The response of Jesus to Lazarus’ death reveals a very tender side of the Son of God. His deep feelings on this occasion clearly indicate his intense desire to resurrect the dead. We read: “Mary, when she arrived where Jesus was and caught sight of him, fell at his feet, saying to him: ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.’ Jesus, therefore, when he saw her weeping and the Jews that came with her weeping, groaned in the spirit and became troubled; and he said: ‘Where have you laid him?’ They said to him: ‘Lord, come and see.’ Jesus gave way to tears. Therefore the Jews began to say: ‘See, what affection he used to have for him!’”​—John 11:32-36.

The expression translated “troubled” comes from a Greek word (ta·rasʹso) that indicates agitation. According to The New Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, it means “to cause one inward commotion, . . . to affect with great pain or sorrow.” The expression “gave way to tears” comes from a Greek verb (da·kryʹo) that means “to shed tears, weep silently.” This is in contrast with the “weeping” of Mary and the Jews with her, mentioned at John 11:33. There the Greek word (from klaiʹo) used means to weep audibly or loudly.d