The Precursor Answer 4: God's Love
Why does God allow bad things to happen to innocent people?
“Jesus wept.” John 11: 35
The verse above is found in the Bible as part of the story about the death of Lazarus who was the brother of Mary Magdalene, and who Jesus is said to have loved very much. It is thought to be the shortest verse in scripture, although biblical scholars disagree about this. This verse illustrates another aspect of the love of God that has an important role in the Precursor Answer and in this article, I will set it out as I continue to build all the components of the answer into a single comprehensive idea.
Most people familiar with the verse would probably say that Jesus wept in the story because he loved Lazarus and did not want him to die. But details in the story make this interpretation being the correct one very unlikely. Not only does thinking that Jesus’ sorrow was specifically for Lazarus make no sense in the details of the story it also distracts us from something much more important about His grief. What this verse tells us is far more broad-reaching and magnificent to consider than it might seem, and it is about far more than Lazarus.
In order to demonstrate the point, I need to list out the events in the story, in the order they happened. Bear in mind that these events occurred in the days just before Jesus went to Jerusalem for Passover; a trip that would culminate in His crucifixion.
When Lazarus became ill his sister Mary sent word to Jesus (who was presumably in a different town) to let him know. But in verses 11: 4 – 6 He sent word back to Mary that the illness would not end in death. “…this illness does not lead to death.” John 11: 4. And then He stayed two days longer where He was.
Later He tells the apostles that Lazarus has fallen asleep and that He will go to awaken him, but they respond by saying that if he was asleep, he will wake up (and there is no need to go). “Then Jesus told them plainly, Lazarus is dead.” (John 11: 14) So far, Jesus has not wept for Lazarus although it is clear from scripture that He already knows he is dead. And after this conversation, by the time they arrived at the place where Lazarus, Mary, and the others were, Lazarus had been dead for four days (John 11: 17).
Why had Jesus not wept over the death up to this point? Obviously, He knew he was dead. For Him to be grieved and weep about it wouldn’t He have to have thought that it would end in his death being permanent? And for this, wouldn’t He have to NOT believe what He Himself had just said in verses 4 – 6?
No. It’s something else, so let’s read on…
In verses 23 – 27 the heart of the Christian gospel is stated in a few sentences: Mary tells Jesus that she knows that Lazarus will rise again in the resurrection on the last day. Jesus responds that He is the resurrection and the life, and that all who believe in Him will not die...and asks her if she believes this. She says that she does. And they called Mary’s sister to join them. Up until this point Jesus had not even gotten to the village where Lazarus was laid in the tomb.
Later, when they had all arrived at the grave site Mary, possibly overcome by grief, fell at Jesus’ feet saying that if He (Jesus) had been there her brother would not have died. And here is the critical verse: “When Jesus saw her weeping, and the others who had come with her weeping, He was deeply moved in His spirit, and troubled” (John 11: 33). He asked where they had laid him (Lazarus). And then, after all of this, “He wept.” (John 11: 35)
I am convinced that Jesus was NOT weeping for Lazarus, but for Mary and the others. I am convinced that He was weeping for all of us. I think the context of His grief was far beyond the events at the tomb site. I believe He was grieving for all of it, the fall from grace, the prevalence of sin in the world, and the evil that He was traveling to Jerusalem to confront and defeat. The apex of the story was just days away and I think the burden of it was already crushing.
Now, to be fair, the Jews having seen Jesus’ weeping remarked “See how He loved him” (Lazarus) John 11: 37. I think this verse has resulted in massive oversimplification. I wonder why they didn’t say “See how He loves Mary and the others?” It would have been equally true.
And here is how it contributes to the Precursor Answer…
In the first article on God’s love, I describe how God’s love is sacrificial. He loves us even when we do not love Him back. He speaks about how He longs for us. Augustine argues that our love for Him would not be the kind He hopes for unless we are free not to love Him. To choose to disobey and turn from Him is sin. And Scripture is very clear on the principle that sin results in death. So, for us to exercise our free will to turn away from Him not only deprives Him of the love He longs for, but it causes US to die. And He loves us… “He is patient for your sakes, not wanting that anyone should perish…” (2 Peter 3: 9)
The Lazarus story adds to His love the dimension that the pain that our sin brings into the world, the bad things that happen to innocent people, break His heart and hurt Him every bit as much as they hurt us. Maybe more. And yet, He does not intervene…
Or does He?
I hope you will read on.
John Villegas-Grubbs
website: Greyjump.com
Youtube Chanel (music and videos): "johnthepilgrim"