“Lord, if he sleeps he will get well” (John 11:12) Part II

“I am the resurrection and the life” 

In John 11:25–27, Jesus declares, “I am the resurrection and the life.” This is the fifth of the seven “I AM” statements recorded in the Gospel of John. In making this statement, Jesus reveals that He does not merely give resurrection or life—He Himself is the resurrection and the life.  

Jesus continues, “He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live” (v. 25). This refers to physical death. Even if a believer, like Lazarus, dies physically, he can live again through resurrection. Then Jesus adds, “Whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die” (v. 26). This refers to spiritual life. Since physical death is inevitable, the promise of “never dying” must point to the eternal life of the spirit. 

Through these two profound statements, Jesus makes it clear that He is Lord over both physical and spiritual life. He is the One who raises the dead and grants eternal life to those who believe in Him. Despite her sorrow (v. 21) and earlier misunderstanding (v. 24), Martha responds with an expression of faith. In verse 27, she affirms her belief in Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God.  

“He groaned in the spirit and was troubled” 

John 11:28–32 records the moment when Mary, the sister of Martha, comes to meet Jesus. Upon seeing Him, she says the same words her sister had spoken earlier: “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died” (v. 32). This repeated expression of sorrow reveals both sisters’ grief and their belief in Jesus’ healing power—though not yet in His power to raise the dead immediately. 

John 11:33 tells us how Jesus responded: 

“Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled.”—John 11:33 (NKJV) 

Once again, the word “therefore” (Greek: οὖν, oun) signals causality. Jesus’ emotional response is directly connected to what He witnessed—Mary and the others weeping. The word translated as “weeping” here is from the Greek κλαίω (klaiō), which means loud wailing or lamenting. This scene was one of intense, public mourning. 

Jesus’ reaction is described with two striking phrases in the original Greek: 

“He groaned in the spirit”—Greek: ἐνεβριμήσατο τῷ πνεύματι (enebrimēsato tō pneumati) 

This verb, ἐμβριμάομαι (embrimaomai), literally means “to snort with anger” or “to express deep indignation.” It implies a sense of frustration, not just emotional pain. Jesus was not merely sorrowful—He was deeply agitated. 

“was troubled”—Greek: ταράσσω (tarassō) 

The verb ταράσσω (tarassō) means “to stir up” or “to be emotionally unsettled.” The same verb is used in John 13:21, where Jesus was troubled in spirit when announcing that one of His disciples would betray Him. 

These terms together reveal that Jesus was emotionally shaken—but not only by grief. He was disturbed, agitated, and even angry. But why? The Bible does not state Jesus’ exact reason for this intense emotional reaction. However, given the context and the meaning of the Greek verbs used, it is possible that Jesus was frustrated by the lack of faith He witnessed. Despite all the signs and His teachings, even those close to Him did not fully understand who He was or what He could do. Their sorrow was real, but it was also rooted in incomplete faith. 

This would not be the only time Jesus showed frustration at unbelief. In Mark 8:12, for example, He “sighed deeply in His spirit” when the Pharisees demanded a sign, revealing His weariness over their spiritual blindness. Thus, in John 11:33, Jesus’ emotional response may be understood as a complex mix of sorrow and frustration—a reaction to the persistent unbelief of mankind. 

“Jesus wept” 

John 11:35 records the short verse, “Jesus wept.” Here, the word used for “wept” is δακρύω (dakryō), which means to shed quiet tears—a restrained and personal expression of sorrow. This is differentiated from verse 33, where the word for Mary and the Jews’ “weeping” is the Greek verb κλαίω (klaiō), which refers to loud wailing—a highly emotional, public display of grief. This contrast is significant. While Mary and the others were weeping loudly and uncontrollably, Jesus expressed His emotion with calm, quiet tears. His sorrow was not marked by outward turmoil, but by a composed and thoughtful response. In John 11:36–37, the Jews interpreted Jesus’ tears as a sign of His love for Lazarus. However, the text does not explicitly confirm that this was the reason Jesus wept. The Bible simply says, “Jesus wept,” without elaborating further.  

However, if we follow the emotional trajectory of the passage, we might see a deeper layer to Jesus’ tears. Just two verses earlier, He was described as “groaning in the spirit” and being “troubled” (v. 33)—terms that suggest inner agitation and even indignation. A few verses later, in John 11:38, Jesus is described as “groaning in Himself” once again as He approaches the tomb. The original Greek verb used here is the same word used in verse 33. The repetition of this word emphasizes the continuity of Jesus’ emotional agitation starting from verse 33 through to verse 38—a frustration likely directed at the unbelief and spiritual blindness He encountered. That “Jesus wept” (v. 35) occurs in between these two instances of deep frustration reinforces the interpretation that His weeping was not only grief, but also sorrowful frustration over humanity’s failure to trust in Him fully. 

Despite the apparent disappointment, frustration and sorrow, what stands out is Jesus’ calm and composed demeanor. His example teaches us that, as believers, we should not allow our lives to be led by fleshly emotions such as fear, anxiety, or overwhelming sorrow. Instead, we are called to reflect the spiritual calm and trust modeled by the Lord Jesus. Even in the face of loss, uncertainty, or danger, we are encouraged to rest in God. “Do not fret because of evildoers… Do not fret—it only causes harm” (Psalm 37:1, 8). And in Philippians 4:6–7, we are reminded: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God… will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” 

“Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” 

In John 11:39–40, Jesus instructs them to remove the stone from the tomb. Martha, still thinking in physical terms, objects out of concern for the smell of death. Jesus gently corrects her: “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” With this statement, He reminds her—and perhaps also the others present, including the disciples—that true faith leads to a revelation of God’s glory.  

Then, in John 11:43–44, Jesus cries out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!”—and Lazarus is raised from the dead. This miraculous resurrection fulfills everything Jesus had said earlier: that the sickness would not end in death, that the glory of God would be revealed, and that He is the Resurrection and the Life. 

While Mary, Martha, and the disciples had not fully understood Jesus’ words or timing, Jesus patiently and gently led them from a limited understanding of the resurrection—as a distant, future event—to the full revelation that resurrection is found in His very person. In raising Lazarus, He affirmed His identity as the source of both physical life and eternal life, and invited all to believe in Him more completely. 

How do we truly understand the Lord Jesus? 

This passage in John 11 reminds us how easy it is for human beings—even those closest to Jesus—to misunderstand Him. Mary, Martha, the disciples, and even the surrounding Jews all failed to grasp His words, His intentions, or His timing. Their misunderstanding not only revealed limited faith, but also contributed to Jesus’ visible frustration (“groaning in the spirit”) and quiet sorrow (“Jesus wept”). These emotional responses show us how deeply Jesus cares—not only about our pain, but also about our spiritual clarity and faith. 

To understand Jesus rightly, we must shift our focus from temporary concerns to eternal realities. In each moment recorded in John 11, we see a contrast between man’s focus on the present and Jesus’ focus on eternity: 

Present Focus: The sisters sent word to Jesus, hoping He would come immediately to heal Lazarus and prevent their sorrow (John 11:3). 

Eternal Focus: Jesus, motivated by His deep love for them, chose to wait two more days so that their faith—and the disciples’ faith—would be strengthened through witnessing the resurrection (John 11:5–6, 14–15). 

Present Focus: The disciples were afraid to return to Judea because of the danger of being stoned (John 11:8). 

Eternal Focus: Jesus reminded them that He must walk in the light of God’s timing and purpose (John 11:9–10). 

Present Focus: Mary wept bitterly, devastated that Jesus had arrived too late (John 11:32–33). 

Eternal Focus: Jesus groaned and shed quiet tears—not only for their pain, but more for their unbelief in His power and identity (John 11:33–35, 39–42). 

Throughout the passage, everyone around Jesus was preoccupied with what was happening in the moment. But Jesus acted with the eternal perspective in mind. His priority was not simply to remove sorrow, but to bring people to faith in Him as the Resurrection and the Life. 

To truly understand Jesus, we must learn to see life through the lens of eternity. When we adopt His perspective, we will come to a deeper understanding of His words and His actions. Ecclesiastes 3:11 reminds us, “He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.” This tells us two important things. We are born with an awareness that there is more to life than what we see in the present. At the same time, God's ways are so high and wonderful that we cannot fully comprehend them on our own. 

Yet, God calls us to pursue Him. In Acts 17:26–28, we are told that God's desire is for people to “seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him.” To grow in our understanding of Jesus, we must pursue guidance from His Spirit and His Word. 

Ask for the fullness of the Holy Spirit. “The Holy Spirit… will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” (John 14:26). “When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth.” (John 16:13). “No one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God… we have received…the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.” (1 Corinthians 2:9–12). Only those who receive the Holy Spirit can begin to understand Jesus’ thoughts, intentions, and words.  

Diligently Study the Word of God. “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15). “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another…” (Colossians 3:16). God’s word must fill our minds, shape our conversations, and guide our lives. When the Bible is planted deeply in our hearts, it equips us to rightly interpret the Lord’s will, understand His timing, and follow His purpose. 

Conclusion 

This passage reveals that it is easy to misunderstand the Lord Jesus—even for those who are closest to Him—when our thinking is shaped by present concerns rather than eternal truths. To avoid such misunderstanding, we must adopt the lens of eternity, be led by the Holy Spirit, and commit to diligently studying His word.