Exposition of John, Chapter 11 · Verse 23
Ver. 33. When Jeſus therefore ſaw her weeping, and the Jewes alſo weeping which came with her, he groned in the ſpirit, and was troubled.
34. And ſaid, Where have ye laid him? They ſay unto him, Lord, come and ſee.
35. Jeſus wept.
In the fifth place, is recorded Chriſts tender ſympathy with Mary and her afflicted company, in this ſtrait, which leads him to the doing of the miracle. The occaſion hereof, is, his obſerving of Maries ſorrow, with the ſorrow of theſe who were in her company to comfort her. His carriage, or the expreſſion of his ſympathy upon this, conſiſts in theſe. 1. He groaned in ſpirit, and was troubled, or troubled himſelfe, ver. 33. The word rendred groaning, doth properly ſignifie to have indignation, and conſequently, ſtrictly to charge under pain of diſpleaſure. And ſo it may point out his indignation, not only at their weakneſſe, evidenced in the way of their expreſſions to him, but chiefly, againſt ſin and Satan that brought on all this miſery: But certainly, the root of all this, was his tender reſpect to Lazarus, and to Maries trouble and affliction. 2. Being thus affected, he enquires for the grave, that he may give a proofe of his ſympathy, and being deſired to come and ſee, he goeth on toward it, as appears from the following purpoſe, ver. 34. 3. Being in the way to the grave, the exerciſe of his ſpirit burſt out in weeping, ver. 35.
From ver. 33. Learn, 1. Whatever be the expreſſions of any to Chriſt, yet the chiefe thing …e looks to, is, what they expreſſe of an affected and ſenſible heart, in that wherein they employ him; Therefore, without heeding her language, it is remarked, he ſaw her weeping. 2. It is commendable in men, to be compaſſionate, and to …i… with …iends in their …rrows; for, the Jewes are alſo weeping, which came with her. 3. None will prove…able comforters of friends in diſt…, but thoſe who take deep impreſſion of their ſorrows; for their who came to comfort her, ver. 31. are alſo weeping with her, 4. Albeit Chriſt will reſpect the ſorrows of any of o…e m…u…her, yet it is a good token, when the ſorrows of many concurre to plead with him for pity; for, it is when he ſaw her weeping, and the Jewes alſo weeping with her that his compaſſion burſt, forth. 5. Chriſt will have ſome reſpect, even to the griefe of natural men, joining with his people, to …ment their or his Churches ſorrows; for, albeit there Jewes were as yet unco…ted, yet their weeping with Mary hath its own weight with him: He who reſpects the …y of young …avens and L…ons Joh 38.41. Pſal 104.21. and the mourning of a … land, Jer. 12.11. doth certainly reſpect the ſorrows of men, as they are men, and particularly, when their ſorrow is for a right cauſe. 6. Chriſt hath not only divine power, as …, to … his own, but as man alſo, he hath compaſſion and a tender heart, to take an impreſſion of their difficulties, when they are aff…ted with them, for, weeping Mary meets with a … compaſſionate Chriſt here. And this may give Saints …dneſſe to come to him, Heb. 4.15, 16. Eſpecially conſidering that we cannot have ſorrow, but he hath an eye to obſerve it, that he may ſympathize, as Mary here findes: And i… may make tr…e … us conſidering that we have ſuch a ſympath…zer. 7. A… Chriſt do not at firſt cu…e the troubles of his own; yet …e doth ſympathize with them under them. He will firſt put the afflicte… in his heart, and then cure their diſeaſe; for, here he firſt ſympathizes, and then raiſeth Lazarus. And in this reſpect he … all the ſickneſſes which he cured, Matth 3.16, 17. 8. The difficulties of the Lords pe…p… … not only wak… at his affection and ſympathize with them; but this his ſympathy will burſt forth in indignation againſt all their enemies and cauſes of their troubles; for, ſo much alſo doth his groaning in the ſpirit, import, that his indignation was kindled againſt Satan and ſin, that drew on death and all this ſorrow. 9. The nature of his commotion, and that he troubled himſelfe, as it is in the Original; doth teach. 1. Chriſt our Lord was not muddy in his affections, nor overpowered by them; but he had them at his command; His commotions of minde were not only like the ſhaking of pure water in a clear glaſſe, which ſtill remains clear; but they aroſe, and were calmed, at his pleaſure. And albeit this was proper and peculiar to himſelfe, who was true God, and the ſpotleſſe Lamb of God; Yet if we were more neer him, and like him, we would finde our affections to be more ſervants, and leſſe Maſters; And without this, our very good affections are oft-times ſo muddy, that they marre us; Our earneſt deſires after good are poiſoned with impatient haſt, and our very joy may marre beleeving, Luk 24.41. 2. Our Lord hath not theſe affections, which are needful for his peoples help, far to ſeek; but they are ready to burſt forth … call; for, …hen Maries condition needs ſympathy, he troubled himſelfe. And ſo we, who need ſutable affections, and a right frame of ſpirit, when many times we cannot attain them; yea, oft-times our diligence in ſeeking them, puts us further from them, by reaſon of our not taking a right way; If we could employ faith in him, who can command theſe affections in himſelfe, he could alſo ſoone give them unto us.
From ver. 34. Learn, 1. Chriſts tender affection and ſympathy with his people will not lie hid in his heart, not expreſſe it ſelfe only in ſome affectionate expreſſions; but will at laſt produce glorious actings for them; for, the fruit of his groaning and trouble, is, his enquity for the grave, that he may raiſe Lazarus. 2. Chriſt takes pleaſure to anſwer his peoples neceſſities, by deeds as well as by words, and (ſo to ſay) to do and act his love, as well as to ſay it; Yea, in great neceſſities, he will not delay his peoples help ſo long as even to comfort them by words; Therefore, albeit it be his ordinary way, to comfort his people, firſt by promiſes, Zech 1▪ 13. and then, by actings; and albeit he dealt ſo with Martha; Yet, ſeeing Maries great need and his heart being weighted, he ſayes no more, but will go to the action. 3. Albeit Chriſt will ſpeedily help his needy people, yet he will ſo order his working, as his glory may be moſt conſpicuous in it; Therefore, albeit he could have raiſed Lazarus, and made him come to them where they ſtood; and albeit he knew well enough where the grave was; yet he will enquire for it, and have them to conduct him to it, that ſo he may free this miracle from any ſuſpition of illuſion, and may have them to be witneſſes of his glory in it.
From ver. 35. Learn, 1. As the Sonne of God did take on mans nature, and dwelt in our fleſh, that he might lay a foundation of reconciliation betwixt God and man, in his own perſon; So alſo he did take on theſe ſinleſſe affections and infirmities, which might not only prove him to be true man, but that he is a kindly brother and kinſman to miſerable men, and might be a fit conduct to conveigh theſe bowels of compaſſion that are in God, toward loſt man; for, ſo much is evidenced by his weeping. 2. Chriſt, in the daies of his fleſh, was a man of ſorrows and acquainted with griefes, that therein men might read the bitter fruits of ſinne, and they who flee to him, may have matter of joy for ever; Therefore, it is marked that Jeſus wept, which alſo was his frequent practice. See Heb. 5.7. 3. Chriſt hath no light touch of the miſeries of his own, but they do deeply afflict and affect him; for, he groans and is troubled, till he wept again. 4. Chriſt allowes not that his affection and ſympathy be hid from his afflicted people; but he would have them knowing it, and convinced of it; for, therefore, doth his groaning and trouble burſt forth in weeping, to be diſcerned by the beholders, as ver. 36. 5. Chriſts tenderneſſe and affection to his afflicted people will not long be hid or concealed, but it will burſt forth through never ſo many clouds; for, when he is troubled, he will at laſt weep alſo in view of them all. Thus when he is dealing moſt harſhly with the woman of Canaan, yet at laſt his heart cannot hide it ſelfe, Matth. 15.22, &c. And in this, Joſeph, in his dealing with his brethren, was a type of him. 6. Chriſts inward exerciſe burſting forth in weeping, may ſerve alſo further to teach. 1. That all who get their bitter and ſad exerciſe and ſorrows ſuppreſſed that they break not out to the diſhonour of God, or weakening of the hands of others, have him to acknowledge, who by venting his ſorrows, both here, and elſewhere, eſpecially on the croſſe, Matth. 27.46. hath ſhut up theirs. 2. That, on the other hand, when griefes and ſorrowes will not ſmother, that lot may be ſanctified in his perſon, and we may have him for a companion, who knoweth the heart of ſuch a one.