not God... thanks for your thoughts.