Tuesday 12 August 2014

Background

Following on from yesterday's passage we now see the accusationscontinue as Lazarus' other sister Mary now comes to meet Jesus.When she hears that he has finally turned up, she goes out to findhim, accompanied by her friends and family. Her words are identicalto those used by Martha: "Lord, if you had been here, my brotherwould not have died" (vv. 21, 32).

This family knew, trusted and believed in Jesus - and feltbetrayed when he wasn't there in their hour of need.

While Jesus' response to Martha was to reassure her that allwould turn out ok, faced with Mary and her cohort, he becomes"greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved" (v. 33). He askswhere his friend has been laid to rest and is told to "come andsee". These are the very words with which Jesus had called hisfirst two disciples to follow him (John1:39) and with which they in turn had called others (John1:46). But now it is a call to witness to death, rather thanlife.

Jesus weeps.

Whatever the reason for his delay in coming, Jesus is clearlyovercome by grief and sorrow at the situation. Knowing the end ofthe story - the happy resurrection of Lazarus - does not seem todetract from his distress.

But even with his tears, the accusations that he could haveprevented this situation continue (verse 37) and it is time forJesus to take a walk to Lazarus' tomb.

To Ponder

• How do you feel about having a Messiah who weeps?

• Is there anything in your life that you'd like to invite Jesusto "come and see"? What might that be? And what do you want Jesusto do?