Was Jesus Angry with the Mourners of Lazarus?

Lazarus is dead. Buried. His sisters Martha and Mary are weeping. Their friends weep. And both sisters say to Jesus, “If you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

John then tells us in 11:33: “When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping who came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled . . ..”

Some have reasoned that Jesus was angry at the mourners for their lack of faith, or for accusing Him of not caring about Lazarus (If You had been here . . . .)

I do not believe either interpretation is true. The Greek word used for ‘groaned’ is embrimaomai – which means (among other definitions) to ‘snort with anger.”

Jesus was not ‘snorting angry’ with those weeping around the tomb. Such a response would have been totally uncharacteristic of our Lord.

I believe He was ‘snorting angry’ – He was furious at Death. Why? Well, for example, in the book of Wisdom, written about 50 years before Jesus’ birth, we find these texts: “God did not make death, and he does not delight in the death of the living.” (Wisdom 1:13). In chapter 2 of that same book, we find: “But by the envy of the devil, death entered the world . . ..” (2:24)

And who knows? Perhaps Jesus was also preparing them to receive what St. Paul would later write in 1 Corinthians 15: 51-57 --

“Behold, I tell you a mystery. We shall not all fall asleep, but we will all be changed, in an instant, in the blink of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For that which is corruptible must clothe itself with incorruptibility, and that which is mortal must clothe itself with immortality. And when this which is corruptible clothes itself with incorruptibility and this which is mortal clothes itself with immortality, then the word that is written shall come about: “Death is swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

No, Jesus was not angry with the mourners. That is simply not the character of the Lord described in the New Testament. He was angry with Death – just as He remains angry when Death steals your loved ones, and mine.

Oh, but how wonderful it is to know that our Lord of Life also is the resurrection and the life. And that He promised, “He who believes in me will live even though he die. And everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die.” (John 11:25-26)

Do you believe this?