Could Jesus have been playing it safe? Yes! Verse 14 sets us up for that. The opposition of some of the Pharisees drove Jesus into semi-retirement for a little while. He was not seeking notoriety, and He was not about to provoke the Pharisees into a fight, so in this case, discretion was the better part of valor. The best thing to do was to leave the area and not challenge them.
This scene of death and despair deeply moved and upset Him, even to the point of indignation. Lazarus was dead because sin had entered the world and brought death and the sorrows that follow. Sin does not bring life; it always results in death. Our Savior's weeping shows the pain of sin.
Today, we laugh and joke about things that caused even God Himself to weep. When we are tempted to sin, we must remember verse 35, “Jesus wept.” It succinctly emphasizes the curse of sin.
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