The Wisdom of Christ's Tears
Regarding those who died, whom he raised, we do not know. How then can we know if they were delivered to a complete death? He will raise this one, and we receive knowledge that he is truly the Son of God.
Therefore also Martha, being drawn into these words, came to the Lord, herself saying: 'Where are you going, Master? Why do you want to see the tomb of Lazarus? Why do you seek our pain? Why do you stir up the grief? Why do you want to see the tomb? For you will gain nothing, Master; it is already smelling, for he has been four days.' But the Lord to Martha: 'Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?' (John 11:40). You say to me: 'It is already smelling.' The sister's body stinks, and you are smoking with unbelief? I want to see the tomb of my friend. Having said these things, the Lord went toward the tomb.
And having approached the tomb, he only saw the monument, and immediately he wept. What is the need to weep for one whom he was about to raise? He wept. Because of what? Listen intelligently. The Lord did everything wisely; for he wept at the tomb, so that he might make public to those who followed his will, what kind of suspicion they have concerning him.
Therefore also, as they saw him weeping, the following crowds, having again suffered humanly, began to argue among themselves and say: 'See how he loved him. The one raising the dead and giving sight to the blind was not able to do so that this one also might not die, if indeed he loved him thus?' But the Lord, when he saw them still speaking humanly, answered them: 'It was light for me to reserve the life of Lazarus just as that of Elijah and of Enoch, but none of you knew that by my will the life of Lazarus is reserved. Because of this, I endured, that death might lay him low, so that you might learn precisely that I have the authority over life and death.'
And immediately to them the Lord, as you all know clearly: 'Roll away the stone.' (John 11:39). He permitted it to the Jews: 'Roll away the stone.' See how he did everything wisely, making precise witnesses of the resurrection of Lazarus. 'Roll away the stone.' He permitted the disciples to move stones by word, and did he himself not roll away the stone? But everything wisely, as I said before, acting toward a resolution, he was saying to the Jews: 'Roll away the stone, so that from it the...
Greek
τελευτησάντων, ὧν ἤγειρεν, οὐκ ἐπιστάμεθα. Πόθεν οὖν ἴσμεν, εἰ τελείῳ θανάτῳ παρεδόθησαν; Τοῦτον ἀναστήσει, καὶ γνῶσιν λαμβάνομεν ὅτι ἀληθῶς θεοῦ υἱός ἐστιν. Ὅθεν καὶ ἡ Μάρθα τοῖς λόγοις τούτοις συμπεριενεχθεῖσα προσῆλθε τῷ κυρίῳ καὶ αὐτὴ λέγουσα· Ποῦ πορεύῃ, δέσποτα; Τί θέλεις τὸν τάφον ἰδεῖν Λαζάρου; Τί τὴν ὀδύνην ἡμῶν ἀναζέεις; Τί τὸ πένθος ἐπεγείρεις; Τί θέλεις τὸν τάφον ἰδεῖν; Οὐδὲν γὰρ ὀνήσεις, δέσποτα· ἤδη ὄζει, τετραήμερος γάρ ἐστιν. Ὁ δὲ κύριος πρὸς τὴν Μάρθαν· Οὐκ εἶπόν σοι ὅτι ἐὰν πιστεύσῃς ὄψῃ τὴν δόξαν τοῦ θεοῦ; Ἐμοὶ λέγεις· Ἤδη ὄζει. Ἡ ἀδελφήσου μυρίζει, καὶ σὺ καπνίζῃ τῇ ἀπιστίᾳ; Θέλω τὸν τάφον ἰδεῖν τοῦ φίλου μου. Ταῦτα εἰπὼν ὁ κύριος ἐπὶ τὸν τάφον ἐπορεύετο. Καὶ πλησιάσας τῷ τάφῳ μόνον εἶδε τὸ μνημεῖον, εὐθέως ἐδάκρυσε. Τίς ἡ χρεία δακρύειν ὃν ἤμελλεν ἐγείρειν; Ἐδάκρυσε. ∆ι' ὅ; Ἄκουε συνετῶς. Πάντα ὁ κύριος σοφῶς ἐπραγματεύσατο· ἐδάκρυσε γὰρ ἐπὶ τὸν τάφον, ὅπως τῶν ἀκολουθησάντων τὴν γνώμην δημοσιεύσῃ, οἵαν ἔχουσι περὶ αὐτοῦ τὴν ὑποψίαν. ∆ιὸ καὶ ὡς εἶδον αὐτὸν δακρύσαντα, ἀνθρώπινα πάλιν παθόντες οἱ ἀκολουθοῦντες ὄχλοι ἤρξαντο πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς ἀντιβάλλειν καὶ λέγειν· Ἴδε πῶς ἐφίλει αὐτόν. Ὁ νεκροὺς ἐγείρας καὶ τυφλοὺς ὀμματώσας οὐκ ἠδύνατο ποιῆσαι ἵνα καὶ οὗτος μὴ ἀποθάνῃ, εἰ ἄρα οὕτως ἐφίλει αὐτόν; Ὁ δὲ κύριος ὡς εἶδεν αὐτοὺς ἔτι ἀνθρώπινα λαλοῦντας, ἀπεκρίνατο πρὸς αὐτούς· Κοῦφον μὲν ἦν μοι παρακατασχεῖν τὴν ζωὴν Λαζάρου ὡς καὶ τοῦ Ἠλία καὶ τοῦ Ἐνώχ, ἀλλ' οὐδεὶς ὑμῶν ἐγίνωσκεν ὅτι τῇ ἐμῇ θελήσει ἡ ζωὴ Λαζάρου παρακατέχεται. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο συνεχώρησα ὑπὸ τοῦ θανάτου αὐτὸν καταποθῆναι, ὅπως ἀκριβῶς μάθητε ὅτι ζωῆς καὶ θανάτου τὴν ἐξουσίαν ἔχω. Καὶ εὐθὺς πρὸς αὐτοὺς ὁ κύριος, καθὼς ἴστε πάντες σαφῶς· Ἀποκυλίσατε τὸν λίθον. Ἰουδαίοις ἐπέτρεπεν· Ἀποκυλίσατε τὸν λίθον. Βλέπε πῶς πάντα σοφῶς ἐπραγματεύσατο μάρτυρας ἀκριβεῖς τῆς ἀναστάσεως Λαζάρου καθιστῶν. Ἀποκυλίσατε τὸν λίθον. Τοῖς μαθηταῖς ἐπέτρεπεν ὄρη μετάγειν λόγῳ, καὶ αὐτὸς λόθον οὐκ ἀπεκύλιεν; Ἀλλὰ πάντα σοφῶς, καθὼς προεῖπον, πραγματευόμενος πρὸς λυσιτέλειαν ἔλεγεν τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις· Ἀποκυλίσατε τὸν λίθον, ὅπως ἐξ αὐτῆς τῆς
About this text
A bishop's powerful reflection on the resurrection of Lazarus and the faith that challenges doubt.
Catalogue & scope
Khazarzar scan
Witnesses
- Copy-text PG 39 (Khazarzar) (Greek)
This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.