The Humanity of Jesus

Why had Jesus waited so long to go to Lazarus when he was sick? Why did he let him die? Lazarus, Mary and Martha were probably his closest friends. He could have healed Lazarus without even going back to Bethany where the two sisters and Lazarus lived. But he didn’t. By the time Jesus got there Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days. Don’t you know that Mary and Martha were very hurt because Jesus didn’t rush to them when he heard that Lazarus was gravely ill? Martha didn’t even bother to go to Jesus when he arrived. Both she and Mary questioned Jesus saying, “If you had gotten here earlier this would not have happened? “ I think these ladies were devastated because this man they loved so much had let them down.

All of this set up what was probably the most tender and moving encounter that Jesus experienced during his ministry. Martha had finally come out to where Jesus was. Those who had been at Martha’s house mourning with her came with her. The Bible says that Martha was crying. Those of us who have lost someone very close know how Martha must have felt as she saw this person who meant so much to her. When that dear person arrives we hug them and have a very emotional moment with them. The tears flow freely. Martha cried, not just a few tears, but more of an uncontrollable sobbing cry. Those with her were also crying. The Bible says as he saw all of this, “Jesus was deeply moved and troubled.” Jesus was hurting the way we hurt, the way we grieve, that visceral emotion that wells up inside of us when we ache for someone we love. And then Jesus couldn’t hold it in any longer, he wept. Jesus the man, Jesus who was God broke down and cried because he was deeply moved and was hurting badly for Mary and Martha.

Here we get to see the real humanity of Jesus up close and personal. In this scene we are led to an understanding of  how deeply hurt Jesus is when we hurt. We see how much he cares for us when we experience a great loss or when life is unkind to us. But we also see how Jesus feels when someone is lost and under the curse of sin. We see a beautiful snapshot of Jesus’ extreme love for this little family, these three siblings. We must realize that he loves each of us the same way. Jesus openly expressed his grief as a man that day because as God his love, and his grief for us is far greater than anyone can physically express. Jesus wants us to know how much he loves us, and he proved it on the cross. He died for every man and woman. He cares for and loves each of us  the same no matter who we are, or what we have done good or bad. Jesus wept for those two sisters, and he weeps for us too.